Sixteen Year Old

Art Guys' performance at DWorks 1992


Wrap Music


Set the Table

Fun In The Sun

Menil curator Franklin Sirmans picked up a sweet gig traveling to Bermuda recently to jury their local Biennial, who wouldn't take a free vacation with their grueling jurying process?

As the Royal Gazette sez: As with any exhibition, the viewer's judgment will be subjective. Some pieces will mystify, others will challenge or confound, and many will instantly please. Inevitably, some will ponder the jurors' reasoning, for which they have provided an explanation.

In a joint statement, Mark Krisco, artist, curator, and instructor at the Art Institute of Chicago, and Franklin Sirmans, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Menil Collection in Houston, Texas, said: "We have particularly focused on the artists that have not hesitated beyond comfortable boundaries; artists whose work has led them to a place outside comfortable boundaries – a place that may even seem 'foreign' to them. It has been our experience that it is such artists who go out on a limb to create art that comes from a place deeper within themselves. Far beyond competence and ego, it is a place that all viewers will relate to aesthetically and soulfully."

"We also totally love y'alls pina coladas. It has been our experience that it is such bartenders as Phil and Frank and Sarah who go out on a limb to create art. We relate to rum-based drinks both aesthetically and soulfully."

Mel Ziegler

Downtown Mixer is a collective/social event meant to bring people together, and to “mix” things up. Austin artist Mel Ziegler and BBAP have gathered volunteers to collect breath samples by getting participants from 9 downtown skyscrapers to blow up balloons and draw self-portraits on them.

The goal is to collect around 2000 breath samples between April 23rd through 25th, mix them together over the weekend, and install them in the buildings Monday April 28th.

Just So You Know, There is a Univeristy Downtown Too

If you are downtown for the Age Matters lecture at Diverseworks tonight, drop by the O'Kane Gallery at UHD too!

Donna sez:

Hunting Jumps The Gun

The jurors of this year's Hunting Prize (or someone in the office) are already gearing up to narrow their over 100 name long "short-list" down to one artist- who will receive the boner-inducing amount of $50,000 for pleasing the aristocrats.

Joan Fabian has been an early victim of the purge, and her story is a doozy!!!

Opposite of Peace, 2007

Hi Everyone, I have an interesting turn of events. I was a finalist for the 2008 line up and just was notified that my art work was disqualified!!!! They gave me no explanation after I had a wooden crate built and paid for shipping (as they required!). They only put a blurb on about how they can disqualify anyone they want. So I did some research.

I contacted one of the jurors, who were going to chose pieces by viewing the actual works, and he said they never seen my piece. I called a representative of Hunting and she told me that they had nothing to do with the disqualification process and that it was the jurors that did the disqualifying because it wasn't a "painting". What gives? I tried to get a clear answer and they asked me to pay for shipping my work back to myself.

I think it is interesting to note that my painting is non traditional "over the sofa" type of painting but I consider it a painting!!!! If you look closely at the work you will see the word "WAR". Do you think they saw it?

Interesting, but I think other artists should realize that the Hunting Art Prize is not what it wants to appear. I was in the gala last year and there was some really bad paintings and some good ones.

The taste of oil barons really lacks.

Opening in Kingwood (Really)

I read all the little papers from Houston suburbs, but I don't usually find shows that seem worth it...




Art Dog Studio Presents Upcoming Artists

Saturday, April 26th, 2008

06:00 PM - 09:00 PM

Art Dog Studio

22532 Loop 494

Suite C
Kingwood, TX 77339

Stephanie King is 20 years old and Rex Gonzalez is 18. Stephanie will be showing her works titled 'Imagination: The Lost Art' and Rex will be showing his works from 'Grimms Playground'.

'I graduated from the art institute and can tell u it's a very tuff program.', said Tracy Zacek. 'Rex who attends there is in the middle of chemotherapy. His dedication to his art and future blows me away! They are both decking out the studio for the show so it should be an experience not to miss.'

Self Explanatory

Wednesday Morning Cartoons

A little James Surls for ya!

Me Flower Pistel


How Far Back, 1989


Points of View


Cut Hands Hurt Eyes, 1984-88






Head of Knot Snake


Ready Man, 1991


Her Mystery, 2003


From the Wild Flower, 2004


Night Blooming, 1993


Sketch, 1989


Tomorrow

THIS is why you should know Surls...

It's Going Swimmingly

"i wonder if the guy at walmart will still honor this calamari bill."

