WILLIAM REAVES FINE ART
Introducing An Exciting Eighth Season!
Lives Played Out on Canvas: Paintings by Otis Huband Richard Stout and Dick Wray
September 13 - October 5, 2013
Lives Played Out on Canvas:
Paintings by Otis Huband, Richard Stout and Dick Wray September 13 – October 5, 2013 Special Events: Saturday, September 14, 2013 3 - 4:30pm: Artist Talk with Otis Huband and Richard Stout 5 - 8pm: Opening Reception
Lives Played Out on Canvas William Reaves Fine Art inaugurates a momentous eighth season and milestone 50th exhibition with a grand selection of paintings by Otis Huband, Richard Stout and Dick Wray, three of the Bayou City’s most recognized artists. Given our mission of tracing developments in the visual arts of Texas from early twentieth-century until now, it seems only fitting that we feature works of this group of Houston artists in one of our most exciting exhibitions aptly entitled, Lives Played Out on Canvas. Certainly it would be difficult to reflect upon the emergence of the Houston art scene without considering the influence and contributions of these fine painters over their six decades in the city. The three artists were among those who put down roots in the Houston arts community in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and then proceeded to blaze independent trails through a burgeoning local arts scene. In the decades that have followed, they, like so many of their Houston contemporaries, have shared inspired lives with us through the paintings they have produced. Working continuously within the city, the three have achieved worthy regional and national reputations, playing out their painterly pursuits before us in strong, dynamic bodies of work. Our own lives (and indeed, the entire Houston art scene) are undoubtedly richer due to their presence, and while the city still mourns the recent passing of Dick Wray, Richard Stout and Otis Huband are still very much with us, working daily on sublime canvases which emanate from their Houston studios. In showing the three artists together, we do not present them as a triumvirate “school” of Houston artists, nor do we suggest that they worked together as a tightly-knit threesome
of collaborating painters. Such is not the case. As noted above, the three pursued and perfected independent styles over the years. Stout and Wray, while close personal friends, had no serious influence on the art of the other. Certainly Huband, who eschewed the local gallery scene for most of his career, developed his style in relative isolation from the others. Nonetheless, the three artists seem naturally bound through a shared local history as companions of a sort, if only by the place and longevity of their work. They now rank among the city’s highest echelons of painters, having made their case over time on the basis of their creative edge, painterly facility and consistency of production. Rather than broad retrospective overviews, we have focused the exhibition on select periods representative of each artist. We feature Stout paintings from the 1960s through the 80s (along with a small selection of his more recent bronzes), Wray works from the 1960s through early 2000s, and Huband’s more recent paintings, ranging from 2003 to present. It is a magical mix, and the result is an exhibition filled with showstopping examples of the artists’ oeuvres. It is a show for serious students of Houston arts, presenting a remarkable collection of grand abstractions affording poignant insight into the creative lives and visions of three Houston greats. Richard Stout’s paintings represent exquisite testaments of a thoroughly accomplished artist. His evocative abstractions, the earliest in the show, are possessed of inspired personal narratives, alluring viewers and subtly drawing them closer for sustained examination of underlying story lines. As always, Stout paints with refined purpose and meaning, building elegant compositions crafted on a reverence for natural
beauty, as well as an affinity for music and poetry. His canvases tend to integrate paintings within paintings, his shifting planes and partitioned views present an amalgamation of moments recalled and experiences encountered in a single, unified view. Within his compositions, Stout demonstrates his expertise with paint, carefully controlling brush, color and tone to create mood and mystery in each work. He combines a delicate palette with alternately precise strokes and strong gestural gashes to create intriguing canvases, rich in form and color. His paintings reflect an ethereal sense of light and space and glow with a subtle inner strength. While Stout’s paintings hold subtle energy and strength, hardly anyone would accuse Dick Wray of subtlety in life or art. Robust, “in-your-face” compositions convey Wray’s bombastic pronouncements in art. Thickly painted on raw canvas or overlaid atop digital