Archway Gallery Exhibitions - 2023
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Jim N. Hill A Place in Mind December 2, 2023 - January 4, 2024 |
Jim N. Hill is known for his colorful paintings featuring floral, landscape, architectural, marine, and figurative imagery. In this exhibition, Hill’s lifetime of travels throughout the United States and Europe, as well as his National Guard deployment to Japan in the early 1970s, provide the inspiration for this exploration of the experience of place. Each painting reflects Hill’s sense of a location he has either experienced first-hand or intuitively conjured in his mind’s eye. His distinctive painting style and use of color imbues each image with a joyful sense of place inviting the viewer to enter that world and join the fun. Paintings in this show include images of architecture, carnivals and festivals, and landscapes from Japan, Europe, Mexico, and Texas.
Jim N. Hill moved to Houston after completing his Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in 1978. Beginning with small acrylic paintings of ladies in floppy hats and men with hats and mustaches, he began selling his work through The Artists Touch Gallery. These shape and color driven images soon received regional and then national attention. After exhibiting his work for two years at New York Art Expo in the early 1980's, Hill had solo exhibitions at The El Presidente Hotel and the Niko Hotel in Mexico City. A publishing studio there published eight editions of his work as serigraphs in editions of 200 – 300 prints and artist proofs, some of which are exhibited in this show.
Hill’s paintings have been exhibited throughout the United States in such diverse locations as Los Angeles, San Antonio, Minneapolis, Nashville, Shreveport, and Salado, Texas. Hill’s commissions include two murals for the River Oaks Shopping Center in Houston, as well as paintings for the executive offices of Marshal Fields Department Store, hotels in Atlantic City and Los Angeles, and a large residential space in Washington, D.C.
Hill’s love for sharing art with others led to a second career in teaching. He was Adjunct Professor of Art at Houston Community College for over 20 years and also taught Pre-K4 through 8th grade students at Saint Anne Catholic School.
Hill’s love for sharing art with others led to a second career in teaching. He was Adjunct Professor of Art at Houston Community College for over 20 years and also taught Pre-K4 through 8th grade students at Saint Anne Catholic School.
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Blaine Davis Tic-Tac-Hobo November 4 - 30, 2023 |
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For his first exhibition as a member of Archway Gallery, printmaker and weaver Blaine Davis takes the viewer on a tour through the decades of his creative life. The prints, linocuts, copper plate etchings, and tapestries which make up this exhibition include some of Davis’ early works, which are the first expressions of the ideas and images he has carried into his recent work.
Davis has always been drawn to the symbols, used by Hobos -- Depression-era, nomadic workers -- to convey information, directions, help, and warnings to fellow “Knights of the Road.” The title work consists of nine Hobo symbols arranged in a grid which reminded Davis of a game of tic-tac-toe. “I have used these symbols in my work for a long time, but this was the first instance where I included this much color, and I’m quite happy with the result,” says Davis. “I first used these symbols over 30 years ago. They were with me before all of the rest of the ideas and images in this show, and are still being used. I like the idea of my work with these symbols as a framing reference for the show.”
Davis’ copper plate etchings are the result of a process he calls “controlled accidents” – experiments with addition and subtraction. “There is usually no plan,” he explains. “I just see what happens using various techniques, adding layers, and sometimes chopping whole sections of the plate away to edit the piece. The plates can go into the acid numerous times while I keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.” Davis’ linocuts, on the other hand, are planned and he uses them to play with color and form. For example, he created the “Brazil” series after a trip to that country, using images and colors to which he was drawn.
This exhibition also includes some of Davis’ tapestries. “I’ve been weaving longer than I’ve been printing, and I enjoy that process, too,” he explains. “While some of my tapestries are planned, others are created spontaneously, depending on what I want to do at the loom on any given day.” One large piece in the exhibition is the result of a collaboration with other members of Contemporary Handweavers of Houston. Others include some that Davis wove during a residency in Iceland a few years ago, and a second version of his favorite tapestry, the first being long sold.
“I wish I had some all-encompassing story to tell about my process for making art,” says Davis, “but, for the most part, it just happens, and I'm happy to go along for the ride.”
Blaine Davis grew up in Maine, Idaho, and Wisconsin. He moved to Texas after graduating from college in 1975. Four years later he received a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and went to work as a librarian for the Houston Public Library. At that point he also began taking art classes at the Glassell School in Houston where he eventually found his way to the printmaking studio. He currently makes his art at Burning Bones Press, a cooperative press in the Houston Heights. He is also a tapestry weaver.
Davis has always been drawn to the symbols, used by Hobos -- Depression-era, nomadic workers -- to convey information, directions, help, and warnings to fellow “Knights of the Road.” The title work consists of nine Hobo symbols arranged in a grid which reminded Davis of a game of tic-tac-toe. “I have used these symbols in my work for a long time, but this was the first instance where I included this much color, and I’m quite happy with the result,” says Davis. “I first used these symbols over 30 years ago. They were with me before all of the rest of the ideas and images in this show, and are still being used. I like the idea of my work with these symbols as a framing reference for the show.”
