Archway Gallery Exhibitions - 2024
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John Slaby ADAM and EVE and the iPHONE September 7 - October 3, 2024 |
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In this new exhibition, John Slaby presents an eclectic collection of paintings created over the last three years with works addressing the effects of the ubiquitous smartphone on the culture, as well as re-imagining cultural myths in contemporary environs. This show follows two successful shows: The Male Gaze of 2018 and Solipsism in 2021, both of which sold out. As before, half the sales from this show were donated to charity.
Included in the exhibition were Phone Prison, which shows the artist imprisoned in his phone with emotions mixed in with app names; Alterpiece referencing Medieval works which depict prelapsarian Adam and Eve on the exterior, revealing modern-day manifestations on the interior; The Serpent, depicting contemporary temptations and their consequences; Adam trans Eve, addressing issues of gender; and Holbein Self-Portrait, referencing art history. Also featured in this exhibition was an ensemble of 100 small phone paintings on wood entitled Through the Phone. The variety of images encompasses a range of human experiences and is the most ambitious single project undertaken by the artist.
All of the work in this exhibition was offered in a silent auction. John Slaby donated 50% of the sale proceeds to mental health charities. A similar process was used during his last two shows which raised over $25,000 for charities focused on women and children in need, mental health and healthcare for the homeless.
Included in the exhibition were Phone Prison, which shows the artist imprisoned in his phone with emotions mixed in with app names; Alterpiece referencing Medieval works which depict prelapsarian Adam and Eve on the exterior, revealing modern-day manifestations on the interior; The Serpent, depicting contemporary temptations and their consequences; Adam trans Eve, addressing issues of gender; and Holbein Self-Portrait, referencing art history. Also featured in this exhibition was an ensemble of 100 small phone paintings on wood entitled Through the Phone. The variety of images encompasses a range of human experiences and is the most ambitious single project undertaken by the artist.
All of the work in this exhibition was offered in a silent auction. John Slaby donated 50% of the sale proceeds to mental health charities. A similar process was used during his last two shows which raised over $25,000 for charities focused on women and children in need, mental health and healthcare for the homeless.
About John Slaby: John Slaby’s paintings are noted for their highly creative nature and detailed realism. His art often focuses on the human condition, the shared experience of life and the connection created between the art, the artist and the viewer. John Slaby was born and raised in New York City and has been a resident of the Houston area for over 35 years. He has been pursuing his art seriously since his first outdoor show in 1989 at the then-called Westheimer Art Festival. Slaby has had numerous gallery shows in the Houston area and has received awards in many juried exhibitions. He joined Archway Gallery in 1993 and is one of the longest-serving members. He served as Director for several years and is currently the Treasurer. In recent years, John has been instrumental in promoting the gallery as a free space for local music groups such as WindSync, Kinetic Ensemble, Carya String Quartet, Rice Jazz Ensemble and Opus 4, among many others.
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Drawn from Life An Invitational Group Exhibition August 3 - September 5, 2024 |
Since 2014, area artists have supported a life drawing program at Archway Gallery. Each week professional, mid-career, and fledgling artists draw together in the Gallery, employing the time-honored tradition of learning from the human form. Artists choose to work from short poses in the front gallery or one-hour poses in a separate area. These independent study sessions allow artists to supplement their creative work and education with figure drawing practice, engendering a flow of ideas, information, and inspiration in an art-filled environment. Participants are a mix of professionals in all fields, students, retirees, and full-time artists. No membership is required, and costs are moderated to enable frequent visits. Originally scheduled only once a month, the life drawing sessions have grown in popularity and now occur every Sunday morning from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Gallery opens for business at 1:00 p.m. The exhibition DRAWN FROM LIFE featured works created in or inspired by these weekly sessions. It was curated by a team of Archway artists including Trudy Askew, Cecilia Villanueva, and Maryam Lavaf.
