Jill Alo – Marilyn Fenn

March 3, 2011October 17, 2020

Pictures from the People’s Gallery Exhibition

"Gravity" by Irene Roderick, Latex paint, fishing line, wire hoop, 2010 — “Gravity” by Irene Roderick, Latex paint, fishing line, wire hoop, 2010

I was so thrilled to be selected for the 2011 People’s Gallery Exhibition at the Austin City Hall. One of my paintings, “Luminous Future,” was selected from among 1400 pieces entered by 325 local artists and arts organizations. This year the jurors were: Carla Nickerson, artist and Production Coordinator for ProArts Collective; Johnny Walker, artist; and Herlinda Zamora, Culture and Arts Education Manager, Mexican American Cultural Center. The exhibition was finalized and designed by Jean Graham, the City’s Exhibition Coordinator. (Thanks, everyone, for including me!).

I thought I was feeling better from several days of allergy-related illnesses, so Terry and I got spiffed up and headed downtown. We arrived at the City Hall just in time to hear a few words from the mayor, and to see Caprice Pierucci receive her People’s Choice award for her piece in the 2010 Exhibition.

2011-Peoples-Gallery-Exhibition-Jill Alo's painting "Big Skies, super hot" on the left and Ethan Azarian's "Herd of Shoes" on the right — Jill Alo’s painting “Big Skies, super hot” on the left and Ethan Azarian’s “Herd of Shoes” on the right

It was wonderful seeing so many of my art friends there, and that so many of them were also selected for this show! Jill Alo and I were beginning painting and drawing students together in Minnie Miles’ classes at ACC back in the ’80s before she moved on to UT and I went up to SAIC. We also worked together at a framing shop while in school. We have been good friends ever since, and have been in several critique groups and art exhibitions together, so I was so happy to see her very sunny piece in this show.

2011-Peoples-Gallery-Exhibition-Sandy Lowder's painting "Night Lotus Pool" — Sandy Lowder’s painting “Night Lotus Pool”

I also have exhibited and been in critique groups with Sandy Lowder, whose lovely large painting was hung right next to mine. I love the abstract qualities that she always infuses into her paintings (which frequently begin in a figurative way).

2011-Peoples-Gallery-Exhibition-Gladys Poorte's "How Did it Come to This?" — Gladys Poorte’s “How Did it Come to This?”

Gladys Poorte also has an awesomely beautiful painting in this exhibition. Jill, Sandy, Gladys, and I were all in the “Topographies” show together at Studio2 Gallery in 2003, along with 4 or 5 other artists.

2011-Peoples-Gallery-Exhibition-Kristy Battani's "Dry Creek" — Kristy Battani’s “Dry Creek”

Kristy Battani from the Texas Wax organization, of which I was a part for a couple years, had a lovely encaustic work in this show, too.

There were several other friends and acquaintances whose work is in the show, but (for some reason) I did not get photos of their pieces during the opening (I simply must go back!).

Take a gander at the photos I did get below, and if you’re in Austin, I highly recommend taking an hour or so someday to go see all the awesome paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, assemblages, and installations in this show. You can even vote for your favorite piece.

The show is at the Austin City Hall through January 13, 2012, exhibited in the hallways, conference rooms, lobbies, balconies, large stairwells, and in the Mayor’s office–all throughout the first 3 floors of the City Hall. Mine is #92, in The Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office hallway on the second floor. Hours are from 8am-5pm M-F.

Austin City Hall
301 W 2nd St.
Austin, TX 78701

View a gallery of pictures from the People’s Gallery Exhibition opening.

November 22, 2010October 24, 2020

East Austin Studio Tour 2010, Part Three

Sculpture "Plucky" by Dominique Vyborny at the Pump Project Arts Complex during E.A.S.T. 2010 — Sculpture “Plucky” by Dominique Vyborny at the Pump Project Arts Complex during E.A.S.T. 2010

Full Day of Visiting Artist Studios, Last Day of E.A.S.T.