prints, Wray paintings are lashed with dramatic color and resonate with vivacious energy. Painting with a reckless abandon, Wray formed his powerful, distinctive style, punctuating his canvases with darkened contours and chiseling strong passages into vibrant, oozing streams of paint. His output is at once messy and exuberant, chaotic yet under-laid with order. Every inch of the canvas is used to the artist’s expressionist advantage. Like the artist, himself, Wray’s paintings are not quiet; they shout heartedly across a room, and whether one likes them or not, they command their space and require viewers to take notice. Otis Huband, on the other hand, has quietly forged a unique brand of figurative expressionism inspired by more classic modes. His paintings revel in color, manifesting gorgeous, finely worked surfaces. Consistent with the exhibition title, Huband literally does play out the lives of his characters on
canvas, offering dramatic and forceful studies which convey sublime discourse of the human struggle. Figures emerge from Huband’s canvases, conjured up from splendid color schemes and slashing, frenetic strokes. Huband’s figures, however, seldom suffer from artistic lethargy, but rather they roil with physiological energy and psychological tension, generating paintings that are filled with movement and tingling with energy. Like Wray, his canvases are highly charged in terms of color, emotion and verve, yet his works stand more easily with those of Stout in terms of their sensitivity and depth. All-in-all, Lives Played Out on Canvas makes a wonderful exhibition, and offers the perfect backdrop for yet another great season of Texas art at WRFA. The exhibition explores the creative genius of three Houston giants, showcasing their exceptional paintings and celebrating their wonderful diversity of approach and style. The works on display are serious and important, and the materials are presented in a dramatic and compelling fashion. It is a worthy opener, certain to stimulate and engage any and all comers. We invite you to join us for our inaugural exhibition of the 2013-14 season. We welcome you back and think you’ll agree with us that we Houstonians are of good fortune to have had these artists, and others, play out their wonderfully art-filled lives here within our midst. Cheers! Bill Reaves President, William Reaves Fine Art
LIVES PLAYED OUT ON CANVAS: PAINTINGS BY OTIS HUBAND, RICHARD STOUT AND DICK WRAY September 13 - October 5, 2013
Image Artist
Title of Work
Date
Medium
Dimensions (inches)
1
Otis Huband
Carnival Family
2011
oil stick on canvas
56 x 44
2
Otis Huband
Celebrating Irrational Behavior
2009
oil stick on canvas
57 ½ x 43 ½
3
Otis Huband
Durac
2011
oil stick on canvas
56 ¾ x 41 ½
4
Otis Huband
Field of Fire
2013
oil stick on canvas
50 x 60
5
Otis Huband
Late Evening
2008
oil stick on canvas
18 x 27 ½ x 14
6
Otis Huband
Moonstruck
2007
oil stick on canvas
60 x 38
7
Otis Huband
Mountain Vista
2006
oil stick on canvas
24 x 20
8
Otis Huband
Mystical Painting
2013
oil stick on canvas
24 x 20
9
Otis Huband
Nevermind All That
2013
oil stick on canvas
50 ¼ x 75
10
Otis Huband
Pilgrim
2013
oil stick on canvas
36 x 34
11
Otis Huband
Seated Figures
2010
oil stick on canvas
17 x 4 ½ x 5 ½
12
Otis Huband
Sloth
2008
oil stick on canvas
19 ½ x 23 x 11
13
Otis Huband
Slumber
2013
oil stick on canvas
50 x 50
14
Otis Huband
Sometime Singing
2012
oil stick on canvas
50 ¼ x 60
15
Otis Huband
Undisclosed Location
2010
oil stick on canvas
60 x 50
16
Richard Stout
A Cycle and Arrow
1988
acrylic on canvas
60 x 50
17
Richard Stout
Ark
2006
bronze
38 x 52
18
Richard Stout
December
1961
acrylic on canvas
18 x 17 x 8
19
Richard Stout
Discipline in Faith: Okada
1985
acrylic on canvas
12 ¾ x 5 x 4
20
Richard Stout
Discipline in Faith: The Princess
1986
acrylic on canvas
16 ¼ x 20 ¼
21
Richard Stout
Gate of Hell
1975
acrylic on canvas
60 ¼ x 48
22
Richard Stout
Hamlet
1966
acrylic on canvas
36 x 48
23
Richard Stout
Hero
2000
bronze
24 x 36
24
Richard Stout
Hero
2005
bronze
27 ½ x 37 ½
25
Richard Stout
Houston
1972
acrylic on canvas
42 x 30
LIVES PLAYED OUT ON CANVAS: PAINTINGS BY OTIS HUBAND, RICHARD STOUT AND DICK WRAY September 13 - October 5, 2013
Image Artist
Title of Work
Date
Medium
Dimensions (inches)
26
Richard Stout
Prodigal
1988
acrylic on canvas
50 ¼ x 60
27
Richard Stout
Untitled (R607)
1978
acrylic on canvas
60 x 50
28
Richard Stout
Untitled (R608)
1978
acrylic on canvas
60 x 50
29
Richard Stout
Untitled
1973
acrylic on canvas
38 x 52
30
Richard Stout
Untitled (2003-34)
2003
bronze
18 x 17 x 8
31
Richard Stout
Untitled (2004-30)
2004
bronze
12 ¾ x 5 x 4
32
Dick Wray
No Good Black Magic
1962
mixed media
16 ¼ x 20 ¼
33
Dick Wray
Untitled 1043
2006
oil on canvas
60 ¼ x 48
34
Dick Wray
Untitled 1137
2002
oil on canvas
36 x 48
35
Dick Wray
Untitled 1132
1995
oil on canvas
24 x 36
36
Dick Wray
Untitled 1133
n.d.
