In our gallery

Hyunsuk Erickson

As a child, becoming an artist was like a fairytale. However, this fairytale has come real for me and this dream serves to guide my life. My past contains innumerable stories that have allowed me to smile and cry. Throughout life, as I confronted insurmountable obstacles, such as those represented by huge mountains or intimidating storms, I advanced like a dreary, tired person trudging through a huge barrier ever creeping toward my goals. The obstacles appeared daunting at times. Always, I reflect on my past and myself when I am confronted with conflict…
 

My art work captures the mortal instinct of all living things. Within this framework, I seek the origin of how things are born, how they exist and how they perpetuate themselves. I follow the Oriental philosophy of Yin (female -) and Yang (male +). I want to analyze and represent all living things as they are born and fight for survival from the human perspective. “Yin & Yang” are opposites; however they represent beautiful harmony as it pertains to the giving of birth. Plants and flowers are expressive to represent nature and the figure of the mother. Abundant seeds surrounding the figure of the mother are the never ending, sporadic efforts to establish life, analogous to the birth and death of countless stars throughout the universe. They continue to wander, forever competing with one another, looking for their partners. I use flowers and plant patterns of fabric to symbolize femininity, whereas metallic boards contrast this representing the symbol of masculinity. Additionally, the use of both straight and curvy line mixtures is consistent with the Yin and Yang concept. I was born from my mother and I gave birth to make new life. This beautiful cycle of life is an endless process. I am less than a piece of dust in the huge universe. However, my heart beats strong as I understand my significance as an essential component in the life cycle of all living things.

My dream is no longer a fairytale. This is no longer an empty nostalgic dream. My life is a painting and my picture is my reality. I want to be a healthy mother and painter.

Joanne M. Ehly

My career background in art was academia.  During a 24 year profession as a college art instructor, I taught classes ranging from Fine Art studio courses to the Decorative Arts, Graphic Design, Architecture, Art Appreciation and Art History. For better or worse, this resulted in me being a generalist without an art of my own until now.  As an undergraduate, my formal studies were in the Fine Arts. My graduate studies centered more around the Decorative Arts, specifically surface textile design. These two directions in the arts, Fine versus Decorative, have always influenced my work and have finally fused in the works I now produce. 

In the Fine Arts there is the love of making a mark, applying color, manipulating material and having it evolve into meaningful illusionary expression.  In the Decorative Arts there is a strong influence of the formal elements of design. The formal and the con-textual elements co exist in all the visual arts, however in my work it is natural for me to emphasize the formal elements of art over content. My works explore surfaces
developed through color, texture, pattern, repetition and are the direct result of the materials and techniques I use. Despite this, I am often asked what my media is.  It is simple...I make paper.  It is what I do to the paper, however, that is important to me.
 

It was about ten years or more ago that I began to focus on making low relief paper and applying color to the surfaces. At first I was limited by the size paper my press could produce.  Two things began to emerge to increase dimension. One, I utilized framing as an extension of the paper. Two, I started joining several sheets of paper to create larger works.  I am often asked how much time does it take to produce one of my works. Size, detail, layering all play a part as does the fact that paper making is inherently a craft and therefore labor intensive. I love that part of making art. Sometimes it is referred to as all hands, no head.  Each step in the process whether from the hands or the head affects the whole. When the
whole finally works, it is done.
 

Making Art is very Gestalt at its optimum.  Viewers always seem to want to know, especially if the work is non-objective, what it means personally to the artist.  For me the answer comes from years of teaching. It is an essential fact that every work of art whether it deals with some illusion of nature or is purely non objective has at its basis the formal elements of design and is a direct result of the materials and techniques the artist uses.
I no longer care if what I do is considered art or craft. I hope for a fusion of the two as there cannot be great craft without artistry nor great art without craftsmenship. Design, material and technique are what interest me and hope that this is evident as you view my work.
 

Beyond this...of course, these works have personal meaning to me.  Some evoke humor, some I find spiritual, while others tend to explore a dark side. Some of them are just plain beautiful.  Enjoy my art works through what you bring to them.  They are for the viewer as much as they are for me.
 

Currently, I live in Georgetown, TX with my husband Ray Ehly.  I thank him for my studio, for tolerating my art production and his understanding of how important it is for me to have to make art.  Profits from my work go to a charitable foundation.
 