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Ink & Image 2024 Featuring Printmaking by Archway Artists Davis, Perkins, Riccetti, Slaby, Spencer, Straight, and Wells Guest Artists: Mary Lee Gray and Liv Johnson June 1 - 30, 2024 |
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Archway Gallery is pleased to be an exhibitor as part of PrintHouston 2024, a citywide celebration of printmaking. This exhibition features seven Archway Gallery printmakers: Blaine Davis, donna e perkins, Shirl Riccetti, John Slaby, Liz Conces Spencer, Robert L. Straight, and Cookie Wells. Archway is also fortunate to have two participating guest artists, Mary Lee Gray – a former Archway member; and Liv Johnson – printmaking instructor at the Glassell School of Art.
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Joe Haden Pretty Dangerous: Blacksmithing Steel with Sex Appeal May 4 - 30, 2024 |
Pretty Dangerous… both words describe Joe Haden’s latest body of work. To Haden, sculpting freely means to create without favoring just one sense. It is not about one specific thing alone, but the entire experience of taking an idea to fruition with fire as his most valuable tool. Each factor excites him as he creates with an intuitive process.
Haden’s latest metal work starts with a single idea and a few pieces of steel, along with a great appreciation of fire. Through his love of the blacksmithing process, he is able to create striking metal art which often has the illusion of being soft; a wonderful contradiction in his work… softness made from one of the world’s hardest materials.
Haden’s latest metal work starts with a single idea and a few pieces of steel, along with a great appreciation of fire. Through his love of the blacksmithing process, he is able to create striking metal art which often has the illusion of being soft; a wonderful contradiction in his work… softness made from one of the world’s hardest materials.
Pablo Picasso famously said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up,” and this thought resonates with Joe Haden. After chasing artistic freedom for decades, he now creates intuitively as he did in childhood. His sculptures evolve as he creates abstract work, while figurative sculptures of females include a mixture of organic twists and bends with a horticultural feeling.
Through the teachings of his mentor Mik Miano, Haden’s love of metal began 15 years ago. The phrase, “making pretty” truly does illustrate Haden’s love for steel and it shows in his current work. While his artistic process is the epitome of controlled danger, his studio is filled with music and incense as he rhythmically hammers on the anvil.
Through the teachings of his mentor Mik Miano, Haden’s love of metal began 15 years ago. The phrase, “making pretty” truly does illustrate Haden’s love for steel and it shows in his current work. While his artistic process is the epitome of controlled danger, his studio is filled with music and incense as he rhythmically hammers on the anvil.
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Joan Laughlin and Liz Spencer Metamorphosis April 6 - May 2, 2024 |
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In this exhibition, the artists’ observations of and reactions to the constancy of change in the natural world are interpreted in paintings, drawings, mosaics, and sculpture.
Joan Laughlin is inspired by daily walks through the Heights area, observing ever-evolving gardens and foliage with seasonal change. This practice has become a metaphor for her reflections about the nature of life in general and her conclusion that “the only constant in life is change.” Her intricate works are meditative studies on the present, which is fleeting and transitional.
The works of Liz Conces Spencer are also rooted in the natural environment, but from a perspective that vibrates with interpretive patterning and color. Current works are mosaics, glass, wood, and paint in compositions that unveil layers of being in stages of time, or as she has described the revelation, “the aching mystery of infinite change."
Joan Laughlin has been a member of Archway Gallery since 2019. She has been involved in Houston arts for about 30 years and has done everything from working as a gallery assistant and museum registrar to teaching studio art and art history to college students to now showing and selling her work at Archway Gallery. She has had three solo exhibits, has been included in numerous group exhibitions, and was a Hunting Art Prize Finalist three times. For more information about Joan, go to https://www.archwaygallery.com/joan-laughlin.html.
Liz Conces Spencer joined Archway Gallery in 2005. As a 1975 graduate of the University of St. Thomas’ art department, she was intrigued by the visual tangle of existence and began what would become a lifetime study of figures and patterned landscapes. Liz is a teaching artist for Young Audiences of Houston, manages the Life Drawing program at Archway, and is co-chair of the annual Juried Exhibition which opens the gallery walls to area artists. View her full bio and CV at ww.lizconces.com.