Davis’ copper plate etchings are the result of a process he calls “controlled accidents” – experiments with addition and subtraction. “There is usually no plan,” he explains. “I just see what happens using various techniques, adding layers, and sometimes chopping whole sections of the plate away to edit the piece. The plates can go into the acid numerous times while I keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.” Davis’ linocuts, on the other hand, are planned and he uses them to play with color and form. For example, he created the “Brazil” series after a trip to that country, using images and colors to which he was drawn.
This exhibition also includes some of Davis’ tapestries. “I’ve been weaving longer than I’ve been printing, and I enjoy that process, too,” he explains. “While some of my tapestries are planned, others are created spontaneously, depending on what I want to do at the loom on any given day.” One large piece in the exhibition is the result of a collaboration with other members of Contemporary Handweavers of Houston. Others include some that Davis wove during a residency in Iceland a few years ago, and a second version of his favorite tapestry, the first being long sold.
“I wish I had some all-encompassing story to tell about my process for making art,” says Davis, “but, for the most part, it just happens, and I'm happy to go along for the ride.”
Blaine Davis grew up in Maine, Idaho, and Wisconsin. He moved to Texas after graduating from college in 1975. Four years later he received a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and went to work as a librarian for the Houston Public Library. At that point he also began taking art classes at the Glassell School in Houston where he eventually found his way to the printmaking studio. He currently makes his art at Burning Bones Press, a cooperative press in the Houston Heights. He is also a tapestry weaver.
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Silvia PintoSouza and Laura Viada Spaces October 7 - November 2, 2023 |
In this exhibition, painter Silvia PintoSouza and weaver Laura Viada, engage in a visual dialog about creating space for beauty in a turbulent, violent, and painful world. Their dialog is enhanced with observations in haiku by poet Jon Halliburton, who will read from his work at the opening reception.
PintoSouza and Viada share a love of geometric form and its underlying grid as a means of expression. In sacred geometry, the simple intersection of straight lines at right angles symbolizes the link between the spiritual and the material. Though not a form itself, when multiplied this intersection forms the grid, the foundation for the square, the triangle, the circle, and all geometric forms which, in turn, carry their own symbolic meaning.
“When I look at an image, my inclination is to break it down into geometric shapes,” says Silvia PintoSouza. “I use strong contrast in color and shadows to enhance and give depth to the geometric space.” PintoSouza has employed these techniques over decades to create luminous paintings of ordinary objects, nature, and everyday life. For this exhibition, she abandons images and focuses her attention solely on geometric form. Her creative vision, across many years of painting, continues in this body of work – to illuminate the sacred within the mundane, the light within the darkness, the simple beauty within complexity. “I paint for the sake of art itself, with no political or social message,” explains PintoSouza. “Art is my refuge from the chaos, pain, and tragedy I see in the world. There’s plenty of misery broadcast to us every day – I feel no need or wish to add to it. I paint for those who seek beauty to soothe their hearts.”
The grid formed by the interlacement of warp and weft is the essence of weaving, and Laura Viada has always found expressive power in emphasizing it. She uses the grid, shifting colors, and empty spaces to draw beauty and possibility from the pain and limitation of human existence. Viada’s powerful series, Madrugada, takes us to the early hours of the morning, after the “dark night of the soul.” In another series, Black or White, she challenges thinking patterns that can obscure possibilities and blind us to potential. Like PintoSouza, Viada is not interested in political statements or social commentary. “My work comes from my interior landscape – my perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and struggles, which I believe are fairly universal,” she comments. “The grid is my metaphor for human existence and thought. Its lines are our human limitations, its spaces are our possibilities. How we respond to our limitations and and fill the spaces, how we give them form and color, determines who we are and how we live.” PintoSouza agrees and adds, “Pain is easy – it’s all around us and often overwhelms us. Beauty, joy, and hope are hard. We have to search for them and create spaces for them. That’s what art is for.”
Silvia PintoSouza, a native of Colombia received her Art and Design diploma from Byam Shaw School of Fine Art and Design in London; it is now known as Central Saint Martin’s School of Art. While in London, she met her husband, Marco, and moved with him to Rio de Janeiro, where she continued her training in metal printing, lithography, woodcut, and silkscreen. For the last 25 years she has lived in Houston and has devoted herself exclusively to painting. PintoSouza has exhibited her artwork in many solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States, Europe, and South America, and her artwork is included in collections throughout the world. She joined Archway Gallery in May 2016. This is her third exhibition at Archway.
Laura Viada is a handweaver and fiber artist who creates works of art in natural fibers and metallics. While taking a pause from a demanding career in law, she discovered weaving, fell in love with the world of fiber and never looked back. For the past 25 years, Viada has been an active member of the Texas fiber art community. Her award-winning work has been exhibited nationally, and she is a former Artist-in-Residence at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. She joined Archway Gallery in December 2017. This is her second exhibition at Archway.
PintoSouza and Viada share a love of geometric form and its underlying grid as a means of expression. In sacred geometry, the simple intersection of straight lines at right angles symbolizes the link between the spiritual and the material. Though not a form itself, when multiplied this intersection forms the grid, the foundation for the square, the triangle, the circle, and all geometric forms which, in turn, carry their own symbolic meaning.
