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Tribe Report Archives January 23, 2007Martin de Vore  The dolphins, of course, left on their own.... One Minute Martinizing Well, it's been awhile hasn't it? A whole year since I wrote one of these One Minute Martinizing segments. What prompted this inspiration? Well, actually, it is due to another writer's Art Valet column that just came out today. In Any Free Wine, the anonymous reviewer wrote: ''I'll begin the new year with "M2 Gallery's First Annual "Go Figure!" Exhibition juried by the prestigious Patrick Palmer of the 'Glassell School of Fine Art. Frankly, I am surprised at the snide, jealousy-laden comments I overheard coming from Houston artists in attendance. I overheard more than one utterence along the lines of "M2 Gallery influenced the judge's decision based on personal favorites." ... First of all, get OVER yourself! Lastly, I have never talked with Mr. Palmer but even someone as dim-witted as myself knows there is no way Patrick Palmer would allow his name to be attached to a show and be willing to jeopardize his professional career by letting himself be influenced by reasons having nothing to do with the art.'' I agree with the anonymous reviewer. That's not how things work. Any juried show is subjective. That is the nature of a juried show. I have been in juried shows; I have been rejected by a juried show. I also juried a show myself at M2 Gallery last year -- the Mixed Nuts Show on Feb. 11, 2006. Let me tell you from personal experience, it is not easy to jury any show -- much less one with more than 100 pieces of art. As a juror, you try to pick the best pieces you can. You know that artists who are rejected will be upset. You know that and deal with it if you agree to be a juror. You are also acutely aware that the process is subjective and determined by the juror's tastes. In my case, there were many pieces I liked and selected that M2 owner Max Boyd Harrison did not care for. Nevertheless, I picked them and they were in the show. There were also pieces that Max thought were good that absolutely filled me with inertia. They did NOT make it in the show. Such is that creature that is a juried show. It ultimately was my call. Like it was Patrick Palmer's call. This is all nothing new. The Salon of Paris was notorious for who it rejected. Our fellow artists of more than a century ago such as Manet, Monet, Cezanne, Cassatt, Renoir, Sisley, Morisot, Degas, Seurat, Valadon, Signac, Gauguin, Whistler, Toulouse-Lautrec, etc. were all rejected at some point by the Salon from the 1860s-1900. So, if you are rejected by an art show, you are in good company. History vindicated them. As it will those of us who submit and are rejected if we have talent. Did I submit to this show? No, I did not. Why not? Because my work was not at the same level as many of the people that I knew were entering the show. There was no way that my figurative work (at this point) could hold its own against people like Michael-Ann Belin or Aimi Dunn. No frackin' way! Will I enter the next one? Probably. I should be much better a year from now. As an artist, it is good to be honest with yourself when you are assessing your own abilities. I usually paint landscapes, not people. I am working to change that. With help, encouragement and prodding during the past year from Michael-Ann, Aimi, Stäcy Smith, Lacey Crawford, Sorange Castillo, Mehak Bagai, Suzanne Delorme, Laura Hodges, Michelle Graczyk and Yuan Ji, I have begun drawing and painting people -- especially figurative pieces. Some are OK. Some are horrid. So, I chose not to have my figurative work juried until I felt it could hold its own. Maybe some of the artists who are griping about the Go-Figure show should have waited themselves to field stronger entries. I am sure that a year from now, their work will probably be better so I encourage them to submit again next year. Of course, if their work is good -- and should have been in the show -- then history will vindicate them anyway, won't it? And so it goes.... We Now Resume Our Regular Programming.... Well, next week it will be February. Groundhog Day will kick off the month and lead into Valentine's Day. That will in turn lead into the spring art season. It should be a good one. Let's see what's coming up, shall we? M2 Gallery Talk: Patrick Palmer On Saturday, Feb. 3, at 10 a.m., the public is invited to attend a gallery talk at M2 Gallery in The Heights by Patrick Palmer. As juror of M2's first annual juried art show and exhibition Go - Figure, Palmer has set the stage for future expectations and requirements for upcoming "calls to artists." An accomplished artist and sought after instructor at the Glassell School of Art, (coupled with a distinctive eye for talent) make Palmer a leading force in any discussion on figurative art in Houston. Join the M2 Gallery staff as Patrick Palmer shares his personal insights into Go-Figure. M2 Gallery is located at 325 W. 19th Street in The Heights. For more information on this lecture, or other upcoming M2 events, visit the Web site at