Sadly, I missed the DADA Spring Gallery Walk; however, I did make it to the 8th semi-annual DEEP ArtWalk Saturday night.
There’s just something about Deep Ellum art; It’s raw and gritty, and I like it. It’s something you can’t find on Dragon Street. It’s pure. When you’re there, you’re among the artists. Everyone’s welcoming, and nothing beats the culture and atmosphere.
I started the night at Nomad Arts. This is probably my third or fourth time to attend their events. And let me just tell you: Nomad Arts brings together some of the best local artists, and these art extravaganzas just blow my mind.
Dan Colcer's Erykah Badu. This photo was taken by my phone and does not do the piece any justice. The area around her eye is an illustrated scene of DJs spinning a record (which is her eye).
He even signed my postcard. This is when I first saw his work a few months ago.
The first time I saw Dan Colcer’s work was actually at my first Nomad Arts event — a gallery walk held late last year. I walked into the gallery, spotted his work from about 20 feet away and loved it. Then when I was about two feet away, I couldn’t stop staring. So, naturally, I was drawn to his pieces on Saturday’s ArtWalk. His works are illustrations within illustrations. The works I’ve seen are often of different characters interacting in a fluid, surreal environment. More often than not, these characters and environments are composed of even tinier characters and different formations of line and color — scene within scene. Colcer was also showcased at Kettle Art that night.
Tyson Summer's Magik Charms
This was my first time to see Tyson Summers‘ work, and it sure got my attention. Magic Charms was one of a series of cereal box designs — parodies of existing brands. His works remind me of European street art. Summers work was also showcased at Nomad Arts and Kettle Art, along with Dan Colcer. I hope to be seeing more of his work around.
Larry Carey's Composite Mandala Pt. 1 and 3
Oh, and I even bought his jacket.
I first saw Larry Carey’s work when Nomad Arts hosted his show, In the Light. Never having heard his name before, I went without knowing what to expect. With just the name of the exhibit in mind, I was expecting to see photography. It was not photography; although, I was pleasantly surprised. Carey’s work consists of intricately designed, mosaic-like illustrations. There’s so much to each piece that it takes almost 10 minutes just to look at one. Each ’tile’ is completely original, and no ideas are repeated. Amazing considering he does all this on the fly.
I ended the night at Kettle Art. Among those showcased was Erica Felicella, whose work I first saw when she gave a lecture to my photography class at UTD a few years ago. I’m always amazed at what she can make happen with a camera.
Cathey Miller’s work also caught my attention, but unfortunately, I have no photos to show for it. Pieces entitled Trouble, Betty + Veronica, and The Other Kind portray a playful — as they imitate comics — lesbian curiosity. I also hope to be seeing more of her work as well.
Categories: Art Events, Blog, Deep Ellum, Inspiration, Local Artists, Local Galleries, Painting, Photography — Tags: Cathey Miller, DADA, Dan Colcer, DEEP ArtWalk, Erica Felicella, Kettle Art, Larry Carey, Tyson Summers — Valerie @ 1:56 am Comments (0)
It was nasty outside today, but I made it into Deep Ellum. I set out to take some photos of the art and music, and I did. But I probably ended with more dog photos than anything — only because they had a dog adoption booth.
