e.17 ‘23
doemit/ gaurxzcehit cutre
LIGHTS
P R FANTASTIC O
LIGHTS
P R FANTASTIC O
LIGHTS
P R FANTASTIC O
LIGHTS
P R FANTASTIC O
THIS IS THE
FUTURE WE’VE CREATED A NEW TYPE OF SHOWROOM THAT RE-IMAGINES YOUR PERCEPTION OF HOW YOU USE AND VIEW LIGHTING. As technology transforms what’s possible with lighting, Lights Fantastic Pro helps you imagine lighting that enhances your environment like never before. We Help architects, designers, builders and visionaries tap into The Power of Lighting.
lightsfantasticpro.com DALLAS
LEWISVILLE
HOUSTON
AUSTIN
4645 Greenville Ave
2525 E. State Hwy 121
4205 Pinemont Dr
7532 Burnet Ave
1019 Dragon Street | Dallas | Design District | 214.350.0542 | www.sminkinc.com
Domiteaux GARZA Architecture:
boyhood signs of architects to come
by Betsy Lewis
// laman residence photo: dror baldinger, aia architectural photography, mark menjivar photographer
// groveland house - craig kuhner architectural photography
Sometimes kids reveal subtle yet unshakable glimmers of the adults they will one day be. When I interviewed Domiteaux Garza Architecture’s Mark Domiteaux and Ruben Garza, several questions were asked and many interesting answers given, but the first question out of the gate proved worthy of the full 800 words of this article. Here the architects exchange responses to a single question about their respective childhoods. Maybe it was the thrill
of conducting a face-to-faces interview for the first time in two years, zoom-free, at Domiteaux Garza’s Oak Lawn headquarters, or maybe it was just luck. Regardless, the partners were both insightful and charming. “Were there signs in your childhoods that you would become architects?”
// aldwick residence - charles davis smith faia architectural photography
Mark Domiteaux: We had Lincoln Logs and really nice block sets back then — perfectly made. And then there were erector sets, which were metal nuts-and-bolts kinds of things that had little girders that snap together. I played with those endlessly. Geometry gets in your head and you see the way things go together. I took things apart all the time, to the consternation of my parents. Take apart the Electrolux vacuum and, oops, it doesn’t work anymore… but I knew how it worked now, and what was going on inside! I think a lot of architects started playing around with blocks and stuff like that.
Ruben Garza: I did have Legos. I couldn’t afford a lot of Legos, but I would get small kits to build a given thing. On the back were other things you could build, but no instructions of how to do it, so I would have to figure it out. That was my favorite part. Figuring out how to make something work with what you have, and doing it a number of different ways, was always a lot of fun. There are a lot of similarities in doing that and how we do things now. There are a variety of ways we can solve one problem, but what is the most interesting, fun thing that you can come up with?
// cobalt homes | nimmo architecture
// 16 vanguard way photo: thad reeves aia
Mark Domiteaux: We lived in a lot of cities when I was a kid, and were exposed to different neighborhoods, different cultures — Toledo, Chicago, Berkeley, Oakland, Carmel. We lived in different environments and kinds of architecture. There was a lot of California influence as I was getting older.
A new client bought a house out in East Texas. He sent pictures of it, and I said, “Jeez this looks a lot like a house I lived in back in Ohio.” I researched it and there it was, the exact duplicate, only done with the bare minimum. The one we lived in had all glass windows — a takeoff on a Frank Lloyd Wright house, very contemporary, all glass
Explore our Spring Inspired Collection // architect bentley tibbs photo: charles davis smith faia
// ooswouder residence - dror baldinger, aia architectural photography
and flowing spaces. This house? Exact same floor plan, same facades, except dumbed down when it was built in the 50s. I went back and researched that Ohio house and yeah, it had a big influence on me when I was 10 years old. That exposure helped spark the notion of thinking about houses when I was young. When I was 12, I was given a book called A Testament. I thought, “We don’t go to church—what is this all about?”