“When I look at an image, my inclination is to break it down into geometric shapes,” says Silvia PintoSouza. “I use strong contrast in color and shadows to enhance and give depth to the geometric space.” PintoSouza has employed these techniques over decades to create luminous paintings of ordinary objects, nature, and everyday life. For this exhibition, she abandons images and focuses her attention solely on geometric form. Her creative vision, across many years of painting, continues in this body of work – to illuminate the sacred within the mundane, the light within the darkness, the simple beauty within complexity. “I paint for the sake of art itself, with no political or social message,” explains PintoSouza. “Art is my refuge from the chaos, pain, and tragedy I see in the world. There’s plenty of misery broadcast to us every day – I feel no need or wish to add to it. I paint for those who seek beauty to soothe their hearts.”
The grid formed by the interlacement of warp and weft is the essence of weaving, and Laura Viada has always found expressive power in emphasizing it. She uses the grid, shifting colors, and empty spaces to draw beauty and possibility from the pain and limitation of human existence. Viada’s powerful series, Madrugada, takes us to the early hours of the morning, after the “dark night of the soul.” In another series, Black or White, she challenges thinking patterns that can obscure possibilities and blind us to potential. Like PintoSouza, Viada is not interested in political statements or social commentary. “My work comes from my interior landscape – my perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and struggles, which I believe are fairly universal,” she comments. “The grid is my metaphor for human existence and thought. Its lines are our human limitations, its spaces are our possibilities. How we respond to our limitations and and fill the spaces, how we give them form and color, determines who we are and how we live.” PintoSouza agrees and adds, “Pain is easy – it’s all around us and often overwhelms us. Beauty, joy, and hope are hard. We have to search for them and create spaces for them. That’s what art is for.”
Silvia PintoSouza, a native of Colombia received her Art and Design diploma from Byam Shaw School of Fine Art and Design in London; it is now known as Central Saint Martin’s School of Art. While in London, she met her husband, Marco, and moved with him to Rio de Janeiro, where she continued her training in metal printing, lithography, woodcut, and silkscreen. For the last 25 years she has lived in Houston and has devoted herself exclusively to painting. PintoSouza has exhibited her artwork in many solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States, Europe, and South America, and her artwork is included in collections throughout the world. She joined Archway Gallery in May 2016. This is her third exhibition at Archway.
Laura Viada is a handweaver and fiber artist who creates works of art in natural fibers and metallics. While taking a pause from a demanding career in law, she discovered weaving, fell in love with the world of fiber and never looked back. For the past 25 years, Viada has been an active member of the Texas fiber art community. Her award-winning work has been exhibited nationally, and she is a former Artist-in-Residence at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. She joined Archway Gallery in December 2017. This is her second exhibition at Archway.
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Denise Giordano and Guest Artist Fatima Donaldson Look Closer September 2 - October 5, 2023 |
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This collaborative exhibition between Archway Gallery artist Denise Giordano and guest artist Fatima Donaldson concludes a journey initially inspired by a Georgia O’Keeffe Exhibition in Houston in 2021. Enticed by O’Keeffe’s statement, “To see takes time,” the duo embarked on an investigative road trip to Santa Fe, in order to look closer at O’Keeffe’s work, philosophy, and life. It was during this study that they were individually inspired to look inwardly at themselves and their personal artistic journeys.
Despite being an exhibition fueled by two very different voices, Look Closer highlights the similar life ideologies shared by Giordano and Donaldson. In their reminiscent, ethereal, dreamlike visuals, we are invited to flit between our conscious and subconscious, whilst cherishing and embracing the fleeting moments, as well as the passing of time. This exhibition exudes an elegant sophistication; it is delicate, finite, and feminine, with a fragility which suggests that we examine the fragments of our lives which have made lasting impressions. In addition to their solo pieces, this exhibition includes a series of collaborative works which blend these two unique voices and their individual techniques.
Working with an extensive fusion of organic natural media, including papers, fibers, and threads, Giordano bridges the gap between sculptural 3D work and 2D pieces. Her practice includes tearing and burning, working with smoke and soot as a medium, the perception being that nothing lasts forever; that everything and everyone evolves and is shaped by life’s happenings. Giordano is fascinated by erosion and how its effects can give a new altered life to an object. She sees this erosion as an analogy of the human condition. “Your artwork is you, and you too shall change,” she states. Using digital imagery, as well as her sculptural work, demonstrates her artistic versatility to see the world from different perspectives.
Donaldson’s photographic images execute a precise introspected view of the world, with a parallel inspired by the tenacity and boldness shown in the work of O’Keeffe. Capturing the lasting impact of a subliminal, timeless glance, whilst emphasizing treasured moments is the objective. Photography is Donaldson’s form of meditation, and this state of mind results in the creation of atmospheric, soothing images. Taking and developing photos began as a childhood passion; her exploration of darkroom practices and techniques paved the way forward with an understanding accomplished only from experience. “I love to capture a moment, a moment of being,” she explains, inviting the viewer to find calmness and stillness while asking themselves, “How does it make me feel?”