Joan Laughlin is inspired by daily walks through the Heights area, observing ever-evolving gardens and foliage with seasonal change. This practice has become a metaphor for her reflections about the nature of life in general and her conclusion that “the only constant in life is change.” Her intricate works are meditative studies on the present, which is fleeting and transitional.
The works of Liz Conces Spencer are also rooted in the natural environment, but from a perspective that vibrates with interpretive patterning and color. Current works are mosaics, glass, wood, and paint in compositions that unveil layers of being in stages of time, or as she has described the revelation, “the aching mystery of infinite change."
Joan Laughlin has been a member of Archway Gallery since 2019. She has been involved in Houston arts for about 30 years and has done everything from working as a gallery assistant and museum registrar to teaching studio art and art history to college students to now showing and selling her work at Archway Gallery. She has had three solo exhibits, has been included in numerous group exhibitions, and was a Hunting Art Prize Finalist three times. For more information about Joan, go to https://www.archwaygallery.com/joan-laughlin.html.
Liz Conces Spencer joined Archway Gallery in 2005. As a 1975 graduate of the University of St. Thomas’ art department, she was intrigued by the visual tangle of existence and began what would become a lifetime study of figures and patterned landscapes. Liz is a teaching artist for Young Audiences of Houston, manages the Life Drawing program at Archway, and is co-chair of the annual Juried Exhibition which opens the gallery walls to area artists. View her full bio and CV at ww.lizconces.com.
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Isabelle Perreau Rendez-vous a Paris! March 2 - April 4, 2024 |
Photographer Isabelle Perreau’s new exhibition is a lover’s hand extended to the viewer in an invitation to take a carefree, romantic stroll through the picturesque Paris of tourists, lovers, and revelers from all over the world. “Let's stroll along the bustling boulevards and climb up the steep narrow streets to Butte Montmartre,” she entreats. “Then we’ll get lost in the intimate maze of Le Marais. Let's blend into the Parisian crowd, admire all the prestigious monuments, then go sip a glass of Chardonnay on the terrace of the Café de Flore.”
“Then let's just walk around to find the well-hidden gems off the beaten track. And breathing in the exciting air of old Paname, we'll remember Victor Hugo and Sarah Bernhardt and Jean-Paul Sartre, and the many other luminaries of the Ville Lumière. We'll go sing on the Champs Elysées, and dance on the Left Bank! We'll have so much fun and take many selfies together, and then stop for a delicious bite at sweet Angélina's Salon de Thé. And of course, we'll make love, and when we fall asleep, we'll be exhausted, but there will be so many stars still in our eyes! And then, tomorrow we’ll start for even more adventures throughout the magic city….”
“Then let's just walk around to find the well-hidden gems off the beaten track. And breathing in the exciting air of old Paname, we'll remember Victor Hugo and Sarah Bernhardt and Jean-Paul Sartre, and the many other luminaries of the Ville Lumière. We'll go sing on the Champs Elysées, and dance on the Left Bank! We'll have so much fun and take many selfies together, and then stop for a delicious bite at sweet Angélina's Salon de Thé. And of course, we'll make love, and when we fall asleep, we'll be exhausted, but there will be so many stars still in our eyes! And then, tomorrow we’ll start for even more adventures throughout the magic city….”
Isabelle Perreau was born in Angers, in the Loire Valley, France. She studied philosophy in Paris and earned a Master’s degree with honors. In Caracas, Venezuela, where she followed her diplomat husband, she began a new career as a psychoanalyst à l’Ecole du Champ Freudien de J. Lacan. She also worked at the Alliance Française. It is only since moving to Texas 20 years ago that photography became her chosen mode of expression. Her camera has become her companion on innumerable travels across the planet. She had a solo exhibition (2015) and a group exhibition (2017 ) at the Alliance Française. This is her fourth exhibition at Archway Gallery, where she has been a member since 2017. All exhibitions have been part of FotoFest.