I decided to spend the final day of EAST visiting more artists’ studios rather than hanging around The Vortex. If you came to see me at The Vortex yesterday, my apologies for not being there; if you’d like to see more of my paintings, you can always schedule a private visit at my home studio; just contact me and we’ll set something up.

Robbie Ortiz - Seated Woman — Robbie Ortiz – Seated Woman

I started at neighbor Robbie Ortiz’s studio, where he and fellow painter Stephen Schwake were showing their work. Robbie does some amazing cubistic paintings and drawings; visit his website at: RobbieOrtiz.com.

Stephen does large paintings and drawings influenced by “80’s skateboard graphics, hot rods, science, stained glass, American roots music, mid-century modern design, art history, and World War II fighter planes.” His site is StephenSchwake.com.

Court Lurie - Aspects — Court Lurie – Aspects

Next, I headed down to the Artpost, where I visited with Court Lurie for a bit. I really love her abstract paintings! Court is very deservedly a rising star in the Austin art world.

See her work at: CourtLurie.com.

I popped my head into a few other studios; there’s a glass artist named Nicholas Dertrien who is doing some pretty amazing blown glass sculpture of the human body, some complete with (what I think are) internal organs.

I also peeked at the work of sculptors/installation artists Scott Proctor and Marianne McGrath.

Jan Roset - Monkey Brain #5 — Jan Roset – Monkey Brain #5

Then I headed over to the Pump Project Arts Complex, where I visited with fabulous abstract painter, Jan Roset, portrait painter Nicole Jeffords, and lightbox sculptor Brooke Gassiot.

Also poked my head into the studios of Alicia Hartzell, Amber Kappes, Erika Jaeggli, Mark Johnson, Katherine Sheehan, Leanne Venier, Darvin Jones, Paul Alix (illustrator, very funny guy), Scott Ewen, Audrey Lopata (awesome kids illustrator), and Lana Waldrep.

Keva Richardson - Raindrops and Grass — Keva Richardson – Raindrops and Grass

Then I drove up to the Pump Project Satellite, where I met painter Keva Richardson (love her work), and visited with good friend Jill Alo at Women Printmakers of Austin, where I also ran into friend and fellow encaustic artist Maggie Jordan. Popped into Damon Arhos studio, too.

Then I walked down to Big Medium (the folks that started all this), viewed the show at the gallery, visited with encaustic painter Kristy Darnell Battani, abstract painter Rebecca Bennett, and said Hi to Judy Paul above the crowd that always surrounds her. 🙂

Rebecca Bennett - painting — Rebecca Bennett – painting

Stopped in to see Daphne Holland’s new work, and chatted with Juan Moreno, two more encaustic artists from Texas Wax. Stopped into Bay6 Studio, where I talked to Kevin Kuhn briefly (he’s taken over the Texas Wax website, bless his heart), and Sharon Kyle Kuhn, the encaustic artist who started the Austin Chapter of Texas Wax.

Jennifer Chenoweth - Red Zip — Jennifer Chenoweth – Red Zip

By this time, it was after 5:30, and I still had at least 6 more artists on my must-see list but knew I only had time for one more. So I zipped over to Jennifer Chenoweth‘s to see her new work and the work of Virginia Fleck. Her work is always so interesting, and her home itself is an amazing work of art! Good call: Jennifer very kindly packed up a bowl of her delicious chicken pesole to take with me after my very brief visit.

And that, my friends, was my whirlwind one day tour of EAST 2010 (seeing only about 1/10th of the artists participating this year).

View some photos from the ArtPost and the Pump Project Arts Complex in this gallery.

See also part one: Participating as an Artist at The Vortex
and part two: EAST Artists Tour

October 7, 2008October 17, 2020

“Real and Imagined” Opening at Fort Worth Community Art Center

Five Austin Painters Show in Fort Worth

Jill Alo, Kathleen Claps, Linda Anderson, Bill Wahlgren and I had a big show at the Fort Worth Community Art Center on October 3rd (the day the Dow fell 777 points!). A lot of people came for the opening, though perhaps not as many as we had expected. But the place was pretty active all evening, and we had many great conversations with quite a few art lovers. View a few pictures below that I was able to snap during the few slow times.