Houston Fine Arts Scene 0513
Installation at Lawndale
5 Photos in This Gallery
Numbers 1, 3 and 4 in the gallery were at 4411 Montrose. Reyna was at the opening of her show at Wade Wilson Fine Art. Her work is currently showing there. Adela Andea’s work is now on exhibit at Art League Houston on Montrose.
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- Stylish Girl in a Paint Box
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- Installation at Lawndale
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- Selling Art at Anya Tish Gallery
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- Artist Reyna Foster
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- Installation by Adela Andea
Crystal Singing Bowl Healing
Crystal Singing Bowl
5 Photos in This Gallery
Crystal Bowl Sound Healing is based on the Tibetan belief that everything in the world is made of energy. Our bodies contain energy in the form of vibrating atoms. These vibrations can be disrupted by injury, disease, poor diet and other nasty things. Sounds made by a crystal bowl restore natural healthy vibrations. Different sized bowls are intended to vibrate at frequencies appropriate to each of the seven chakras. This group meets at a time observed around the world simultaneously. Music is created by rubbing the bowl with a rubber mallet. The leader of the group also played the flute. I captured their ceremony on an afternoon in Menil Park, just a few yards away from the famous Rothko Chapel. The temperature was around 90F/32C, but it was comfortable in the shade with a light breeze blowing. My headache cleared as the music began.
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- Getting Ready
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- Playing the Flute
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- Getting Going
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- A Healing Music Group
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- Crystal Singing Bowl
Houston Art Car Parade 2013 Part 3
Petrified Ducks
This is the final installment of the Houston Art Car Parade photos for this year. More girls in costumes for your enjoyment.
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- Wonder Woman
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- Burlesque Performer Kiki
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- Girls Who Play Horns
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- Pinhole Camera Girl
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- Petrified Ducks
Houston Art Car Parade 2013 Part 2
Grannie’s Pickup
Costumes have become a big part of the art car parade so here are a few more people in costume. The man with the flags keeps them outside his home in the nearby Houston Heights. It seems like I get hazed by those who hate the USA every time I publish a shot of his house.
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- Animal Bike Girl
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- Eve on Skates
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- Busy Bee Girl
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- Smoking Hot Girl
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- Five Roller Derby Girls
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- Grannie’s Pickup
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- A Patriot
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- Sacrament of the Bananas
Houston Art Car Parade 2013 Part 1
Allen Parkway
Somehow Houston lucked out and had no rain this afternoon so the parade could go on as planned. As usual there were scores of unconventional people, hundreds of decorated cars, and thousands of spectators. I wanted to post some right away so here are the first 5. More to come.
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- Tiger Girls
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- Flower Girls
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- Purple Lady
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- Skulls and Snails
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- Allen Parkway
Japan Festival and Others in Black and White
Photography Lesson
This blog has almost 1,000,000 views. Check on the “About|Widgets” page. Help push me over the top today. The first three photos were taken at the Houston Japan Festival, the final two at Reality Klash on North Main.
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- Asahi Girls
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- Girl in Ripped Denims
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- Chef at Work
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- Custom Harley Sportster
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- Photography Lesson
Houston Japan Festival
Yellow, Blue and Red at Lunch
The Houston Japan festival is open this weekend and admission is free. If you want to eat they sell coupons which must be exchanged for overpriced festival food after waiting on long lines. I have not decided if I am going back over there today even though it isn’t far away.
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- Asahi Beer Girls
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- Girl With Chips
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- Cosplay Red Wig
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- Chow Line
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- Yellow, Blue and Red at Lunch
Houston Fine Arts Scene 0413
Viewing a Masterpiece
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- Girl With Tattoos in a Corsett
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- Hot Pink Conversation
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- Girl in a Blue Dress
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- Viewing a Masterpiece
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- Man in a Studio
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- Vacant Lot on Spring Street
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- Art Interns at Isabella Court
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- Conversation in a Dark Room
Last night the Winter and Spring Street studios had an open house. There are 90 artist’s studios at Winter Street and about 40 at Spring Street. Both buildings were converted from industrial use. Having a large number of artist’s studios close together creates a critical mass allowing such events. The last two photos are from a week ago at Isabella Court and nearby Diverse Works.
