The Texas Aesthetic III: A Survey of Contemporary Texas Regionalism

The•Texas•Aesthetic•III

Contemporary•Texas•Regionalism William Reaves Fine Art • May 14 - June 26, 2010

The Texas Aesthetic III:

A Survey of Contemporary Texas Regionalism William Reaves Fine Art is pleased to present The Texas Aesthetic III: Contemporary Texas Regionalism. This show, a reprise of highly successful events of the last two years, represents the gallery’s annual survey exhibition of important contemporary Texas artists whose works capture style or subject matter reflective of past Texas masters. It features an impressive array of works by important contemporary Texas 3. Randy Bacon, Ostrich Farm painters, all whom we consider to be among the best practicing in the state today.

Consistent with the gallery’s overall mission of promoting historical Texas art, Texas Aesthetic III has strong legacy overtones. In this show, we utilize contemporary art work to reflect on the evolution of style and subject

matter in Texas painting during the twentieth century.

Within this historical context, we have attempted to orchestrate a pleasant and interesting show, juxtaposing the works of contemporary artists to portray the myriad aesthetic forces that have influenced Texas painters over time. In addition to showcasing exceptional artists and presenting strong examples of their work, Texas Aesthetic III enables viewers to contemplate the media, subject and style that have contributed (and continue to contribute) a distinctive sense of “Texas-ness” in the art produced in our state.

This year we show works by 16 artists from across the state. Returning for encore presentations are the original cast of our first Texas Aesthetic show, including Randy

Bacon of Fort Worth, Jon Flaming of Richardson, Robert Harrison of San Antonio, Lee Jamison of Huntsville and William Young of Palestine. As we projected three years ago in introducing their works on a Houston stage, these artists have continued to prosper and excel in their field.

Since last year’s exhibition Randy Bacon has been the subject of a one man show at the vaunted Old Jail Art Center in Albany, Texas. Jon Flaming has just successfully completed his first catalogued show hosted here at William Reaves Fine Art. Robert Harrison continues his run to the top and still stands as the reigning premier artist of the Texas bluebonnet, while historical artist Lee Jamison is at work on an important series dramatically depicting the history of the Texas cattle industry. William Young, whose work we feature 54. Erik Sprohge, Bait Stand on the cover of this year’s Texas Aesthetic III invitation and catalogue has experienced a watershed year since he last showed in our gallery, placing as a finalist in this year’s prestigious Hunting Art Prize competition, and garnering the heady designation as a

member of the “New Dallas Nine” by D Magazine.

Returning from last year’s show, The Texas Aesthetic II, are Houston watercolorists Hunter George and Erik Sprohge. These gentlemen have a knack for consistently producing watercolors which dazzle local patrons, both displaying adroit skills with water-based media to portray captivating Texas subject matter. Their success is attested through their many prizes received at the Watercolor Society of Houston (WAS-H) and other art events.

Accomplished wildlife artist and former Texas State Artist of the Year, Travis Keese, is also back for this year’s exhibition. Keese, a long-time resident of Kerrville, is a University of Houston alum (class of 1954) and former artistin-residence at Houston’s Museum of Natural Science. We were pleased to reintroduce Travis to the Houston scene in last year’s show, and he returns now to exhibit a fine selection of his masterful waterfowl and game bird paintings. Last, but most assuredly not least, our very own Richard Stout shows again in this contemporary artists show. Stout,

himself a former Texas Artist of we are proud that she has joined the Year and recent recipient of us this year. Her paintings create CASETA’s Life Time Achievement magnified, close encounters with Award, presents a grouping of the Texas environment; elegant Texas inspired expressionist in composition, rich in color paintings in this year’s show. and mystifying in their ability to Richard’s works give proof that connect us to the simplest and the distinctive influences of Texas most fundamental beauties of our are clearly discernable, even in natural environment. Otis Huband the abstract renditions of native completes the triumvirate of Texas artists.

