P R E S E N T E D B Y W I L L I A M R E AV E S | S A R A H F O LT Z F I N E A R T
M a r y B a x t e r, S t i l l w e l l ' s , 2 0 1 7 , o i l o n p o l y f i b e r, 3 0 x 7 2
OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, April 8th, 6-8:30 pm ARTIST TALK: Saturday, April 22nd, 2-4 pm
Mary Baxter’s sweeping landscape, Sunset, presents her home territory of far West Texas with all of its compelling beauty and unique charm on full display. The painting is a wide panorama that leads the viewer’s eye from close up renditions of cactus and sage across the rocky face of a nearby bluff that is surprisingly awash in subtle colors, and on to distant mountains that are topped by the brilliant red, orange, yellow, and pink colors of the setting sun just as it drops beyond the horizon line. It is a breathtaking view and Baxter has managed to capture it masterfully. She is adept at depicting both the nearby and the faraway, which gives the viewer a true sense of distance and space. Obviously, this is a landscape that speaks to Baxter’s heart and soul, a place that inspires her on a daily basis. She has crossed its dusty roads and traversed its rough terrain for fifteen years; first working out of a studio in Marathon, the gateway to the Big Bend region, and lately from her home and studio in Marfa, which gives her access to the nearby Davis Mountains. Baxter is part of a long tradition of artists who have come to this distant corner of Texas and have been captivated by its mountains, high desert plains, and its ever changing patterns of light and color. Some of those artists have simply passed through, stopping long enough to fill up their sketchbooks and canvases, others, like Baxter, have opted to stay, to create an ongoing body of work that interprets the many facets and aspects of the area. Baxter has a keen artistic eye that is attuned to the dramatic changes that occur in a matter of a few hours or over the course of several days and weeks in the same landscape. She often spends three or four days camping; sketching, drawing, and taking photographs that will later form the basis for her large studio paintings. She finds that staying in one place for a few days gives her the opportunity to immerse herself in the many possibilities that particular place presents. The time also allows her to notice things that she may have missed on first glance. As she says, “there is always beauty, but sometimes the nuances of the land and sky only reveal themselves through repeated looks. I can be
painting for three hours and then turn around and see something behind me that is totally amazing that I had not seen earlier in the day.” She breaks her painting trips up into morning and afternoon sessions. In the morning, she sketches and takes photographs, usually working quickly since the light and color of the landscape can rapidly change. The afternoons are devoted to working more deliberately on paintings and less on simply capturing many different images. By slowing her pace, she is able to absorb more of the subject that she is painting. She said, “When I stay in one place with less motion and movement, the more I see. The more time I spend in that place, the more I can catch.” Inspiration can be a random process. Often accompanied by her dog, she sometimes simply drives very slowly through an area, taking in as much of the character and tone of the environment as possible. When she comes across something particularly appealing, what she calls an “idea’ for a painting, she stops to explore more deeply. Some days ideas come in bunches, and on some days she is less receptive to what the land has to offer. She likens the process to fishing, sometimes the fish strike the bait frequently and sometimes bites are few and far between. Often, she says, the difference is in her own attitude. Both activities, painting and fishing, require patience and keen observation. Her quick sketches, photos, and more finished studies are used later in her studio in Marfa to create larger paintings that she hopes will capture “the simplicity and quietness of a place.” Her works offer ample evidence that she has the talent to do just that. There is a sense of serenity in much of her work. The different elements, forms, and colors of the earth and sky are expertly balanced to present both dramatic vistas and to achieve the lasting effect of showing a true reverence for the land. She does this in a style that flows freely and never seems stagnant. Off William’s Ranch Road, with its distant mountains glowing red and orange rising above a far more muted landscape is an excellent example of how she can combine the dramatic and the quieter elements of a scene of vast
