DALLAS MODERN REALTOR
by J. Claiborne Bowdon
“Analytics” is a term that may not have had much meaning to the average person about twenty years ago, but in our tech-driven world it’s not unusual for it to be part of an advertisement as a selling point. We generally understand it as a process that produces a positive outcome. Often it’s a byword for the intelligent streamlining of processes. Analytics helps our packages get to us faster, suggests movies and TV shows based on the ones we’ve watched and en-
joyed, and if you’re lucky enough to have Faisal Halum as your realtor, it can even find you the perfect home.
In his over twenty year career in Dallas real estate, Faisal and the Halum Fine Homes have sold over one billion dollar’s worth of properties. He specializes in Dallas’ most exclusive neighborhoods and the city’s most significant private homes and estates, and he credits analytics for giving
// 10210 strait lane | philip johnson - significant homes sold by faisal halum
him the insight to have reached this level of his profession. It’s worth taking a moment to understand why that might be. Ultimately, analytics, like art, is only as good as its audience or interpreter. It’s not simply how the information about something is understood- it’s about knowing which somethings to collect the information from in the first place.
“I really try to read between the lines when listening to what a client wants. I ask them what’s most important to them,
whether it be location, a certain style, proximity to parks or schools, those are the types of things that I think is typical of any agent when asking questions of buyers, but I try to really pick up on the nuances. It can be something like ‘I don’t want certain types of exposures to the sun.’ You really try to pick up on what is it is inside the home that is really going to appeal to them, whether it be separate bathrooms, dual offices, the things that will make a difference.” These things may or may not be said directly, but if you’re listen-
// 4610 wildwood road | bordon / fruit - significant homes sold by faisal halum
Get Inspired
ing closely and intuiting what is being said, it will eventually lead to the most positive outcome. This approach has lead dozens of people to lives they really want, not least of which is Faisal himself.
“I’m originally from South Florida. After graduating from the University of Florida my first job was in Houston. I lived in Houston for fifteen years. I was a building construction ma-
jor, and was always passionate about architecture. I think I’ve always really wanted to work on the residential side. However, coming out of college, the job that was offered to me, the one that paid the most was as a project manager. I was overseeing the petrochemical side of the business. Not very glamorous, but it really honed in my analytical skills. When I left M.W. Kellogg, which became Kellogg, Brown & Root (now KBR), …that wasn’t an arena that I
// 5323 rock cliff place | harwood k. smith - significant homes sold by faisal halum
wanted to continue with, so I went to work as an analyst for what was then Continental Airlines, now United, in corporate sales, which really helped sharpen my sales skills when I was negotiating contracts between Fortune 500 companies.“
In 2004 he met Brian Bolke, and a year later Faisal made the decision to leave Houston and his career behind to move to Dallas to be with Brian, now his husband.
“It was fortunate that I met Brian at the time because moving to Dallas really gave me a clean slate in terms of career and what I wanted to do, and that’s when I entered the real estate market… I had to build my business, I started from nothing, I had no history here in Dallas with the community much less in real estate, but I did work for a firm called David Griffin & Co., which, at the time, was known for representing architecturally significant homes. That was an incredible experience. In the beginning, I learned a lot about Dallas, and especially the people that appreciated
// 3212 dartmouth avenue | frank welch - significant homes sold by faisal halum
architecturally significant homes from all eras, genres, and styles …. I was inspired every day.”
Inspiration is easy to come by when you are involved with the sale of homes such as the Philip Johnson and Edward Durrell Stone houses in Preston Hollow, as well as those designed by local icons like O’Neil Ford, Frank Welch, and Max Levy. To stand in work that speaks for itself in terms of its importance can help when it comes to find the
right buyer, especially when you speak it’s language, but it does create a problem for a realtor. Determining the price is more difficult when there are so many more aspects to consider in addition to the location, and so few examples to compare it to. Turning intangibles into dollars through careful analysis has helped to build Faisal’s reputation from the ground up, but it couldn’t have happened without the openness to change and embracing the city like he has.
// 5243 park lane | edward durell stone - significant homes sold by faisal halum
“Both my husband and I, together are passionate about the arts and the importance of coming together and giving back to the community, whether it be in education with Booker T. Washington, being on the board of the Dallas Architecture Forum, we live right off the Katy Trail so we’re also a part of the Friends of Katy Trail among several other groups. I think it’s important that we as citizens of Dallas do get involved and give back.” Being involved helps keep you excited about where you live, and take a more active interest in its future. In fact, Faisal has an exciting offering
that he and his group are still working on that they’re hoping to bring to market around December or January. “We’re working right now on a home in Preston Hollow that we’re getting ready to introduce soon. It’s an exciting project on a multi-acreage plot that will be a significant offering.” Given the pedigree of Faisal’s career it’s sure to be one to watch for.
