On exhibit from December 2006 was art from Shannon Duncan.

(Re)Collection

The everyday subject is considered mundane because it is neither particularly beautiful nor memorable.  My work re-views these subjects as sought-after members of a collection, giving them an innovative value.  By placing focus on these extra-ordinary subjects, the viewer is challenged and left questioning what their significance may be.
The displayed images are representations of two larger bodies of work: Street Furniture and Table Numbers.  Each series is a visual collection of disregarded subjects.  Street Furniture depicts human receptacles that have been abandoned by their owners.  Table Numbers is an ongoing project that will be complete when the numbers 1-100 have been collected.  The significance in each series is the value of absence. It is my desire - through approaching series such as these - to restore the importance of the mundane, disregarded subject.

Artist Bio

Shannon Duncan, originally of LaGrange, Georgia, is currently in her final year of graduate school in Photography/Digital Media at the University of Houston.  For the past two years, she has been an instructor of record for the Fundamentals of Photography at the University of Houston.  In addition, she has taught Fundamentals of Photography workshops at Houston Center of Photography. 

Prior to moving to Houston in August of 2004, Duncan attended Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia where she received Bachelor Degrees in both Art and Sociology.  Having not taken a break from school since the age of 4, it is easy to see why at the age of 24 the artists foresees herself on the teaching side of the classroom when she completes her degree in May 2007.

Since the beginning of her graduate career, Duncan has shown her work in various locations in Houston.  Most recently, her work was part of a one-night-only show at Catbird’s Lounge and Patio simply entitled The Photo Show.  Prior to that, her work was in two separate shows at the Commerce Street Artist Warehouse – Summer Sucks and Vitrine/Ravine.  Her work has also been displayed at the past two Student Exhibitions at the University of Houston as well as a graduate group show entitled 202C at Hungry’s Bistro.  Duncan’s next planned show will be the Senior Thesis Exhibition in April of 2007.

View some samples of the exhibit:
<div class="photoAlbumEntry photoAlbumFolder" style="margin-left: 3em">
      <dl>
          <dt>

              <a href="albums/sducann/view">
    <img src="albums/sducann/redcopy/image_thumb" alt="Red" title="Red copy" border="0" />
              </a>
             
          </dt>

      </dl></div>
<div class="visualClear"></div>

<hr style="width: 30%"/>

On exhibit last month, from November was art from Kristy Canahauti.

Artist’s Statement

“In Bloom” is a collection of work that is symbolic of my growth into an artist with confidence, motivation, and purpose.  This is the second time I have shown my work to the public, which is mostly exciting, but terrifying as well, for I am exposing my innermost thoughts and emotions for all to see.  I feel as though doing this has afforded me a sense of freedom and ease that had been absent, where I am now able value my work and let go of certain fears and insecurities I had before. 

I am an abstract expressionist, whose paintings show a range of style and influence. I almost always paint out of my subconscious, realizing that the most organic way for me to create is to allow my innate motivations and desires to guide my hands through the process.  In this, my work renders the mood and feelings I have at that moment, and provides me release for my emotions.  I translate different aspects of my personality in my creations, although, collectively and individually, they stand as pieces of me, not the whole.

I aim at creating art that is both aesthetically pleasing, and that which provides feelings of soothing and calm to myself, and its viewers.  Though I have strong feelings as to the meaning of each piece I create, my desire is for people to develop their own truth and insight when they view them, for I believe all understandings to be valuable.

I love all color, and usually blend both warm and cool colors together, seeing this as symbolic for my thoughts on the balance of the dark and bright sides of my personality, and life in general.  I gain inspiration from countless sources, but I attribute most of it to my family and friends, who provide me with the strength and love I need in order to grow and thrive.

Artist’s Bio

Kristy Canahuati was born and raised in Houston, Texas and has remained there thus far.  Though she took one painting class at Houston Community College in 2000, she remains a self-taught artist who discovers new styles and ideas through her own experience. 