Houston newcomers. This show Joining these “veterans” in this 52. Noe Perez, Roadside Verbena represents an initial opportunity year’s exhibition is a suite of Texas artists whose works for our gallery to showcase Huband’s work. He is an assume equal importance in the mosaic of contemporary accomplished artist, well trained and disciplined and Texas painting. Houstonians Harvey Johnson, Dixie Friend consistently producing abstract expressionist works of Gay and Otis Huband lead a distinguished contingent of great quality. In this show we introduce Huband’s art newcomers to The Texas Aesthetic III. Harvey Johnson’s through a limited selection of his work, demonstrating the distinctive work, the subject of a ground-breaking onevibrancy and timbre of his creative process.Viewers may man exhibition earlier in the year, sensitively conveys the expect to see much more of his work in the future.

African-American experience in Texas. In our current Corpus Christi artist Noe Perez shows his exquisite exhibition, Johnson shows a small but exquisite collection Texas landscapes in this year’s show. Perez is an artist of his drawings and illustrations. Dixie Friend Gay, yet whose development we have closely followed and we another distinguished Texas Artist of the Year, is well believe that his paintings of his South Texas countryside established among the state’s elite landscape artists, and are simply stellar. His paintings of the Texas cactus rival

those of the Texas master, Dawson Dawson-Watson, and compositions. We are pleased that we were able to entice he’s only getting better. Austin artist Keith Davis adds a the pair to join us in this year’s exhibition. wonderful new dimension to this year’s Texas Aesthetic We are absolutely convinced that this is our best in the form of his regionalist inspired Texas “critters”. exhibition of The Texas Aesthetic yet, and that each of Davis, primarily a self-taught artist, uses his painted three- the artists represented here offers a rich and worthy dimensional constructions to capture the distinctive viewing experience. Together their works combine to lead character and soul of iconic patrons through the varied and fauna in our Lone Star State. interesting paths that comprise Husband and wife team, the body of Texas art-both Margie Crisp and William past and present. Thanks to Montgomery round-out our all of our artist’s and to our list of quality new-comers many loyal patrons and friends. for this year’s show. These What a great show! What a artists from Elgin bring their wonderful way to conclude own interpretation of the our third exhibition season of flora and fauna of the Texas fine Texas art. Enjoy! scene through their drawings, paintings and prints. We Bill Reaves, Steve Gaskin, and were especially enthralled Sarah Beth Wilson 44.

William Montgomery, Blow-Out on Highway 6 (II)

by Crisp’s magnificent drawings and her ability to capture the qualities of wind and light through the charcoal medium. Montgomery’s excellent paintings and prints depict quirky subject matter and compelling narratives expertly painted in unique

Randy Bacon

1. Adobe Walls

Home:

Fort Worth, Texas

Education/Art Instruction: University of Texas at Austin Southern Methodist University, BFA Vermont Studio Center Texas Christian University, MFA

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections: The Grace Museum, Abilene, Texas Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, Canyon, Texas Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas The Old Jail Art Center, Albany, Texas

2. Climbing Guadalupe Peak

3. Ostrich Farm

4. Prairie Temples

5. Taylor County

Margie Crisp Home:

Elgin, Texas

Education/Art Instruction:

Southwestern Technical College, North Carolina University of Texas at Austin, BFA

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

The Austin Museum of Art, Austin, Texas Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, Texas The Grace Museum, Abilene, Texas University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

6. Cliff Swallows Charcoal

7. Nightshade II, 8/25

8. Opuntia & Caracara

9. The Hunter’s Cabin

10. Waking the Neighbors, 19/20

Keith Davis

Home:

Austin, Texas

11. Horny Toad

Education/Art Instruction:

Self Taught Artist Levelland High School, Levelland, Texas Attended South Plains Junior College, Levelland, Texas

Keith is a newly discovered talent that will be showing reguarly at William Reaves Fine Art.