But it was a book about Frank Lloyd Wright. That sealed the deal. I would read that every night and think, “These are amazing things.” For 12 years old, that’s pretty heavy stuff. I didn’t understand his philosophy, but I liked looking at his work. Ruben Garza: I was actually tempted by math, the idea of solving puzzles. The thing I liked about math was that al-
The Becky Frey Real Estate Group | 5960 Berkshire Ln, Suite 700 Dallas TX 75225 m: 949.701.5976
// 17 vanguard way - charles davis smith faia architectural photography
though you can come about it a number of different ways, you get to one solution. I grew up in Oak Cliff, a little two-bedroom house where I slept on the living room floor. I never got any exposure to arts or architects, or anything like that. Oddly enough, one of the first things that clearly instilled this idea that architecture can be interesting was seeing one of Mark’s
projects. When I was in high school, I walked past this project he did early on. I always thought a house was just a house — four walls, a roof, that’s it. But this was an old corner store renovated into a loft space. That was the first time I remember thinking, “This is very cool and would be really fun to do.”
But I still stayed with math. I had already been accepted to college and was planning to be a math major. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with that. I liked math and art, but hadn’t connected the two until my senior year. I didn’t have many classes left to take, so I took drafting. I was the only one paying attention. Everybody would take the class because it was easy and all they had to do was sit there, and I actually started drawing. Second semester, I took it again, so my teacher just loved me and let me do housing design competitions. At some point it occurred to me that this was what I need to be doing. I reapplied to college as an architecture major and never looked back. EPILOGUE: Domiteaux landed in Dallas in 1982 to begin his career in architecture, but a recession squelched the hiring promises of larger firms that had scouted him. So he started with contract work, eventually landing with a big firm, that led to a partnership, that led to a solo venture. “Always moving forward,” says Domiteaux, “until we get to this point.” Enter Garza in 2003. They worked together for three years before career paths diverged, then came full circle four years later when Domiteaux’s then-partner branched out on her own. Garza heard about it, and made a call to Domiteaux: “We ought to have lunch.” The rest is history. domiteauxgarza.com
an inclusive vision
// diedrick brackens, brotherhood is fragile, 2022 woven cotton and acrylic yarn, fabric trim 103 x 104 in
by Kendall Morgan
// esther kim varat owner and cofounder at the opening of texan: part I photo: jonathan zizzo
Various Small Fires light up the Dallas gallery world with unique programming. A successful gallery runs on much more than just artistic talent. It must also possess a founder with a vision, a viewpoint that elevates the focus beyond the merely decorative. And Various Small Fires Texas has that in spades. Opened
during April’s Dallas Art Week in the former TenOverSix space next to the Joule, VSF is the passion project of owner and cofounder Esther Kim Varet. Yet the path to gallerist was a somewhat circuitous one for Varet. Growing up in Dallas, she was first inspired to create work when she took art lessons as a child. “You know how you take piano lessons or violin lessons? I took art lessons with this guy who had an after-school
// installation view -texan part 1 - photo: kevin todora
program,” she recalls. “I stuck with him, and he helped me get into college by making a portfolio. I kept winning all these Texas competitions, and when people say you’re good at something, that’s when you’re convinced that’s what you should be doing.” Her desire to be a painter fizzled out once she landed at Yale, and Varet decided to travel the art history path in-
stead while working at tony New York galleries like Paula Cooper and Petzel. By the time she was ready to begin her Ph.D. at Columbia, it was clear dealing art was her destiny, even if it took her a minute to figure out what makes a successful space. She opened her first attempt in New York right around the 2008 crash, which helped her learn what not to do as she went forward.
// installation view -texan part 1 - photo: kevin todora
“It was a really good learning experience and a way to get my feet wet,” she explains. “Also, I realized I don’t necessarily want to open a gallery in New York. My decision around doing it in L.A. was because the art scene was still just becoming interesting. I was doing my dissertation on a lot of Californian artists in the ‘60s and using the LACMA archives, so it made sense for me to explore what was on the ground there.”
Varet and her husband, Joseph (who serves as the CFO), opened the first Various Small Fires in Venice, California, in 2012. Named after a 1965 Ed Ruscha book, the space was just ahead of the city’s artistic Renaissance curve. By 2015, the gallery had relocated to Hollywood, and Varet intended to bring her viewpoint to her native Korea. VSF Seoul debuted in 2019—a full three years before Frieze landed in the city—with the Texan iteration following in
// puppies puppies (jade guanaro kuriki-olivo) untitled (perfect loves) (green), 2017, green synchronized clocks edition of 4. 9 1/2 x 19 x 2 in
2022. And she sees the same possibilities in our city that she saw when she expanded to Korea. “I feel very lucky to get ahead of the curve (in Seoul), and I felt something similar in Texas. Texas is not just a place of heterosexual white male cowboys; it’s a really rich, diverse place. There are a lot of Asians here and a lot of Indian Americans. There are so many diverse cultural voices that need to be celebrated.”