Marilyn Rea Nasky

“My goal as a painter is to create visual images that communicate the mystery and transient beauty of our planet. I rely on visual memory, dreams, and feelings for these images of landscape, and natural organic form which are often based in “reality” but are imaginary to the degree that I only seek to capture a feeling about the subject whether it is still life or landscape, and communicate it to the viewer. My work is representational to the degree that it is based on nature.  I paint what I feel about what I see with color and texture as structural design elements. I often refer to my still
life paintings as “Still Scapes” due to my natural inclination to include what I think of as earth elements into my work.

My current work in acrylics has opened new doors of exploration and expanse into abstraction based on organic and natural form.  These abstractions are visual reflections of earth forms, ocean motifs, and organic still life and are intended as a visual comfort zone where the viewer can find solace in organic shape and form, as well as rich, contrasting hues, and tantalizing texture.

The paintings begin with a loose and spontaneous layer of gesso and progress with layers of acrylic paint, until the painting takes on a life of it's own and I begin what I call “the conversation.”  At this point, anything can happen, as I work towards resolution.  Once the painting ”speaks to me” I stop working on it.  If the work doesn't speak to me, I put it away for a while, and work on other images.  This process brings resolution.
Each painting is a reflection of my rich and varied life experience, my love of the natural world as well as an exploration of medium. As I work, design elements and principles, and abstraction of natural form often take on the appearance of landscape within the frame of still life. These images are a tie to my love of the Southwestern landscape in the Four Corners area where I grew up and continue to have my roots. My viewpoint is very personal, engaging the viewer on an intimate level with the subject, inviting the viewer to see the natural world that surrounds us with quiet beauty.”

Doug Naugle

Doug Naugle, aspires to create an amplified eye candy experience that rocks one’s mind and soul. 

Doug believes it’s all the years he lived in Angel Fire, NM that have influenced him the most. It was there and his closeness with nature that inspires what he paints and photographs today.

With his acrylic paintings he likes to create flowing patterns out of chaotic lines while letting his subconscious be the guiding force. With bold, bright colors and stark contrast, the images ignite with electricity. In his photography he looks for man-made objects that appear organic and have similar lines and structure that mimic nature. 

The outcome of Doug Naugle’s work is like lightning striking the canvas and electrifying the soul.
 

Carol Light

"Dialog between painter and painting...sometimes a painful partnership but always rewarding."

Carol Light, longtime water-media artist, specializes in watercolor and collage paintings.  Carol Light was born and raised in Austin and grew up with a special love for nature and the beauty of the surrounding countryside.

Light attended both Tarleton College and the University of Texas, studying art, and has been a poster artist for the Austin Natural Science Center.  She is a member of the Williamson County Art Guild and teaches classes at Sun City in Georgetown and at her studio.  She and her family purchased an old farm in Walburg which they have renovated and made into a home and a studio where Carol both works and teaches.  Her work can be considered representational but not photorealistic.  Carol says that each painting reflects something about yourself, you may be the only one who can see it but it is the energy that fuels the painting.

Ho Baron

Ho Baron is a visionary sculptor who’s bronze works are surreal, ornate and cosmic. He models his clay into intricate motifs of miniature caricatures on large figurative forms, and his resulting representational imagery and whimsical style is satirical and fantastic. Somehow primal and naïve, his sculptures are fluid and sophisticated, visually intriguing and tactile; his anthropomorphic creations are fascinating, highly imaginative icons.

Ho’s inspiration has its roots in the ancients, like the Hindu and the Mayan, and the work is archetypal in nature. He believes his creations exemplify the Jungian theories of the universal creative unconscious, and with that as his thesis, he’s presently writing a book explaining his works are metaphors that emulate universal mythologies.

The artist has produced 300 works in his 30 years of sculpting and has exhibited his work widely. He’s proud to present “Stretch” and “Ballerina” at the Hill Design Studio + Art Gallery , two of his more recently sculpted large scale dancing figures.

