Houston VS Dallas Smackdown round II

Kelly Moran of Texas Collaborative Arts, Houston and Steve Cruz founder of Mighty Fine Arts in Dallas are co- curators of “Houston Vs Dallas Smackdown” round 2. Mighty Fine Arts will be hosting Houston artist as well as The H. Paxton Moore Fine Art Gallery at El Centro College. Dallas and Houston have been rivals on many fronts and this is an opportunity for the art communities to co mingle and have an exchange. The Dallas vs. Houston Smackdown round 1 took place at Texas Collaborative in Houston June 2009. It was a big success. Dallas is being very generous in offering two venues to hold the Smackdown 2. The Houston VS Dallas show has some veteran artists that are no strangers to showing in Dallas and it also has some new comers added to the mix.

Sharon Kopriva, Carter Ernst and Kelly Alison are University of Houston Graduates. They participated in Lawndale when it was at University of Houston. Texas artist like James Surls and John Alexander, Gail Stack and Richard Stout where teaching at U of H at the time. Sharon Kopriva is a Houston Native and was Texas State Visual artist of the Year 2005-2006 and has had National and international shows. Her repertoire includes painting sculpture and graphics. Kelly Alison a Texas Native was one of the youngest participants in “Fresh Paint” Curated by Susie Kalil. Her Paintings pay homage to pure randomness and embraces information overload as a vehicle we move around in. Carter Ernst, born in Oklahoma, long time resident of Houston has been awarded many public sculpture projects in Houston and around the state. She will be showing her 3D flying bugs. She uses materials such as mica and fun fur. Penny Cerling born in Illinois, Gail Siptak Born in California and Lydia Bodnar-Balahutrak born in Ohio are all long term residents of Houston. Cerlings drawings on wood are an exploration of line that dwells on observations of nature through science. Siptak is a figurative narrative painter, believing in the collective unconscious of humans recognizing the absurdity, pathos and heroism in our own species. Balahutrak teaches at Glassell school of art. Her paintings at El Cento are about her experiences visiting the Chornobyl nuclear power complex in the Ukraine.

Yousef Balat a Houston Native and Bonnie Young born in Illinois are recent graduates of Southern Methodist University but now belong to the Houston art scene. Young teaches at Lonestar Community College. Her paintings are full of figurative, narrative social and political commentary. Balat teaches at Houston Baptist College his paintings explore concepts of destruction and beauty that are side by side and they also delve into myths and fables as they relate to our society. Pam Horsman and Chris Hedrick are partners living in Houston. Horsman is a graduate of Rice University she uses a process of stain painting. Her technique is based on the interaction of transparent layers. Hedrick born in New York graduated from Southwest Texas State University; his sculptures reflect his passions which are reptiles, surfing, wildlife, cars, shapes, construction and food. His work is defined by unique, frequently tongue-in-cheek combinations of subjects using contrasting materials. He will be showing his exquisite wood sculptures. He carves the wood as if it were literally draped cloth covering objects such as a pipe wrench. Noah Edmundson a Houston resident is the director of the Art Car Museum, a hard working member of the Houston art community, will be showing his assemblages and works on paper. Kelly Moran is a printmaker and resident of Houston. She will be showing her non traditional prints. This impressive group of Houston Artist is not representing a school of art. They each are a unique voice in the countries fourth largest city. They are coming to Dallas for a Smackdown.