Archway Gallery Upcoming Exhibition Calendar
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January 3 - February 5, 2026 Weather Inside Out New Photographs Featuring Original Sculpture, Informed by AI by June Woest Opening Reception Saturday, January 3, 5 - 8 p.m. Artist's Talk at 6:30 p.m. Complimentary Valet Parking and Light Refreshments |
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Weather Inside Out explores Woest’s experiences with the unpredictable nature of the weather by challenging the notion that we are helpless against it. Her works are an invitation to embrace change and find comfort in the unpredictable. Woest begins each work with a clay sculpture, created from a plaster mold, which she describes as an “act of intentional repetition that offers a sense of control and predictability.” Then she documents these objects using photography, focusing on their form and the nuances of light and shadow, before handing over the work to AI with a single evocative command: “Fix the weather.”
Woest’s final prints capture the intersection between solid, tangible objects and ethereal, digitally altered environments, “a space,” she says, “where we can hope to manipulate our circumstances for the better—not to gain power but to simply move with more freedom and purpose.” For Woest, clay and AI are metaphors for human resilience and adaptibility, a playful nod to a deeply human desire for control over our surroundings and lives—and the internal, emotional “weather” we navigate.
With more than five decades of experience, Woest’s work has explored artistic expression through a wide range of media, including ceramics, printmaking, photography, and installation. During her long tenure at Houston City College, which included roles as faculty artist, curator, and program initiator, she developed an artist residency program and the art installation venue, “Wedge Space.” She is the founder of Houston’s Village Clayworks and Urban Artists’ Studio and a founding member of the artist collective Municipal Dirt.
Woest holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Houston. She has a rich exhibition history, with recent shows including a 2023 solo exhibition, Those Prepared for the Weather Are Those that Get to Go, and a 2024 juried award at the Art of the Future exhibition. Her work, which often incorporates collaborative and participatory elements, has been featured in exhibitions across the US and in residencies in China and Italy.
Woest’s final prints capture the intersection between solid, tangible objects and ethereal, digitally altered environments, “a space,” she says, “where we can hope to manipulate our circumstances for the better—not to gain power but to simply move with more freedom and purpose.” For Woest, clay and AI are metaphors for human resilience and adaptibility, a playful nod to a deeply human desire for control over our surroundings and lives—and the internal, emotional “weather” we navigate.
With more than five decades of experience, Woest’s work has explored artistic expression through a wide range of media, including ceramics, printmaking, photography, and installation. During her long tenure at Houston City College, which included roles as faculty artist, curator, and program initiator, she developed an artist residency program and the art installation venue, “Wedge Space.” She is the founder of Houston’s Village Clayworks and Urban Artists’ Studio and a founding member of the artist collective Municipal Dirt.
Woest holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Houston. She has a rich exhibition history, with recent shows including a 2023 solo exhibition, Those Prepared for the Weather Are Those that Get to Go, and a 2024 juried award at the Art of the Future exhibition. Her work, which often incorporates collaborative and participatory elements, has been featured in exhibitions across the US and in residencies in China and Italy.
JANUARY 2026 EXHIBITION EVENTS
January 3 (Sat) |
Opening Reception (5 - 8 pm) and Artist's Talk (6:30 pm) |
January 4 (Sun) |
Figure Drawing at Archway (10 am - 12:30 pm) |
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February 7 - March 5, 2026 Just Wood - Mostly New Furniture, Clocks, and Sundry Surprises-- Created in Wood—Mostly By Robert L. Straight and Guest Artist Tom Wells Opening Reception Saturday, February 7, 5 - 8 p.m. Artists' Talk at 6:30 p.m. Complimentary Valet Parking and Light Refreshments |
Just Wood—Mostly features works in wood that take Robert Straight’s whimsical streak to its highest level yet. “I’ve let my creative juices flow in all directions,” comments the artist. An example he cites is a to-scale midget race car made completely out of wood. “I’ve also turned into a time machine,” Straight says with a twinkle in his eye. What he means is he has fashioned many clocks for the show—each distinctly different. He had the “chime” of his life creating every one! Other works include body parts in full round to hang on the wall—and many other whimsical and utilitarian surprises. Straight is joined by well-known Houston furniture-maker, Tom Wells. Wells is respected especially for his fine cabinet work.
Native Houstonian Robert L. Straight has spent most of his life creating some form of art. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Houston Christian University (formerly Houston Baptist University) and has attended many workshops at various art schools over the years. Before becoming a full-time artist, he worked 10 years in the business world. He has been an Archway Gallery artist-member since 2019.
After retirement, former chemical engineer Tom Wells turned his garage into a woodworking shop and started making furniture. After filling his home with his distinctive creations, Wells started doing pieces on commission. Since 2007, he has made more than one hundred and fifty pieces of furniture, first for friends then for a larger client base. Referrals and expanding opportunities led him to pursue new ideas and learn new techniques. With the mind of an engineer and the soul of an artist, Tom continues to design and build unique furniture.
Native Houstonian Robert L. Straight has spent most of his life creating some form of art. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Houston Christian University (formerly Houston Baptist University) and has attended many workshops at various art schools over the years. Before becoming a full-time artist, he worked 10 years in the business world. He has been an Archway Gallery artist-member since 2019.
After retirement, former chemical engineer Tom Wells turned his garage into a woodworking shop and started making furniture. After filling his home with his distinctive creations, Wells started doing pieces on commission. Since 2007, he has made more than one hundred and fifty pieces of furniture, first for friends then for a larger client base. Referrals and expanding opportunities led him to pursue new ideas and learn new techniques. With the mind of an engineer and the soul of an artist, Tom continues to design and build unique furniture.
FEBRUARY 2026 EXHIBITION EVENTS
February 7 (Sat) |
Opening Reception (5 - 8 pm) and Artists' Talk (6:30 pm) |
February 1 (Sun) |
Allegra Lilly Harp Recital (6 - 8 pm) |
FUTURE FEATURED ARTIST EXHIBITIONS
March 2026 |
Carol Berger and Isabelle Perreau |
April 2026 |
Archway Gallery 50th Anniversary Exhibition |
May 2026 |
Silvia PintoSouza |
June 2026 |
Print Show in Collaboration with Print Houston |
July 2026 |
Archway Gallery's 18th Annual Juried Exhibition |
August 2026 |
Lisette McClung |