12. Little Owl

13. Rabbit

14. Roadrunner

15. Woodpecker

Jon Flaming

Home:

Richardson, Texas

Education/Art Instruction: Southwest Texas State University, BFA

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, Texas Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, Canyon, Texas Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas Magnolia Hotel, Dallas, Texas Woodbine Corporation, Dallas, Texas

16. Indian Gap School- Indian Gap, Texas, Farm to Market 218

17. Judge Pendegrast House - Mexia, Texas, Highway 14

18. Woodpecker - Near Lake O’The Pines, Texas, Farm to Market 729

Dixie Friend Gay

Home:

Houston, Texas

Education/Art Instruction:

Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Alva, Oklahoma, BA in Art Education New York University, New York, MA Studio Arts

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

19. Caddo Swamp

San Angelo Museum of Fine Art, San Angelo, Texas The Grace Museum, Abilene, Texas Amarillo Art Museum, Amarillo, Texas Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, Texas Rice University, Houston, Texas The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas

20. Prairie Lace

21. The Last Summer Sunrise

22. Whispered Waves

Hunter George Home:

Houston, Texas

Education/Art Instruction: Virginia Commonwealth University, BFA

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

Watercolor Society of Houston (numerous awards) Cultural Activities Center of Temple, Texas The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Texas Texas Highways Magazine Numerous Commercial Art Competitions Numerous private collections

23. Action at the Courthouse

24. Espiritu Santo Goliad

25. La Bahia - Goliad

Robert Harrison

26. Road to San Antonio

Home:

San Antonio, Texas

Education/Art Instruction: Edison High School, San Antonio, Texas San Antonio College, San Antonio, Texas

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Texas Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, Waco, Texas Buckhorn Museum, San Antonio, Texas

27. Springtime

28. Sun Rise

29. Texas Spring

30. Cactus Blooms

Otis Huband Home:

Houston, Texas

Education/Art Instruction:

Richmond Professional Institute of the College of William and Mary (now the Virginia Commonwealth University) Ventura Junior College,Ventura, California California College of Arts & Crafts, Oakland, California Virginia Commonwealth University, BFA and MFA Accademia di Bella Arti, Perugia, Italy

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Richmond,Virginia University of Houston, Houston, Texas University of Houston - Downtown, Houston, Texas Print Museum, Houston, TX, 1993

31. Egyptian Secrets

32. Grand Entry

Lee Jamison

Home:

Dodge, Texas

Education/Art Instruction: Lon Morris College, Jacksonville, Texas Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport, Louisiana

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

The University of Texas at Austin, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas Lon Morris College, Jacksonville, Texas Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Huntsville, Texas San Jacinto Monument Association, Houston, Texas The Driskill Hotel, Austin, Texas

33. Chisholm Trail: Congress Ave., Austin (ca. 1870)

34. Evening Pouring Rifle Balls

35. Stampede at Night

36. The Modern City - Houston

Harvey Johnson Home:

Houston, Texas

Education/Art Instruction: Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, BA in Education Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, MFA

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections: Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Texas Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Black Heritage Gallery, Houston, Texas Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas

37. The Conversation

38. The Education of Robert

39. The Holy Family

Travis Keese Home:

Kerrville, Texas

Education/Art Instruction: University of Houston, BFA

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

40. Canvasbacks Landing

Annual Exhibition of Houston Artists, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas Annual Exhibition of Texas Painting and Sculpture, (The Texas General) Museum of Natural Science - Houston Library of Congress Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, Texas Museum of the Gulf Coast, Port Arthur, Texas Museum of Science and History, Corpus Christi, Texas

41. Hackberry Haven

42. Untitled (Two Turkeys)

William montgomery

Home:

Elgin, Texas

Education/Art Instruction: University of New Mexico Perugia Fine Arts Academy, Perugia, Italy Kansas City Art Institute

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections: 43. Bald Man with Turnips

Art Center of Waco, Waco, Texas Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, Texas Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe, New Mexico Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas

44. Blow-Out on Highway 6 (II)

45. Cotulla, 21/50

46. Portrait with Still Life and Darkness, 6/30

47. The Land of Plenty

Noe Perez

Home:

Corpus Christi, Texas

Education/Art Instruction: Falfurrias High School, Falfurrias, Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas

48. A Walk in Country

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections: Night of Artists, Briscoe Western Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas Salon International Show, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas

49. Cactus Arrangement

50. Cactus Flowers

51. Ranch Scene/Windmill

52. Roadside Verbena

53. Spring Blues

Erik Sprohge Home:

Houston, Texas

Education/Art Instruction:

Museum School - The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston, Texas Rice Institute, BS Architecture William Ward Wadkin Travel Fellowship Institute Allende, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico Glassell School, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston, Texas

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

Watercolor Society of Houston (numerous awards) Houston Grand Opera (award) Rice University, Houston, Texas The Heritage Society, Houston, Texas CDA Architects, Houston, Texas Numerous private collections

54. Bait Stand

55. Inlet

56. Old Mill House, Castroville

57. P.K. Evening

Richard Stout Home:

Houston, Texas

Education/Art Instruction: Art Academy of Cincinnati Art Institute of Chicago, BFA University of Texas at Austin, MFA

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

58. Evening

Art Institute of Chicago, Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, Texas Kansas City Art Institute The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas Annual Exhibition of Texas Painting and Sculpture (Texas General) The Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas McNay Museum, San Antonio, Texas The Menil Collection, Houston, Texas Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

59. In the Moon

60. Shimmering Evening

William Young

61. The Source of the Brazos

Home:

Palestine, Texas

Education/Art Instruction:

University of Dallas, Dallas, Texas East Texas State University, Commerce, Texas Stephen F. Austin University, Nacogdoches, Texas

Selected Public Exhibitions and Collections:

Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, Texas The Museum of East Texas Culture, Palestine, Texas Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas

62. The Art of Marriage

Exhibition Checklist

Artist

Title

Date

Medium

Size (in.)

1. Randy Bacon 2. Randy Bacon 3. Bacon Randy 4. Randy Bacon 5. Randy Bacon 6. Margie Crisp 7. Margie Crisp 8. Margie Crisp 9. Margie Crisp 10. Margie Crisp 11. Keith Davis 12. Keith Davis 13. Keith Davis 14. Keith Davis 15. Keith Davis 16. Jon Flaming 17. Jon Flaming 18. Jon Flaming 19. Dixie Friend Gay 20. Dixie Friend Gay 21. Dixie Friend Gay 22. Dixie Friend Gay 23. Hunter George 24. Hunter George 25. Hunter George 26. Robert Harrison 27. Robert Harrison 28. Robert Harrison 29. Robert Harrison 30. Robert Harrison 31. Otis Huband 32. Otis Huband

Adobe Walls Climbing Guadalupe Peak Ostrich Farm Prairie Temples Taylor County Cliff Swallows Charcoal Nightshade II, 8/25 Opuntia & Caracara The Hunter’s Cabin Waking the Neighbors, 19/20 Horny Toad Little Owl Rabbit Roadrunner Woodpecker Indian Gap School - Indian Gap, Texas Judge Pendegrast House - Mexia,Texas Woodpecker - Near Lake O’The Pines,Texas Caddo Swamp Prairie Lace The Last Summer Sunrise Whispered Waves Action at the Courthouse

Espiritu Santo Goliad La Bahia - Goliad Road to San Antonio Springtime Sun Rise Texas Spring Cactus Blooms Egyptian Secrets Grand Entry

2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2002 2001 2008 1999 1999 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2010 2003 2005 2005 2005 n/d n/d n/d n/d n/d n/d n/d n/d 1995 2009

oil/canvas oil/canvas oil/canvas oil/canvas oil/canvas charcoal lithograph hand colored lino-cut charcoal lithograph acrylic/wood acrylic/wood acrylic/wood acrylic/wood acrylic/wood oil/canvas oil/canvas oil/canvas acrylic/wood acrylic/wood acrylic/wood acrylic/wood watercolor watercolor watercolor oil/canvas oil/canvas oil/canvas oil/canvas oil/canvas terracotta oil/canvas