Selecting work from a mix of talents that had Texan ties, the inaugural VSF show featured work from Will Boone, Rosson Crow, Jeff Elrod, Mark Flood, and Daniel Rios Rodriguez, among others. Because VSF’s perfectly petite environs (the space is just 800-square-feet) didn’t offer enough room for all the submissions, Varet and her director Adrian Zuñiga decided to split the show into two parts, divided, as the latter says, “mostly by generation.”
// puppies puppies (jade guanaro kuriki-olivo) untitled (food for the animal that protects my spirit) (dove) (peace), 2022 cracked corn dimensions variable
“Generally, the artists in part one stuck to traditional mediums like painting, sculpture, and video work, but part two is a lot more of an expanded medium, and it’s a younger generation. There are tapestries, fiber works, and a lot of non-traditional mediums. This generation is a bit younger and taking on more sociopolitical issues. There’s a lot more identity politics throughout the show where the first one was a bit more formal approach.”
Opening May 28 with pieces by Diedrick Brackens, Xavier Cha, Hayden Dunham, Baseera Khan, Puppies Puppies, and Sarah Zapata, “Texan: Part II” aligns perfectly with Varet’s vision for VSF in all its iterations. “I think the single strain is that they’re all offering alternative histories to the predominant narrative. (I want to tell) marginalized stories, not only African American but also
“fine mid century and modern design” Dallas 1216 N.Riverfront Blvd Dallas,TX75207
New York 200 Lexington #1059 New York, NY 10016
circa20c.com
Despite being spread across four major cities and two continents, the global staff of VSF manages to make pulling shows together a seamless process. Says Zuñiga, “It’s
// sarah zapata, what great confiict i have for you vii, 2019 hand-tufted natural and synthetic flber, felt 52 1/2 x 25 in / 133.3 x 63.5 cm
Asian American and Latinx, and LBGTQ. Women have also been overlooked for a really long time that have been painting for 50 years. It’s just people who are doing things differently that are just as legitimate. I think the role of the gallery is to continuously challenge the status quo and expand the audience’s idea of what art-making is, and we have a very specific mission.”
// baseera khan, my family standing, 2019 archival inkjet on paper with cutouts, pleather 22 x 33 in
actually a pretty collaborative effort between our global staff. I’m bringing out a lot of existing VSF programming, but we’re hoping to build the programming by showing Texas or regional artists are ready for that international platform.” For Varet, the ability to have a hometown presence gives her a foundation in the city she may not have felt as a child.
“Texas is home for me, but I never felt I could call it my home fully. This has been a very personal journey for me. I’m going to create a program that is about making an alternative narrative with people working from the same out-of-place sense. Now they have a place in this art world and a dialogue, and that’s very important to me.” vsf.la
MODERN SPACES
5006 Shadywood Lane // $5,995,000 FAISAL HALUM c: 214.240.2575 fhalum@briggsfreeman.com
1717 Arts Plaza #1803 // $1,449,000 SUE KRIDER c. 214.673.6933 sue@suekrider.com
31 Vanguard Way // $925,000 CLIFF KESSLER c. 310.923.2506 cliff.kessler@alliebeth.com
5736 Stonegate Road // $3,000,000 BECKY FREY c: 214.536.4727 becky.frey@compass.coom
Engage Educate Experience Enjoy
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.
dallasarchitectureforum.org
mid century by aH rdy aH berman
Timeless Design
// edward wormley for dunbar bracket back sofa in mohair
As a child of the 1950’s I grew up around the design style now called Mid-Century Modern. Even though much of the clean minimalist designs were created in the 30’s and 40’s they seemed as modern and fresh then as today did then.
Jean Nelson of Circa20c loves mid century modern furnishings. “Decorating should reflect your personality and taste.” Jean said, “and a few really good pieces of Mid-Century Modern design can work in almost any room and add a timeless style.”
Clean design and striking form are timeless and the works by creators like Milo Baughman and Vladimir Kagan are valued today not only for their rarity, but their striking purity of lines and essential simplicity.
Her showroom features high-quality, upscale vintage mid-century modern furniture as well as modern and contemporary pieces by notable current day designers.