http://www.m2-houston.com/ or call (713) 861-6070. Art Battle Looking for a good fight? OK. Then Gallery 19 is the place to be on Saturday, February 3, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. when the Gallery 19 artists present an "Art Battle." Even though it's not the Kursk Salient, there will still be plenty of action. Artists wishing to participate should register by 3:30 p.m. and, yes, they can use their own supplies. Gallery 19 is located at 327 West 19th Street in The Heights. For more information, call (713) 426-2414 or e-mail g19heights@sbcglobal.net . Rojo Not in the mood for love? I understand. Not everyone is. But what about red? The color red. If the love of red art (but not red as in the flux) is coursing through your body like Hawaiian Punch, then check out Rojo (Gallery 19's second annual Red show) on Friday, Feb. 10, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Join the Gallery 19 artists as they deck out the entire gallery in red. I can't wait to see what they come up with for this show. Gallery 19 is located at 327 W. 19th Street in The Heights, (in between Yale and Ashland). For more information, call (713) 426-2414 , e-mail g19heights@sbcglobal.net or visit the Gallery 19 Web site at http://www.gallery19.org . Justice for All Many would say that the concept of Justice for All is unattainable in this day and age. See what the art world thinks about the subject on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 7-10 p.m. at M2 Gallery in The Heights. It is the hope of the owners and friends of M2 Gallery that (in addition to viewing the art) all people will discuss the issues presented during the exhibition. Works will be on view from the Feb. 7 opening date through Feb. 18. M2 Gallery is located at 325 W. 19th Street in The Heights. For more information on this show, or other upcoming M2 events, visit the Web site at http://www.m2-houston.com/ or call (713) 861-6070. Krakatoa: Eruptions of International Sound Now for something completely different.... As many of you are aware, there are many tribes in Houston -- art, music, dance, whatever. Usually, in the Tribe Report, I focus exclusively on our own various art tribes. Sometimes though, there are events where our tribes and other tribes intersect. Such is the case here. On Saturday, Feb. 10, Free Range Studios, located at 1719 Live Oak Street, will present Krakatoa: Eruptions of International Sound. With performances beginning at 8 p.m., this evening will feature world music from the local scene, organically grown foods and a variety of worldwide goods for purchase -- all in a family-friendly environment. Many artists from our tribes are also involved with this event. Performers include Moodafaruka, winner of the Houston Chronicle's Choice Award in 2005 for Best Original Band, graces the stage to get the crowd grooving to a fusion of Flamenco, Middle Eastern and Western motifs. Discover more about Moodafaruka's music at http://www.moodafaruka.com/. Audio Telepathy melds Indian classical music infused with subtle textures of electronic sounds. Aaron Hermes plays the sitar accompanied by a master tabla player from India. Visit Audio Telepathy's Web site at http://www.audiotelepathy.com/ for more information about the group, its music and upcoming events. Space City Gamelan is Houston's one and only Indonesian Orchestra, delivering sonic tonics and bringing the court tradition to diverse Houston venues and ceremonies. Their instruments, which were handmade in Java, are as visually compelling as they are entertaining and inspirational to listen to. Learn more about Space City Gamelan at http://www.myspace.com/houstongamelan . At 7 p.m., prior to the evening's featured performances, a dinner of organic greens and vegetarian cuisine prepared with love by the Live Oak Outpost Urban Garden will be served to sounds provided by DJ Fili (from KPFT's Voz de la Tierra). In addition, Ten Thousand Villages will be present, tempting visitors with fabulous and fairly traded world art, jewelry, textiles and musical instruments. Ten Thousand Villages is a 501(c) nonprofit located in Rice Village -- supporting artists and their families in over 30 countries. In keeping with this mission, Ten Thousand Villages will be donating a portion of their on-site sales to Space City Gamelan in an effort to support the band's musical director, Gatot Winandar. Admission to the evening's festivities is $10, with all proceeds benefiting Live Oak Outpost Urban Garden. Free Range Studios is located at 1719 Live Oak Street, Unit E, near downtown Houston. For more information on Free Range Studios or upcoming events, call (713) 228-9110 or e-mail freerangestudios@gmail.com . Protest/Dissent "I won't eat asparagus!" "Hell no, we won't go!" "The whole world is watching...the whole world is watching...." "We shall overcome...." Ah, the sounds of my younger days when the country was a boiling cauldron of protest and the voice of dissent rang out throughout the land. To learn more about protest and dissent, come to M2 Gallery on Friday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m., when