Best Of Modern In Dallas - edition.07 July 2021

e.7 ‘21

// moore design group

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spaces the elevation of shared

by Kendall Morgan

Interior designer Stephanie Moore Hager crafts multifamily residences of the future with an artistic touch.

The Dallas-based Moore Design Group principal and founder has such an intuitive approach to her work; it might be surprising to learn her career path took such a long and winding route. Initially, the Fort Worth-bred Hager explored the dental industry, first as an assistant, then as an ultra-organized office manager.

“I had a fun little personality, and it all clicked,” she said of

her first career. “I had peaked out as a dental assistant, so I interviewed at another office as manager. I was moving up in the field, and one of the hygienists asked me if I’d like to be involved in the (Dallas based) women in dentistry group.”

Because everything she does, she does “100% percent,” Hager was soon helping a local dentist design his brandnew 5000-square-foot open office from scratch, from floorplan to furnishings to functionality. Coincidentally taking a Myer-Briggs personality test around the same

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time, she discovered that her artistic bent wasn’t an accident. She scored off the charts in creativity, and the concept of pursuing a more imaginative life seemed like a strange yet thrilling future.

The then-28-year-old Hager cold-called colleges until she discovered the Art Institute of Dallas. Their three-year program allowed her to balance her time between classwork and her official duties until she graduated.

“It was one of those things you could never have planned

to get where I’m at. It just evolved, and I had no idea what was happening until it happened. There were some long nights staying up to 2 am to manage it all, and I lived and breathed nothing but school for three to four years. I graduated with a 4.0 and never missed a day! It’s (all about) resourcefulness—you either have it, or you don’t.”

One of Hager’s professors loved her design concepts enough to suggest an internship in the industry. And, because her future boss was the president of the local chapter of the American Society of Interior Design-

ers, Hager soon found herself in the thick of the world of design. By the time she graduated at age 32, she was ready to establish Moore Design Group, launching in 1991.

Although her company is known to take on the occasional residential project, Hager’s sweet spot (and preferred focus) are multi-living dwellings conceptualized to reflect the best and brightest possibilities in the industry. As buildings have evolved to include smaller livings spaces with more amenities for residents, Hager finds herself

pushing the boundaries of what an apartment building or condominium can be.

“I’d say ten-plus years after I was involved (in the business), I went to California for one of the companies I was working for and started seeing the amenity elements changing,” she recalls. “Now it’s a whole different community— the units are getting smaller and smaller, so the (shared) spaces are the go-to space. You have game rooms and golf rooms, a craft room, nurseries, a pet space, bike

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areas. The amenities just go on and on, and I think we recognized that early on and started promoting elements like that.”

Mailrooms have evolved from “dark holes” into vast spaces with room for Amazon deliveries or refrigerated food boxes. Pool areas now encompass outdoor living, game areas, water features, and elaborate landscaping. Lobbies soar, with dazzling fixtures and intimate spaces for coworking. Accents like university libraries stuffed

with thousands of volumes or selfie-ready branded art walls take her residences to the next level. Through her exploration of design, Hager finds herself educating both her staff and her clients on the latest and most significant developments in her chosen industry.

“I’m a big advocate of taking my staff to trade shows in Vegas and New York to see the latest furniture and product.

It’s our duty as designers to stay on the cutting edge and teach the people we work for what’s coming. Con-

sumer demographics are getting tighter and tighter, and competition is more intense. If we can produce amenity spaces that are competitive and forward-thinking, our developers will be one step ahead.”

Starting with the building’s demographics, location, and the client’s budget, Hager selects the colors, fabrications, and furnishings that can both fulfill a client’s vision and hold up for decades to come. Comfort is critical, as she wants residents to enjoy their shared spaces, and her designs must be as pleasing to the eye as they are functional. Taking a look and feel of a building she is

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hired to create interiors for as a cue, she makes sure that her work reflects the exterior with complementary themes or materials.

“It’s our job to make it cohesive,” she explains of her designs. “Some designers that are hired don’t know that aspect, and when you walk in, there’s a disconnect between the outside and the inside. There’s an element of listening to what the client’s needs are and taking what they say to heart, and we do that. That sets us apart, and we get their vision and actually listen to what they want.”

// rockbrook – photo: mark mcwilliams

That vision can be as micro as selecting art for a space, a process that led Hager inadvertently to meeting her husband, painter and illustrator Geoff Hager. Initially hiring him to create interior renderings for a Turtle Creek high-rise project, the two worked harmoniously for three months. Hager suggested he meet a single friend of hers at the project’s closure, but Geoff admitted he was interested in her instead.

“I said I’m in, but only for morning dates—we’ll meet for breakfast and see if that works. We did, and we were both so nervous we could barely even eat. We slowly got used

to each other, and he took me to Paris and proposed under the Eiffel Tower, and the rest was history.”

When a client needed an epic art piece for a 22-foot-high wall with a limited budget, Geoff proposed that he create it, and the two also formed an artistic partnership.