Denise Giordano advanced from a Wall Street corporate career to living an artist’s life. Her collectors span the United States and overseas. Notable exhibitions include the Visual Arts Alliance’s 36th, 37th, and 38th Exhibitions, respectively selected by jurors Laura Rathe, Harry Cooper, and Lester Marks; The Hunter Museum of American Art; The Big Show 2017 at Lawndale Art Center; and the Rockefeller Flag Project, where her selected Freedom Flag is now part of the Rockefeller Center Archives Collection. Giordano joined Archway Gallery in September 2020; this is her first Archway Gallery exhibition. View her work at www.giostudioart.com.
Fatima Donaldson has a corporate background in marketing, advertising, and large-scale exhibition, and a further successful career in commercial photography. Now focusing on her fine art photography, most recently she has exhibited in The Big Show at Lawndale Art Center, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Fotofest, as well as solo exhibitions throughout Texas and for five consecutive years has exhibited at Lange Twins Winery, California. She has been the juror for the Bayou City Arts Festival and the State Judge for the Texas PTA Reflections Program in 2011 and 2015. You can view Fatima’s artwork in her gallery, Studio 217, located in the Silos at Sawyer Yards, and at www.fatimaphotography.com.
Despite being an exhibition fueled by two very different voices, Look Closer highlights the similar life ideologies shared by Giordano and Donaldson. In their reminiscent, ethereal, dreamlike visuals, we are invited to flit between our conscious and subconscious, whilst cherishing and embracing the fleeting moments, as well as the passing of time. This exhibition exudes an elegant sophistication; it is delicate, finite, and feminine, with a fragility which suggests that we examine the fragments of our lives which have made lasting impressions. In addition to their solo pieces, this exhibition includes a series of collaborative works which blend these two unique voices and their individual techniques.
Working with an extensive fusion of organic natural media, including papers, fibers, and threads, Giordano bridges the gap between sculptural 3D work and 2D pieces. Her practice includes tearing and burning, working with smoke and soot as a medium, the perception being that nothing lasts forever; that everything and everyone evolves and is shaped by life’s happenings. Giordano is fascinated by erosion and how its effects can give a new altered life to an object. She sees this erosion as an analogy of the human condition. “Your artwork is you, and you too shall change,” she states. Using digital imagery, as well as her sculptural work, demonstrates her artistic versatility to see the world from different perspectives.
Donaldson’s photographic images execute a precise introspected view of the world, with a parallel inspired by the tenacity and boldness shown in the work of O’Keeffe. Capturing the lasting impact of a subliminal, timeless glance, whilst emphasizing treasured moments is the objective. Photography is Donaldson’s form of meditation, and this state of mind results in the creation of atmospheric, soothing images. Taking and developing photos began as a childhood passion; her exploration of darkroom practices and techniques paved the way forward with an understanding accomplished only from experience. “I love to capture a moment, a moment of being,” she explains, inviting the viewer to find calmness and stillness while asking themselves, “How does it make me feel?”
Denise Giordano advanced from a Wall Street corporate career to living an artist’s life. Her collectors span the United States and overseas. Notable exhibitions include the Visual Arts Alliance’s 36th, 37th, and 38th Exhibitions, respectively selected by jurors Laura Rathe, Harry Cooper, and Lester Marks; The Hunter Museum of American Art; The Big Show 2017 at Lawndale Art Center; and the Rockefeller Flag Project, where her selected Freedom Flag is now part of the Rockefeller Center Archives Collection. Giordano joined Archway Gallery in September 2020; this is her first Archway Gallery exhibition. View her work at www.giostudioart.com.
Fatima Donaldson has a corporate background in marketing, advertising, and large-scale exhibition, and a further successful career in commercial photography. Now focusing on her fine art photography, most recently she has exhibited in The Big Show at Lawndale Art Center, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Fotofest, as well as solo exhibitions throughout Texas and for five consecutive years has exhibited at Lange Twins Winery, California. She has been the juror for the Bayou City Arts Festival and the State Judge for the Texas PTA Reflections Program in 2011 and 2015. You can view Fatima’s artwork in her gallery, Studio 217, located in the Silos at Sawyer Yards, and at www.fatimaphotography.com.
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Cookie Wells and Tom Wells Are We There Yet? August 5 - 31, 2023 |
This show profiles a journey of renewal of creativity, as well as the reinvention and metamorphosis of an artist. Through this series of paintings, Cookie Wells reveals her journey on paper. Wells has focused on figures for most of her artistic career. Seeking change, she began painting non-objective abstracts, which strip away the details of familiar subject matter and challenge the artist to represent the emotion and essence of the experience. The resulting artwork must convey harmony, discord, pain, joy, love, tension, or anxiety. “Just when you think you’ve exhausted your painting ideas, abstract art stimulates new ideas and opens your mind to everything you feel you must express,” says Wells.