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Maryam Lavaf Persian Garden February 3 - 29, 2024 |
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Maryam Lavaf’s artwork is considered a reflection of her insight and perception of nature’s essence. Rather than painting details, in this current body of work, the artist symbolically creates an abstracted conception of nature encouraging viewers to connect while feeling the sense of nature within themselves. Lavaf believes that the beauty and majesty of nature is a natural healer, and that each of us has the ability to tap into this resource.
For generations, the Persian garden has been a landscape garden designed individually and created intentionally as a space embedded in the aesthetic and spiritual context of its past, as well as its contemporary, cultural, political, and social environment. These gardens typically feature streams, pathways, ponds, fountains, and usually a central pavilion. The beauty of these gardens with their surrounding walls deeply impressed writers who often mentioned their resemblance to Paradise on Earth when referencing Persian gardens in ancient manuscripts.
For generations, the Persian garden has been a landscape garden designed individually and created intentionally as a space embedded in the aesthetic and spiritual context of its past, as well as its contemporary, cultural, political, and social environment. These gardens typically feature streams, pathways, ponds, fountains, and usually a central pavilion. The beauty of these gardens with their surrounding walls deeply impressed writers who often mentioned their resemblance to Paradise on Earth when referencing Persian gardens in ancient manuscripts.
Lavaf takes her inspiration from these beautiful gardens and, using her own dynamic process, she works intuitively on several pieces simultaneously to create a dialogue between the works. By moving from one piece to another, she can develop ideas and push boundaries. She begins each piece with a simple line drawing then adds layers and layers of paint. The resulting paintings and sculptures explore concepts of nature, at the edge of abstraction.
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Mohammad Ali Bhatti Inward Journey January 6 - February 1, 2024 |
Mohammad Ali Bhatti’s work is expressive, energetic, and bold. This exhibition features abstract paintings, which were created over the period of one year in 2023. Bhatti begins a painting with random mark making and ambiguous shapes to create a kind of rough structure. This process continues until connections between the smaller and larger shapes are made. Bhatti refers to this intuitive process as the “inward journey” of creativity. “I allow myself to play with layers of color and bold brush strokes, creating textures, unstructured shapes, and ambiguously suggested numbers and letters,” Bhatti explains. “The process results in the appearance and disappearance of elements floating in neutral space and generates a sense of movement and energy. Bhatti invites the viewer to participate in this complex visual world aesthetically, emotionally, and intellectually.
Bhatti’s ultimate artistic goal is to offer the viewer something interesting – something visually complex that captures the attention and invites the viewer to take his/her own inward journey. “I strive for an aesthetic that encourages open-mindedness while harnessing positive energy and the power of imagination,” he says.
Dr. Mohammad Ali Bhatti is a well-known contemporary expressionist painter. He concentrates on themes such as mysticism and socio-political issues. Born and raised in Pakistan, Bhatti attended local art institutions in his youth, and subsequently traveled to the United States where he earned an MFA from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Arts from Ohio University, Athens. For the last 35 years, he has painted and exhibited around the world, including 35 solo exhibitions.
The synthesis of his aesthetic sensibility and technical versatility allows him to explore the interplay of exotic forms and shapes with freedom. His distinctive style, conceptual subjects, and spontaneity are instantly recognizable to collectors in the United States, as well as abroad, who value and prize his work. The visual interest in his paintings is heightened by multiple layers of acrylic, oil, resins, spray paint, randomly torn magazine and book pages, design patterns, and calligraphic elements which help him to create rich imagery. He utilizes intense and vibrant colors applied with bold brush strokes that enable him to generate enormous energy and excitement on canvases.
Bhatti lives in Houston, Texas and is associated with the artist-owned Archway Gallery in Houston and the Watercolor Art Society of Houston. He also teaches a variety of art classes, using a combination of demonstration with hands-on instruction, and has a large committed following of stuents. Visit his website: www.artistbhatti.com