Sarah Williams: Southeast of Home

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SARAH WILLIAMS SOUTHEAST OF HOME



SARAH WILLIAMS

SOUTHEAST OF HOME

April 10 - May 8, 2021

2716 S. La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90034 310-838-3685 | www.gbgla.com


SARAH WILLIAMS: SOUTHEAST OF HOME We are both the product of and creator of our environs. Over time, ways of life shape and define us and we, in turn, shape our spaces which then shape our memories and histories. Strong emotions can be prompted by a place. Sarah Williams is drawn to structures that show the character acquired over those long histories and to the emotional ties we feel to these places we are connected to through our personal histories. She has spent years trying to capture rural Midwestern identity but she is also interested in finding ways to give a sense of perspective for her understanding of these small rural areas in Missouri. Taking herself out of the “home” environment and applying her way of visually exploring another locale was the next step in expanding her work. Before the pandemic, Williams did an artist residency in Key West, FL. This new body of work came out of that experience and is about the similarities and differences between that region and what she recognizes as her “home” in Missouri. Williams writes of her work, “I love seeing how people from other regions and backgrounds relate to my work. I’m finding the more specific I can be, the more universal the work somehow becomes. I hope my work allows people to think about where they come from and take pride in the collective identity of their home region.” Williams is drawn to light sources and the play of light on surfaces. This led her to paint nightscapes of these familiar yet isolated and unremarkable buildings and scenes in rural areas. She uses the darkness to edit out extraneous information and provide the viewer with the essence of the place. While Williams’ paintings are representational, she fractures the form and accentuates the light through her unique painting technique. Working wet on wet in oil, Williams accentuates the luminous glow of the lights and creates these velvety fields of color. The final effect is simultaneously inviting and eerily mysterious. The viewer starts to unravel the mood of the painting not only with the primary area of focus, but through the combination of the secondary and even tertiary areas of focus. In much the same way our eyes adjust to the dark, upon deeper inspection, the viewer finds more details shrouded in darkness in the distance in Williams’ work. Using this nuanced visual language, Williams transforms the common place and makes the insignificant significant and in so doing, creates paintings that are mysterious, slightly familiar and hauntingly beautiful.

Tressa Williams March 2021 Tressa Williams is the director and co-owner of George Billis Gallery Los Angeles.

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Flemming Street, 2020 oil on panel 18 x 18 inches



Amelia Street, 2020 oil on panel 18 x 18 inches


Duval Street, 2020 oil on panel 24 x 24 inches


Southard Street, 2020 oil on panel 18 x 24 inches


Delkab Avenue, 2021 oil on panel 12 x 24 inches Private Collection




Noah Lane, 2021 oil on panel 11 x 14 inches


Caroline Street, 2021 oil on panel 11 x 14 inches



Eaton Street, 2020 oil on panel 18 x 18 inches Private Collection


Tiffs Street, 2020 oil on panel 30 x 18 inches


Whitehead Street, 2021 oil on panel 18 x 24 inches


Flagler Street, 2021 oil on panel 12 x 24 inches


Casa Marina Court, 2021 oil on panel 11 x 14 inches


Florida Street, 2021 oil on panel 11 x 14 inches


SARAH WILLIAMS American Education 2006-2009 MFA in Painting and Drawing, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 2002-2006 BFA in Studio Art, William Woods University, Summa Cum Laude, Fulton, MO Solo Exhibitions 2021 2020

2019 2018

2017 2016 2015 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009

Southeast of Home, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Interstate Phantoms, Blue Gallery, Kansas City, MO Twilight Towns, Andrea Schwartz Gallery, San Francisco, CA Off-ramp Communities, Moody Gallery, Dallas, TX Rural Routes, Talley Dunn Gallery, Dallas, TX Sarah Williams, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY Home-Place, Scarlow’s Gallery, Casper, WY Every NowhereAndrea Schwartz Gallery, San Francisco, CA Night LandsUniversity of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO Speed Trap Towns, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Blanketed, Blue Gallery, Kansas City, MO Unseen America, Moody Gallery, Houston, TX Sarah Williams, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY Heartland, Round Gallery; Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL Area Codes, Talley Dunn Gallery, Dallas, TX Fly Over Territory, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA City Limits, McMurtrey Gallery, Houston, TX Peripheral 36, Sinclair Gallery, Northwest College, Powell, WY Glow, Mildred Cox Gallery, William Woods University, Fulton, MO Midwest Noir, Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, WY Blacktop Country, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Remote American, Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, TX 30 Miles Between, McMurtrey Gallery, Houston, TX County Line, McMurtrey Gallery; Micro Space, Houston, TX Nightfall, Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX Outside the County Seat, Galveston Arts Center, Galveston, TX On the Periphery, McMurtrey Gallery, Houston, TX Outskirts, Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, MO Population 4,769, McMurtrey Gallery, Houston, TX Night Vision, Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX The Places In Between, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX Pinned, University of North Texas Union Gallery, Denton, TX