While color has always been central to her work, Wells began her change with the difficult but necessary task of eliminating color and painting solely in black and white. She then began including subtle but expressive color to add depth to her pieces. Wells attributes her choice of the abstract representation of trees in this exhibition to her previous Earth Day series, “Save the Rainforest,” and to the natural beauty of the wood her husband, Tom, uses in furniture making. In these new organic paintings, she explores trees as if they were figures. In some works the trees are transformed into figurative pieces with a much different look from her previous figure paintings. This was one of the surprises along the way. Cookie Wells believes in following your heart and soul on the path of your creative journey. “Although some say that it’s the journey itself that’s inspiring,” she notes, “in all honesty, I’m moved by the destination.”
In conjunction with this exhibition of paintings, you will find finely crafted wood furniture created by Thomas Wells. Some of these pieces continue the theme of integrating dark and light, linear and whimsy, form and function. While two-dimensional art is a medium for messaging, creatively artistic furniture is more suited to framing a mood while fulfilling a specific purpose. Integrating the beauty of natural wood into our lives reminds us of our direct links with nature, and that these links are so often overlooked in our urban environment.
While color has always been central to her work, Wells began her change with the difficult but necessary task of eliminating color and painting solely in black and white. She then began including subtle but expressive color to add depth to her pieces. Wells attributes her choice of the abstract representation of trees in this exhibition to her previous Earth Day series, “Save the Rainforest,” and to the natural beauty of the wood her husband, Tom, uses in furniture making. In these new organic paintings, she explores trees as if they were figures. In some works the trees are transformed into figurative pieces with a much different look from her previous figure paintings. This was one of the surprises along the way. Cookie Wells believes in following your heart and soul on the path of your creative journey. “Although some say that it’s the journey itself that’s inspiring,” she notes, “in all honesty, I’m moved by the destination.”
In conjunction with this exhibition of paintings, you will find finely crafted wood furniture created by Thomas Wells. Some of these pieces continue the theme of integrating dark and light, linear and whimsy, form and function. While two-dimensional art is a medium for messaging, creatively artistic furniture is more suited to framing a mood while fulfilling a specific purpose. Integrating the beauty of natural wood into our lives reminds us of our direct links with nature, and that these links are so often overlooked in our urban environment.
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Annette Palmer North Sea Gulf Coast June 3 - July 5, 2023 |
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This exhibition by Annette Palmer is an exploration of distance, love, and connection. Inspired by Galveston and the Texas Coast, as well as the North East Coast of Scotland in Angus and Aberdeenshire, it is the experience of feeling at home in two locations, almost 5000 miles apart, separated by a vast ocean. Palmer’s semi-abstract land and seascapes speak to maintaining connections, treasuring memories, holding onto our kindred spirits, and embracing the fragments of what has been. “Distance isn’t just physical,” says Palmer. “It’s life and death, it can be lost in time, it can be spiritual.”
Palmer bridges distance by integrating textural elements into her work. In addition to using coastal finds from relevant locations, she includes gilding elements - their reflective surfaces representing hope and optimism, and fragments of old love letters which have survived the test of time. “I paint vast open spaces, and am drawn to the energy of the sea,” Palmer explains. “It is a vinculum between land masses separated by thousands of miles. The ebb and flow of the tide is a rhythm which resets the beat of the heart, the body clock. Its vastness puts everything in perspective. We are small in the universe, yet connected and integral to something much bigger.”
Palmer bridges distance by integrating textural elements into her work. In addition to using coastal finds from relevant locations, she includes gilding elements - their reflective surfaces representing hope and optimism, and fragments of old love letters which have survived the test of time. “I paint vast open spaces, and am drawn to the energy of the sea,” Palmer explains. “It is a vinculum between land masses separated by thousands of miles. The ebb and flow of the tide is a rhythm which resets the beat of the heart, the body clock. Its vastness puts everything in perspective. We are small in the universe, yet connected and integral to something much bigger.”
Originally from Scotland, Annette Palmer received her BA Hons degree from Edinburgh College of Art/Heriot Watt University, in Scotland’s capital. She now lives in the Houston area where she creates her collectable fine art pieces for gallery exhibitions and private collections. In addition to a lengthy international exhibiting history which includes solo shows at Houston’s Jung Center and Glade Gallery in The Woodlands, Palmer has showcased her work at recent art expos in Dallas and Santa Fe, NM. She has curated for art galleries and exhibition spaces, including H&H&8, St. Luke’s Hospital, and Glade Gallery. Palmer regularly writes art-based features for The Woodlands and Conroe City Lifestyle Magazines. She was juror for the Sawyer Yards “Dreamscapes” Exhibition and recently for the Conroe Art League’s International Exhibition. Palmer joined Archway Gallery in June 2022; this is her first Archway exhibition.
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Becky Soria Gaia's Oracle May 6 - June 1, 2023 |
For some years now, Becky Soria’s work has focused on human and animal figures. In those works, Soria re-constructed female and animal forms from within, though not in any literal sense of depicting internal organs and such. Rather, through her sophisticated, painterly surfaces, she suggested forceful yet ambiguous “interiorities” that were poetic, emotionally intense, conceptual, and existential. In this new group of works, Soria has moved her penetrating gaze from those figures into the external world they inhabit. This is the dwelling place of Gaia - Mother Earth. “I feel this urge, as an artist, to respond to the urgent call of Mother Earth,” quotes Soria.