// adrian pearsall platform sofa // don roberto private dining room
CADDALLAS.ORG 2022 MEMBERS Carneal Simmons Contemporary Art Conduit Gallery Craighead Green Gallery Cris Worley Fine Arts Erin Cluley Gallery Galleri Urbane Marfa+Dallas Holly Johnson Gallery Keijsers Koning Kirk Hopper Fine Art Laura Rathe Fine Art PDNB Gallery Pencil on Paper Gallery RO2 Art Valley House Gallery & Sculpture Garden
// milo baughman wave chaise in blush pink with brass frame
Furniture is displayed in a way to maximize its beauty and provide buyers with a unique perspective on how to utilize pieces to create beautiful living spaces. Ten years ago, Jean left her prior career as a CFO. “After 30 years in finance, I decided while I still had the energy and capability to make the jump.”
She left the world of finance and opened her showroom, “I feel like every day I go into work playing!” Originally, a good deal of her inventory was on consignment, but she realized that much of the vintage furniture would need to be refurbished and restored, so today most of the inventory was acquired by her and lovingly restored and refreshed.
// paul mcCobb for directional tuxedo sofa in off-white chenille fabric
“The furniture we carry includes Knoll, Thayer Coggin, Henredon, Baker, Herman Miller, Fritz Hansen, Century, Hove Mobler among numerous others,” she says. “We carry designers including Milo Baughman, Paul Evans, Hans Wegner, Eero Saarinen, Mies van der Rohe, Adrian Pearsall, Vladimir Kagan, Richard Schultz, Ico Parisi, Axel Larsson to name just a few. “
Currently, Circa20c has some stunning pieces including a pair of matching Cloud Serpentine Sofas designed by Vladimir Kagan and manufactured by Directional in the 1970’s. A contoured Milo Baughman Wave Chaise in blush pink with brass frame would be a showpiece in any room.
// vladimir kagan cloud serpentine sofa by directional in black microfiber
And some pieces have unique provenance like a large Adrian Pearsall platform sofa originally purchased by Elvis Presley for a friend who lived in Dallas in the 1960s. “He had an identical sofa in his home. It was secured during an estate sale and we have restored the wood and the upholstery.”
The showroom also has a beautiful set of 1960s lounge chairs designed by Warren Platner. These first made their debut in 1966 and are steel-rod construction with nickelplate. They have been reupholstered in a plush heavily textured, soft French fabric by Metaphores. A visit to circa20c confirms that good design is indeed timeless. The mid century modern style will never go out of style.
// pair of warren platner for knoll easy chairs in blue mohair
Jean agrees, “take the Knoll Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe. It works in any environment.”
for a room and put a distinctive look that makes the room personal.
She believes, “a good collection should be carefully curated to reflect the owners taste and sense of style.”
With the constantly changing inventory and carefully selected stock, Circa20c is a great place to find those timeless designs that can make your modern home uniquely you.
To do that a few very distinctive pieces can set the theme circa20c.com
// superquadra bench is characterised by its bold textures that feature a distinctive top in a combination of marble and solid wood. available. smink
// arrival the filigreed, organical construction by ludovica & roberto palomba available. artemide
// trullo table container with conical lid, inspired by the architecture of alberobello available. kartell
Jon Sayah
Kevin Vogel
Faisal Halum
listen to the podcasts >>
your modern
calendar
Modern events and activities make for fun around the Metroplex.
WENDELL BURNETTE FRANK WELCH MEMORIAL LECTURE Dallas Architecture Forum
WALKING TOURS Discover the Arts District + Fair Park Tram Tour Ad Ex
SUMMER SIZZLERS Preservation Dallas
LONNIE HOLLEY + BORNA SAMMAK + JOSEPH HAVEL NATALIE WADLINGTON Dallas Contemporary
LYNDA BENGLIS Nasher Sculpture Center
CARTIER & ISLAMIC ART: IN SEARCH OF MODERNITY Dallas Museum Of Art
JOOYOUNG CHOI Crow Museum Of Asian Art
JILL MAGID The Modern Art Museum
modern
art galleries
Modern art, exhibits, around the Metroplex. HENRY FINKELSTEIN Valley House Gallery
MARGOT SAWYER + ANA ESTEVE LLORENS Holly Johnson Gallery
JOSEPH HAVEL Talley Dunn Gallery
STEVEN J MILLER + JEFF BAKER + BARBARA GLAZER ROSENBLATT Conduit Gallery
LEE BAXTER DAVIS + JAMES SURLS Kirk Hopper Fine Art
LEIGH MERRILL Liliana Bloch Gallery
BOTTOMLAND Sweet Pass Sculpture Park
ROMULO MARTINEZ Daisha Board Gallery
KELLI VANCE Cris Worley Fine Arts