Pablo Picasso once said, "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life," and there was no better place in North Texas to wash off the dust and breathe in the arts than the 2010 Denison Fall Fine Art Tour held November 6-7.
The Fourth Annual Raku Rumble in Heritage Park was a great place to start the Denison Fall Fine Art Tour. Under a crisp blue sky, clay artists were busy creating pottery inside a partitioned area while onstage nearby the Boxcar Bandits, a nationally acclaimed bluegrass band, provided a perfect soundtrack for the memorable experience.
For those unfamiliar with the term, Raku is an ancient method of firing pottery using flame and smoke.
Steven Phillip
"It's low-tech, but it's fun," remarked clay artist Steven Phillip as he explained the process. "It's good Denison is letting us do this and they've been very supportive."
Another artist, Alan Burris, is visiting with interested observers and going into detail about what brings out different colors in the pottery. When more carbon is present, offers Burris, copper colors are dominant; more air will bring out shades of green. The black lines that resemble large cracks in the pottery are actually the signature of cracks in the glaze that allowed exposed clay to absorb carbon.
Both Phillip and Burris are part of the Ardmore, Oklahoma art community and were invited to participate in the Raku Rumble. And both artists seemed to enjoy explaining their craft to interested onlookers who were soaking up knowledge gained through decades of pottery work.
The pottery goes from room temperature to approximately 1900 degrees and then back to room temperature in 20 minutes.
"They get hot, we cool 'em down, they come out pretty," Burris says with a shrug, but a glance at the finished product tells you these guys are pros.
Alan Burris (left) discusses pottery with a clay artist from Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Burris teaches at Murray State College and he has a succinct answer when asked if he is part of the art department.
"I am the art department at Murray State College," Burris says with a grin.
Historic downtown Denison has the distinction of being selected by the state of Texas as an Art and Culture District and the galleries offer a fascinating glimpse into the art scene that has evolved in this charming city that borders beautiful Lake Texoma. You could have found Doc Holliday playing poker here 135 years ago, but these days you'll find one-of-a-kind galleries and unique downtown loft apartments in a Denison that has grown into a haven for art aficionados.
Step inside the Mary Karam Gallery and it is easy to see why this town has become a popular destination for shoppers looking for that special gift. During the Fall Fine Art Tour, two artists were at work in the gallery. Linda Hopson turns gourds into objects d'art and she had several examples of her work on display. Lewisville artist M.D. Davis was sitting on a leather rug on the floor while she created replicas of prehistoric Native American artwork in much the same way that America's original artists worked.
M.D. Davis
Davis backpacks into South Texas to photograph prehistoric cave art, but that is only the beginning. She then draws those images on sandstone using the original paint formula -- oil from bone marrow mixed with extract from yucca roots and powdered rock of the desired color. Davis says she has been intrigued by this process ever since her first exposure to cave art as an eight-year-old.
As a child, she began sketching examples of cave art. Then, as a teenager, Davis began replicating her favorite cave art using acrylic paint of canvas.
"It just didn't do it," she says of the result.
Then it dawned on Davis that she might need to learn how these early artists made their paint and then apply it to stone to achieve the desired effect. It worked.
"As soon as my paint hit the stone, I thought, 'Oh my gosh...there it is!'" Davis recalls.
Mary Karam waits on a customer
The Mary Karam Gallery (http://www.marykaramgallery.com/) is currently featuring the artwork of Don Durland and Suzanne Floyd Durland, but it is the variety of different mediums of art that make this a must-see gallery.
Bois d'arc bowl fashioned by Martin Beauford
Lathe artist Martin Beauford, a Van Alstyne resident, has dozens of wooden creations on exhibit. Jewelry, vases, photography, sculpture, paintings -- this gallery has it all.
Through the glass window of the studio next door, you see the owner at work on her latest creation, while another painting she started this morning beckons at her side.
Dr. Donna Finch Adams
Dr. Donna Finch Adams received her MFA from Sam Houston State University and her Ph.D in Higher Education from UNT. Ever bit as gracious a host as she is a prolific artist, Dr. Adams and her husband, R.E., have turned what was once a boarded-up building in Denison into a stunning example of a spacious downtown studio apartment. http://www.studio406201.net/studio406201.html
Next door to the Donna Finch Adams Studio is Images Gallery, another must-see gallery that contributes mightily to the reputation Denison has earned as an art destination. Images Gallery features dozens of artists, so something is always certain to catch your eye.
Why - by Kay Merritt
Images Gallery is located in another historic downtown building and the staff will gladly show you a photograph of when this was a popular soda fountain back in the day.
Every gallery in Denison had special attractions during the Fall Fine Art Tour. Jack Ousey was spinning ceramics into shape in front of Artplace Gallery and Framing.
Jack Ousey
Fans of Sarah Birdsong will want to check out the creations of this phenomenal young artist on display at Glassworks, Et Cetera. While only a 19-year-old student at Grayson County College, Birdsong has already attracted a regional following. Art collectors should keep an eye on this budding talent.
Head of a Fledging by Sarah Birdsong
All of these galleries are within easy walking distance on Main Street in downtown Denison, but for those that prefer avant garde exhibits, the Peanut Gallery is only a couple of blocks to the east at the Katy Depot.
This creation of Brian Fiser points the way to the Peanut Gallery
Artists from many local galleries, as well as students from Austin College and Grayson County College have found a home for their work in the Peanut Gallery.
"This is Switzerland," says Steve Black, who oversees the gallery in addition to chairing the fine arts department at Grayson County College.
These two assemblages by GCC artists pay homage to Allan Kaprow, a pioneer of performance art. In one of Kaprow's "Happenings," the women came to the conclusion they should build a nest, while the men assembled a tower.
His metaphor is a fitting description of a gallery gaining a reputation for tolerance and neutrality. Black is also one of the driving forces in SMAACC, the Sunday Morning Art and Coffee Club.
"No secret handshakes, no agenda, just artists sharing coffee and ideas," Black says of SMAACC.
If you missed this weekend's annual tour, not to worry. This town is interesting every weekend. Downtown Denison earned the distinction of being an Art and Culture District by always being a great place to visit and shop.
To learn more, visit www.smalltownBIGART.com
Boxcar Bandits
Mystery -- by Shelley Tate Garner
Example of encaustic art by Dr. Donna Finch Adams. The image was overlaid with beeswax.
Raku pottery
(L-R) Steven Phillip and Alan Burris
Kiss My Butt -- by Don Durland
Linda Hopson
Mark Stevenson
Boxcar Bandits
Boxcar Bandits
Downtown Denison