Her works indeed have a sense of urgency. They are a panoply of contrasting and contorting shapes that have strong directional textures, contrasting colors, and forceful linear rhythms, alongside tender passages and gentle resonances, all of which invoke a vulnerable and beautiful Earth in distress. Standing in front of Soria’s seemingly abstract forms, the attentive observer cannot help but read them as either threatening masses such as impenetrable rocks, tectonic plates, and chthonic hollows, or as violent episodes such as overwhelming deluges, erupting volcanoes, or suffocating plumes of ice and smoke. Yet, these same abstract shapes at times acquire the appearance of human and animal figures: a head of a wolf materializes here, a fish hides down there, a rock becomes a skull. Are these figures intended or unconscious? Probably both. The overall result is a rich pictorial experience from the hand of a seasoned painter. Soria’s mastery of color and texture provides a vision to us of humanity dwelling in the very entrails of Gaia, witnessing her existential cry.
Her works indeed have a sense of urgency. They are a panoply of contrasting and contorting shapes that have strong directional textures, contrasting colors, and forceful linear rhythms, alongside tender passages and gentle resonances, all of which invoke a vulnerable and beautiful Earth in distress. Standing in front of Soria’s seemingly abstract forms, the attentive observer cannot help but read them as either threatening masses such as impenetrable rocks, tectonic plates, and chthonic hollows, or as violent episodes such as overwhelming deluges, erupting volcanoes, or suffocating plumes of ice and smoke. Yet, these same abstract shapes at times acquire the appearance of human and animal figures: a head of a wolf materializes here, a fish hides down there, a rock becomes a skull. Are these figures intended or unconscious? Probably both. The overall result is a rich pictorial experience from the hand of a seasoned painter. Soria’s mastery of color and texture provides a vision to us of humanity dwelling in the very entrails of Gaia, witnessing her existential cry.
Becky Soria pursued her early art training in South America. After immigrating to the USA, she continued her training at The Glassell School of Art in Houston, Texas, and with Fernando Casas, Ph.D., artist, and philosopher. Her background in biology and medicine, as well as her interest in archeology and paleontology has influenced the the subject matter of her paintings since 1980. They are often abstracted images with surreal allusions that suggest all manner of transformation, growth, and mutation. In the last 15 years, Soria has focused on the exploration of human and animal figures, inspired by the psychological and existential concept of the feminine, using texture, color, and rhythm to suggest complex inner landscapes. Becky Soria’s work has been shown in numerous galleries in the United States, Europe, and South America, and has been collected by South American Museums, international corporations, and private collectors in the USA. This is her seventh solo exhibition at Archway Gallery.
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Carol Berger Earthsong April 1 - May 4, 2023 |
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From pre-Colombian Central American clay flutes to the present day African Udus, clay instruments have spanned the ages and the continents. There is a sense of continuity between ancient and contemporary artists, and between makers in different parts of the world. These instruments have been used in rituals, to express emotion, and for pure enjoyment; much of that holds true today. Berger’s pieces and their surface decoration have an underlying theme of the human connectivity with each other and with their environment.
In this exhibition, Carol Berger shares her exploration of some clay instruments and the various ways clay can produce sound. In Berger’s creations, the tranquil droplets of water in a fountain, the tinkling of wall chimes, and the booming rhythm of a goblet drum all begin with soft, wet clay. The visitor will note that the type of clay, the firing process, and the surface treatment vary widely to fit the desired effect for each piece.
In this exhibition, Carol Berger shares her exploration of some clay instruments and the various ways clay can produce sound. In Berger’s creations, the tranquil droplets of water in a fountain, the tinkling of wall chimes, and the booming rhythm of a goblet drum all begin with soft, wet clay. The visitor will note that the type of clay, the firing process, and the surface treatment vary widely to fit the desired effect for each piece.
Carol Berger received her degree from the College of Wooster (Ohio) with a double major in art and Spanish. She spent her Junior year at the University of Madrid which gave her the opportunity to study major works of art in France and Italy, as well as Spain. She has a Master’s in Education and upon retirement took ceramics classes and began to fulfill a lifelong dream; a second career as an artist. Berger draws inspiration from everyday life with a focus on environmental issues. She currently makes, sells, and teaches art in the Houston area. She joined Archway Gallery in 2018 and has her works in collections throughout the United States and Mexico.
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donna e perkins No Matter What, Keep the Hand Moving March 4 - March 30, 2023 |
“No matter what, keep the hand moving” is the mantra donna e perkins has lived by these past three years. It has helped her cope with the fear and isolation of the pandemic, the chaos of moving to a new studio/apartment, and unexpected health challenges. Now with her health stabilized, her studio/living area arranged, all the COVID shots taken (and a case of COVID too), perkins is thrilled to be out in the world seeing people, shows and performances.