Selected Group Exhibitions 2021 2019 2019 2018 2017 2016

2015 2014

2012 2011

2010

Dreams and Their Edges, Curated by John Seed for “I Like Your Work”; Virtual Exhibition Passing Through, Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, TX Getting Real, Strohl Art Center; Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, NY Out of Town, Andrea Schwartz Gallery, San Francisco, CA Wonder Wall, Blue Gallery, Kansas City, MO Target Texas: What Inspires, Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, TX Cityscape Show VII, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA As Is: Rural Realism, The Grace Museum; Abilene, TX Art Palm Spring Fair, George Billis Gallery; Palm Springs, CA Wonder Wall, Blue Gallery, Kansas City, MO Texas Contemporary Art Fair, Moody Gallery/Texas Contemporary Art Fair, Dallas, TX 40th Anniversary Exhibition, Moody Gallery, Houston, TX Palm Springs Art Fair, George Billis Gallery/Palm Springs Art Fair, Palm Springs, CA Dallas Art Fair, Talley Dunn Gallery/Dallas Art Fair, Dallas, TX New American Paintings, Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL Dallas Art Fair, Talley Dunn Gallery/Dallas Art Fair, Dallas, TX MSU Biennial Faculty Show, Brick City Gallery; Missouri State University, Springfield, MO Art Auction 47, Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings MT; Curator: Eric Wimmer Wonder Wall, Blue Gallery, Kansas City, MO The Cityscape Show IV, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Homeward Bound: An American Pictorial, Fowler-Kellogg Art Center, Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, NY Night Music, Trudy Labell Fine Art, Naples, FL Seven, McMurtrey Gallery, Houston, TX Natural Constructed Spaces, The Painting Center, New York, NY, curator: Marianne Van Lent, Galen Cheney Big and Bright: New Work from Texas Southwestern College Art Gallery at Southwestern College Chula Vista, CA Annual Faculty and Staff Exhibition, Brookhaven College Gallery, Dallas, TX Hunting Art Prize Finalist Exhibition, Friedkin Corporate Gulf of Toyota Exhibition Hall, Houston, TX Now. Here. This., 3-Art, Curated online exhibition; Curator: Sara Jones Winter Exhibition, PS Gallery, Columbia, MO 500X Past and Present Member’s, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX Drawing Show, Annual Faculty and Staff Exhibition, University of North Texas Art Gallery, Denton, TX Annual Faculty and Staff Exhibition, Brookhaven College Gallery, Dallas, TX Hunting Art Prize Finalist Exhibition, Friedkin Corporate Gulf of Toyota Exhibition Hall, Houston, TX Biennial Texas/Oklahoma Art Show, Wichita Falls Museum of Art, Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, TX; Curator: Janis Goodman


2009

2008

2007

HWH, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX Back in Red, Group Holiday Exhibition McMurtrey Gallery, Houston, TX Annual Faculty and Staff Exhibition, University of North Texas Art Gallery, Denton, TX Graduate Student “Launch Exhibition,” Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas Art Lab, Dallas, TX, Curator: Ann Lawrence Front Room=Back Room, Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, TX 2009 Annual Voertman’s Art Competition, University of North Texas Art Gallery, Denton, TX Curator: John Pomara Observation/Insight: Drawing from the Eagle Exhibition Hall/ Elm Fork Education Center Elm Fork Natural Heritage Museum, University of North Texas, Denton, TX P.A.N.T.S Open, Cora Stafford Gallery, University of North Texas, Denton, TX ArtHouston 2008: Two From UNT, McMurtrey Gallery, Houston, TX Current Works by Sarah Williams and Julon Pinkston, McMurtrey Gallery, Houston, TX Summer Exhibition, PS Gallery, Columbia, MO University of North Texas Graduate Exhibition, University of North Texas Art Gallery, Denton, TX, Curators: Tracee Robertson and Victoria Extrada-Berg H2OMG, Fort Worth Community Arts Center, Fort Worth, TX Visual Arts Society of Texas 40th Annual Spring Exhibition, Visual Arts Society, Denton, TX; Curator: Nic Nicosia Annual Voertman’s Student Art Competition, University of North Texas Art Gallery, Denton, TX, Curator: Charles Wylie Annual College Art Association Regional MFA Exhibition, Cora Stafford Gallery, Univ. of North Texas, Denton, TX 32nd Annual University Union’s Student Art Competition, University of North Texas Union Gallery, Denton, TX, Curator: Thomas Feulmer Not To Be Missed By Anyone, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX Pocket of Schemes, Cora Stafford Gallery, University of North Texas, Denton, TX Peripheral Vision, University of North Texas Union Gallery, Denton, TX Ghost Town Arts Collective, Austin College Ida Green Gallery, Sherman, TX Visual Arts Society of Texas 2nd Annual 125 Mile Exhibition, Visual Arts Society, Denton, TX; Curator: Katherine Liontas-Warren Paint Trap, Cora Stafford Gallery, University of North Texas, Denton, TX