// faisal halum | halum fine homes
// 3801 miramar avenue | oglesby greene - significant homes sold byr faisal halum
Conduit Gallery
Craighead Green Gallery
Cris Worley Fine Arts
Erin Cluley Gallery
Galleri Urbane
Holly Johnson Gallery
James Harris Gallery
Keijsers Koning
Laura Rathe Fine Art
Meliksetian | Briggs
PDNB Gallery
Pencil on Paper Gallery
RO2 Art
Valley House Gallery & Sculpture Garden
by J. Claiborne Bowdon
photo: allison v. smith
Utterly unique, in every way it can be the work of Otis Jones is utterly unique. Many painters go beyond just creating a work on canvas by creating the frames and stretching the canvas onto them themselves, but the work is unmistakably present on the surface. Jones’ paintings are not simply paintings. They are from the frames to the
front complete works that meant to be appreciated as a whole. There is nothing that is a part of them that is incidental.
All of it is meant to be appreciated for what it is no matter how humble its appearance or provenance. The prolifer-
// white square with two lines, 2024, acrylic on canvas on wood 24 × 24 × 5 in
|
photo by allison v. smith
// tan with black and red circles, 2024, acrylic on canvas on wood, 40 x 39 x 4 in | photo by allison v. smith
ation of staples? It’s not an abundance of caution. The pattern, incidental as it may be, is as much a part of the work as any brush stroke. Having said that, the minimal gestures of form in the painted portions are actually reductive. You can appreciate the shape, the color, finish, and also their nature through the cracks that have formed because they have become too dry.
In one piece the grain of the wood appearing as rectangular inserts through the painted wood of the surface panel suddenly helps us to see them for what they are and as they are. It’s a gentle invitation to experience what we would have easily never seen. There are eight pieces in total in Jone’s latest solo exhibition at Barry Whistler
// red oxide with black and red circles,
2024, acrylic on canvas on wood 49 × 58
1/5 × 5 in
|
photo by allison
v. smith
// gray green shape, black circle, 2024, acrylic on linen on wood
58 1/2 × 58 1/2 × 5 in
|
photo by allison v. smith
Gallery. The even number keeps everything nicely in unison and with no competition amongst the works. They are, of course, each remarkable in their own way. It would not serve them, or Jones’ craft, for them to not be singularly important.
It is tempting to bring up Primitivism in the discussion of
Jones’ work, but it would only be in the most circumspect way to discuss it. Rather than look for a well-established handhold it’s much better to simply take the work on its own merits without a genre or rubric. As we established in the beginning it is utterly unique, and in such a way not to alienate it from the tradition of painting altogether but to
// blue shape with black and white circles, 2024, acrylic on linen on wood 47 × 70 × 4 in
|
photo by allison v. smith
black + white tube, 2024 inflated steel and auto paint
33h x 32w x 9d in
further center our attention on it. The same way we might pick up a rock on a river bank and hold it and turn it over in our hand. Our sensory experience of each rock might be similar if we picked up other rocks, but the repetition shouldn’t dull or diminish any of them.
These paintings help us to understand the subtle techniques deployed in works that are designed to convey more easily identifiable scenes. It’s what is meant when
you hear the phrase “painting about painting.” We can pick up more easily on the difficulty of what is accomplished when brush is put to canvas by examining these more straightforward examples. That extends to all the materials that compose a painting that in other works would be hidden. The show is on view until November 23.
// barrywhistlergallery.com
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.
The Stone Bridge Residence, designed by Bodron/Fruit, is located in Uptown between Turtle Creek and the Katy Trail. The design for this modern residence capitalizes on the constraints of its urban lot. It maximizes the footprint of the home, anchoring it into the landscape and providing a quiet retreat in the center of the city.
The home, organized on three levels, weaves itself into the topography and provides views of the landscape. A subterranean garage and basement are carved into the site. On the main level, the more public living spaces –dining, den, and kitchen – have generous views of the front and rear yards. A large, screened porch sits at the
back of the home for entertaining. On the upper level, two guest bedrooms and an office are located on the street side. The primary suite, complete with an outdoor terrace and spa, gains additional privacy at the back. A graceful staircase with open treads and a glass handrail unites the various levels, flooding the space with light while providing views into the lush rear yard highlighted by a stately cedar elm tree. A thicket of bamboo at the rear of the lot provides a visual barrier between the home and the Katy Trail.