space. Her skill in doing so allows the viewer the luxury of momentarily standing in her place and seeing through her eyes and truly experiencing the scene a as she saw it.. Balance and harmony are also hall marks of Baxter’s work; mountains, desert vistas, plants, dark rain clouds rolling through a mountain pass or high white cumulous forms scudding over a pasture, the vibrant colors of sunsets and sunrises, slowly moving cattle, even man made objects like windmills and stock tanks, are all presented with equal weight, as if each element plays an important part in the total essence of the scene at hand. In one painting, two black cows move across a pasture underneath a sky created by layers of white clouds, pastel reflections of the sun and a narrow band of blue. Each element works in tandem with the other; the cows seem as natural to the landscape as the clouds and distant mountain. In another very effective composition, Heading To Water, Baxter shows a line of cattle moving up an incline toward a stock tank and windmill. The cows are bracketed by the ground below them and the cloud filled sky above them. By showing the small herds’ movement from the far right of the canvas to the windmill and tank on the far left, Baxter skillfully guides the eye of the viewer from right to left allowing the whole scene to unfold at a natural pace. Once again, she has found beauty in a seemingly mundane subject, cattle moving to water, and she has managed to present the subject in a manner that makes it seem universal and timeless. Time itself is another important player in Baxter’s work; the time of day, the time of year, fleeting moments of time, and days when time seems to stand still. The look and feel of the land she paints can change dramatically according to the time of day or the season. Even when the subject is quite similar, the depiction can be strikingly different. Compare Ocotillo (Late Light) to Ocotillos, Afternoon. In the former, these desert staples are bathed in a glow of reddish light from the
setting sun which has also given a darkened hue to the landscape. In the latter, the plants are captured by the whiter light of midday where more shadows come into play. The difference in the time of day requires different approaches and the ability to adapt to the circumstances. While the two ocotillo paintings emphasize the passing of time with the implication of constant change, many of Baxter’s landscapes emphasize the timeless nature of a land whose features have been carved over the course of centuries. The deep ravine shown in Gorge, and the rocky upthrust mountain faces in Shumard Canyon were literally created across eons and appear today much the way they did thousands of years ago. Such an enduring landscape has a special appeal to Baxter. Even in a time when all manner of change comes at an accelerating pace, this land persists with a rhythm that flows across centuries. Less geologic in terms of time, but nevertheless an example of how certain aspects of the Far West Texas landscape endure year after year is Baxter’s painting entitled, Warriors, Here, a group of large yucca plants anchor the center of the painting which shows a desert plain stretching to distant mountains on the far horizon. The yucca look as if they have taken root here many, many years ago. Baxter’s title seems to allude to the history of the region with the cactus standing in for the Comanche warriors who once roamed the area. Again, time, both historical and geological, is an unspoken subject of the art and the art in turn serves to preserve the timeless nature of the landscape. Baxter has said that one of her goals in her larger paintings is to capture the looseness and spontaneity found in her field sketches. She achieves that effect with a style that incorporates elements of both impressionism and realism. She paints the world as she sees it, but importantly, also as she feels it. Certainly her work is representational of the real world. Her landscapes are real places. She may use artistic license to add elements from different
locations or times of day to the same painting, but her work is always grounded in reality. She can, however, present that reality in myriad ways that range from the precise to the abstract. The shimmering blue water in Morning on Devils River is compelling enough to invite the painting’s viewer in for a dip, while the red leaved trees lining the bank give a looser impression of the actual plants. In Brushy Draw, Baxter draws our eye toward a mountain in the background across subtle striations of color, texture, and forms that are separate yet meld together. It is a realistic picture to be sure, but if one allows his or her eye to linger below the base of the mountain and to simply focus on the bottom three quarters of the piece, the effect is similar to an abstract painting where color and form take precedent over the actual subject matter. Much like Baxter’s experience