Houston Lamborghini Festival
Beyond Their Reach
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- Blond Model and Lamborghini
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- Girls at the Festival
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- Models Shoot Each Other
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- Four Models
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- Beyond Their Reach
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- Self Portrait in Blue
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- Getting a Shot
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- The Game Belongs to Me
In conjunction with a charitable benefit, 50 Lamborghini supercars were displayed at City Center. There were a few models around. The blond was not working for me, the shot is a grab. She had trouble keeping her eyes open in the bright light. I am not sure about the black lines on her dress either. Be careful if you visit City Center. Parking is scarce. If you park next door at Town and Country you will be towed. It has happened to two people I know.
The funny thing about these cars is I could get across town faster in a pickup truck, and much faster on a 650 cc single cylinder motorcycle. The truck can go over curbs, and if you tailgate other drivers will get out of your way. They do it to me all the time. That is how I know. Pickups attract no attention around here. Cops will pull over fancy cars just because they are bored. The bike can go between lanes, so it is fastest.
Photographers, it is impossible to do meaningful automotive photography at an event like this. Use the cars as a background or prop and make people the subject.
Houston Fine Arts Scene 0313
Deep Eddy Girl
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- Deep Eddy Girl
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- Artist Susannah Mira
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- Artist Tarina Frank
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- Buzz Cut Art Loving Girls
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- Performance Art in Dresses
These photos were taken in mid March, 2013 during a city wide ceramics show in Houston. Susannah Mira creates works from repetitive small cast off industrial items. Tarina Frank specializes in wearable art. Both are artists in residence at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. The Buzz Cut girls were viewing ceramic craft art there. Women in matching dresses were burying broken china tea cups in a performance art event that was taking place next door at Lawndale. The Deep Eddy Girl was down the block at War’Hous.
Familiar Places
Green Inversion
Possum were doing their thing in my garden. Epic Fail happened when a crew from the light company showed up to replace a pole and immediately drilled into a water main. All remaining photos were shot in Hermann Park.
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- Possum Mating
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- Epic Fail
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- Portrait by the Fountain
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- Plein Air Painter
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- Green Inversion
Lawndale and Others
Bayou Sunset
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- Dandy and Friends
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- Stairwell Installation
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- Orange Sweater
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- Under the Hood
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- Wearing the Green
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- Bayou Sunset
The photos were taken at Lawndale Art Center, the OHH car show and on St. Patrick’s day in March, 2013.
About a month ago I passed 1,000 followers. It is up to 1,300 now. I need another 45,000 views to reach my goal of 1,000,000 hits. Please help by clicking on the small images and viewing them large size on the carousel. You can check these stats at the bottom of the “About” page where all the usual widgets are located.
Anthony Palasota 1947-2013
Anthony Palasota
Anthony was a friend of mine who passed away on February 24th. He was a professor at Thurgood Marshall School of Law and an avid supporter of the arts in Houston. Mostly, I would see him at art gallery openings, and took this portrait at one such event for him to use on Facebook as his profile picture.
Houston Fine Arts Scene 0213
Six Girls at Bluefish House
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- Six Girls at Bluefish House
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- Girl in Shorts
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- Texas Blues
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- Joana Estevez
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- At Mixed Emotions
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- Bearded Art Lover
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- Associate at War’Hous
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- Stephanie and Dandee
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- Viewing Op Art
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- Pair at Fotofest
It’s been a while since I have been to an art event which produced decent photos, but this weekend yielded some good ones. These were captured at War’Haus, JoMar Visions, Fotofest headquarters, Mixed Emotions, G Gallery in the Houston Heights and the Bluefish House restaurant which is surrounded by art galleries. Although the lead image is color, I do have a few black and white photos in the gallery.
