From chalkboard to gallery

UHCL hosts guest faculty art exhibit

Kelly Crittenden

The Signal

UHCL Art Gallery is hosting the Lone Star College Montgomery Faculty Art Exhibit, which features artwork in different types of media, including photography, painting, watercolor, printmaking, sculptures, ceramics and even painted fused glass.

While there is no theme for the exhibit, Nick de Vries, professor of fine arts and gallery director, says his goal is to feature the works of Houston-area educators. His only request of the artists was that they present artwork that had been completed within the past three years.

The featured artists are all full- or part-time faculty members from the Lone Star Community College in Montgomery. The faculty artists are John Adelman, Michael K. Brown, Andrea Canalito, Kelley Eggert, Deborah Ellington, Carlos Landa, Denise Lorenz, Jennifer Moorhead, Shelly Murney, Tara Rene Ratliff, Cynthia Reid, Melanie Sinclair, Robby Wood, Linda Woodward and Valerie Yaklin-Brown.

John Adelman has two pieces on display, both of which he created using rules-based art. His piece entitled “Grayfish” took him roughly 120 hours to complete.

“I use a system that dictates where each series of words is placed,” Adelman said. “In this work the formula determined how many text-filled circles, the size of each circle’s diameter and the sequence of layering each circle.”

His other piece, “16,848,” took around 50 hours to complete.

“I tossed the nails directly onto the surface of the drawing allowing the nails to roll around,” Adelman said. “Once the nails stopped rolling, I then traced the nail where it lay. The work is entirely composed of traced nails. I use only gel ink pens.”

Adelman plans to hold a solo show in Istanbul, Turkey, next year.

Shelly Murney’s photograph of automobiles and horses featured in the exhibit is from a larger collection of images called “Hinterland.”

Murney said she is “inspired to create work that reflects the unique characteristics of my surrounding landscape.” She is going to continue to make images for this series.
Deborah Ellington has a fused glass painting, “Choices,” on display inside of a suitcase.

“I became intrigued with fused glass two years ago and decided that I wanted to translate my watercolor paintings using glass rather than paper,” Ellington said.

The painting has a person, doors and paths, but the suitcase has a meaning that may not be visible to everyone.

“For me, a suitcase represents a journey and choices,” Ellington said. “The items we have from our past represent the choices we made and the journey we have taken.”

Several pieces are for sale. For more information about purchasing artwork, contact de Vries or Karan Fiscus, assistant gallery director, who will supply contact information for the purchase.

The exhibit runs Sept. 13 – Oct. 28 in the Art Gallery in Bayou Building, Room 1412. The gallery is open Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.

The opening reception will be held Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

For more information about the UCHL Art Gallery and upcoming exhibits, call 281-283-3311 or click here.