Sitting Outside, 2018, gouache on panel, courtesy of Ari Brielle

Acrylic painter Ari Brielle recently graduated from UNT, where she studied art and design. Her paintings primarily feature young women of color. The colors (light greens, pinks, and warm yellows) are chosen for their universal beauty. The backdrops often depict plants and trees, a reference to the close relationship Africans had with nature before enduring centuries of bondage in this country. The female subjects engage the viewer from many angles. Some look at you. Others gaze through you. All inhabit a world that is waiting to burst into life.

“I’ve always been interested in painting and drawing, especially women,” Brielle said. “Being a women of color today is political just in itself. A lot of times, I work with how we decorate ourselves. These things are often looked down upon — braids with dreads. A lot of times, our identities are appropriated. We’re beautiful too. My works explore our identity, humanizing it in a way.”

Brielle’s primary following, not surprisingly, consists of young women. Young women of color, she said, are particularly absent from the subject matter of contemporary art shows.

Photo courtesy of Ari Brielle

College was a transformative time for Brielle. Not only did she hone her skills as a painter, she began reconciling her thoughts on race relations in America. The shooting of Michael Brown was particularly impactful, she recalled. Her first attempts to convey her emotions came off raw and unbridled. One college creation depicted a black girl with a target on her head. Established artists like Liliana Bloch encouraged Brielle to dig deeper and find a message that was more nuanced. Something softer.

The message on the splash page of Brielle’s website reflects her new focus: exploring black femininity, identity, and softness.

Brielle has shown works at Janette Kennedy Gallery and Fort Works Art recently. Part of the power of her art, and of other socially conscious creatives, is that the images persist. And they often beg questions.

The Personal is Political, 2017, gouache on panel, courtesy of Ari Brielle

“At this point, I’m sort of hopeless” about the state of race relations in this country, she said. “I don’t see it getting better over the next few years. Every single day, there’s a story about someone in the margins being oppressed or abused. I think those mindsets are so ingrained in people. I think it’s been good for disabled, queer, and colored people because we have our own space and our own voices now. That’s really beautiful and empowering.”

You can view and purchase Brielle’s works through the Tanglewood Moms/Madeworthy Marketplace. This article is one in a series of artist profiles made possible through a partnership between Tanglewood Moms and the artist-led nonprofit, Art Tooth.

Edward Brown is a writing tutor and piano teacher. He is also an award-winning writer for the Fort Worth Weekly and volunteers for numerous Fort Worth nonprofits.

The post Femininity and Identity: An Artist Profile first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of Jana Renée

Early on, she began a series of paintings that she now calls Cravings. The topics, often depicting open mouths licking lollipops or ice cream, reflect her childhood desires for sweets that she was rarely allowed to satisfy, given her health-conscious family.

“When I was a kid, I was too nervous to look at people’s eyes, so I watched their mouths,” she said. “There is such a sweet intent with lips. All we do is eat or give sweet kisses” with them, she said.

Photo courtesy of Jana Renée

Her most recent series, Reverie, marks a return to formal figurative portraits — but with a few personal twists. Reverie, which translates from the original French to “dreams,” depicts individual women reclined in blissful states of sleep, accompanied by cloud- or forest-laden backdrops. The works exude peace and escape, reflecting something Renée said she desperately needed at the time.

“It was a response to everything that was going on in the world, especially politically in America,” she said. “It stressed me out so much that I just wanted to take a nap — to take myself somewhere else.”

Photo courtesy of Jana Renée

Thanks to the help and encouragement of local artists Jay Wilkinson and Hillary Dohoney, Renée has decided to make Fort Worth her home. The Fort Worth artist community is very supportive, she said, although she and many local artists often struggle to connect with patrons. Her day job, fittingly enough, is as a commercial painter largely doing residential work.

Photo courtesy of Jana Renée

“It’s like a meditation,” she said, referring to the long hours she spends doing repetitive painting work. “It’s like my Zen zone. I think of ideas. Then I’ll come to the studio and start painting those ideas.”

(I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Renée’s many other talents. Besides portraits, she has done all types of commission work. She is also an incredible graphite drawer, muralist, and singer-songwriter.)

Jana is one of the featured artists in ART HUNT, a collaboration with Tanglewood Moms and Regan Hall Art for Spring Gallery Night, Saturday, March 24. And you will soon be able to view and purchase Renée’s works on Madeworthy Marketplace.

This article is part of a monthly series of artist profiles made possible through a partnership between Tanglewood Moms and the artist-led nonprofit, Art Tooth.

Edward Brown is a writing tutor and piano teacher. He is also an award-winning writer for the Fort Worth Weekly and volunteers for numerous Fort Worth nonprofits.

The post Art Cravings: An Artist Profile first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of Laura Willig

The San Angelo native studied art at TCU during the late aughts. The curriculum focused mainly on traditional oil painting, something the young aspiring artist sometimes chaffed at.

“After graduation in 2011, I started experimenting with acrylic on plywood and sort of broke all the rules [by pulling] out my tape and ruler,” she said.

Photo courtesy of Laura Willig

The result was incredibly precise and colorful — like nothing she had produced before. She does give some credit to her formal education, though, noting that TCU gave her a “great understanding” of Color Theory and composition. Another benefit of her four years in Fort Worth was the people she met before returning to San Angelo.

“I didn’t realize how beneficial some of the connections I had made in college were until I began looking to show my works,” she said.

She has certainly put those connections to good use showing several times in the Fort Worth area, including Fort Works Art’s recent 40 under 40 show and a solo exhibition at Art7 Gallery in early 2017.