Saturday Afternoon Art Events
Kissing Booth Girl
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- Coffee Vendor With Tattoos
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- Artist April Murphy
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- Artists Alexandra Sivov and Kelyne Reis (seated)
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- Jewelry Maker Robin Silvers
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- Burlesque Producer Amberry Jam
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- Kissing Booth Girl
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- Sultry Mermaid
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- Kissing Booth Girl 2
Because it is so close to Christmas many of the Houston art galleries had an open house on Saturday afternoon instead of in the evening as they usually do. The first four images were captured at the Hardy Nance Studios in the warehouse district North of downtown Houston. April Murphy is shown in front of her whimsical pet paintings. Please like her page “AEM Gallery” on facebook. April says her work is all about happiness. Later there was a performance art show at Lawndale Art Center. Amberry Jam produces and performs in burlesque shows. One of her recent productions is Kiki’s Sordid Sideshow. She is usually in character. You can find many images of her in costume on flickr. Our mermaid was cooling off in a tub of water because it was 80F on this warm December afternoon in the South. The lovely kissing booth girl was fun to chat with, but I did not take her up on the kiss, which would be scored. (First four, D800, Nikon 28mm f/1.8, next four Nikon 50mm f/1.4)
Red Bluff’s Birthday Party
Red Bluff is a white rabbit who is the beloved pet of dancer and event producer Y.E. Torres, AKA MS. Yet. Ms. Yet is a belly dancer who became interested in visual arts and produced a series of works depicting amorphous looking characters in black and white. This year she combined the works on paper in an installation with dance and and others acting as the characters she created including the Bad Unicorn and the Evil Bunny Rabbit. Ms. Yet is also known for the dramatic pterodactyl tattoos on her back. This event celebrated Red Bluff’s birthday.
Artcrawl Houston 2012
Four on an Artcrawl
Artcrawl is an annual event that takes place in November, usually on the same weekend as Via Colori. It is an early Christmas shopping opportunity for collectors. The Artcrawl is n the area of Nance Street in the warehouse district North of downtown Houston, Texas. It stretches from the docks North of I-10 where Diverse Works used to be housed to the Hardy Nance Studios where over 50 artists are located. This area used to be dodgy, but has become gentrified with the addition of artists studios, art galleries and condominiums. My two favorite venues here are Mother Dog Studios and the Hardy Nance Studios. Those are where I spent most of my time.
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- Silk Suspension Artist 1
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- Silk Suspension Artist 2
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- Secret Desire
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- Lovely Print Shorts
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- Artist Lacey Crawford
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- Four on an Artcrawl
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- Two Artists Showing at Jomar
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- DoctorZ’s Fave Model
Via Colori Houston 2012
Via Colori is an event where artists draw pastel images on the street. It is really for the young as working on one’s hands and knees is rough on the body. This took place in downtown Houston in the area surrounding City Hall. Artists work from an exiting image and often use a grid to enlarge it. There are entry fees and the sponsor’s name is drawn at the top of the large scale pastel image. I met two invited guest artists who have won first prize at other Via Colori festivals, one from California, the other from Virginia. Food stands are set up in the park fronting City Hall and I bought a delicious, but slightly pricey at $6, hot dog. The makers claim it was voted the best in the city. Everyone was blessed with dry, sunny weather and mild temperatures. That is our fall here, and it does not last long.
Houston Ferrari Festival
But Officer, I Was Only Going…
Each November this event is held in the upscale Highland Village shopping center on Westheimer Avenue in Houston, Texas, on the edge of River Oaks, the most expensive neighborhood in the city. Most of the cars are privately owned although the Ferrari racing support van and some very exotic race cars were present. Also there were Houston Artists, Elina Htun and Renea Menzies. Elina is heavily involved in promoting the Austin Grand Prix to be held soon. Renea is a former model who changes her pose with every click of the shutter. Laura Rathe owns a wonderful art gallery on Colquitt Street in Houston. Local restaurants were giving out lite bites and nearby jewelry store had free champagne. Ferrari’s parent Fiat had a pair of souped up Fiat 500′s on display. The event was well attended and the entire area was very congested.
