CraftTexas 2012 by Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

HOUSTON CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY CRAFT

TEXAS

2012

CRAFT September 29 - December 30

CraftTexas 2012 © 2012 Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. All rights reserved. This book or any portion of it cannot be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. Artist biographies by Frances Lazare, Ashley Powell and Anna Walker. Edited by Mary Headrick. Designed by Jenny Lynn Weitz. For more information, please contact: Houston Center for Contemporary Craft 4848 Main Street Houston, Texas 77002 713. 529. 4848 | www.crafthouston.org

About HCCC Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is a nonprofit arts organization founded to advance education about the process, product and history of craft. Since opening in September of 2001, HCCC has emerged as an important cultural and educational resource for Houston and the Southwest—one of the few venues in the country dedicated exclusively to craft at the highest level. HCCC provides exhibition, retail and studio spaces to support the work of local and national artists. Houston Center for Contemporary Craft is funded in part by grants from The Brown Foundation, Inc.; Houston Endowment, Inc.; the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance; Texas Commission on the Arts; the Wortham Foundation, Inc.; and Windgate Charitable Foundation. Board of Directors Paula Arnold President Sara S. Morgan Founding President Victoria Lightman Vice President Thomas Perry Secretary Grant Hester Treasurer Julie Farr Executive Director

Official Airline of HCCC

Alvin Abraham Libby Cagle Phyllis Childress Anna Holliday Steven Hempel Frank Hevrdejs Terry Wayne Jones Melanie Lawson Ernesto Maldonado Edward McCartney Barbara Marcus Carrin Patman Omar Perez Gika Rector Fabené Welch

Exhibition Overview CraftTexas 2012 is the seventh in Houston Center for Contemporary Craft’s series of biennial juried exhibitions showcasing the best in Texas-made contemporary craft. Featuring works by 40 Texas artists, the exhibition includes everything from contemporary furniture, stoneware ceramic vessels and nontraditional basketry to unusual jewelry, glass sculpture and installation art. The CraftTexas series, which is hugely popular with visitors, provides artists the unique opportunity to have their work seen by three established jurors and included in an exhibition that broadens the understanding of contemporary craft. The show features outstanding works in all craft media: clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood and mixed media. This year saw an unprecedented increase in artist applications, with over 500 works submitted. The jurors spent hours evaluating and scoring pieces to inevitably trim the show down to 49 works. HCCC Curator, Anna Walker, commented: “Juried shows are particularly exciting because there is a certain amount of risk involved—you never know who will apply and exactly what stance the jurors will take on different pieces. I’m pleased to say that this year’s juried exhibition not only features a wide range of work but also includes what I would consider some of the best in contemporary craft across the state. As always, it’s rewarding to see new artists and work never before exhibited at HCCC, along with some familiar faces from previous years.”

CraftTexas 2012 was juried by Jean W. McLaughlin, Executive Director of the Penland School of Crafts in Bakersville, North Carolina; Rachelle Thiewes, internationally acclaimed metal and jewelry artist from El Paso, Texas, and HCCC’s 2009 Texas Master; and Jade Walker, Director of the Visual Arts Center in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Texas at Austin.

CraftTexas 2012 Artists Miguel Abugattas David S. Bogus Shannon Brunskill Danville Chadbourne Annie Chrietzberg Elizabeth DeLyria Kurt Dyrhaug Tanya Ermakova Robert Galusha Ed and Cornelia Gates Robly A. Glover Holly Goeckler Paula J. Gron Teruhiko Hagiwara Roy Hanscom Cindy Hickok Steve Hilton Shikha Joshi Kira Kalondy Danny Kamerath Laura Nicole Kante Chris Kemler Diana Kersey Ryu-Hee Kim David Langley Kristopher Leinen Edward Lane McCartney Brian Molanphy Tybre Newcomer Michael Owen O’Neill Griselda Elena Peña Omar Angel Perez Catherine Winkler Rayroud Samara Rosen George Sacaris Tore Terrasi Joy O. Ude Shalena White Deme Wolfe-Power