Right now, Kristy attends the University of Houston, focusing on a degree in Human Development and Family Studies, and a minor in Psychology.  Upon receiving her degree, she plans on attending graduate school in order to study clinical therapy or social work, eventually obtaining her license as a professional counselor.  She would like to work with both children and adults, and will inevitably incorporate art into her therapy for she feels it allows individuals to express, and connect with, where no words or rules are necessary.

Kristy has shown her work at the Rotunda Gallery in St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, as well as at a fundraising event for Cancer Counseling of Houston.  She has donated her painting, “Field of Heaven,” to Cancer Counseling of Houston’s annual gala/auction in honor of her mom, Carolyn Jean Canahuati.  During the months of November and December, her painting “Unveil the Petals” will be displayed at the 2006 Lilly Oncology on Canvas exhibition in London and New York City, alongside those of other artists and individuals whose lives have been touched by cancer. 

In the spring of 2007, Kristy’s painting “Patchwork #2 – Him,” will be on the cover of the brochure for the Patient and Caregiver Conference held by Cancer Counseling of Houston.

View some samples of the exhibit:
<div class="photoAlbumEntry photoAlbumFolder" style="margin-left: 3em">
      <dl>
          <dt>

              <a href="albums/kristycanahauti/view">
    <img src="albums/kristycanahauti/roses/image_thumb" alt="Roses" title="Roses" border="0" />
              </a>
             
          </dt>

      </dl></div>
<div class="visualClear"></div>

<hr style="width:30%"/>

On exhibit in October was art from Linda Gilbert.

Brief Biography

Oboist Linda Gilbert performs regularly with the Houston Ballet and Houston Grand Opera Orchestras. A Fulbright scholar, Linda studied in Amsterdam before receiving her doctorate in Oboe Performance at the University of Southern California. She maintains a teaching studio in Houston. An author and editor, Linda’s writings and photographs are published in various journals. Additionally, Linda is certified nationally as a yoga therapist, yoga instructor and rehabilitative specialist. She teaches yoga privately and at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.

As a photographer, Linda is drawn to the interaction between living beings and the environment. She finds beauty in open landscapes and the subtleties within them, most recently in southeastern Idaho. Her images reflect the light, color and use of land in this part of the country. She is the photographer for Mercury Baroque Ensemble.

Artist Statement

For generations, southeastern Idaho has been a major producer and supplier of grain. The mills of the region bear such names as General Mills and Pillsbury. While in college, my father and uncle worked for the Post and Kellogg companies in Battle Creek, Michigan. Their father did engineering work for packaging machines for General Foods. When I first saw the mills and rolling hills of southeastern Idaho many years ago, I felt an immediate affinity for it: I felt a connection to ‘where it all began’. So there exists some nostalgia in these images. Along with that, I continue to be in awe of the natural beauty of this part of the country, and of the people who live their lives there. The photographs presented here reflect human interaction with the land, in landscape and in architecture. This series, Part Two of an ongoing project, attempts to honor the great beauty of the land, the architecture of the area, and the people who, for generations, have themselves honored the land and provided sustenance in many ways.


View some samples of the exhibit:

-------------------------

On exhibit from **September** 1st, is art from **tOny Endieveri**.

Only a small handful of very close friends have seen my photos. I have never taken a photo in HANC with the idea of anyone viewing it. These photos were taken as my way of dealing with very personal issues on the journey through life. I do not claim to be a photographer, but I use the photo medium as a tool coupled with Mother Nature as a way of guiding me on the path of life. All the images I have made in HANC are rooted in questions I ask myself or problems I try to solve. The images made from HANC have always revealed to me the answers and balance I needed at the time, although somewhat mysteriously. HANC has provided me with the Ultimate Nature Experience. Through opening my eyes, I could fully realize the beauty of life around me.

View some samples of the exhibit:



------------------

On exhibit from August 1st, was art from Wendy Wight.

"In this world there is an idea highway. This is a freeway of thought that goes over the entire earth and the ideas are there for everyone. Like seashells from the beach, they are free. This is where my voice, muse and inspiration are derived. Most of my work is autobiographical in nature and a slice of my life at the time. Constraints, rules and assignments that I create for myself, give the work focus. Most of my current work is in series. This allows me to repeat the idea in different formats and visual representations. My entire collection of paintings and sculptures is a visual representation of my life in this world thus far."

