Catherine Colangelo
EVERYDAY SORCERY
Cindy Lisica Gallery

November 16, 2018 – January 5, 2019
Opening Reception:
Fri., November 16, 2018 – 6:00 – 8:30pm

Cindy Lisica Gallery presents the newest paintings by the celebrated Houston artist Catherine Colangelo. “Everyday Sorcery” refers to her roles of artist and mother, and this body of work was created during an especially tumultuous time. While the pieces are rich in personal symbolism, the “outsider” may not be privy to the stories behind the images. Colangelo takes us on a powerful visual journey that stems from her own personal relationships. With her son becoming a teenager and “leaving the nest”, the days of being a physical protector to a child are gone. She works through life’s issues with a splendid process resulting in vibrant colors, refined forms,
and careful layering of gouache on muslin. Colangelo’s visual vocabulary includes metaphysical and symbolic images of protection. Familiar to followers of her past work, the all-seeing eyes persist, as well as mazes, masks and veils, which serve to confuse those spirits with bad intent. A further dimension is added with “Mom” rattles, to be shaken in the dark. Strong directional currents merge in estuaries. Heliotropes are bright colored flowers that grow toward light, and, according to the artist: “Paintings reflect unexpected elements and bittersweet emotions. For example, kites are an emblem of childhood potential. Kites can soar high, take unpredictable twists and turns, crash to the ground, or even grow an unexpected number of tails. Life is funny that way.” Intuitively painted with colorful patterns, the work functions as protective talismans and examines the uplifting power of color and the creative process during
emotional periods in our lives.

About the Artist:
After completing her BFA in Painting from The Cooper Union in New York City in 1992, Catherine Colangelo returned to her native Houston. She received Individual Artist Grant Fellowships from the Houston Arts Alliance in 2007 and 2011, was a Hunting Prize finalist in 2010 and 2014, and an Artadia Award finalist in 2017. She was selected by Bill Arning from over 1000 entrants to be included in New American Paintings, No. 102, and appears in the West Issue, No. 126, juried by Claire C. Carter, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Her work has appeared in many museums and galleries, and she has held major local solo exhibitions at Lawndale Art Center, The Jung Center, and Art League Houston. Colangelo’s impressive work is found in significant international private and corporate collections, including the Four Seasons Hotel (Abu Dhabi, UAE), Fidelity Investments (Boston), and Sidley Austin LLP (Houston). She has also been featured in Art in America, Glasstire, Houstonia, Houston Press, Art Houston, Visual Art Source, Voyage Houston, The Austin Chronicle and The Houston Chronicle.

 

Cindy Lisica Gallery
4411 Montrose, Suite F
Houston, TX 77006
cindylisicagallery.com

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Fumi Ishino’s
ROWING A TETRAPOD &
Tarrah Krajnak’s
ORIGIN STORIES
Houston Center for Photography

November 16, 2018 – January 13, 2019

Houston Center for Photography is pleased to present the first solo exhibition of Japanese-born and Los Angeles-based artist, Fumi Ishino, and new work from Peruvian-born and California-based artist, Tarrah Krajnak.

Born in Hyogo, Japan, Ishino moved to the United States as an adolescent and since then has lived in and between both places as a self-described alien and minority. Rowing a Tetrapod reconstructs the artist’s hybrid mental landscape, allowing viewers to experience the waves of disorientation and recognition that a foreigner is faced with as an interlocutor of another culture. Images of orbiting satellites, interiors of spaceships, and affirming messages from astronaut Colonel Wheelock ask us to see as he does—as a curious outsider in both places.

Tarrah Krajnak’s exhibition, Origin Stories, explores her personal relationship to the history of her home-country Peru, her adoptive American family, and her relationship to a largely white, Western history of photography. In 2011, Krajnak returned to her birthplace after 32 years. Not quite an “insider” or “outsider” in either the U.S. or Peru, Krajnak’s work seeks to recreate and remake histories in an effort to find her own place within many disparate and overlapping worlds.

These exhibitions and related programming are generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts with additional support provided by members of our Underwriters Circle:
Dr. Patricia Eifel and Dr. Jim Belli, Bryn Larsen, Celia and Jay Munisteri and Paul Smead.

