The Denison Performing Arts organization hosted Young at Heart, its annual youth art show for Denison area students at Chase Bank. The show featured more than one thousand pieces of art by children from kindergarten through twelfth grade. When asked about the DPA’s committment to their annual programming, “Kids are better human beings for having been exposed to fine arts,” said DPA’s Mary Margret McGowan, and from the look of this year’s show, we would agree. The DPA has served the community for twenty-eight years and sponsors cultural activities for Denison youth, including the visual art competition and annual regional piano competition. For more information visit www.denisonperformingarts.org.
Young artists from across Texoma have another chance to showcase their talents at the upcoming Sherman Arts Festival, scheduled for September 18-19 at the Sherman Municipal Complex. The Youth Art Show will be at the Sherman Youth Center located at 407 West Washington Street. The festival also includes arts and craft booths, Sherman Art League Art Show, Texoma Woodcarvers show and sale, music, and family friendly events. Find details and entry forms at www.shermantx.org.
Tell us about your art news. Send it to: arts.editor@texomaliving.com
Going Native
The Charles W. and Miriam Hogan Native American Artwork Collection is a little-known art resource located on the campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The collection of original works became a permanent fixture at SOSU in the 1990s and has just recently been subject to a substantial restoration. The process is ongoing, but restored selections will be on display at the campus’s Center Gallery starting August 17. The show will remain on display until the end of the month, featuring works by well-known Native American artists Dano Keys, Fred Beaver, Archie Blackowl, Acee Blue Eagle, Enoch Kelly Haney, Pablita Velarde, Helen Hardin, Al Momaday, Bert Seabourn, and Woody Crumbo.
Get Involved
Create artistic jewelry at Wild Lotus Beads with local artisan Ali Jones (903.465.2000). Also, personal studio time can be booked at a number of art venues for one-on-one learning. Check out master print-maker Barbara Elam at 416west Studio and Gallery (903.463.0416) or multi-media artist Doug Simpson at The Mixed Media Center (903.624.6369).
Updates and Honorable Mentions
Johana Harjen’s photography and mixed media pieces were featured as part of Texoma Living’s 2008 Art Issue. Since then she has been racking up the international air miles with projects in her native Mexico. Harjen has been working in combination with several other artists and architects (including artist Tanya Huntington, writer Alvaro Enrigue, architect Maria Bustamante) on a cultural project for the hotel “Casa del Rio” in Tlacotalpan, Veracruz, Mexico. The project started as an “art adventure” for eight or nine artists invited to stay at the hotel and create artwork about their experiences at the property and in the surrounding area. The artworks were then installed as the permanent collection of the hotel in the rooms each artist occupied during the project. To their surprise, the project began to expand and ended up including the entire town and two government agencies (Sectur and Conculta). Art created by Harjen and her fellow artisans will be showcased in “Diarios de Viaje,” a photography exhibit curated by internationally known photographer Ruben Ochoa opening in September 2009. Harjen has also been busy state-side, showing at the Bearing and James Gallery (Houston, TX) and Images Gallery (Denison, TX).
Local artist David MacSmith was recently featured in Country Lifestyle magazine. MacSmith currently maintains a private studio in Denison but is best known throughout the hill country for his realistic oil landscapes. His work is currently available at Texas Art Gallery (Dallas, TX), Fredicksburg Art Gallery (Fredericksburg, TX), and the David MacSmith Fine Art Studio (Denison, TX).