During the lockdown, perkins found that she had a number of small watercolor blocks. These are pads of watercolor paper with edges glued so the papers stay flat while being painted. Perkins added watercolor to these papers, then, using a pen, she mindlessly outlined the fluid lines formed as the rivulets of color dried. In stir-crazy fits, while she sat streaming TV and movies, perkins covered these little watercolors with lots and lots of obsessive, agitated lines. After her move, perkins’s artist neighbor would join her to watch the evening news. He drew in his sketchbook while she made her agitated lines. They dubbed these evening TV drawing sessions “news and booze” as wine was involved. They watched the nightly reporting of COVID deaths and threat levels, the storming of the Capitol, the January 6th Congressional Hearings, bitter political advertisements, and the frightful invasion of Ukraine by the Russians. It was not a happy news time. Collecting her little drawings, perkins found she had over 175 of them.
As Iife improved and she settled into her new spacious studio, perkins began using larger watercolor paper and returned to oil painting. She finished some canvases she had started in her old studio and began some new work. Perkins feels that these oil paintings show, in some way, the stress of the times.
By sharing these works and the tale of their origins, perkins seeks to remind the viewer that everyone has been affected by the traumatic events of the last three years. She hopes that viewers can see their way to granting grace, both to themselves, and to their fellow humans. We have shared stressful and tragic events.
During the lockdown, perkins found that she had a number of small watercolor blocks. These are pads of watercolor paper with edges glued so the papers stay flat while being painted. Perkins added watercolor to these papers, then, using a pen, she mindlessly outlined the fluid lines formed as the rivulets of color dried. In stir-crazy fits, while she sat streaming TV and movies, perkins covered these little watercolors with lots and lots of obsessive, agitated lines. After her move, perkins’s artist neighbor would join her to watch the evening news. He drew in his sketchbook while she made her agitated lines. They dubbed these evening TV drawing sessions “news and booze” as wine was involved. They watched the nightly reporting of COVID deaths and threat levels, the storming of the Capitol, the January 6th Congressional Hearings, bitter political advertisements, and the frightful invasion of Ukraine by the Russians. It was not a happy news time. Collecting her little drawings, perkins found she had over 175 of them.
As Iife improved and she settled into her new spacious studio, perkins began using larger watercolor paper and returned to oil painting. She finished some canvases she had started in her old studio and began some new work. Perkins feels that these oil paintings show, in some way, the stress of the times.
By sharing these works and the tale of their origins, perkins seeks to remind the viewer that everyone has been affected by the traumatic events of the last three years. She hopes that viewers can see their way to granting grace, both to themselves, and to their fellow humans. We have shared stressful and tragic events.
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Tracey Meyer Shaped by Discovery February 4 - March 2, 2023 |
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In Shaped by Discovery, Tracey Meyer returns to her love of hard-edged shapes. This exhibition contains works which employ various abstract optical elements, which Meyer uses as a reminder of what we can learn when we take a closer look. Each work asks the viewer to challenge and re-assess the initial perceptions that the piece evokes in them.
The last few years have been challenging, but they have also presented opportunities – to learn more about ourselves and others, and to re-examine some of our beliefs and attitudes, both individually and as a society. Tracey Meyer invites us into a conversation of discovery. How can I perceive things in a different way?
For Meyer, it has meant reconsidering her beliefs, and questioning why she believes what she does. It has meant really listening to others and accepting the discomfort of having her belief systems challenged. For example, she had never fully realized the entrenched social and economic systems that serve to actively disadvantage people of color. Nor did she appreciate the burden her use of plastics placed on the planet, even though she is a devoted recycler. Meyer now avoids using plastics wherever possible. Tracey Meyer’s journey of discovery has caused her to reassess her own place in the world, and humankind’s place in the life of this planet.
Meyer would like to suggest that now it is more important than ever to be observant and to try to develop new understandings and insights. Looking closely at something with an open mind to both observation and interpretation helps us to avoid assumptions and stereotypes. “Optical Art is a wonderful way to encourage us to take a second look,” says Meyer. “It’s a metaphor for how I, myself, want to approach and move through the world. I invite you to come along with me and be shaped by discovery!”
The last few years have been challenging, but they have also presented opportunities – to learn more about ourselves and others, and to re-examine some of our beliefs and attitudes, both individually and as a society. Tracey Meyer invites us into a conversation of discovery. How can I perceive things in a different way?
For Meyer, it has meant reconsidering her beliefs, and questioning why she believes what she does. It has meant really listening to others and accepting the discomfort of having her belief systems challenged. For example, she had never fully realized the entrenched social and economic systems that serve to actively disadvantage people of color. Nor did she appreciate the burden her use of plastics placed on the planet, even though she is a devoted recycler. Meyer now avoids using plastics wherever possible. Tracey Meyer’s journey of discovery has caused her to reassess her own place in the world, and humankind’s place in the life of this planet.
Meyer would like to suggest that now it is more important than ever to be observant and to try to develop new understandings and insights. Looking closely at something with an open mind to both observation and interpretation helps us to avoid assumptions and stereotypes. “Optical Art is a wonderful way to encourage us to take a second look,” says Meyer. “It’s a metaphor for how I, myself, want to approach and move through the world. I invite you to come along with me and be shaped by discovery!”