PUBLIC ART AND MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

2010 Georgetown Sculpture Tour (Georgetown Public Library, San Gabriel Park & Georgetown Recreation Center), Georgetown, TX
2009 "One," El Paso Museum of Art, permanent. El Paso, TX
2009 "On the Upside Down," Peace Arch Park, one year. Blaine, WA
2009 Georgetown Public Library, Georgetown, TX
2009 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, TX
2007 "Sculpture on Main," one year. Marble Falls, TX
2006 "A Novel Romance," El Paso Public Library, permanent. El Paso, TX
2004 "Free Thinker," American Visionary Art Museum, permanent. Baltimore, MD
2004 "Sculpture in the Streets," one year. Mesa, AZ
2003 "Sculpture in the Streets," one year. Mesa, AZ
1998 "The Kid," El Paso Museum of Archaeology, permanent. El Paso, TX

SOLO SHOWS

2010 "Gods for Future Religions," University of Texas, El Paso, TX
2007 "Artists on Art," El Paso Museum of Art, El Paso, TX
2005 "Surreal Icons," Museum of Art, Las Cruces, NM
1999 Ironwood Industries, Austin, TX, Marfa, TX
1997 "Masquerade," Untitled Center of the Arts, Taos, NM
1996 "Dioses del Futuro," Museo Arqueologia, Juarez, MX
1989 "Gods for Future Religions," Bridge Gallery, El Paso, TX

TWO PERSON SHOWS

2005 "New Works," People's Gallery, City Hall, El Paso, TX
2004 Arte Loca Gallery, Bernalillo, NM
1995 "The Surreal Edge," City Hall, El Paso, TX
1994 "Masks," Artspace 2300, El Paso, TX

SELECTED GROUP SHOWS

2011 Work exhbited, Benini Studio and Sculpture Ranch
2011 Work exhibited, Preston Contemporary Art Center, Mesilla, NM
2010 "Beauty in the Abstract," Los Paisanos Gallery, Chamizal National Memorial, El Paso, TX
2010 Work exhibited, Ed Larson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2010 "Summer 2010," Preston Contemporary Art Center, Mesilla, NM
2010 "Assistance League of Houston Celebrates Texas Art 2010," Houston, TX
2010 Balcones Festival Sculpture Stroll, Balcones Refuge, Bertram, TX
2009 Austin Galleries, Austin, TX
2009 "Sculptfest," Umlauf Sculpture Garden, Austin, TX
2009 "Strange Figurations," Limner Gallery, Hudson, NY
2009 "Animal Attractions," The Fells, Newbury, NH
2009 "1st Annual Juried Show," The Taos Gallery, Taos, NM
2008 Crossings Wellness Center, one year. Austin, TX
2008 "Old Town San Diego Art Festival," San Diego, CA
2008 "Go Downtown Arts Festival," Albuquerque, NM
2008 "11th Annual Artfest," Best of Show, Henderson, NV
2008 "Riverspan Sculpture Exhibition," Cincinnati, OH
2007 "Sculptors Dominion Invitational," San Antonio, TX
2004 "Sculptors Dominion Invitational," San Antonio, TX
2003 "Loveland Sculpture Show," Loveland, CO
2003 Crucible Gallery and Sculpture Garden, Norman, OK
2002 "Outsider Art," Marcus Gallery, El Paso, TX
2001 "Arts International," El Paso Art Association, El Paso, TX
2000 "E.P. Sculpture Society," Int'l Museum of Art, El Paso, TX
1997 "Expanded Horizons," Marcus Gallery, El Paso, TX
1995 "Arts International," El Paso Art Association, El Paso, TX
1995 "Artistas Fronterizos," History Museum, Juarez, Mexico
1995 "Tombstone Show," Adobe Gallery, Cerrillos, NM
1994 "Darkening," Dark's Art Parlour, Santa Ana, CA
1994 "Darkside," 8th Street Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
1994 "Loveland Sculpture Show," Loveland, CO
1994 "Sculpture Exhibit," Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO
1994 "Tribal Inspirations," Perry House Gallery, Alexandria, VA
1993 "Sculpture Walk," Sedona, AZ
1993 "Summer Salon," Spirit Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1989 "US Consulate Exhibit," Juarez Inst. Fine Arts, Juarez, MX

Alf Pryor

"How long have I been taking photographs?  I got my first camera at age 5, an old polaroid, and have been talking pictures ever since.  There wasn't a point where I decided I was going to try and become a professional photographer, I'm still not there. I never made it past beginning photography class, although I took it three times.  So I don't really have any kind of formal training.  Everything I know about photography I've had to figure out the hard way, by taking a lot of photographs and making a lot of  mistakes.  It was in high school that I started dragging my camera where ever I went.  So maybe 14 - 15 years? or 25 years?  I don't know."

