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Deep ART Walk

Story + Photographs by J R Compton

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Marshall Thompson - 555 Tone Generator, 2004
Electronic toy and electronics
3.5 x 14.5 x 8.5 inches

We each spent minutes keying blaring loud guitar riffs into the acoustically bright Road Agent Gallery.

Grand fun. Though this clean piece and the presentation of others, like the one below, reminded of a eerily similar show — Come Forward — Emerging Texas Artists at the Dallas Museum of Art in April 2003, complete with instruments and smallish speakers as art. This electric piece involved first-person singular involvement creating loud rock accompaniment to expand the gallery experience and noise level. Excitement of a grunge sort.

Richie Budd - Crunked on No Limit, 2006
mixed media - 44 x 33 x 32 inches

Last time we saw Richie Budd's work was at Austin's first Texas Biennial, two years ago when we put it on the gloriodsky cover of our multi-page coverage of the Bi. This wasn't as phantasmically extravagant, had more purpose, and was cleaner. The wrinkled bubbling glow reminded us. The intersticed radio and other realities are at least a couple years' progress. We were glad to see new work by him, know he's still at it. Continuing to jumble soft and hard-edge color and texture over the tech's edge.

Eric Trosko - From the Forest, 2004 - acrylic on canvas 52 x 52 inches
Eric Trosko - Frontier, 2004 - acrylic on canvas - 34 x 44 inches
Ryan Humphrey - Velocity of Transparent Aspiration, 2005-06
BMW 7 Series hood, automotive paint, clear coat, carbon fiber hood emblem - 52 x 59 x 4 inches

A vivid orange plastic keep-out ribbon barred entry, like a crime scene, to this pristine space, but we were obviously expected to see it, just not up close. A bright closet.

Mark Williams - Translation, 2006 - enamel paint on canvas - 90 x 48 inches
Mark Williams - Distance, 2006 - acrylic paint on canvas - 60 x 48 inches

As often, Barry Whistler Gallery was as Barry Whistler Gallery does.

Minimal and serene. White open spaces with art interruptions. When I saw minimalist sculptor Tom Orr in nearly monochromatic black with tan boots, alone in that big room, I blended into the wall, shot this, felt guilty about it, but wouldn't pass it up.

Exterior of Barry Whistler and the side door to Road Agent

That's Barry's in red and white on the left, and the open door, gray on the right, to Road Agent, a couple doors this way down Canton Street from 2719 cum Morroson Studio.

Black & White Fashion Outside
Barry Whistler and Road Agent

Another layer of minimalism outside: Most of the night's crowds dressed comfortable — not to say these fashion plates weren't. Black & whites waited their car at the curb lower center the second photo up. A fleeting glance transitions us into the nightclub beat of Deep Elm.

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Art Prostitute

The best art bookstore in Dallas since Vance Wingate (temporarily?) abandoned Gray Matters Gallery on Haskell, Art Prostitute shows art that startles and expands our understandings. Then publishes about it on web and in print. I feel a certain competition there and dallied long in visiting but felt at home with their graphic art sensibilities and their quirkish sense of engagement.

Steven Hopwood-Lewis - Storybrain Drawings from 2006 and 2007

behind the keyboard musician paintings by Ron English

When I visited a few weeks ago, they were painting all the walls white, and tonight it looked magnificent, setting off the art, patrons and live entertainment.

What's Left of Tunnel Vision,
Former Gateway to Deep Elm

We got turned around turning around and took two turns piling through Tunnel Vision's big open mouth wonder. I'd thought Dallas Area Rapid Transit had filled it up already, so glad to see we could still drive through and see shadows of the art and local color that once was there.

Whatever we might have thought about the quality of some of the visions portrayed there, it was an apt and active gateway to Deep Elm, and we won't be the only ones to miss it.

Deep Elm Local Color

For more than a glimpse of the art that was Tunnel Vision visit the online video of it (down the page and on the right). The music's hokey, but the art is a wonderful reminder of that place.

See also our Feedback Page for more "controversy" regarding Tunnel Vision.

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Exterior - Kettle - 2714 Elm Street
open 7 - 10 Thursdays - Saturdays

We've visited Kettle Art before and find director Frank Campagna's mix of styles intriguing, provoking, often amusing. Every time I look up into their ceiling I remember Barry Kuda's bone angel of death hanging in a previous show, setting the tone, gentler maybe, but still reminiscent of the old Forbidden Gallery.

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Amazing Barry Kooda sculpture
that wasn't in this show

Parking was more of a challenge closer to the clubs still open. We were experiencing idling issues, so Anna fast idled down the street, and I popped in. Not many people there (it was about 8; the walk continued till 10), but those who were were smiling big or laughing out loud.

inside Kettle Art

Art by Cathey Miller added to the merriment. The show, Skulls, Babes & Sparkley Guns included a mischievous mix of work by Cathey Miller, Marie Sena and Judith Lea Perkins.

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Cathey Miller - The Refusal to Forget Desire - $450

Slaying the squid of Technology, the underwear-clad warriors of the blue space army watched over the timid homes of citizens.

I never know what to say about Cathey Miller's work. It's fun, disconcerting, with serious twists and sensuous turns. I'd have to agree still with what longtime DallasArtsRevue contributor Michael Helsem said of her work three years ago in his story linked below. Although her work has improved since then, she has changed neither direction nor style:

"I love the bald goofishness of it all," Helsem wrote in Wild Garage Muses, explaining that, "In poetry right now there is an equivalent movement called "Flarf." These are over-educated poets who are hellbent on coming up with something unacceptable even to the very broad canons of the institutional avant garde. I believe Cathey Miller has attained to that unnatural beatitude."

Cathey later replied that she had, indeed.

Judith Lea Perkins - Para El Rey Del Puerco - $150

Less pushing boundaries than a contrast of styles, colors, textures in faux dimension graphic art context, Perkins' work mixes bold flat symbols and repetitive linear shapes. It's just as funny and simultaneously serious.

8 pm on a Saturday,
Deep Elm nearly deserted

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