“Artwork is so unaffordable, or its stupid posters in frames that are marginally acceptable, so I found we have a niche,” she says. “All our projects have custom art in them. We give (Geoff) the room setting, furniture, and color palettes, and he creates the original art.”

With multiple awards from ASID Texas Legacy of Design and ASID Dall Design Ovation and a thriving 30-year design career under her belt, Hager isn’t slowing down any time soon. However, the now 63-year-old has kept an eye on the future by training her staff, encouraging a new generation of design visionaries to eventually take up her mantle and dream up what a multi-family building could become.

same every time, and we have to compete against ourselves. I’ve got a great idea of how to create this magical alchemy that influences and inspires and shapes people’s minds of how they assess their space. And, at this point in my life, the smartest thing I could do is teach my staff how to do what I do. It’s not easy—it’s a talent that I have, and I want to convey that to someone else who can take it and make it their own.”

“I think we’re obligated to change the way people feel about their surroundings,” she muses. “It can’t be the

// mooredesigngroup.com

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A MAC-TASTIC REINVENTION

by Kendall Morgan

The little nonprofit that could—The McKinney Avenue Contemporary—celebrates its return with an annual membership exhibition.

Ready for some new math? Although the McKinney Avenue Contemporary, or MAC, was founded 27 years ago, the current exhibition is actually the 23rd iteration of

its membership show. The MAC has always done things a little differently throughout its history, occasionally skipping milestones as it evolved from a polished 18,000-squarefoot building in Uptown to a raw electricity-free warehouse in the Cedars to its current 2,500-square foot permanent locale at 1503 S. Ervay. But, as locations have changed, the MAC’s mission has stayed the same as the first day it opened its doors.

“The primary focus has always been to elevate local artists by presenting them alongside national and international artists,” says MAC president of the board of directors Jordan Roth. “There would be a theme, and it might be the environment, and you’d have an artist or two from Dallas, an artist from California or Chicago exploring that theme. Until we moved (to their current location), there was always a show strictly about Texas artists that was historical.”

Initially established in 1994 on McKinney Avenue as a nonprofit representing local, regional, national and international contemporary artists, the MAC was the physical manifestation of the DARE (Dallas Artists Research and Exhibitions) efforts’ efforts.

“DARE’s goal was very revolutionary,” says Roth. “They were trying to get health care for artists and unionize.

They were doing shows, and they linked up with (arts

patron) Claude (Albritton) and hired Rick Brettell to be the first director.”

When seeking a more permanent location for their activities, Albritton gave DARE an offer they couldn’t refuse— the renovation of a building at the corner of McKinney Avenue and Oak Grove Avenues plus the shockingly affordable rent of a dollar per year. At the time, the MAC was right smack in the middle of a hotbed of local art, with neighbors like Afterimage Gallery, Dunn and Brown Contemporary (the former space of gallerist Talley Dunn), and Photographs Do Not Bend.

The ensuing decades saw the work of boldfaced names including Kara Walker, George Condo, and the Talking Heads’ David Byrne shown on the MAC’s walls alongside local talent. The mix proved irresistible to future gallerist Jordan Roth.

“Even though I practically grew up in my mom’s Fort Worth gallery, the Dallas arts scene felt foreign to me,” he recalls. “One night, back in the’90s, I visited the MAC with a friend and, upon entering the gallery, I was mesmerized by a photographic exhibition by Susan Kae Grant.

Moments later, the artist appeared before me, like a genie,

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welcoming us to the show. She invited us into an immersive installation that magically walked us through her process.

It made a killer impression on me, so I kept going back.”

After founding Ro2 Gallery with mom Susan Roth Romans in 2009, Roth collaborated with the institution on shows. Because the MAC was next door to Kitchen Dog

Theater, they couldn’t host nighttime events, so the Roths offered their space. Formally joining the board in 2011, he was around to see the MAC relocate to the Cedars in 2015.

With Ro2 being right down the street, the neighborhood // paolo - audrey,District paris 1996 serves as a kind of roversi anti-Design destination, one where the art patrons are a little funkier and the exhibitions a bit more raw.

Roth ultimately became the last man standing at the MAC during the Covid-19 shutdown that ground most of the Dallas art world to a halt in 2020. Forced to suspend membership fees, he watched the MAC’s list of members dwindle from a few hundred to zero. But, as museums and galleries have slowly come back to life, so has support for the MAC, and this time, Roth says he hopes to keep things a little more homegrown.

“We were borrowing works from collectors all over Texas, which effectively raised values of the works in collections, rather than building up the careers of the artist. Now we want to focus more on the now and show artists that are living and working rather than great collections from the past. We want to continue to prop up the local art community.”

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The current show does just that. A hundred and one works from MAC members in all mediums are presented under the loose theme of “Together.” Encompassing small paintings, photography, and sculptures, pieces are loosely paired in complimentary groups. A separate room screens a few video works, including an eye-popping remix of “The Wizard of Oz” from Brian K. Jones. Everything

is for sale in the affordable range of $100 to $4,000, and a percentage of proceeds will help keep the MAC afloat.