Miguel Abugattas A native of Peru, Miguel Abugattas began working in ceramics when he moved to San Antonio, Texas, and began classes at the Southwest School of Art. The undulating edge of his piece, Untitled, protrudes from the wall, as if a larger-than-life honeycomb were cast in clay slip and left to dry in the gallery. This work is related to Abugattas’ Sueños series, in which the artist felt compelled to capture in ceramic form the intangible encounters between descendents of pre-Columbians and modern society. Above: Miguel Abugattas, Untitled. Clay. 14” x 14” x 5.” 2012. Photo by Sealy Studio.

DAVID S. BOGUS David S. Bogus received his BFA from The University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and his MFA from The University of Nebraska, Lincoln. His ceramic process has recently included slip casting objects, of which he makes identical multiples. The artist’s bold installation, The Optimist Luggage, consists of 11 pieces of brightly patterned, life-sized ceramic luggage that mimic various objects of luxury and consumer culture. His slip-casting process creates a trompe l’oeil effect, appearing super realistic until the clay shells of the original luggage reveal themselves at close range. Above: David S. Bogus, The Optimist Luggage (detail). Ceramic, glass shelving. 16” x 16” x 8.” 2011. Photo by David S. Bogus.

Shannon Brunskill Shannon Brunskill earned both her BFA and MFA from The University of Texas, Arlington, specializing in glass sculpture for both degrees. She currently serves as an instructor of kiln-formed glass at the Creative Arts Center of Dallas. In her pieces, Brunskill explores the instances of neglect, abandonment and discomfort that arise from encounters within the domestic sphere. The essence and emotions of these moments are, Brunskill believes, at the core of human experience and can, thus, be communicated to and understood by a wide variety of viewers. Above, from top to bottom: Shannon Brunskill, The Sandwich Generation. Cast glass, found objects. 6” x 17” x 12.” 2011. Shannon Brunskill, Disintegration. Pate de verre. 12” x 60” x 2.” 2011. Photos by Shannon Brunskill.

Danville Chadbourne Danville Chadbourne was born in Bryan, Texas, and went on to earn a BFA from Sam Houston State University and a MFA from Texas Tech University. Chadbourne, who is primarily a sculptor of clay and wood, creates simple organic forms meant to appear as part of an elaborate mythological structure from an unknown culture. This idea reflects the artist’s interest in the intellectual speculations we make regarding the cultures of others and the perception of one’s own personal experience these speculations set into place. Above: Danville Chadbourne, The Misdirected Tale of the Survivor. Acrylic on earthenware and plywood. 17” x 17.5” x 67.” 2011 - 2012. Photo by Conan Chadbourne.

Annie Chrietzberg A native Texan recently returning from 10 years out of state, Annie Chrietzberg received her BFA from Texas Woman’s University and her MA from the University of Dallas. She now teaches ceramics classes in the Dallas, Texas, area, as well as workshops around the country. She also serves as a regular contributor to Pottery Making Illustrated and conducts a studio practice. Chrietzberg makes functional pots using a combination of textured slabs and thrown elements. Her pottery is spirited and spunky, containing, she says, the ability to inspire the normally upstanding citizen to play. Above: Annie Chrietzberg, Pavilion Sugar and Cream. Stoneware. 8.5” x 7” x 5.” 2012. Photo by Annie Chrietzberg.

Above: Elizabeth DeLyria, Driftwood Cairn. Stoneware, glazes, stains. 16” x 10” x 12.” 2012. Photo by Elizabeth DeLyria.