Mary Mikel Stump, the gallery director of the JCM Art Gallery at Texas State University, will present a lecture on protest/dissent. Some works on display will be discussed in this lecture which is open to the public. M2 Gallery is located at 325 W. 19th Street in The Heights. For more information on this show, or other upcoming M2 events, visit the Web site at http://www.m2-houston.com/ or call (713) 861-6070. I think M2 owners Max Boyd Harrison and Michael Kubis should be applauded for stepping out of the box like this. Way to go guys! Passion Refaite Hmmmm.... Okay, Terrence, so you told me that Passion Refaite means Passion Revisited. But, how do you pronounce it? My ancestors may have crossed the English Channel on that glorious day of Oct. 14, 1066 and crushed the Saxon dogs, but that doesn't mean I am fluent in French. And probably most of us aren't. At any rate, Elder Street Gallery's Passion Refaite looks to be another good show, whatever it means! Those of you who appreciate good art should come see for yourself on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Elder Street Gallery, Suite 109 and also in Suite 305. Participating artists include: Alissa Fereday, Julian Palacios, Christian Perkins, Iskra Ivanova, Ludmila Ivanova, Susan Goettsche, Julia Sinelnikova, Mehak Bagai, Lolet Boutté and Victoria Lewelling. Music will be provided by Duke Jones. For more information on Elder Street Gallery or its upcoming events, visit the Web site at http://www.elderstreetartist.com/ , contact Terrence Boggs at (281) 250-4889 or e-mail terboggs@yahoo.com . Sacred Spaces and Beauty of the Everyday Aren't those kind of the same? Well, at least to a landscape painter. But maybe not to you. Judge for yourself. Come to Earth Gallery and check out their February Group Show on Saturday, February 17, from 6-9 p.m. Phillip Tague and Mandy Tague describe it this way: "When we can appreciate and see beauty in the everyday, we are making the most of the possibilities around us. When we create sacred spaces, we are healing and nurturing ... making the most of ourselves. This shows artist motivation and works are about Sacred Spaces and the Beauty of Everyday Life." Featuring the work of Sarah Hazel, Shirley Bianchi, Leslie Entsminger, Monique Weston and critically acclaimed Russian artist, Yaver Sultanov, the festivities concide with the new moon and eve of the Chinese New Year! Earth Gallery is located at 365 W. 19th Street in The Heights. For more information about Sacred Spaces and Beauty of the Everyday visit the Web site at http://www.earthgalleryonline.com or call (713) 880-2121. What's that sound...can it be...? Tribal Drums The tribal drums have been beating. Kind of like my heart when I am on my medication or when I look at You Know Who. Here's what the drums have said over the last week.... From Stäcy Smith: "On Feb. 8 and Feb. 16, Eastman-Smith Art Gallery opens the Human Form Show. There is still space for interested artists. I will need artwork by Saturday, Feb. 3. Also, Eastman-Smith will be open full time starting the week of Jan. 26. Our hours will be Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. so come out and see the space and the fantastic artwork! Eastman-Smith Gallery is also looking for Expressionists for their upcoming show: The Ides of March and the Duality of Expressionism. More details to come on upcoming classes!" Eastman-Smith Art Gallery is located at 4920 Center Street in Houston. For more information about this show or future events, call (832) 274-6810 or visit the Web site at http://www.eastmangallery.com . From Karen Rezai: "As we focus on art from Australia, we don’t always have the opportunity to have the featured artist join us for the opening. This show we are fortunate to have painter and musician, Brendon Darby, join us while on a whirlwind tour of the U.S. (thus the Sunday opening). On Sunday, Jan. 28, Booker-Lowe Gallery will open Listening to the Land, a collection of abstract works on paper that portray the landscapes of Australia, as experienced by the artist during his extensive travels. The gallery, located at 4623 Feagan Street, will host the opening reception where patrons have the rare opportunity to meet the artist, Brendon Darby from 4-6 p.m. The exhibit, Listening to the Land, will continue through Friday, March 2. The exhibition will include paintings and drawings on paper, based on the artist’s current project Listening to Paintings - Australia. Made up of 10 massive paintings and 11 musical compositions, Listening to Paintings - Australia was recently revealed at the Nature Conservancy in New York, and then at the JP Morgan Chase Bank Building in downtown Houston. Brendon Darby is from Perth, Western Australia. Being both an artist and musician, he collaborates his talents to portray meaningful impressions, visually and melodiously. Listening to the Land, at Booker-Lowe Gallery, will be Brendon Darby’s first American solo exhibition. Brendon plays the trumpet and composes his own music. His vision for Listening to Paintings was born while he was