in the field where the more she looks the more she sees and absorbs, the viewer can spend time with this painting and can see different nuances and elements that reveal themselves over time. In that way, both the viewer and artist can share in the experience of appreciating the natural wonder of the landscape. Both are likely to see ever deeply into the scene the more time they spend looking at it. The natural world will most likely always be Baxter’s primary subject matter, but lately she has begun trying her hand at a new medium and a different topic, one that is, however, still part of the natural environment, In these works, the object of her attention is not the land itself, but the creatures who inhabit the land. When she is working in the field she has ample time to study both the lay of the land and also the wildlife found there. Recently she has explored a method of capturing the essence of those animals in a new way—sculpture. She is particularly excited about the many possibilities of working in the medium. Just as her paintings show her uncommon ability to portray the land in her own signature style, West Texas Jack Rabbit is evidence of her talent as a sculptor who can take a ubiquitous subject, an animal that is
frequently seen in West Texas, and give it a distinct personality. This jack rabbit has a style and whimsical nature all its own. As both a painter and sculptor, Mary Baxter creates art that reveals her deep appreciation and reverence for the beauty of the world around her. She shows that appreciation with a skill and dexterity that allows others to see the world as she does and to feel the true nature of a very special part of the world. Her work slows us down and allows us to contemplate the serenity of the scenes that have so appealed to her. She began painting those scenes and subjects first simply for herself. She wanted to preserve their beauty and serenity for her own enjoyment and she was initially somewhat surprised that others would appreciate her work to the point of wanting to acquire it. Over the years her work has appealed to many collectors and she is quite appreciative of their continuing support and interest. She has said, “ I am so grateful that there are people who really appreciate landscape art. Because of them, I am able to do what I love.” This symbiotic relationship between a gifted artist and enthusiastic collectors forges a sort of partnership. Mary Baxter continues to interpret the land she loves and her collectors continue to be able to share in that love—-that is a winning combination for both. No doubt, Mary will continue to immerse herself in the landscape of Far West Texas. She will continue to camp out in the mountains and canyons, continue to cast her line and hook more and more “ideas” that she will turn into evocative and moving paintings that will reach out to anyone who wants to share in her fascination with a land of timeless beauty. Her work calls out to us, encourages us to stop and to take the time to revel in such wonders.
Michael Duty, Principal and Owner Michael Duty Fine Art, LLC
No.
Artist
Title of Work
Date
Medium
Size (inches)
PAINTINGS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter
A Ridge Near Nugent Mountain A Small Herd of Goats Brushy Draw as seen From Up Above Chisos Mountains from a Distance Devil's River, Upstream from West Bank Dog Canyon Dog Canyon (Trees) Dusk Over Livingston's Pasture Dusk, Two Black Cows Early Light Reflecting Gorge Heading to Water Hot Spring Arroyo Late Afternoon, Guadalupe Mountains Late Sun Morning on Devil's River Morning Sun at Study Butte Near Ruidosa Ocotillos (Late Light) Ocotillos (Lit) Ocotillos, Afternoon Off William's Ranch Road Prickly Pear on a Hillside Red Tank (2) Rio Conchos at La Junta Road, Guadalupe Mountains National Park Some Desert Plants Stillwell's Sunset, Guadalupes Two Heifers at Sunset Two Trees, Three Deer Victor Watching Turtles and Ducks Warriors Yearlings on a Windy Afternoon
2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2017 2016 2016 2015 2017 2016 2016 2016 2015 2016 2017 2016 2017 2017 2017 2017 2016 2013 2013 2017 2017 2017 2016 2015 2017 2016 2016 2016
oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on panel oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on panel oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on linen oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber oil on panel oil on polyfiber oil on polyfiber
48x48 36x48 54x60 30x48 48x40 50x50 54x50 48x42 50x42 20x24 30x30 24x72 36x48 38x50 30x30 30x30 48x44 60x48 24x22 30x48 30x48 50x42 48x40 42x36 20x42 24x48 12x36 30x72 30x72 20x24 47.5x38 30x30 48x44 48x42
2017 2015
oil on board oil on panel
8x8 8x16
SMALL STUDIES 35 36
Mary Baxter Mary Baxter
Big Bend National Park n. 75 Big Bend Ranch State Park n. 16
No.