Awards 2020

2019 2016 2015

2013

2011 2010

2009 2008 2007 2005 2004

Department of Art and Design Travel Grant; Missouri State University; Springfield, MO Castle Hill Truro Center for the Arts; Artist in Residence at Edgewood Farm; Truro, MA *canceled due to pandemic The Studios of Key West Artist Residency, Key West, FL Missouri State University Research Sabbatical; Springfield, MO Millay Colony for the Arts Residency; Austerlitz, NY Willapa Bay AiR Residency, Oysterville, WA Summer Faculty Fellowship; Missouri State University Springfield, MO Department of Art and Design Travel Grant; Missouri State University, Springfield, MO College of Arts and Letters New Faculty Summer Research Fellowship, Missouri State University Springfield, MO Ucross Foundation Artist Residency Program Participant, Clearmont, WY Hunting Art Prize Finalist, Houston, TX Vermont Studio Center Summer Residency, Johnson, VT Vermont Studio Center Artists’ Grant, Johnson, VT Hunting Art Prize Finalist, Houston, TX University of North Texas Art in Public Places Purchase Award, Denton, TX Outstanding Graduate in Studio Art Award; University of North Texas, Denton, TX First Place Award, P.A.N.T.S. Open Exhibition; Curator: Matthew Sontheimer, Denton, TX Category I Award, Visual Arts Society of Texas 2nd Annual 125 Mile Exhibition, Denton, TX Craftsmanship and Design Award; William Woods University, Fulton, MO Muriel Braeutigam Memorial Prize; St. Louis Artists’ Guild, St. Louis, MO


Curatorial Experience 2009 2008 2007

Observational/Insight: Drawing from the Elm Fork Natural Heritage Museum, Eagle Exhibition Hall/Elm Fork Center, Denton, TX University of North Texas Drawing Core Student Exhibition, University of North Texas, Denton, TX Drawing Event, Immaculate Conception Catholic School, Denton, TX Not To Be Missed By Anyone, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX

Activities 2018

Artist Panel Discussion, Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, TX Artist Lecture, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO 2017 Artist Lecture, Moody Gallery, Houston, TX Artist Lecture, The Grace Museum, Abilene, TX 2016 Artist Lecture, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL Visiting Artist, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL 2014 Visiting Artist, Northwest College, Powell, WY Gallery Talk, Northwest College, Powell, WY Gallery Talk, William Woods University, Fulton, MO Gallery Talk, Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, WY 2013 Gallery Talk, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 2013 Gallery Talk, McMurtrey Gallery, Houston, TX 2010 Panelist member for the Here. There & Beyond Exhibition, Dallas Contemporary Gallery, Dallas, TX Gallery Talk; Houston’s Looking At Art Group, McMurtrey Gallery, Houston, TX 2009-10Member of 500X Gallery Artist Co-op, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX Treasurer for 500X Gallery Artist Co-op, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX 2009 University of North Texas chapter-The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Denton, TX 2008-9 University of North Texas Visual Arts and Design; Design Search Committee Member, Denton, TX 2008 Co-Author of “The Elm Fork Natural Heritage Museum and Introductory Drawing Students: a Cross - Disciplinary Learning Experience” UNT, Denton, TX

Publications 2020 2019 2017 2016

2015 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007

Create! Magazine; p 162-165, Winter 2020 Issue 19 American Art Collector; p 112-113, June 2019 Issue164 American Art Collector; p66-67, March 2017 Issue 137 The Southern Review; Spring 2016 Edition Parcel; Spring 2016 Edition New American Paintings; No 119, Midwest Issue New American Paintings; No. 96, Western Issue Houston Chronicle; p E8, Thursday February 11, 2010 Dallas Modern Luxury Magazine; p 56, December 2009 issue Houston Chronicle; p E2, Friday August 15, 2008 CAA News; volume 33, number 1, January 2008, Fishwrap; volume 4, number 2, summer 2007, Institute for Small Town Studies; Fairfield, IA

University Teaching Experience 2018-current 2012-2018 2009-2012 2010-current 2009 2007-2009

Associate Professor Assistant Professor Adjunct Faculty Adjunct Faculty Adjunct Faculty Teaching Assistant

Missouri State University, Springfield, MO Missouri State University, Springfield, MO University of North Texas, Denton, TX Brookhaven College, Dallas, TX Richland College, Dallas, TX University of North Texas, Denton, TX


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