giving an outdoor performance in Perth, during which he realized a connection between the country’s terrain and the music. It was nearly thirty years before Brendon began carrying out the project he had once envisioned, and now finally complete; his message is being received with open arms." For more information, contact Karen Rezai at (713) 880-1541 or via e-mail at: art@bookerlowegallery.com. From Lacey Crawford: "De'Medici Art Academy, the new art school in town, is opening its doors to all types of art students on Monday, Jan. 29. Among the varied and interesting subjects, De'Medici Art Academy will provide courses in art history, sculpture, painting and watercolor, as well as workshops in creating kaleidoscopes and learning how to divine your inner artist. The school will also be hosting a lecture series with art professors and artists from the Houston area and will also be holding life drawing sessions in the near future, so please check the Web site for updates and schedules. If you're interested in becoming a student, teaching, lecturing or modeling for the drawing and sculpture courses, please contact the academy at: info@demediciartacademy.com or visit http://www.demediciartacademy.com/ De'Medici Art Academy is located at 2022 Bissonnet Street in West University, between Hazard and Shepherd." From Marie Weichman: "Anila Agha and I were among several artist invited into Clay & Fiber, an exhibition that runs through the end of this week at Kingwood College. Also, Anila has curated an invitational of women that includes me, Mari Omori, Andis Applewhite, Divya Murthy and others. The show is still in the works but will be open sometime in late March in the Midtown area. I'll keep ya posted. And of course, I'll be working at a residency, The Pottery Workshop, in Jingdezhen, China after a stop in Vietnam during June and July. I am currently writing proposals to venues across the country for an exhibition of the work after my return. The show will nclude Ian Thomas and Dryden Wells. And finally.... Empty Bowls Houston 2007. March 3 is the date and the Craft Center and Lawndale are the places. Party starts at 11 a.m. with demos, kid's area, live music and more. Whole Foods is now the presenting sponsor and this year proves to be bigger than ever with "specialty" bowls thrown by local potters and painted with glazes by local celebs. So save the date!!" From Duke Jones: "I will be playing at the Continental Club, this Wednesday night, not the Big Top. It's the Continental Club this time. If this reaches any of my music fans and if you've ever once thought, "Well, old Duke, that rascal, deserves a chance, " now is the time to prove it. I need support like I've never needed it before and this may be my biggest show of the season. I'll probably be playing the full acoustic deal, but if I can pull this one off, then next time we're going to try and get the band up on stage. I hope you all can make it. I look forward to seeing you there, thanks. Check out my Web site at: http://www.bluedukemusic.com ." From Bridgett Vallery: "On Feb. 9, from 6-8 p.m., Watercolor Arts Society - Houston (WASH) is having a Sweet Arts Night to honor the exhibiting artists in our gallery that month. Our February gallery reception will delight anyone with a sweet tooth, a sweetheart or a sweet eye for art. Our guests can also look forward to:
I also want to invite you to visit our new gallery and take a look at the artwork our members submit to be displayed on our walls. We also offer a wide range of art classes for members and nonmembers, open studio time, paint-ins & paint-outs, our Web site, critique sessions, annual clothesline sale, annual international competitions with large prize money, plus much more. WASH also has members devoted to AIMS, our community outreach of Arts In Medicine. Recently, WASH had a fundraiser for the Texas Children's Cancer Center in which members donated artwork to be auctioned off. Carolyn Farb was in attendance along with a crowd of other art aficionados to make our fundraiser a success. The money we donated went to the art activities for the littlest Houstonians at TCCC." From Nathaniel Donnett: "Hello there. I, along with other artists, will be participating in a group exhibition beginning on Feb. 1, 2007. I and Five A (African American Art Advisory Association) invite you to the opening of the ''11th Annual Citywide African American Art Exhibition.'' The opening reception is Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007, from 6-8 p.m., at the Rice University Farnsworth Pavilion located at 6100 Main Street. This is an exhibition of paintings, photographs and sculptures presented by a group of talented emerging Houston artists. From the 19th Century to the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s to today, African-American artists have blazed a trail in the visual arts. Works by extraordinary artists have been collected in Houston and by major museums across the world. In this city, support for African-American art remains strong, as talented contemporary artists uphold the great legacy of the