Houston Guerrilla Art Pool

Heights

Rene Cruz, Untitled, 2008

Flora and Fauna
Opening
Thursday April 24, 5-7:30pm

Hello Lucky
1025 Studewood Street
Houston, Tx 77008

Work by Rene Cruz, Ryan Geiger, Lisa Irvin and Christine West

Ongoing work by Woody Golden, David Krueger and JoAnn Park
Through May 17

Hot Down Air Town

Come out and help Mel Ziegler

This project involves volunteers collecting breath samples, by getting participants to blow up balloons, and draw self portraits on them. We will have volunteers stationed in 9 downtown buildings, and our goal is to collect around 2000 breath samples. Volunteers must be willing to approach workers in the buildings, explain the project, and convince people to participate. We will have tables set up in the lobbies, but volunteers may also need to make the effort to find people. The balloons will be collected each day April 23-25, 2008, and will be mixed together over the weekend, and installed in the buildings Monday April 28th.

We will have 3 different schedules for volunteers during April 23-28
All Day: 7am-6pm
1/2 Day: 7am-1pm, 12-6pm
4 hr shifts: 7-11am, 10am-2pm, 2-6pm

-Please meet at the One Allen Center lobby, 500 Dallas St. There you will get your Downtown Mixer t-shirt and be assigned to a building. If possible try and arrive a little before your shift starts.
-There is usually available metered parking outside of One Allen Center, if you want to pick up your stuff, then drive to park closer to the building you are working in. Or there is a parking garage for the Allen Centers where you can park, and walk down to your assigned building. The buildings are all with in walking distance. MAP here.
-Everyone must wear the t-shirt while collecting balloons.
-Tables will be set up at the buildings with the signage and information.
-Your job will be to convince as many people as possible to blow up a balloon and draw a self portrait on it.
-Cards with all the info will be on the tables, but please take a minute to familiarize yourself with all the info, so you can answer general questions.
For more info about the project and artist, click here.

PJ at the Station

Patty's still writing for the Chronicle, and instead of her old school glad-handing tripe, this new freelance gig has spurred her on to making decisions... but I think she's a little out of practice.

"The distinction between journalistic, commercial and fine-art photography is eroding to the point where differentiating between them is mostly a matter of opinion."
Pardon?



Jesus Abad Colorado
"It's iconic."

y mas..

"These might not be art, but they are life-affirming."


"[T]he pictures' appearance, sleek and lovely as travel brochures, falls short of inducing the hoped-for meditation."


"Their scale dwarfs the people, Lilliputians in a land of monstrous physical and psychological domination."

Too Funny

Well, they took the site offline, but the was a culture blog called "BareHouston" with the tagline:

Just Our City, No BS Added

For the Writas

We've got a deal for you: Become a first-round draft pick for Houstonist.

No, seriously.

Houstonist is looking for writers to help us better keep track of what's happening in Houston. As far as jobs go, being a Houstonist contributor is right up there with working for Google (except without the climbing wall, pool table, lap pool and sand volleyball court) — you get to work on your own schedule, from the comfort of your own home, writing about what you want to write about. There aren't that many qualifications, either: You have to be able to put together a good sentence (several good sentences in a row: even better), you should be able to commit to producing content regularly (weekly is ideal) and you must be an expert on Houston. Whether you're a foodie, a bookie (no, not that kind), a sports fan, a City Hall groupie, an art junkie ... anything goes, as long as it has to do with Our Fair City.

So what are you waiting for? If you're interested in joining us, drop a line to write (at) houstonist (dot) com and tell us a little about yourself and why you think you'd be a good fit with the site. It never hurts to attach a writing sample, too.

If you're still not sure about the whole thing, stop by Brasil between 10:30 a.m. and noon on Saturday, May 3, and hang out with Houstonist. We'll be on the back patio if the weather's nice and inside if it's not — but either way, we'd love for you to get to know us and learn more about being part of the team.

(And no, coming to Brasil isn't a requirement for writing for us.)

also via Houstonist... Cocktails, Anyone?

Cougar Style

No, no that's not what it means... it's a blog about the U of Houston aka Cougars...


Claudia Schmuckli captured by the lens of two intrepid fashion bloggers

"We really liked this dress, very simple and cute with a little bit of detail at the top and bottom."


Cougar Style

The Art History Association of Houston of the University of Houston

What a silly title... no, it's really so that we can hopefully expand to other universities soon.



FIRST AHA@UH MEETING!!! (WOOHOO!)

Hey everyone! Lets all meet up at the FIRST ART HISTORY ASSOCIATION MEETING

- When: Wednesday, April 23 @ 5 pm
- Where: The comfy sofas outside the Houston room at the UC Student Center. 3rd Floor.
(If you're still lost: I, Sarah, will be wearing a white and gray-striped shirt.)


We will introduce ourselves, go over local art events and unveil our group outing!

(If you haven't already heard....... Sean and me are VERY excited about a certain Orange Show event in May!...)