Photo courtesy of Laura Willig

The future is bright for Willig; she plans to continue pushing the boundaries of her art with an exciting new project that incorporates natural elements into the resin she uses on her pieces. Inspired by her love of cooking and the nature surrounding her home, she says she has started using items like dried lavender, sesame seeds, and chili powder in her work.

You can view and purchase Laura’s works through the Madeworthy Marketplace. This article is part of a monthly series of artist profiles made possible through a partnership between Tanglewood Moms and the artist-led nonprofit, Art Tooth.

The post Breaking All the Rules: An Artist Profile first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

photo courtesy of Austin Fields

In her most recent line, Altered State Series, Fields mirrorizes her glassworks.

“I want [my works] to interact with the viewer,” she said. “Upon seeing the pieces, it draws you into a moment of total infinite reflectivity. You’re seeing a sort of distorted view of yourself and your surroundings.”

photo courtesy of Austin Fields

Her previous series, Radiant Landscapes, sets grand scenes from Mother Nature into a mound of clear glass that radiate into life when lit.

“A lot of my work revolves around light and how it interacts, whether it’s being diffused, reflected, or refracted,” she said. “I like the optical nature of glass.”

photo courtesy of Austin Fields

This is not all play. Glass isn’t as brittle as one might think. It’s a formidable foe that can only be tamed with massive amounts of heat, usually greater than 1,000 degrees worth. In the near future, Fields aims to blend glass with different media. On the commercial end, Fields is creating custom glassworks that function like lamps. The products may one day support her fine art ambitions.

“I’ve gotten to the point where I’m happy with my sculptural work and the direction my art is going,” she said. “I’m receiving more opportunities for shows and more people are contacting me wanting commissions.”

After several years studying two-dimensional art, glass has given Fields an outlet that matches her desire for an aesthetically desirable medium that allows room to grow.

photo courtesy of Austin Fields

“I finally found a material that I can express my ideas through,” she said. “It is the most beautiful and challenging material I’ve worked with.”

You can view and purchase Fields’ works through the Tanglewood Moms/Madeworthy Marketplace. This article the first in a new monthly series of artist profiles made possible through a partnership between Tanglewood Moms and the artist-led nonprofit, Art Tooth.

Edward Brown is a writing tutor and piano teacher. He is also an award-winning writer for the Fort Worth Weekly and volunteers for numerous Fort Worth nonprofits.

The post Fields of Light: An Artist Profile first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

What inspires you, what are you drawn to — what’s your eye candy?

I love color… whether it be the sunrise or sunset (my favorite time of day), flowers, changing of seasons and natural gemstones.

What is your art background, how did you begin this path? Name some of the random jobs you’ve had during your journey.

I have and will always be a creative person. I received my degree in Art and then ‘naturally’ went on to have a career in pharmaceutical sales because of, well, bills. After several years with Pfizer, I stayed at home with my children, Tatum and Wade, who happened to be Irish twins. It was quite embarrassing telling my superiors I was going to have another baby when I was still on maternity leave. As they say, “the days are long, but the years are short”. My children are both in middle school now, and I finally have more time to pursue my art. I am loving every bit of it… except the terrifying part of putting it out there.

Do you see your finished product BEFORE you start it, or is it more about the process?

I start with a general idea, but it is definitely a process. I have been known to paint over a painting several times before I think it is finished.

Are there ever any hidden meanings or messages in your work?

I recently did an abstract for a family in Houston that I hid their three children’s’ profiles in. Kind of like a modern portrait. It was challenging but fun!

What major work of art do you wish you owned?

I love the Impressionists. Anything Monet!

What color would you be and why?

I am definitely a PINK person. I love pink, and it is a challenge for me to paint anything without a little pop of pink, but I am learning not everyone is a fan like me, so I have been trying to stretch my palette a bit.

If your paintings could be classified by a certain type of music, what genre would they sound like?

I love to listen to music when I paint. I have several playlists that are mainly singer/songwriter-infused. I have a terrible voice, but that won’t stop me from singing along!

Where all have you lived?

I grew up in Dallas, then college in Waco, then to Scottsdale, Arizona, where I was transferred for work. When Rob and I got engaged, we asked for a transfer to Austin or Dallas, but we got Fort Worth. We were very hesitant, but I can honestly say God knew exactly what he was doing putting us here. We LOVE Ft. Worth and will never leave!

Name one unique and interesting thing about you that not many people know.

I can touch my tongue to my nose, and I have freakishly strong toe strength. Too bad I wasn’t a pageant girl!!

How would your best friends describe you, using no filters?

Well, they would have to use some filters, for sure! I love to laugh. I think they would say I am sincere, sensitive and a little obnoxious — especially if you give me a microphone.

Ginger’s work is available for sale on Madeworthy Marketplace, and as always, stay tuned for more Artist Spotlights!

Fort Worth native Regan Hall Donnell has lived in Colorado, California, New York City, Austin, and Dallas, but she is happy to finally be back in her hometown with her two daughters, Griffin and SadieJane. They are ranch girls with city roots. Regan enjoys being outdoors where she’s able to photograph nature’s perfect art space. Her family’s story is featured in the book and movie Same Kind of Different As Me. She hopes to celebrate and continue her late mother’s legacy and be of service to people in need of hope. Her motto is “Life’s too short to be OR feel homeless.” Regan has worked as an art dealer as well as artist. After earning her BA from UT, she attended Christie’s New York Auction House Art program where she received a Master’s in Art History. She is passionate about making life beautiful, as art is the perfect segue. Her art can be seen and purchased on her FB page HallArt. In addition, she serves as the curator of Madeworthy Marketplace.

The post MW Marketplace Spotlight: Ginger Walker first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.