Elizabeth DeLyria Former HCCC resident artist, Elizabeth DeLyria, earned her BFA in painting from The University of New Orleans and her MEd in art education from The University of Houston. Originally a landscape painter, DeLyria transitioned from painting on canvas to working with clay. She views her work in clay—itself a remnant of the earth—as a logical extension of the quest to understand and portray the nature-inspired forms that she began in her painting. In her ceramic pieces, a calm but powerful presence of nature is suggested by the coexistence of multiple visual elements of the earth. Above: Elizabeth DeLyria, Driftwood Burl with Beach Stones. Stoneware, glazes, stains. 16” x 13” x 6.” 2011. Photo by Elizabeth DeLyria.

Kurt Dyrhaug Born in Great Lakes, Illinois, sculptor Kurt Dyrhaug earned his BFA from The Minneapolis College of Art and Design and his MFA from The University of Minnesota. Currently, his wood sculptures employ agricultural and nautical imagery taken from his experiences living in Minnesota and Southeast Texas. His sculptures recall the mechanical forms and functions of elements such as turbines, crop dusters and tractors, but present these iconic images with new associations and meanings. Dyrhaug believes that reconstructing these familiar forms, as he does in Field Wing, holds the potential for creating a number of applications and interpretations, depending upon the relationship and scale of the materials. Above: Kurt Dyrhaug, Field Wing. Cypress and cast iron. 96” x 25” x 46.” 2010. Photo by Kurt Dyrhaug.

Tanya Ermakova Houston fiber and jewelry artist, Tanya Ermakova, has held a fondness for creating new things out of old ones since her childhood. In her work, she aims to free the glorious objects hidden within old sweaters and T-shirts. The inventive forms she creates by breaking apart and reusing these materials, in works such as Something Old-Something New, transform the old rejected textiles into new and beautiful works of art. Above: Tanya Ermakova, Something Old - Something New. Upcycled wool sweaters. 17.5” x 20” x 1.” 2011. Photo by Donna Collins.

Robert Galusha Robert Galusha’s recent works are the result of a 38-year career producing custom pieces that are sought after internationally. His interest in furniture design developed when his dad left him a table saw. Now the owner of a furniture shop, he creates work to reflect an artistic desire to evoke an emotional response through form. In carefully crafted works, such as K Chair in Cherry, Galusha’s love for his trade is evident in the elegant curves of the piece. Above: Robert Galusha, K Chair in Cherry. Wood, leather. 32” x 24” x 38.” Photo by Robert Galusha.

Ed and Cornelia Gates Together, Ed and Cornelia Gates own and operate Aloe Tile Works, a company in Corpus Christi, Texas, which focuses on the production of handmade, ceramic art tiles. The pair’s style, which combines elements of classic ceramics, traditional arts and crafts, and contemporary design, is inspired by their everyday surroundings. The Gates work in relief and painted tile to produce elaborate one-of-a-kind designs. Above: Ed and Cornelia Gates, Dueling Pistols & Roses Game Board & Rebus Beer Cap Checkers. Stoneware tiles with wood frame and 24 stoneware pieces. 30” x 30” x 2.” 2011. Photo by Ed Gates.

Robly A. Glover A metalsmith and jewelry designer, Robly A. Glover has been a professor at the Texas Tech University School of Art since 2004. Prior to teaching, he earned his BFA in jewelry design and art metals at Indiana State University and his MFA in metalsmithing and jewelry design from Indiana University. Glover is inspired by the human tendency to collect materials and objects, such as clay, bone and shells. He honors this behavior by converting these items into both utilitarian and fantastically ornamental objects. Above: Robly A. Glover, Seven Goblets for Gaga. Sterling silver, silicone, rubber, felt. 16” x 16” x 12.” 2011. Photo by Robly A. Glover.

Holly Goeckler Metalsmith Holly Goeckler received her MFA from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She currently teaches courses in small metal sculpture at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and acts as the studio art department’s visual resources curator. Goeckler’s metalwork is informed by the natural world of plants and insects, as well as the built environment of bridges and buildings. She draws inspiration from the structural transitions between these natural and man-made forms and celebrates these connections both physically and metaphorically through traditional processes of metalsmithing. Above: Holly Goeckler, Trillium Bowl. Sterling silver. 9” x 9” x 5.” 2011. Photo by Holly Goeckler.