oil on canvas
27 ½ x 37 ½
37
Dick Wray
Untitled 1224
1994
monoprint, oil on paper
42 x 30
38
Dick Wray
Untitled 1232, ed. 1/25
2005
etching
22 ½ x 17 ⅛
39
Dick Wray
Untitled 1347
n.d.
oil on canvas
18 x 24
40
Dick Wray
Untitled 1456
1986
oil on canvas
56 x 44
41
Dick Wray
Untitled 1458
n.d.
mixed media on board
60 ¼ x 44 ¼
42
Dick Wray
Untitled 1460
1994
oil on canvas
40 x 58
43
Dick Wray
Untitled 1475
2003
mixed media on canvas on board
60 x 48
44
Dick Wray
Untitled 1484
n.d.
oil on canvas
44 x 60
45
Dick Wray
Untitled 1497
n.d.
oil on canvas
60 x 44
46
Dick Wray
Untitled 1501
n.d.
oil on canvas
60 x 44
47
Dick Wray
Untitled 1783
1990
oil on canvas
36 x 24
48
Dick Wray
Untitled 1851
1990
oil on canvas
66 x 63
49
Dick Wray
Untitled 1863
n.d.
oil on canvas
45 ¾ x 58
50
Dick Wray
Untitled 1880
n.d.
oil on canvas
60 x 44
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
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
OTIS HUBAND Biographical and Career Highlights • 1933, Born in Fredericksburg, Virginia • 1955-1956, Attends Richmond Professional Institute of the College of William & Mary (now Virginia Commonwealth University) • 1956-1957, Ventura Junior College, Ventura, California • 1957-1958, California College of Arts & Crafts, Oakland, California • 1958-1961, B.F.A. and M.F.A.,Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia • 1963-1964, Attends Accademia di Bella Arti, Perugia, Italy • 1967-1971, Art Instructor at Houston Museum School of Fine Arts (now Glassell School), Houston, Texas • 1967-1972, Art Instructor, Rice University, summer school for high school students, Houston, Texas • 1971-1982, Art Instructor, Art League of Houston, Houston, Texas • 1975, Art Instructor, life drawing, University of Houston, Houston, Texas • Resides in Houston, Texas Selected Exhibitions • 1956, Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Richmond, Virginia • 1960, Erick Schendler Gallery, Richmond, Virginia • 1964, Circolo di Universita, Perugia, Italy • 1965-1966, The James Bute Gallery, Houston, Texas • 1966-1967, Dubose Gallery, Houston, Texas • 1966-1970, Erdon Gallery, Houston, Texas • 1972-1990, Louisiana Gallery, Houston, Texas • 1974, University of Houston - Downtown, Houston, Texas • 1976, Ars Longa Gallery, Houston, Texas • 2010, William Reaves Fine Art, Houston, Texas • University of Houston Faculty Exhibition, Houston, Texas
Selected Collections • Giacomo Colderone, Perugia, Italy • Mitchell Energy and Development Corporations • Houston Grand Opera, Rigoletto painting for cover • Merrill Lynch, Exploration & Development Department
RICHARD STOUT Selected Biographical and Career Highlights • 1934, Born in Beaumont, Texas • 1957, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, B.F.A. • 1969, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas, M.F.A. • 1969 – 74, Instructor, University of Houston, Houston, Texas • 1975 – 95, Professor, University of Houston, Houston, Texas • 2010, CASETA Artist of the Year (The Center for the Advancement and Study of Early Texas Art) • Resides in Houston, Texas Selected Exhibitions • 1951, Beaumont Art League, Beaumont, Texas • 1953, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois • 1955 – 78, Beaumont Art Museum Tri-State Annual, Beaumont, Texas (regular exhibitions) • 1956, 1014 Art Center, Chicago, Illinois (solo) • 1963 – 85, Meredith Long & Co., Houston, Texas (regular solo exhibitions) • 1965, Texas Painting and Sculpture Annual, Witte Museum, San Antonio, Texas • 1968 – 70, Contemporary American Art, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce, toured Australia • 1973, Three Americans, Texas Fine Arts Association • 1974, Abstract Painting in Houston, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas • 1975, Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Texas (solo) • 1975, Five Painters, Pollock Galleries, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas • 1985, Fresh Paint: The Houston School, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