Tarrah Krajnak’s Origin Stories is underwritten by the Anne Levy Charitable Trust.

 

Houston Center for Photography
1441 W. Alabama Houston
Houston, TX 77006
hcponline.org

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Museum of Fine Arts Houston
HIGHLIGHTS

Saturday, November 24, 2018: 2–2:45 p.m.;
and Thursday, November 29, 2018: 11–11:45 a.m.

With more than 100 galleries and all the frequently changing exhibitions throughout the Museum, it’s almost impossible to see everything in one visit! Join this 45-minute tour that samples the diverse array of art on view at the MFAH today. Each tour includes different works of art, so your experience is always a fresh look at the Museum. Even if this is your first visit, our highlights tours are a wonderful way to get to know the MFAH. Gallery tours are free with Museum admission. On Thursdays, Museum admission is free, courtesy of Shell.

Sunday Garden Photography at Rienzi
(Sunday, November 25, 2018: 1–4:30 p.m.)
On Sunday afternoons, visit the Rienzi gardens and capture their oasis-in-the-city beauty from behind the lens. Snap photos of the colorful flowers, lush green spaces, interesting architectural details, and eclectic mix of statues. Use #rienzigardens to share your pics on social media. Admission to the gardens is free. No professional photography or tripods, please.

Vintage Game Night with ROCO at Rienzi
(Thursday, November 29, 2018: 6–8 p.m.)
On this special evening during the 20th-anniversary year of Rienzi, celebrate the former owners’ legacy with a classic card game! Choose from a variety of games, including bridge—the Mastersons’ favorite! Share conversation and a glass of wine before a performance by ROCO (River Oaks Chamber Orchestra). You can also explore the galleries—including some rooms not usually open to the public—to learn more about the Mastersons and their collection. Tickets ($45) available from ROCO online or by phone.

Museum of Fine Arts Houston
1001 Bissonnet
Houston, TX 77005
mfah.org

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Kermit Oliver &
Hooks-Epstein Galleries
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS TOGETHER

December 1, 2018 – January 12, 2018
Opening Reception:
Sat., December 1, 2018 – 6:00 – 8:00pm

Hooks-Epstein Galleries will present an exhibition of new paintings and drawings by Kermit Oliver.The gallery has been exhibiting Kermit Oliver’s paintings, drawings, hand-colored prints, and even sculpture, for 30 years.  This would not be possible without a love for the art and for Kermit himself.  Kermit Oliver’s masterfully executed paintings and drawings have earned him worldwide recognition as one of the finest contemporary American artists of our time.

Oliver’s work is included in the inaugural exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (Washington, DC), which opened to the public in 2016. Also in 2016, The Nave Museum (Victoria, TX) held a solo exhibition of selected works by Oliver. The Martin Museum of Art at Baylor University (Waco, TX) held an exhibition of his paintings and Hermès scarves in 2014.  In 2013, Oliver received the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the Art League Houston. Oliver’s work was the subject of a lifetime retrospective at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston in 2005. His work was included in the 2001 international SITE SANTA FE biennial (NM), curated by art historian/critic Dave Hickey.

An alumnus of Texas Southern University who was mentored by Professor and muralist, Dr. John Biggers, Oliver was honored in 2016 at the university’s biennial For The Sake of Art gala and runway show. He was the subject of an article in the October 2012 issue of Texas Monthly, titled Portrait of the Artist as a Postman: The strange and secret world of Kermit Oliver. He was also featured in an NPR news segment, How A Texas Postman Became An Hermès Designer. Oliver holds the distinction of being the only American artist to create scarf designs for the French fashion house of Hermès.

In addition, Kermit Oliver, a student of Greek and Roman mythology and of the Old and New Testaments, derives extensive symbolism from these texts, which he presents in his work in a contemporary and highly personal way. His paintings show the honesty and integrity of a talented and dedicated artist. His works have a sense of spirit and mystery that reflect his unique and personal vision.

Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM and by appointment.

For further information, please contact Geri Hooks, Yvonne M. Garcia, or Jayni Karsan.

 

Hooks-Epstein Gallery
2631 Colquitt
Houston, TX 77098
hooksepsteingalleries.com