Tracey Meyer has always been making things. She started off making beautiful pies in her garden and then when taught how to crochet she made scarves and hats for her whole family. Meyer was immersed in craft, particularly at school and was head of the Pottery Room in year 12. Meyer studied Art History in college and studied art at MFAH’s Glasssell School of Art, where she received her Certificate of Art in Painting and Sculpture. Meyer loves to learn and is constantly taking classes wherever she is. Whether painting or sculpting, Meyer is always working with shapes. She loves creating complex designs from simple forms, and prides herself on her pristine edges and complex colors. Meyer cares deeply for the Earth and its future. Her works usually touch upon social issues that are relevant to our moment: pollution, racism, immigration, and over-population to name a few. Shaped by Discovery is Meyer’s fourth solo show, and her second at Archway Gallery. Her work is also featured in three Public Art projects in Houston, Sugar Land, and Corpus Christi.
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Susan Sheets Myths, Legends, and the Holy Spirit January 7 - February 2, 2023 |
Inspired by myths, legends, and the Holy Spirit, Susan Sheets invites us on a journey of the traditional storytellers of the past, creating a 21st Century view of tradition through her paintings. Encapsulating allusions to historical legends and ancient myths, including Helen of Troy and Lady Godiva, as well as exploring religious tenants from the Bible, her collection is symbolic and vast ranging. By fusing techniques and imagery, she brings to light the importance of the myths, legends, and spiritual beliefs on the human experience. Working with oils on canvas and unique layering techniques, Sheets manipulates the viewer’s perspective, focusing the experience on the illustrated stories presented and the individual’s interpretation of man’s explanation of the world. Her paintings compel individuals to look at their own understanding of the past, meeting them where they are, and taking them on a journey of reflective thought. Sheets turns standard notions of man’s understanding of the world into a uniquely expressive form, reaching beyond the borders of history, beliefs, and religion.
Susan Sheets is a contemporary western artist, known for her dynamic compositions of horses and cattle, as well as the cowboys who ride and herd them on the harsh Texas terrain. She gained her experience through years of working with cattlemen and horsemen across Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico. Her paintings pay homage to the animals necessary to work the land, and the interplay between riders and mounts. Her compositions express the bond between partners, including the trust and respect men and animals have for each other. They press the edges of the canvas, capitalizing on the tension created to bring the viewer into the moment. With her strong sense of texture, contrast, and color, Susan captures the iconic images of Texas. Her paintings are about the power and grace of the contemporary animal within the gritty and earthy essence of Texas.
Sheets holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Houston and a Master of Art Education from Sam Houston State University. In 2003, Sheets attended the Jentel Artist Residency in Sheridan, Wyoming. Her works have been showcased in countless exhibitions, including exhibitions at Philmont Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico, the Butler Longhorn Museum in League City, Texas, and the prestigious American Academy of Equine Art in Lexington, Kentucky.
Susan Sheets is a contemporary western artist, known for her dynamic compositions of horses and cattle, as well as the cowboys who ride and herd them on the harsh Texas terrain. She gained her experience through years of working with cattlemen and horsemen across Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico. Her paintings pay homage to the animals necessary to work the land, and the interplay between riders and mounts. Her compositions express the bond between partners, including the trust and respect men and animals have for each other. They press the edges of the canvas, capitalizing on the tension created to bring the viewer into the moment. With her strong sense of texture, contrast, and color, Susan captures the iconic images of Texas. Her paintings are about the power and grace of the contemporary animal within the gritty and earthy essence of Texas.
Sheets holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Houston and a Master of Art Education from Sam Houston State University. In 2003, Sheets attended the Jentel Artist Residency in Sheridan, Wyoming. Her works have been showcased in countless exhibitions, including exhibitions at Philmont Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico, the Butler Longhorn Museum in League City, Texas, and the prestigious American Academy of Equine Art in Lexington, Kentucky.
In 2008, Sheets was accepted into a six-day national photography seminar concentrating on western equine images at the Heart Six Ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She was juried into the Women Artists of the West 41st Annual National Exhibition. She has also been published in Ex Arte Equines III, International Equine Art Competition 2010. In May 2011, Sheets was a highlighted artist appearing in the “Women Artists of the West” article published in Southwest Art Magazine and Western Art Collector Magazine. Most recently in 2018, she attended a six-day equine art workshop, called Figure of the Horse in Art, with Jill Soukup at Zapata Ranch, Mosca, Colorado.
Sheets invited Inspiration Ranch to be a community partner for this exhibition. Inspiration Ranch exists to strengthen children, youth, and adults striving to overcome their physical, emotional, and social disabilities with therapeutic riding and equine-assisted therapy and activities.
Sheets invited Inspiration Ranch to be a community partner for this exhibition. Inspiration Ranch exists to strengthen children, youth, and adults striving to overcome their physical, emotional, and social disabilities with therapeutic riding and equine-assisted therapy and activities.