Somehow summer gives permission to those so inclined to go out of the way with the way Dallas shows art. The Oh Six Collective's Trunk Show in the parking lot at 918 Dragon Street June 23, 2006 "featuring local artists and affordable art!" is a case in point.

The Pick-up Wall of Art — I hadn't seen a pickup truck
used as a gallery wall since Willard "The Texas Kid"
did it in the Cottonbowl Parade what, 20 years ago?
His was more colorful, of course, so was he, but this
monochromatic display has its own distinctions — tres modern.

The collective, comprising John Davenport, John Ryan Moore, Aqsa Shakil, Sara Ishii, Shelby Cunningham, Polly Perez, Kristen Macy, and Mighty Fine Arts and Plush gallery artists and owners plus guests put on a great little show in the heart of Dallas' latest commercial gallery district along Dragon Street in the industrial/design district across Stemmons Expressway from downtown Dallas, complete with loud music, kids and art.

Baby Lift

I'd forgot about the trunk show and was mindlessly tripping from commercial gallery to commercial gallery taking photographs in and out their windows, of gallery goers and the amazing light along the street, when we happened upon the rock 'n roll and people spilling out of the parking lot parked with vans and trucks and people and art.

Nice.

Thanks to Greg Gorham (I think that's Heather Gorham on
the right above) for identifying this as Rosemary Meza's art

Pickup bed of art. Now that I know whose art this is, I wish I'd paid more attention to the work and less to photographing it. I'm a big fan of Rosemary's work, except maybe her pubic hair drawings. Now I'm kicking myself. What an opportunity missed.

The Ghetto Art Bling Booth

 

Charlie Mitcherson (third from left
looking into the camera)'s space

Always nice to see old friends. Charlie's space gathered a bunch of old friends as well as people I don't know. Art at the collective's parking lot show was cheap, and a lot of artists and others left with some.

Not all the names in this display are in focus, but those that I can read include Eric Doeringer, third from left on the cloth spilling out the back. Then around the side of the van are Teresa O'Connor, Michael Wynne and Robert Moore.

John Davenport Art

Along the bottom of the brown paper display area it says, "Small $20  Medium $30  Large $40."

Not Trash! — $5 Each

I didn't see the sign — "NOT TRASH!" I just saw an open display of catch as catch can art for an odd little photograph. Anna saw art and the sign, and bought the screen on the left. For $5. If I'd been paying a little more attention, I might have liked the the vivid colors on black near the middle. It's hard to go wrong with $5 art.

Anna said Plush owner Randall Garrett said he had been thinking about doing a gallery installation with those same pieces.

Steve Cruz paintings on the hood

Again, no sign, but this looks suspiciously like MFA gallery owner Steve Cruz' paintings on the orange hood of a red truck, car, vehicle...

Left to Right: work by Xena, Marcia Alaniz, Michael Wynne and Mary Benedicto

The whole show reminded me mightily of notices of fictitious "North Dallas" art exhibitions a certain artist used to sneak into the DallasArtsRevue calendar. Those were supposedly vans and reckvees full of fine art ready to be driven off. No one ever seemed to get the joke, but here in the Dragon Street Art District, a similar venue fits right in, seemed natural. Definitely for real.

Polly Perez' Art and Art Supplies

Old Art in Americas, Art Newses, art books, Argus 300 projector, sugar bowl, cream pitcher and a Dawn of the Dead and Creepshow cassette

Conduit Door

It's summer. It's hot. People are dressed comfy and oddly willing to stand out on porches and gab.

Dragon Street is Booming

Girl Out the Window at Holly Johnson

Downtown From Dragon Street

We've done Dragon Street several times since Craighead Green gallery moved in a couple years ago. First new gallery into the area was Conduit. There's a bunch already there. If Dallas has a real arts district, this is it. That thing downtown is definitely not THE Dallas arts district.

Gallery Window becomes its own art at Also.

The Setting Sun from Dragon Street

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Story and Photographs copyright 2006
by J R Compton. All Rights Reserved.
No Reproduction in any medium
without specific written permission.

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