Above: Paula J. Gron, Milk with Your Tea? Fiber (basketry). 16” x 16” x 12.” 2012. Photo by Paula J. Gron.

Paula J. Gron Trained in traditional basket weaving, fiber artist Paula J. Gron has moved towards creating sculptural forms in the more recent part of her career. Gron often incorporates found objects, such as metal parts, wood handles or seed pods, into the organic forms of her pieces, mixing these elements with bright colors and clever shapes. As she creates pieces that are both humorous and playful, she also presents basketry as a nontraditional art form. Above: Paula J. Gron, My Toothbrush. Fiber (basketry). 26” x 18” x 13.” 2011. Photo by Paula J. Gron.

Teruhiko Hagiwara Born in Japan, Teruhiko Hagiwara came to the U.S. in 1969 and to Houston in 1981. Though he enjoys a day job as a research physicist in the petroleum industry, he has been passionate about ceramics since he began taking classes at Houston’s Glassell School of Art in 1989. Hagiwara is inspired by that which is almost, but not quite, symmetrical, delighting in the element of chaos a slight skew brings to the order and control of symmetrical forms. Further evidence of his affinity for elements of play is his frequent use of double entendre and duality in his pottery, as is the case in NO Vase, which can be read and interpreted in a variety of ways. Above: Teruhiko Hagiwara, NO Vase. Ceramic. 9” x 9” x 10.” 2012. Photo by Teruhiko Hagiwara.

Roy Hanscom Ceramic artist Roy Hanscom earned his BA at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, and his MFA in ceramics from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He currently serves as Professor of Ceramics at Lone Star College-North Harris Campus in Houston. Hanscom’s affinity for working with clay comes from his love of the material’s malleable nature. His interest in this kind of flexibility is evident in the sumptuous curves of 3 Lidded Form, its slopes and bends allowing it to serve not only as a functional pot but also as an enticing work of art. Above: Roy Hanscom, 3 Lidded Form. Stoneware. 7” x 18” x 12.” 2011. Photo by Roy Hanscom.

Cindy Hickok Fiber artist, Cindy Hickok, who was named a Texas Master by HCCC in 2007, views her sewing machine as an extension of her arm. She uses her machine as a free-hand paintbrush to produce amazingly precise, playful, and humorous images that reflect on the artwork of the masters, news commentary, and women’s issues, among other things. With her quick wit and mastery of needlework, Hickok produces clever and whimsical images that illustrate surprising connections we may have never imagined but immediately understand. Above: Cindy Hickok, Mixed Bags: Laundry Bag, Grocery Bag, Grab Bag, Lunch Bag, Sleeping Bag. Fiber (machine embroidery). 10” x 6” 1.” 2012. Photo by Rick Wells.

Steve Hilton Both a scientist and an artist, Steve Hilton earned a BS in environmental geology from Missouri State University, a MS in art education from Missouri State University, and a MFA in ceramics from Arizona State University. Much of the inspiration for his work comes from his appreciation for anomalies occurring in the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural landscape in the many forms of clay, rock, soil and living specimens. Hilton is intrigued by the ways in which plants, animals and weather influence the planetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surfaces by both depositional and erosional means. By looking at nature as fragmented forms that are subdivided into parts that are constantly repeating and rearranging, he has reinterpreted the world around him in a different way. Above: Steve Hilton, Tea for ? (detail). Stoneware. Site-specific installation, dimensions variable. 2012. Photo by Alissa Donaldson.

Shikha Joshi Born and raised in New Delhi, India, Shikha Joshi earned her BA in psychology from Delhi University. During her youth in India, she first gained her fascination and appreciation for pottery. Now the owner of her own ceramics studio in Round Rock, Texas, Joshi creates elegant functional pottery, which she enhances through the application of elaborate surface design. Through producing and selling her handmade pottery, she works to extend the peace she has found within herself to those who view and use her creations in their daily lives. Above: Shikha Joshi, Following in the Footsteps... Clay. 12” x 6” x 13.” 2012. Photo by Anand Joshi.