(Selected Exhibitions continued) • 1997, Richard Stout: Paintings & Drawings, Museum of East Texas, Lufkin, Texas (solo) • 2007, Texas Modern, Martin Museum of Art, Baylor University, Waco, Texas • 2010, Richard Stout: Alternate Realities, The Beeville Art Museum, Beeville, Texas (solo) • 2010, Richard Stout: Paintings – Sky, Sea & Earth, Houston Baptist University, Houston, Texas (solo) • 2011, Southeast Texas Art: Cross-Currents and Influences 1925 - 1965, Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, Texas Selected Collections • Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, Texas • Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas • Butler Institute of Art, Youngstown, Ohio • Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas • McNay Museum, San Antonio, Texas • Menil Collection, Houston, Texas • The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
DICK WRAY Selected Biographical and Career Highlights • 1933, Born in Houston, Texas • 1955-58, Attends University of Houston, School of Architecture, Houston, Texas • 1959, Attends Kunstakademie, Dusseldorf, Germany • 1962, Receives Ford Foundation Purchase Award • 1964, Guest artist at Tamarind Lithography Workshop, Los Angeles, California • 1968-82, Instructor at Glassell School of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas • 1978, Receives National Endowment for the Arts Artist Grant • 2000, Texas Artist of the Year, Art League, Houston, Texas • 2011, Dies in Houston, Texas
(Selected Exhibitions continued) • 1985, Fresh Paint: The Houston School, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas • 1986, Third Western State Exhibition, Western States Art Foundation, traveling exhibition to The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York; San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas; and other states. • 1990, Printmaking in Texas: the 1980s, Modern Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas • 1996, Texas Modern and Post-Modern, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas • 2007, Texas Modern: The Rediscovery of Early Texas Abstraction, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
Selected Exhibitions • 1960, 35th Annual Houston Area Exhibition, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas • 1962, Southwest Painting and Sculpture Exhibit, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas • 1963, Dick Wray Paintings, Louisiana Gallery, Houston, Texas • 1969, Tamarind Homage to Lithography, Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York • 1970, Dick Wray Paintings, The Museum of Fine Arts School of Art, Houston, Texas • 1971, Other Coast Exhibition ‘71, California State University, Long Beach, California • 1975, Dick Wray, one-man exhibition, Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Texas • 1977, Dick Wray: First New York Exhibition, Lerner – Heller, New York, New York • 1979, Fire! Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Texas
Selected Collections • Albright-Knox Museum, Buffalo, New York • The Barrett Collection, Dallas, Texas • Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas • Museum of East Texas, Lufkin, Texas • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas • Museum of Modern Art, New York City, New York • Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas • National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. • Palm Springs Desert Museum, Palm Springs, California • San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas • Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas • University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma • Witte Memorial Museum, San Antonio, Texas
WILLIAM REAVES FINE ART Fall 2013 Exhibition Schedule
Lives Played Out on Canvas: Paintings by Otis Huband, Richard Stout and Dick Wray September 13 – October 5, 2013 *Houston Fine Art Fair – booth 108A* September 19-22, 2013 Hill Country Love Affair: Interpretations of a Texas Heartland October 18 – November 16, 2013 The Texas Watercolor Tradition November 22 – December 21, 2013 Holidays at the Haley The Haley Memorial Library, Midland, Texas December 7 – 11, 2013
William Reaves Fine Art 2313 Brun Street • Houston, Texas • 77019 Tel: 713.521.7500 Email: INFO@reavesart.com www.reavesart.com