Artist
Title of Work
Date
Medium
Size (inches)
37 Mary Baxter Big Bend Ranch State Park n. 24 2015 oil on panel 6x8 38 Mary Baxter Big Bend Ranch State Park n. 26 2015 oil on panel 10x8 39 Mary Baxter Big Bend Ranch State Park n. 20 2015 oil on board 8x8 40 Mary Baxter Cloud Study 10 2017 oil on board 8x6 41 Mary Baxter CR n. 6 2017 oil on board 8x8 42 Mary Baxter CR n. 7 2017 oil on board 8x8 43 Mary Baxter CR n. 10 (Mouse Prints) 2017 oil on board 12x12 44 Mary Baxter CR n. 15 2017 oil on board 6x8 45 Mary Baxter CR n. 43 2017 oil on board 6x8 46 Mary Baxter Devil's River, Downstream Study 2016 oil on board 10x8 47 Mary Baxter Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 1 2016 oil on board 12x12 48 Mary Baxter Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 3 2016 oil on linen panel 12x12 49 Mary Baxter Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 6 2017 oil on board 8x10 50 Mary Baxter Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 11 2016 oil on board 12x12 51 Mary Baxter Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 18 2016 oil on board 8x8 52 Mary Baxter Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 25 2016 oil on linen panel 8x10 (Near McKittrick Canyon) 53 Mary Baxter Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 28 2016 oil on board 9x12 54 Mary Baxter Prickly Pear Study 2017 oil on board 8x10 55 Mary Baxter Some Trees, Caldwell Ranch 2017 oil on board 8x8 56 Mary Baxter Stillwell's (Ocotillos) 2017 oil on board 8x8 57 Mary Baxter Stillwell's (Quiet) 2017 oil on board 9x12 58 Mary Baxter Study for Devil's River, Upstream From West Bank 2016 oil on board 10x8 59 Mary Baxter Study for Dog Canyon (Trees), 2017 oil on board 12x12 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 60 Mary Baxter Study for Dusk Over Livingston's Pasture 2016 oil on linen panel 12x9 61 Mary Baxter Study for Gorge 2017 oil on board 12x12 62 Mary Baxter Study for Heading to Water 2016 oil on linen panel 10x20 63 Mary Baxter Study for Morning Light on the Guadalupe 2016 oil on board 8x16 64 Mary Baxter Study for Stillwell's 2016 oil on board 8x16 65 Mary Baxter Study for Ocotillo, Afternoon 2017 oil on board 8x10 66 Mary Baxter Study for Shumard Canyon 2017 oil on board 9x12 67 Mary Baxter The Window, From Below Big Bend National Park 2017 oil on board 12x12 68 Mary Baxter West Side of Big Bend National Park 2015 oil on linen board 8x8
SCULPTURES 69 70 71 72 73
Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter Mary Baxter
Becky Speckles Nit Noi Sitting Jack Rabbit Sitting Jack Rabbit (small) Sphinx Jack Rabbit
2017 2017 2017 2017 2015
bronze bronze bronze bronze concrete
4x8x2.5 5.5x8x2 36x20x18 13x7x7.5 12x35x11
PAINTINGS
1. Mary Baxter, A Ridge Near Nugent Mountain, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 48x48 inches.
2. Mary Baxter, A Small Herd of Goats, 2017, oil on polyfiber, 36x48 inches.
3. Mary Baxter, Brushy Draw as seen From Up Above, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 54x60 inches.
4. Mary Baxter, Chisos Mountains from a Distance, 2017, oil on polyfiber, 30x48 inches.
5. Mary Baxter, Devil's River, Upstream from West Bank, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 48x40 inches.