Kira Kalondy Kira Kalondy earned her BFA in sculpture from the Instituto de Bellas Artes de la Universidad Autonama de Chihuahua in Mexico and her MA and MFA from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Through her work, Kalondy aims to create an awareness of the essential nature of ceramics in human history and the relevance of such works today. In these pursuits, she sometimes strays from the production of functional vessels towards more abstracted sculptural pieces, as is the case in Amanecer. Above: Kira Kalondy, Amanecer. Low-fire ceramic. 22” x 18” x 15.” 2012. Photo by Christopher Talbot.

Danny Kamerath Furniture maker Danny Kamerath earned his BS from East Texas State University, concentrating on drawing, painting, and advertising design during his time there. He has made furniture for 23 years, overlapping with his 25 years as a designer, art director and illustrator. In 2002, he decided to pursue furniture making as his full-time occupation. Kamerath’s pieces are simultaneously beautiful and functional. He allows the kind of wood he works with to dictate the form and function of each piece, leading him to create works that are both durable and timeless. Opposite page, from top to bottom: Danny Kamerath, Ev. Afromosia, anigre, ebony, birch and Texas ebony. 16.5” x 9.5” x 43.” 2011. Danny Kamerath, Table for two. Yaupon holly. 12.5” x 10.5” x 11.5.” 2011. Above: Danny Kamerath, Jill. Hickory. 21” x 17” x 32.” 2012. Photos by Danny Kamerath.

Laura Nicole Kante Laura Nicole Kante earned her BFA in studio art from The University of Houston and her MFA in fibers from The University of North Texas. Equilibrium is a large-scale installation of crocheted linen and cotton, which overlays a subtle, off-white painted design on the wall. Kante uses delicate, repetitive chain stitches and picots of crochet to create a mysterious web-like structure, which consumes the gallery wall, creating a visceral experience meant to generate feelings of comfort and nostalgia that are often associated with this blanket-like material. Above: Laura Nicole Kante, Equilibrium (detail). Crocheted linen and cotton, latex paint, wire brads. 10’ x 15’ x 0.25.” 2010. Site-specific wall installation; dimensions variable. Photo by Matthew Golden.

Chris Kemler After purchasing a Delta contractor’s saw and setting up a make-shift shop in his parent’s backyard, Chris Kemler has been teaching himself woodworking and furniture making for the last 12 years. The artist always considers the human shape when designing his work. In his piece, Hall Chair, the careful arc of the back resembles the sensitive curves of a violin, while the subtle ridge placed in the center of the seat indicates precisely where a person should sit. Above: Chris Kemler, Hall Chair. Sapek, ebony. 24” x 22” 65.” 2011. Photo by Chris Kemler.

Diana Kersey Ceramic artist Diana Kersey earned her MFA in ceramics from Washington State University and her BFA in drawing from Texas Tech University. Kersey works on the potter’s wheel to form the foundation of her earthenware vessels before applying surface designs and decorations inspired by nature, books, and historical designs. Her piece, Bird Pot, is overtaken by a swarm of baby-bird heads, reaching out as if awaiting their mother. The repetitive shapes of the birds creates an overall surface design resembling a nest or plant-like structure. Above: Diana Kersey, Bird Pot. Earthenware. 16” x 14” x 14.” 2011. Photo by Wes Harvey.