Clad in a fossil-filled Texas limestone, with mahogany soffits, and a copper roof, the material palette reflects the natural tones of the landscape. Deep overhangs shield the
large windows from solar heat gain. The home has automated solar shades and a geothermal HVAC system for energy conservation. The architecture and interiors have a rich but subdued palette, using the natural hues from the limestone and white oak floors to complement the owner’s art collection. Furniture and rugs are a balance of modern, vintage, and current artisan designed and produced pieces. Selected for their clean lines and comfort, they are united in tone but varied in texture to both harmonize and provide an interesting counterpoint to the architecture.
Rough cut small format stone as well as larger smooth cut limestone are the primary exterior materials. Rift-cut
Douglas Fir soffits and composite wood siding provide a warm accent to the natural stone. These same materials are carried through the interior of the home. Rift cut white oak floors and cabinets combined with the natural stone walls create a warm and inviting atmosphere for entertaining and relaxing in their daily lives.
The Dallas Architecture Forum Presents 365 MODERN LIVING RECEPTIONS
Modern Living Every Day of the Year
Stone Bridge Residence November 21, 2024 | 6-8pm
// dallasarchitectureforum.org
AIA Dallas 2024 Built, Unbuilt, and Student Design Honor Awards Announced.
The AIA Dallas Design Awards celebrate outstanding achievement in architectural design by AIA Dalas chapter members, AIA Northeast Texas section members, and Texas-based architecture students.
// amber residence, far+dang-built design award honor award. photo credit robert tsai
The purpose of the AIA Dallas Design Awards program is to honor the architects, clients, and consultants who work together to achieve design excellence, both in the metropolitan area and around the globe, and to elevate the value of architectural practice in the local community. “It is always inspiring to see the breadth and depth of work produced by Dallas Architects,” said Matthew Crummey, AIA, associate principal at Perkins&Will and 2024
chair of the AIA Dallas Design Awards committee. “Their influence is found at many different scales and extends far beyond North Texas. The committee was thrilled to see winning projects as diverse as a small public toilet in Dallas and a large hospital in Nairobi.
// aiadallas
// the galbraith, perkins+will built design honor award photo credit: james steinkamp photogrpahy
an architecturally curated tour of homes, beautifully designed.
Each Fall, the AIA Dallas Tour of Homes features the best in residential architecture. The Tour of Homes is a self-guided tour of unique and creative residences in late October showcasing the work of our city’s talented architects. Curated by local architects, each year’s tour features groundbreaking homes in neighborhoods across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Tour of Homes Hours of Operation are 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27.
ARCHITECTURE
Ron Stemarski Perkins&Will
ARCHITECTURE:
Bruce Bernbaum + Patricia Magadini Bernbaum/Magadini Architects listen
cravings modern
// sail out modular sofa by cassina. available. scottcooner
// teresa table lamp. evoking the image of petals gently unfolding by ferruccio laviani (2024) for kartell available. kartell
// minimal double-sided vessels composed of two different shapes in different transparent colors. available: sklo
your modern calendar
Modern events and activities make for fun around the Metroplex.
WALKING TOURS
Discover the Arts District + Fair Park Tram Tour
Ad Ex
FAIR PARK ARCHITECTURAL TRAM TOUR
Ad Ex
CHIVAS CLEM + PATRICK MARTINES
Dallas Contemporary
HUGH HAYDEN + SAMARA GOLDEN
Nasher Sculpture Center
TIFFANY CHUNG: RISE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE BACKS IN FASHION: MANGBETU WOMEN’S EDGE FRIDA: BEYOND THE MYTH
Dallas Museum Of Art
JAPAN, FORM & FUNCTION EXHIBITION
Crow Museum Of Asian Art
JEAN SHIN: THE MUSEUM BODY
The Amon Carter Museum of American Art
ANTHONY CUDAHY+ IAN LEWANDOWSKI
Green family Art Foundation
THE WILSON HOUSE
Preservation Dallas
modern art galleries
ALEJANDRO DIAZ-AYALA + CARLOS DONJUAN + SERGIO GARCIA + LUKE HERNDEN
Kirk Hopper Fine Art
MARCELYN MCNEIL + JAMES SULLIVAN + YANA PAYUSOVA
Conduit Gallery
JOHNNY DEFEO
Cris Worley Fine Arts
JEFF OVERLIE
Ferrari Gallery
STEPHEN D’ONOFRIO + JUAN ALBERTO NEGRON
Galleri Urbane
JOHN GARCIA
Tureen
JOSE VILLALOBAS + ISAAC DIAZ
Liliana Bloch Gallery
JUDITH DEAN + GEORGIA MCGOVERN + KATAYOUN HOSSEINRAD
12.26
RANDY TWADDLE
Holly Johnson Gallery
OTIS JONES
Barry Whistler Gallery
JACOB HASHIMOTO + SAM REVELS
Talley Dunn Gallery