6. Mary Baxter, Dog Canyon, 2017, oil on polyfiber, 50x50 inches.
7. Mary Baxter, Dog Canyon (Trees), 2017, oil on polyfiber, 54x50 inches.
8. Mary Baxter, Dusk Over Livingston's Pasture, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 48x42 inches.
9. Mary Baxter, Dusk, Two Black Cows, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 50x42 inches.
10. Mary Baxter, Early Light Reflecting, 2015, oil on polyfiber, 20x24 inches.
11. Mary Baxter, Gorge, 2017, oil on panel, 30x30 inches.
12. Mary Baxter, Heading to Water, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 24x72 inches.
13. Mary Baxter, Hot Spring Arroyo, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 36x48 inches.
14. Mary Baxter, Late Afternoon, Guadalupe Mountains, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 38x50 inches.
15. Mary Baxter, Late Sun, 2015, oil on polyfiber, 30x30 inches.
16. Mary Baxter, Morning on Devil's River, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 30x30 inches.
17. Mary Baxter, Morning Sun at Study Butte, 2017, oil on polyfiber, 48x44 inches.
18. Mary Baxter, Near Ruidosa, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 60x48 inches.
19. Mary Baxter, Ocotillos (Late Light), 2017, oil on panel, 24x22 inches.
20. Mary Baxter, Ocotillos (Lit), 2017, oil on polyfiber, 30x48 inches.
21. Mary Baxter, Ocotillos, Afternoon, 2017, oil on polyfiber, 30x48 inches.
22. Mary Baxter, Off William's Ranch Road, 2017, oil on polyfiber, 50x42 inches.
23. Mary Baxter, Prickly Pear on a Hillside, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 48x40 inches.
24. Mary Baxter, Red Tank (2), 2013, oil on polyfiber, 42x36 inches.
25. Mary Baxter, Rio Conchos at La Junta, 2013, oil on polyfiber, 20 x 42 inches.
26. Mary Baxter, Road, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, 2017, oil on polyfiber, 24x48 inches.
27. Mary Baxter, Some Desert Plants, 2017, oil on linen, 12x36 inches.
28. Mary Baxter, Stillwell's, 2017, oil on polyfiber, 30x72 inches.
29. Mary Baxter, Sunset, Guadalupes, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 30x72 inches.
30. Mary Baxter, Two Heifers at Sunset, 2015, oil on polyfiber, 20x24 inches.
31. Mary Baxter, Two Trees, Three Deer, 2017, oil on polyfiber, 47.5x38 inches.
32. Mary Baxter, Victor Watching Turtles and Ducks, 2016, oil on panel, 30x30 inches.
33. Mary Baxter, Warriors, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 48x44 inches.
34. Mary Baxter, Yearlings on a Windy Afternoon, 2016, oil on polyfiber, 48x42 inches.
SMALL STUDIES
35. Mary Baxter, Big Bend National Park n. 75, 2017, oil on board, 8x8 inches.
36. Mary Baxter, Big Bend Ranch State Park n. 16, 2015, oil on panel, 8x16 inches.
37. Mary Baxter, Big Bend Ranch State Park n. 24, 2015, oil on panel, 6x8 inches.
38. Mary Baxter, Big Bend Ranch State Park n. 26, 2015, oil on panel, 10x8 inches.
39. Mary Baxter, Big Bend Ranch State Park n. 20, 2015, oil on board, 8x8 inches.
40. Mary Baxter, Cloud Study 10, 2017, oil on board, 8x6 inches.
41. Mary Baxter, CR n. 6, 2017, oil on board, 8x8 inches.
42. Mary Baxter, CR n. 7, 2017, oil on board, 8x8 inches.
43. Mary Baxter, CR n. 10 (Mouse Prints), 2017, oil on board, 12x12 inches.
44. Mary Baxter, CR n. 15, 2017, oil on board, 6x8 inches.
45. Mary Baxter, CR n. 43, 2017, oil on board, 6x8 inches.
46. Mary Baxter, Devil's River, Downstream Study, 2016, oil on board, 10x8 inches.
47. Mary Baxter, Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 1, 2016, oil on board, 12x12 inches.
48. Mary Baxter, Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 3, 2016, oil on linen panel, 12x12 inches.
49. Mary Baxter, Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 6, 2017, oil on board, 8x10 inches.
50. Mary Baxter, Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 11, 2016, oil on board, 12x12 inches.
51. Mary Baxter, Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 18, 2016, oil on board, 8x8 inches.
52. Mary Baxter, Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 25 (Near McKittrick Canyon), 2016, oil on linen panel, 8x10 inches.