Ryu-Hee Kim Metalsmith Ryu-Hee Kim received a BFA in metalsmithing and jewelry design from Indiana University-Bloomington and is currently working on an MFA at Texas Tech University. Kim’s work is largely inspired by her Korean cultural heritage. Korean history, lotuses, bamboo and chrysanthemums appear in her objects, signifying history, life and celebration. Many of her recent pieces are inspired by Korean Animism, which encompasses the beliefs that there is no separation between the spiritual and physical (material) world and that souls exist not only in humans but in the inanimate and animate parts of the natural environment. Above, from top to bottom: Ryu-Hee Kim, I Miss You. Copper. 3” x 11” x 9.5.” 2012. Photo by Becky Hopp. Ryu-Hee Kim, Seasons. Fine silver, sterling silver, enamel. 2” x 8” x 4.” 2011. Photo by Robly A. Glover.

David Langley David Langley, a native Houstonian, has been designing furniture since adolescence. Langley majored in marine biology but, before graduation, decided to take a different route: designing and building furniture. Since the mid 1990s, Langley has professionally designed furniture, incorporating both wood and metal into his designs. In Contemplation, the African satin wood and wenge are linked together by aluminum bars. The structured curves of the bench sit above the stark aluminum structure, creating a bench that has both form and function. Above: David Langley, Contemplation. Wood and aluminum. 48â&#x20AC;? x 12â&#x20AC;? x 18.â&#x20AC;? 2012. Photo by David Langley.

Kristopher Leinen With a MFA from Texas Tech University, Kristopher Leinen is a jewelry maker who creates one-ofa-kind pieces with precious woods, metals, and jewels. Leinen attempts to find a balance among the technology he employs in the creation of his work, the traditional craftsmanship that informs his process, and a distinct concept that gives his work purpose. Ideas about nature underlie each of the works in Leinen’s diverse collection. Above, from top to bottom: Kristopher Leinen, Tri-Trillion. Acrylic, cocobolo, 18k gold, 43.4ct blue topaz. 2.5” x 1.75” x 2.5.” 2012. Kristopher Leinen, Up-Rooted. Argentium silver, 18k gold, cocobolo, acrylic, 5.03tcw tsauorite garnet, .18tcw vs/f diamond, .06tcw s12 blue diamond. 3.5” x 6” x 2.5.” 2012. Photos by Robly A. Glover.

Edward Lane McCartney The work of Houston-based artist Edward Lane McCartney takes a great many forms, from largescale political works to fantastic jewelry created from unexpected materials. Inspired by the recent exhibition, Carlos Cruz-Diez: Color in Space and Time, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, McCartney transforms paperback books and colored paper in his piece, Folio Chromatique #7, The Velocity of Color. The vibrant installation, which resembles strings of oversized, accordion-like paper beads, is strung in linear patterns and suspended from the wall. Above: Edward Lane McCartney, Folio Chromatique #7, The Velocity of Color. Paperback books, colored paper, acrylic rods and steel. 72” x 60” x 12.” 2011. Photo by David Gooding.

Brian Molanphy Brian Molanphy is an assistant professor of ceramics at the Southern Methodist University Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas, Texas. Upon completion of his ceramics MFA from The Pennsylvania State University, he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study at the National Manufactory of Sèvres, France. In his pieces drawn from the series, round hole square peg, Molanphy uses a mica-rich clay, dug in northern New Mexico. When burnished before firing, this clay produces a rich reflective surface. Each of these pieces is made from three individual objects, ranging from circle to square forms. Molanphy illustrates not only the individuality found in these simple shapes but, by grouping them, he attempts to reconcile their contrasting angles and curves. Above, from top to bottom: Brian Molanphy, round hole square peg. Ceramic with aluminum shelf. 36” x 12” x 8.” 2010. Brian Molanphy, round hole square peg. Ceramic with aluminum shelf. 36” x 12” x 11.” 2010. Photos by Brian Molanphy.