past. The exhibition runs from Feb. 1-28. In our area, Ggallery will be hosting a reception on Friday, Feb. 3, beginning at 7 p.m. If you'd like more information about the other reception sites, dates and times, e-mail me at at: ndonnett@yahoo.com. I'm looking forward to seeing you there. Love, peace and blessings. -- Nathaniel" From Dune-Micheli Patten: "Here's what's going on with me. I will be in the 11th Annual Citywide African American Art Exhibition put on by Five A (African American Art Advisory Association). I am also in a two-artist show with Angelo Navarro at Bohemeo's called Untitled. It is slated for May. Their Web site is http://www.bohemeos.com . My next movies slated for viewing will be Basquiat and Farinelli. Dates and times to be announced. For more information on these upcoming events, e-mail me at at: dunejo@hotmail.com ." Do you have something you'd like to send along? If so, get out those digital drums and e-mail me at: mldevore@gmail.com . OK, back to the business at hand.... Martin Notes To Keith Hollingsworth: Keith, I tried to be at your art opening but I got lost and I did not have the exact address or directions with me. Sorry about that. Be sure and let me know about the next one and I will be there. To Fatima: I love you and look forward to Wednesday. To Dune Patten: You forgot to remind me on Sunday morning. To Lacey Crawford: It works for me. To Honeybear: I love you and am so proud of you! To Charity Bass: Welcome to Humble, Charity. Michael-Ann and I both enjoy going to Whataburger to eat! Looking into History Back Unlike most of the past month, I actually was able to get away from the Northern Frontier and head into town to make a couple of events. I also had a visitor. On Thursday afternoon, Winter Street artist and pastel maestro Jerrie Glidden paid a visit to my Humble abode. We talked about pastels (of course), the local art scene, painting techniques, her new Web site and even about John Mercado's finest pastel work -- that big white piece he had up in his Winter Street studio last summer. Jerrie is already gearing up for the spring shows and is looking forward to the Pharr Spring Classic on Feb. 3-4 in Pharr, Texas. Mercado is also supposed to attend that one, as well. Later, I stopped by Lynn Michaels Salon River Oaks to visit with Lynn about his show at the end of February. Lynn also needs some new art for his West Alabama location. Thursday evening, I dropped by Eastman-Smith Art Gallery for a peek at the It's a Wild Life Art Show. I visited briefly with Stäcy Smith and toured the gallery. While there, I saw art from old friends David Weaver and Phyllis Hall among the many excellent paintings hanging from the walls. Some nice work. Go check it out. Follwing my stop at Eastman-Smith Art Gallery, I journeyed to Post-Diversionist artist Sorange Castillo's Houston studio where we discussed her upcoming projects. We also "organized" and discussed the relationship between dance and art. Friday night, I was expecting to go home after work to relax and watch new episodes of Dr. Who and Battlestar Galactica. Neither was on. Skunked again! At least I got to see the new Galactica episode on Sunday night. Saturday night, I began my travels after work with a quick stop at Casa Cohen to drop off a book to Overlord Mitch Cohen. From there, I journeyed to Elder Street Gallery and visited with Terrence Boggs and Susan Goettsche. Susan showed me her newest artwork and Terrence and I discussed the upcoming Passion Refaite show on Feb. 17 at Elder Street and the Inner Corridor Art Crawl on March 31. Terrence and Susan also served me apple pie and ice cream that was absolutely yummy! An enjoyable and productive visit. After leaving Elder Street Gallery, I headed to 19th Street to make a stop at Gallery 19 to check out the For the Love of Art show. The art was first rate and the crowd was excellent, especially considering the cold rainy evening that was Saturday night. I visited with Heidi, David, Xsemaj and Cynthia. There were many new artists at Gallery 19 that I had not met before but they really had some superb work. Following my Gallery 19 visit, I wound up at Sorange Castillo's house. Sorange was working on creating works of art in fabric. We "organized" and discussed finding new sources of canvas for the upcoming art season. That about covers it for the past week's travels. Nuggets Here are some more Web sites that I think you should check out (in no particular order):
Look for more "Nuggets" in the next Tribe Report or in last week's Tribe Report in the Archives! Coda Remember, I am not Cassandra of Troy, so if you have a show or event coming up that you want me to mention you have to send it to me at: mldevore@gmail.com That's it for now. Until then, keep creating art, viewing art, buying art and supporting your fellow artists of all tribes. Martin L. de Vore is an artist and journalist once again living in Humble. Martin is a member of the Artists At Large and Post-Diversionist tribes and is learning many new "organizing" techniques. |
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