Alf Pryor is a commercial fisherman in Kodiak, Alaska and spends much of his free time taking awe-inspiring photographs of the amazing Kodiak landscape and wildlife.  Born and raised in Kodiak, Pryor has an intimate knowledge of the great workings of the Alaskan frontier.       

Sue Bishop

 

Sue Bishop grew up on a ranch in North East Texas.  For many years it was a very isolated existence.  Without playmates she had to find ways to entertain herself.  Her mother was an artist and guided Sue through the discovery of creating art.  Sue spent hours experimenting with the many possibilities of what paint, paper and brushes could produce, and this began the journey for artistic development that continues to this day.

Sue received her Bachelor of Science from East Texas State in Commerce, Texas.  She majored in Education and Art.  For 15 years, Sue taught creativity to children in the public school system.  Private art classes were also offered to adults and children.  As an educator, Sue believes in continuing education.  She has studied under many nationally known artists and continues to seek opportunities to further develop her artistic talents.

During her career, Sue has participated in many gallery, group and juried shows.  Numerous awards have been received including signature membership to the Texas Watercolor Society and an award of excellence in the Manhattan Art International Competition.  A one person museum show has been added to her credits.

Xan Sinclair Koonce

"The desire to understand spirituality and its transformational power motivates my work.  My objective is to magnify nature beyond its literal meaning to explore the relationship between nature and spirituality."

Xan Sinclair Koonce was born and raised in West Texas where the only vivid color that permeated the bleak landscape was the endless blue sky.  Today, she resides in Georgetown, Texas, where she has grown to appreciate the color and beauty that Central Texas reveals.  While caring for her family and working as a professional event planner at southwestern University, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from Southwestern University, the oldest institution of higher education in Texas.

Xan's interest is taking the beauty she sees and abstracting it to gain greater insight.  Once inspired, she unapologetically applies seductive and radiant colors to her paintings as an expression of her growth, strength, control and endurance.  As she paints, her primary concern is conveying an aesthietic experience through color, line and composition.  She is an artist who embodies the synthesis of abstract expressionism with the palette of Matisse.  it is precisely this fusion of spontaneity and color that has produced a rich and expressive body of work.  All of her artistic pursuits stem from a passion for beauty and a reverence for the power that beauty has to transform life.

"I want my art to be a force for all that is positive, inspiring and beautiful."

 

Baron Wilson

Baron Rinehart Wilson began drawing and painting as a young child.  He studied both fine art and architectural design while in college.  In 1983 he earned an Associate of Art degree at Midland College and earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree at Texas Tech University in 1986. 

After working for several architectural firms, Baron realized that architectural renderings are a vital tool for the visualization for proposed projects, public relations and marketing.  In 1998 Baron opened Studio B where he quickly built a practice in the field of architectural illustration.  Baron's conceptual architectural designs and illustrations have been featured in Resort & Hospitality projects from the Bahamas and Cape Verde islands to North Africa and Latin America.  His collaboration with award winning architectural firms has produced work on projects in Saudi Arabia, India and China as well as throughout the Caribbean.

Baron's extensive training in the architecture profession has refined his attention to detail in his artwork and has contributed to the realism in his drawings, paintings and renderings.  Recent paintings are the evidence of combining drawing and draftsmanship, becoming the basis for his strong graphic compositions.  Baron produces fine works of art that utilize a variety of mediums from graphite and colored pencil to watercolor, gouache, acrylic and oil paintings on paper and canvas.  Subjects range from Texas regional landscapes, still lifes, abstracts and Austin architectural landmarks.

Highlights of Baron's career include a commemorative montage painting that is on permanent display in Dongying, the People's Republic of China.  Baron also produced an architectural rendering for the film "Office Space".  His artwork is exhibited in the corporate collections of Time Warner Cable, Ernst & Young, LLP, Wild Basin Wilderness, Inc. and NationsBank.  A large painting depicting the historic Driskill Hotel in Austin is part of the hotel's permanent collection.  Baron's art is also displayed in numerous private collections.