Tybre Newcomer Ceramic artist Tybre Newcomer earned a BFA in ceramics from Missouri State University and a MFA in ceramics from the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Crafts in New York. As society increases its use of disposable goods, Newcomer is interested in the ubiquitous nature of mass-produced items. During his youth, he developed an understanding for things mechanical and structural in his father’s woodshop and on his grandfather’s dairy farm. Today, Newcomer highlights the importance of tools by making impressions of their forms in clay or slip casting the objects themselves, creating artifacts and an archaeological record of the present. Above: Tybre Newcomer, Tool of the Latter 20th Century: 5 Gallon Bucket. Ceramic, 23-karat gold leaf, brass. 12” x 12” x 16.” 2012. Photo by Tybre Newcomer.

Michael Owen O’Neill A recent BFA graduate from Texas State University in San Marcos, Michael Owen O’Neill is currently completing his graduate work at The State University of New York, New Paltz. O’Neill works to illustrate the fragmented nature of memory, dealing with those recollections that are both personal and collective in his jewelry pieces. He takes great interest in the monumental, often catastrophic, events that transform people and places, with a particular concern for the transformation of U.S. society and families over the last century, due to the increased ease and necessity of relocation. O’Neill focuses on this issue in Deracinate, in which he uses deconstructed architectural forms to describe the pain and confusion associated with the loss of a homestead and the attempts to stay grounded in an ever-shifting world. Above: Michael O’Neill, Deracinate. Silver, ceramic, glass. 2.25” x 2.5” x 4.25.” 2011. Photo by Thomas Jack Hilton.

Above: Michael O’Neill, Flood. Silver, driftwood, pyrex. 5.5” x 2” x 5.5.” 2010. Photo by Brianne Corn.

Griselda Elena Peña Born into a military family in Ferth, Germany, Griselda Elena Peña later moved to Texas, where she spent most of her youth. She earned her BFA from Texas State University and her MFA from The State University of New York, New Paltz. Peña, who currently teaches metals at Texas State University, creates regalia influenced by Western culture’s obsession with commodity and consumerism. Her work, Cut, made from oak, celebrates the use of wood as a beautiful material. By leaving the wood’s bark to clearly mark her piece, Peña hopes to directly connect the wearer to the material and also to raise awareness for one’s connection to the environment. Above: Griselda Elena Peña, Cut. Oak and encaustic. 4” x 5.5” x 2.25.” 2011. Photo by TJH Photographics.

Omar Angel Perez Native Houstonian Omar Angel Perez earned his BFA in fine arts and graphic design from The University of Houston. A furniture maker who delights in all aspects of exotic woods, Perez is largely self-taught. Over the 15 years in which he has created sculptural furniture, his pieces have come to embody a distinctively sexy, curvaceous quality. Perez was inspired by the bold and exotic movements of a Flamenco dancer for his piece, Bloodwood Console Table. The bold and alluring shape, combined with the vivid colors of red, black and silver, clearly mimic the Spanish costumes used for this dance. Above: Omar Angel Perez, Bloodwood Console Table. Bloodwood, ebony and sterling silver. 62” x 17” x 30.” 2012. Photo by Katharine Landmeier.

Catherine Winkler Rayroud Catherine Winker Rayroud was born and raised in Switzerland and moved to Houston, Texas, in 1999. She studied ceramics in Switzerland, England and Greece, before earning a degree in ceramics from The School for Applied Arts in Bern, Switzerland. In the more recent part of her career, Rayroud has developed her practice of paper cutting, an art form that has a rich tradition and history in her home country. In her paper-cut works, such as Capitalism at Work, the artist reflects on social issues, and her intricate patterns invite prolonged study. Above: Catherine Winkler Rayroud, Capitalism at Work. Papercutting. 19â&#x20AC;? x 21.5.â&#x20AC;? 2010. Photo by Catherine Winkler Rayroud.

Samara Rosen Samara Rosen recently graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, with a BFA in fiber and a minor in art history, and will attend Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan to pursue her MFA in the fiber department in the fall of 2012. Rosen has a strong interest in how the passage of time affects our memories. She is also drawn to working with found and discarded fiber, drawing from the complex history of the material’s prior use and giving these used items new life. In her sculptural works, such as Renew, Rosen accumulates numerous threads and glues them together to create delicate protruding forms, similar to small cages. Above: Samara Rosen, Renew. Thread and glue. 6’ x 9’ x 12.” 2011. Photo by Samara Rosen.