53. Mary Baxter, Guadalupe Mountains National Park n. 28, 2016, oil on board, 9x12 inches.
54. Mary Baxter, Prickly Pear Study, 2017, oil on board, 8x10 inches.
55. Mary Baxter, Some Trees, Caldwell Ranch, 2017, oil on board, 8x8 inches.
56. Mary Baxter, Stillwell's (Ocotillos), 2017, oil on board, 8x8 inches.
57. Mary Baxter, Stillwell's (Quiet), 2017, oil on board, 9x12 inches.
58. Mary Baxter, Study for Devil's River, Upstream From West Bank, 2016, oil on board, 10x8 inches.
59. Mary Baxter, Study for Dog Canyon (Trees), Guadalupe Mountains National Park, 2017, oil on board, 12x12 inches.
60. Mary Baxter, Study for Dusk Over Livingston's Pasture, 2016, oil on linen panel, 12x9 inches.
61. Mary Baxter, Study for Gorge, 2017, oil on board, 12x12 inches.
62. Mary Baxter, Study for Heading to Water, 2016, oil on linen panel, 10x20 inches.
63. Mary Baxter, Study for Morning Light on the Guadalupe, 2016, oil on board, 8x16 inches.
64. Mary Baxter, Study for Stillwell's, 2016, oil on board, 8x16 inches.
65. Mary Baxter, Study for Ocotillo, Afternoon, 2017, oil on board, 8x10 inches.
66. Mary Baxter, Study for Shumard Canyon, 2017, oil on board, 9x12 inches.
67. Mary Baxter, The Window, From Below Big Bend National Park, 2017, oil on board, 12x12 inches.
68. Mary Baxter, West Side of Big Bend National Park, 2015, oil on linen board, 8x8 inches.
SCULPTURES
69. Mary Baxter, Becky Speckles, 2017, bronze, 4x8x2.5 inches.
70. Mary Baxter, Nit Noi, 2017, bronze, 5.5x8x2 inches.
71. Mary Baxter, Sitting Jack Rabbit, 2017, bronze, 36x20x18 inches.
72. Mary Baxter, Sitting Jack Rabbit (small), 2017, bronze, 13x7x7.5 inches.
73. Mary Baxter, Sphinx Jack Rabbit, 2015, concrete, 12x35x11 inches.
MARY BAXTER (b. 1963) Mary Baxter has always had a keen interest in art, perhaps stemming from childhood on family camping trips to the Chihuahuan Desert. She pursued her passion at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she studied painting and advanced printmaking and earned her bachelor of science degree. Fully self-financing her studies, Baxter worked across the country on the high goal polo circuit.
Baxter moved to the Big Bend region when she leased a ranch Southwest of Marfa for raising cattle and training horses. It was there that she began to see the beauty of the rugged desert and interpret it in her paintings. After several years, she was able to free herself of ranch duties to paint full time.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
She relocated to Marathon and opened the Baxter Studio and Gallery in the old Shoemake Hardware Building where she continued to produce and sell her works for ten years. Now she resides and works in Marfa, embarking on camping trips in remote places on friends’ ranches or in the Big Bend National Park, where she creates her smaller, plein air paintings. There she gathers ideas and sketches for larger pieces which she later creates in her studio. This approach has helped Baxter truly convey the beauty of the Texas landscape.