As the MAC reestablishes its local presence, Roth is pulling together an expert advisory board, including local choreographer Danielle Georgiou and Heritage Auctions director Frank Hettig. He hopes to launch a thought-

provoking book club for members as he preps for a fall exhibition of work from Ciara Bryant in conjunction with the Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas. And, as the upper-level membership group The MAC PAC grows, the institution’s future looks as bright as it did when it first opened its doors way back in 1994.

“If you go through the rosters of Texas’ major galleries, you’ll find a huge number of artists who’ve had solo shows at the MAC,” Roth says.

“No other institution has provided this type of opportunity for Texas artists. I am really looking forward to seeing what will unfold at the MAC over the next 27 years!”

“Together: The MAC’s 23rd Annual Membership Show” is on view through September 4, 2021. // the-mac.org

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ADE X

// photo: craig blackmon

REOP N S

by a H rdy a H berman

One of my favorite buildings in downtown Dallas has always been the aluminum-clad Republic Center.

Formerly the Republic National Bank Tower, the star embossed panels that give the building its distinctive look were breakthrough design for the time when it was constructed in 1954. It’s fitting that this venerated building is home to AD EX, the Architecture and Design Exchange, a public facing exhibit space created by the Dallas Chapter of the Architecture Institute of America AD Ex has reopened to the public after being closed for over a year due to COVID19. The AD EX will be open to visitors from 10:00 a.m. -6:00 p.m.

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Tuesday through Thurs­day and from 10:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturdays.

“We are very excited to reopen AD EX to the community and once again provide oppor­tunities for the public to engage and learn about the impact that architecture and design have on our everyday lives,” said President of the Architecture and Design Foundation, Mattia Flabiano, AIA. “Over the past year, we have all had the chance to reflect on the quality of spaces we inhabit at home, at work, and

outdoors during this pandemic. The AD EX is ready to take the lead on this recharged conversation about the power of design and its positive impact on our city.”

Currently at AD EX the exhibit is “Sketching Kaleidoscope: Viewing Dallas Through a Different Lens”. The purpose of the project was to explore the stories that are revealed through buildings we pass by every day.

Over the course of four months, meetups were held at

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The Dallas Architecture Forum is for everyone who wants to experience inspired design. The Forum presents an award-winning Lecture Series that brings outstanding architects,interior designers, landscape architects and urban planners from around the world, as well as Symposia, Receptions at architecturally significant residences, and Panel Discussions on issues impacting North Texas.

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// sketching kaleidoscope exhibition

four locations and centered around four themes: the Virginia McAlester Residence (March, Women’s History), TrinityRiver Audubon Center (April, Environmental Justice), Anita Martinez Recreation Center (May, Hispanic Heritage), and the Eloise Lundy Recreation Center (June, Juneteenth).

Each location visited was connected to people or events

that shaped the physical de­ velopment of Dallas in underserved and minority communities.

The resultant sketches are on display and reflect the themes still going on in each location including the preservation of historic structures and communities, mitigating envi­ ronmental injustice, city investments in public spaces and creating welcoming outdoor spaces

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// photo: craig blackmon

for everyone. AD EX also offers a series of walking tours of the city including the Arts District, Main Street, and Fair Park. These tours are a great way to get up close and personal with the architecture that continues to shape our city.

The mission of AD EX is to lead the conversation about how architecture matters to you. There is no charge for admission for exhibitions and for many programs provided by AD EX. For more information, visit DallasADEX.org.

CADDALLAS.ORG 2020 MEMBERS 500X Gallery Carneal Simmons Contemporary Art Conduit Gallery Craighead Green Gallery Cris Worley Fine Arts Erin Cluley Gallery Galleri Urbane Marfa+Dallas Holly Johnson Gallery Kirk Hopper Fine Art PDNB Gallery RO2 Art Talley Dunn Gallery Valley House Gallery & Sculpture Garden

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calendar your modern

Modern events and activities make for fun around the Metroplex.

Walking Tours Discover the Arts District + Explore the Main Street District Ad Ex

Parade of Playhouses Dallas CASA at NorthPark Center

Together The MACt

The Book Smugglers Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum

Nasher Public - Brian Molanphy Nasher Sculpture Center

Jean-Michel Basquiat: “Sam F” Dallas Museum Of Art

Sean Scully Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Paolo Roversi: Birds Dallas Contemporary

modern

art galleries

Modern art, exhibits, around the Metroplex.

Summer 2021’s Group Exhibition Kirk Hopper Fine Art

Sean Cairns Valley House Gallery

Daniel Johnston + Visible Ro2art

HOT DAMN Conduit Gallery

New Texas Talent Craighead Green Gallery

Brent Ozaeta + Raymond Butler + SM Sanz Plush Gallery

Anna Elise Johnson + Steven Charles Cris Worley Fine Arts

Carly Allen Martin Laura Rathe Fine Art

RIPE Galleri Urbane // view current shows online or appointments maybe available