View some samples of the exhibit:



------------------
On exhibit through July 31st was art by Alex Squier.

I have many artistic passions: painting, printmaking, music, and dance. I do my best to fuse them all whenever I can. I listen to music when I’m sketching or running prints, and I take breaks to go jam with my brother. My abstract images are attempts to recreate the mood of music through movement and composition as well as reminders of the joys in life.
Perhaps my strongest influences include the impressionist and post-impressionist painters such as Cezanne, abstract artists, especially Kandinsky, and poster artists from the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is the beautiful and catchy designs of the poster artists like Leonetto Cappiello, Monnier, and Toulouse Lautrec that led me to make pieces on a larger scale and to explore printmaking.

I learned that anything can be a poster. An event or product is not needed. A poster does not have to be an advertisement, but it can still perform the function of attracting a passing person and getting them to stop, look, and think about something else for a little bit of time. I hope that my prints have that same captivating effect.

I would like to thank my friends and family, who have all individually inspired my work (whether they know it or not), and Te House of Tea for helping me get off my ass and follow through with some of my ideas.

<hr style="width:30%"/>

On exhibit in the month of June was art and pictures from Annie Greene.

"I grew up in the Houston area and attended the University of Texas at Austin where I studied Psychology and Latin American Studies. I spent a few semesters abroad in Mexico and Italy where I cultivated a love for photography and travel. Following my college graduation, I began my service with the US Peace Corps in Kenya as a HIV/AIDS Education Volunteer. I spent 2 years living in a rural village in Western Kenya sharing in the lives of many children who I was surrounded by on a daily basis, often with my camera in hand. In late 2005, I also traveled to Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania to help develop an educational multimedia curriculum to combat HIV/AIDS, which introduced me to the refugee crisis throughout Africa. I will be returning to Kenya this fall to work as a Caseworker for a refugee resettlement agency, visiting refugee camps in Eastern and Central Africa and documenting the lives of people who are trying to immigrate to the US. I plan to take my camera with me.

Children have a grace and charm that shines in their eyes. Africa is full of children, more than one could ever imagine. There are children in this world who have stories to tell that you won’t believe. I try to capture these stories and emotions in my photographs.

As a US Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya, I had an opportunity to live and play among countless children who were struggling in challenging circumstances such as losing parents and loved ones to AIDS. My travels throughout East Africa also introduced me to the horrors of a war that has been raging in Northern Uganda for nearly 20 years - a war that has targeted children and has stolen childhoods. More than one million people have been forced from their homes into camps for protection. Unfortunately, the livelihood of an entire generation is being lost. Many of the faces I captured through my lens are kids. Children who live amidst calamity and strife inspire me because they continue to laugh. I am struck by their resilience. Even in the middle of the squalor and grief of a refugee camp in East Africa, their simple hopefulness prevails. I have been blessed to be in their midst.

I see creativity in the eyes of these children. Kids are waiting for you to capture them as brilliant actors. I am captivated by the eyes of children as they tell more stories than any words could ever express.

These photographs are my witness to our common human bond and desire to love and care for children.

View some samples from the Annie Greene exhibit:



<hr style="width:30%"/>
On exhibit in the month of May, art from Sally Worthington.

"Born in England, I attended the Winchester School of Art. I have lived in several countries since 1976, and have explored a different artistic medium in each new city.

I studied Life Drawing in Australia, Bronze Casting in Dallas, Watercolor and pastel in New Orleans, and paper Mache and Life Modeling in Clay in London. Here in Houston I am working towards a Certificate in Sculpture at the Glassel School of Art.

The current series of watercolor paintings was inspired by some photos I took of the Dorset coastline in England. The colors and shapes of the seaweed in the tidal pools fascinated me. When first looking in the water all I saw was a mass of brown and green forms, but in the photographs I could see jewel-like colors and intertwining shapes."