George Sacaris George Sacaris, a trained architect and native Houstonian, has created works of sculpture, furniture and architectural metalwork since 1988. He developed the idea for Faux Bois Stumps after seeing an imitation-wood bench made from concrete at a farm in south Texas. (Faux bois is French for the artistic imitation of wood in other media.) These hand-formed aluminum objects, which are both sculptural and functionalâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as clever stools or end tablesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;come in a variety of colors, from polished mirror to brown. Sacaris completes these modern forms with the nodules of imaginary, severed tree limbs. Above, from top to bottom: George Sacaris, Faux Bois Stumps. Polished aluminum, polished copper. Various dimensions. 2011. George Sacaris, Faux Bois Log and Stump. Aluminum, shown in polished or powder-coated finishes. Various dimensions. 2011. Photos by Jack Thompson.

Tore Terrasi Tore Terrasi earned his BFA and MFA from The University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, concentrating in visual design for both degrees. Terrasi’s work draws from a wide range of disciplines, among them motion-graphics typography, photography, interactive media and 3D animation. His diverse use of media and approach to materials are united by an interest in how people gather information. In Grid Study – Random, Terrasi works with microfilm, a material used in the archiving of magazines, journals, and newspapers. The small scale of the piece compels viewers to look closely and consider their own methods of reading and processing information. Above: Tore Terrasi, Grid Study – Random. Woven microfilm. 36” x 36.” 2011. Photo by Tore Terrasi.

Joy O. Ude Fiber artist Joy O. Ude is currently pursuing an MFA in fibers at the University of North Texas in Denton, where she previously earned a BFA in fashion design. Through her work, she explores Black culture as a subset of American culture by addressing sociological issues of education, employment, and race relations. Ude’s artwork also compares and contrasts Nigerian culture with Black-American culture. She uses an array of both fiber and metal techniques, including sewing, screen printing, heat transfer, appliqué, embroidery, etching, riveting, roll printing, and electroforming in her pieces. Above: Joy O. Ude, Oh, You Know...The Colored Girl. Printed Jacquard fabric, Nigerian fabric, etched brass plate. 9” x 27” 9.” 2011. Photo by Joy O. Ude.

Shalena White Shalena White moved to Austin, Texas, from California in 1993. She earned her BFA in studio art, specializing in metalsmithing and jewelry, from Texas State University in San Marcos. White is currently in pursuit of her MFA at the University of Texas at Austin. For Earth Spirit, part of White’s Earth series, she creates a sculptural neck piece with layers of pod forms made with a variety of materials, including newspaper, cheesecloth, linen, glue, tape, steel and earth. In the context of Western culture’s ideas about body ornamentation, greater value is assigned to jewelry made with precious metals and stones, but, in this series, White asserts that preciousness resides in undervalued materials, such as the earth itself. Above: Shalena White, Earth Spirit. Earth, china clay, cheesecloth, recycled newspaper, tape, string, glue, steel, quartz and graphite. 58” x 10” x 5.” 2012. Photo by Thomas Jack Hilton.

Deme Wolfe-Power Jeweler Deme Wolfe-Power earned her BFA from the University of Texas, El Paso, and her MFA from the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland. Wolfe-Power challenges notions of beauty in pieces that include extracted human teeth, taxidermy bird anatomy, human hair, and animal furs and hides—items frequently deemed repulsive. By juxtaposing these grotesque natural materials with refined materials used in traditional jewelry making, Wolfe-Power creates a dialogue about how we assign value and beauty. Above: Deme Wolfe-Power, Pearly Whites Brooch. Gold-plated silver, oxidized copper, resin, donated decayed tooth. 3” x 2.2” x 0.45.” 2011. Photo by Deme Wolfe-Power.