24 x 48 30 x 20 18 x 36 15 x 30 27 x 80 44 x 30 15 1/2 x 11 1/2 30 x 44 1/4 30 x 22 9 5/16 x 12 1/8 7 x 13 x 8 11 x 8 x 3 21 x 13 x 5 1/2 19 x 20 x 6 11 1/2 x 8 x 2 1/2 30 x 40 30 x 24 28 x 22 36 x 36 24 x 24 24 x 24 24 x 24 12 x 9 9 x 12 9 x 12 12 x 16 24 x 30 12 x 16 16 x 20 9 x 12 14 x 13 x 10 50 x 36

Exhibition Checklist, cont.

Artist

Title

33. Lee Jamison 34. Lee Jamison 35. Lee Jamison 36. Lee Jamison 37. Harvey Johnson 38. Harvey Johnson 39. Harvey Johnson 40. Travis Keese 41. Travis Keese 42. Travis Keese 43. William Montgomery 44. William Montgomery 45. William Montgomery 46. William Montgomery 47. William Montgomery 48. Noe Perez 49. Noe Perez 50. Noe Perez 51. Noe Perez 52. Noe Perez 53. Noe Perez 54. Erik Sprohge 55. Erik Sprohge 56. Erik Sprohge 57. Erik Sprohge 58. Richard Stout 59. Richard Stout 60. Richard Stout 61. William Young 62. William Young 63. William Young*

Chisholm Trail: Congress Ave., Austin (ca. 1870) 2010 oil/canvas Evening: Pouring Rifle Balls

2010 oil/canvas Stampede at Night 2010 oil/canvas The Modern City - Houston 2009 oil/canvas The Conversation 2010 conte/paper The Education of Robert 1979 British scraperboard The Holy Family 1994 conte/paper Canvasbacks Landing n/d oil/canvas Hackberry Haven n/d oil/canvas Untitled (Two Turkeys) n/d oil/canvas Bald Man with Turnips 2000 oil/canvas Blow-Out on Highway 6 (II) 2005 oil/canvas Cotulla, 21/50 1998 hand colored lino-cut Portrait with Still Life and Darkness, 6/30 1990 hand colored etching The Land of Plenty 2009 oil/canvas A Walk in Country 2010 oil/canvas Cactus Arrangement 2010 oil/canvas Cactus Flowers

2010 oil/canvas Ranch Scene/Windmill 2009 oil/canvas Roadside Verbena 2010 oil/canvas Spring Blues 2010 oil/canvas Bait Stand 2010 watercolor Inlet 2006/2008 watercolor Old Mill House, Castroville 2009 watercolor P.K. Evening

2009 watercolor Evening 1963 oil/canvas In the Moon 1966 oil/canvas Shimmering Evening 1966 oil/canvas The Source of the Brazos 2009 acrylic/masonite The Art of Marriage 2009 acrylic/board Last Night I Made a Pair of Wings.

2010 acrylic/board Turned into an Owl and Flew Off. Who Knows Where... I Think it was Summer.

Date

Medium

Size (in.)

12 x 16 12 x 9 12 x 24 16 x 20 23 x 28 11 1/2 x 17 3/8 22 1/2 x 28 16 x 12 30 x 24 14 x 18 24 x 32 36 x 50 4 x 5 9 x 12 18 x 24 20 x 24 11 x 14 11 x 14 24 x 30 12 x 16 16 x 20 14 x 22 14 x 22 14 x 22 20 x 28 18 x 24 30 x 24 24 x 34 18 x 24 29 x 48 22 x 18 *Image unavailable at this time.

Houston’s Gallery for Early Texas Art

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