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- Ferrari Girl With Sweets
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- Houston Artist Elina Htun
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- Nikon Girl in Blue
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- But Officer, I Was Only Going…
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- Ferrari Engine Check
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- Houston Artist Renea Menzies
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- Laura Rathe and Friend
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- Some Cars Draw A Crowd
Houston Fine Arts Scene 1112
Bayou Sunset
The first four images in the gallery are from War’Hous Visual Studios, an art gallery owned by artist Dandy Warhol. It’s located at 4715 Main right off the US 59 Main Street exit while headed East. The show featured works from several emerging photographers and many pieces were fine art nudes. Prices were accessible with most works being under $200.
Just a few blocks away from War’Hous is the new home of Diverse Works, a non profit dedicated to supporting the arts. This installation was produced by Franklin Evans.
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- Slender Blond Girl
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- Hoodie Girl
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- Deep Eddy Bar
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- Artist Stephanie Gonzales
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- Franklin Evans Installation
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- Bayou Sunset
Art in Houston, November 2012
Installation by Adela Andea
The four indoor images were shot at an opening for Latin American artist Gabriel de la Mora at Sicardi Gallery in Houston. It was my first visit to Sicardi’s new and spacious building across the street from the Houston Center for Photography. Sicardi specializes in the work of Latin American artists. I thought the associate’s red outfit was quite theatrical. The two Venezuealan girls were fans of the artist and explained one of his works to me that was constructed out of thousands of layers of paint. Because the show included a light sculpture, it reminded me that I wanted to photograph Adela Andea’s outdoor installation at the Art League of Houston, so I drove a few blocks to get there and made the capture. The final image is from the Winter Street Studios open house, the next day.
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- Associate at Sicardi in Red
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- Venezuelan Latinas
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- The Art Lesson
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- Self Portrait 1506
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- Installation by Adela Andea
Houston Fine Arts Scene 0912
Tattooed Girls, Plastic Tent
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- Claudia in Shorts
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- Tattooed Girls, Plastic Tent
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- Girl , Tattoo on Shulder
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- Ladies and the Masks
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- Two Girls at M Squared
The weekend saw the first set of major art gallery openings following our usually uncomfortable summers. At the Colquitt street art walk I photographed one of my favorite models, Claudia. She was dressed as usual in knockout heels. The next two images are from Deborah Colton Gallery which showed a series of installations featuring inexpensive plastic objects. In the background is a tent made from clear plastic with many of these objects incorporated into a quilt. One could say it was right out of Family Dollar Store. The final two were shot at M Squared Gallery in the Houston Heights.
Houston Fine Arts Scene 0812
Liliana and Her Nikon
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- Liliana and Her Nikon
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- Vanessa Riley
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- Well Inked and Loved
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- Living Stereo
Dan Allison, Vanessa Riley and Carolyn Farb recently put on a show of previously unpublished images by British Photographer Derek Riley. Liliana was there taking pictures. This photo was previously shown in color, but converted to B&W recently. Living Stereo is an outdoor mural at Lawndale Art Center and is a collaboration by six Houston artists. The photo of the couple with tattoos was taken at Lawndale as well.
Yet’s Rabbits and Unicorns
This engaging performance installation was created by the collaboration of Lisa Chow and Ms. Yet (Y.E. Torres) in Houston. When I arrived Lisa Chow greeted me and said, this is Yet’s world. Indeed, for Yet, this was a dream come true. It was lush space populated with fantasy characters, bad unicorns, bad rabbits, and real rabbits. There are two other posts on my blog with the same actors and characters. Yet is an accomplished belly dancer. Lisa Chow is an artist. Jo Bird is a professional musician who plays the viola. Jessie is Yet’s long time dance performance partner. This performance took place in August, 2012. Several of these photos received new post processing in December, 2012, mainly to correct white balance problems. A few are new.