Selected Biographical and Career Highlights • 1963 Born in Lubbock, Texas • 1988 BS, Painting and Advanced Printmaking, University of Texas at San Antonio • 2002–12 Baxter Studio and Gallery, Marathon • 2005 Best in Show, Trappings of Texas, Museum of the Big Bend, Alpine • 2006–07 Residency, McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis • 2008 Finalist, Hunting Art Prize Competition • 2011 Residency, Madroño Ranch, Medina • Resides in Marfa, Texas Selected Exhibitions • 2003 Solo, Ballroom Marfa • 2004 Five-person show, Baxter Gallery, Marathon • 2005 Two-person show, Highland Gallery, Marfa • 2005–08 Trappings of Texas, Museum of the Big Bend, Alpine
• • • • • • • • •
•
2005–09 Annual Animal Art Show, Invitational, Big Bend Venue 2008 Hunting Art Prize Exhibition, Houston 2008 Invitational, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin 2009 Solo, Eugene Binder Exhibition Space, Marfa 2010 Solo, Museum of the Southwest, Midland 2010 Solo, Hunt Gallery, San Antonio 2011 Four-person show, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo 2013 A Tribute to Texas Rivers, William Reaves Fine Art, Houston 2013 Hill Country Love Affair: Interpretations of a Texas Heartland, William Reaves Fine Art, Houston 2013−15 The Texas Aesthetic, Annual Exhibition, William Reaves Fine Art, Houston 2013 Holidays at the Haley, Haley Memorial Library & History Center, Midland 2014 Intersecting Plains: Views of the Texas Coast & Texas Drought, William Reaves Fine Art, Houston 2014−15 The Holiday Show featuring the Contemporary Texas Regionalists, William Reaves Fine Art, Houston 2014−15 Painting in the Texas Tradition, traveled: Turner House, Dallas; Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts, Spring (catalogue) 2014−16 Invitational, National Ranching Heritage Museum, Lubbock 2015 Ties that Bind: Contemporary Texas Regionalism, Turner House, Dallas 2015 Texas Visions: Contemporary Texas Regionalism, Nave Museum, Victoria 2015 The Big Bend of Texas: Interpretations by Seven Artists, William Reaves Fine Art, Houston 2015 As Far as the Eye Can See: 100 Years of Texas Art, Two Allen Center, Houston 2016 Solo, Mary Baxter, Paintings of the Big Bend, Hunt Gallery, San Antonio 2016 The Texas Aesthetic, Annual Exhibition, William Reaves/Sarah Foltz Fine Art, Houston 2016 Contemporary Texas Regionalism: A Holiday Show, William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art, Houston 2017 Of Texas Rivers and Texas Art, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin; Witte Museum, San Antonio (book by same title published by Texas A&M Press) 2017 Solo, Mary Baxter: Painting Far West Texas, William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art, Houston
Selected Public Collections • Blue Bonnet Electric Cooperative, Bastrop • Data Foundry, Austin • Marfa National Bank, Marfa • McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis and Austin • Riata Energy, Dallas • Torch Energy Collection, Houston • University of Texas at San Antonio
About William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art
H OUSTON’S T EXAS- C ENTERED G ALLERY
William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art, originally established in 2006 in Houston, Texas, is dedicated to the promotion of
premier Texas artists of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, focusing particularly on historically significant artists active in the state during the period of 1900‒1975.
The gallery showcases many of the state’s most accomplished and recognized talents, all of whom have significant
connections to Texas and have evidenced the highest standards of quality in their work, training, and professionalism. In addition to its general focus on Early Texas Art, the gallery places special emphasis on the rediscovery and presentation
of midcentury works by Houston and South Texas artists. William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art is the foremost provider of
Texas Modern Art, which includes midcentury masters and pioneering expressionists working in the state. The gallery also
represents a dynamic group of contemporary artists, known as the Contemporary Texas Regionalists, actively showing their works in annual gallery exhibitions as well as traveling exhibitions throughout the state.
William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art is a comprehensive gallery offering fine art appraisals, consultation, collections
management, brokerage, and sales services. The gallery exhibits artists working in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, works on paper, and photography. In order to promote interest and broaden knowledge of earlier Texas art,
William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art supports related gallery talks, community events, scholarly research, and publications. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm and other times by appointment.
Gallery Contacts:
William Reaves, President william@reavesart.com
Sarah Foltz, Director sarah@reavesart.com