Kathryn Dunlevie's 'Crossing' and a mixed-media paper collage by Tiffany Heng-Hui Lee
Dunlevie’s collaged, feminine figures are supremely stylish silhouettes, comprised of fragments of images cut and placed with the precision of a fashion designer and the imagination of an early 20th-century cubist. These femmes are positioned as if marching, whirling in dervish-like motion, and even surfing. “Their patchwork interiors hint at what they have lived,” writes Dunlevie in her artist statement, “their silhouettes offer clues as to how they have proceeded through time.” Dunlevie hopes these ladies inspire the viewer to similarly piece together the best moments of their personal histories and live a life “with flair and without apology.” (For Saturday’s opening, Hooks-Epstein says they will be “spinning the artist’s favorite vinyl” and serving a limited-themed drink.)
Sarah Thompson's 'Pink Dahlias'
Looking at Siptak’s charming, gouache-layered portraits of birds, amphibians, and domestic pets, one is reminded of the phrase, “Animals are people too!” Often making direct eye contact with the viewer, every creature she paints radiates a distinct and complex personality. Born in San Francisco, the Houston-based Siptak has been painting the world around her since the mid-1960s, and as anyone who follows her on social media will attest the works on display at Koelsch represent just a fragment of her output.
Meanwhile, planted and potted flowers, often realized in otherworldly colors, are the subject of Thompson’s paintings. In a press release, Koelsch describes Thompson as a “visionary artist,” that is, an artist who works very intuitively while tapping into their subconscious, embracing the immediacy of creation without self-judgment, and indeed, her paintings have a dream-like quality to them, with cobalt blues and midnight blacks evoking a world after dark.
Located on Gallery Row in the Upper Kirby District, the intimate space of Heidi Vaughn Fine Art is the perfect setting for Heng-Hui Lee’s small (20-by-16 inches) lovely, layered collages, many of which use carefully selected combinations of color to reference geographical locations around the globe. (Her attention to such small details mirrors the meticulously composed fragments in Dunlevie’s collages.) There is a feeling of serenity throughout the works, and a sense of profound understanding of how the earth’s elements maintain balance within the natural world. The same could be said of Siptak and Thompson’s attention to and celebration of animal and plant life, albeit as it exists in an imagined, archetypical “enchanted garden.”
But enough with the artspeak! Go see all three shows and make your own connections.
Gail Siptak's 'Frog Attitude'
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The best part? Baker is making a guest appearance at the four-course dinner, which is Saturday, April 1 — no fooling! Winemaker and biz partner Chik Brenneman will present four Baker Family Wines during the intimate Creole-style pairing dinner. It starts with passed appetizers and bubbles, and ends with dessert and Baker Family Wines zinfandel. (More info and tickets here.)
Years ago, Brenneman and Baker teamed up to create an urban winery brand specializing in handcrafted and limited-production wines. Starting out as a gentleman's vineyard in Baker's backyard, the wine initially was given away to friends and family. After a consistent level of praise and acclaim for Baker's 2012 Vintage Syrah, the duo decided to expand their production and "go pro!" In 2013, the duo established B and B Wine Company, LLC, which now produces and bottles their wines.
For the uninitiated, Baker played major league ball for 16 seasons with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and the Oakland A’s. He went on to be the manager for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals and is now with the Houston Astros. His record-setting career as a Major League Baseball manager is legendary. It has earned him the "Manager of the Year," and he has surpassed 2,000 regular season managerial wins. Baker now has a World Series win to add to his list of baseball accomplishments. Cheers to that!