Virtual Art Gallery Western Gallery Announces 'Texas Women' Art Show

Western Gallery, a virtual art gallery curating distinct perspectives of the American West, abstract to photorealistic, classic to contemporary, is excited to announce its new show, "Texas Women," opening on Friday, Oct. 2 and running through Sunday, Oct. 25.

The opening will start at 5 p.m. via Zoom and is limited to 50 participants. To receive an invitation with a link, join the Western Gallery Guest List here. The show features artwork by Arielle Austin, Katelyn Betsill, Debbie Carroll, Elizabeth Dryden, Dana Falconberry, Vic Gilmore, Felice House, Chanel Kreuzer, Sirena LaBurn, Anna-Sophia Lagos, Alice Leese, Landry McMeans, Kerri S. Menchaca, Danika Ostrowski, Patricia Rodriguez, Christy Stallop, Lida Steves, Rachel Walter and Lucile Wedeking. For more information on Western Gallery, see: western.gallery and follow the gallery on Instagram @westerngallery.

"As Western Gallery continues to engage with contemporary western artists from around the world, it has become apparent that there is a serious concentration of talented artists-many of whom just happen to be women-right here in Texas," said George Irwin, Western Gallery Director and Curator. "This is an opportunity to embrace, lift up and recontextualize Texas Women, to reinterpret the legend of this great state through the eyes of its female citizens, and to recognize them for their work, which is second to none. I'm thrilled to present these very individual, beautiful and thought-provoking viewpoints of the landscapes, lifestyles and inhabitants of Texas."

What started as an Instagram account by George Irwin has developed into an immersive virtual gallery of some of the finest art highlighting the land, cultures and heritage of western North America. Irwin also hosts a podcast, "Horizons," that delves into the world of Western art through conversations with the people who make, collect and present paintings of the American West.

Texas is big, with each of its regions as large as states unto themselves, with their own cultural leanings. East Texas shares some flavor of the Southern U.S. In West Texas, the people are as rugged as the desert. In South Texas, Spanish is spoken at least as commonly as English. North Texas has a Midwestern feel, and Central Texas is a kind of melting pot of the other four regions with German undertones remaining from early settlers.

Though each area is distinct, there is something about being a Texan - regardless of what part of the state one is from - that every Texan has in common. It's hard to define, but it's undeniable. Maybe it's the pride or confidence that comes from once being an independent nation, or having access to its abundance of resources. Maybe it's a remnant of cowboy culture. Maybe repeatedly seeing the strangely balanced shape of the state on maps has an unknown influence on a Texan's psyche. Or maybe it's a little of all of the above.

In any case, this common factor that Texans share has given rise to the Texan archetype. Usually this is visualized in the form of a cowboy - a male wearing chaps, riding a horse around the turn of the 20th century, or a more contemporary version wearing a big belt buckle and driving a pickup truck.

Likewise, Texas women have their own archetype. They are historically famous for their strength, grit, big hair and taking no lip. And while the women in Texas are infinitely more diverse than this generalized characterization, having a strong point of view is a fairly common trait. The people, lifestyles and natural settings of Texas have long inspired Texans to put charcoal to paper, paint to canvas, and needle to thread in an expression of these viewpoints for anyone who cared to look. Today, thanks to the dedication of generations of women who have come before us, the female artist and her distinct prominence has risen to the surface. In the art world, credit is due to many pioneering women: Mary Cassatt, Georgia O'Keeffe and Frida Kahlo, to name a few. And in Texas, Dorothy Hood and Toni LaSelle have recently been highlighted for their role in advancing abstraction.

"Texas Women" aims to bring attention to the impactful work of prolific Texas female artists.

To post a comment, you must register and login.