Space is the Place paintings of UFOs and such by Esther Pearl Watson

February 12 - April 18
Opening Party - Friday Feb 12th 7-10pm
with music by Darktown Strutters 7 DJ set by
Wild in the Streets


Esther Pearl Watson’s work has always been about telling stories, and the new works in this exhibition continue down that road, carrying the viewer through the patchwork fields and litter-strewn towns of her quirky North East Texas childhood.
Watson developed her narrative sense early on in her cartooning. Originally an Art Center-trained illustrator and comics artist, she has drawn illustrations for clients such as New York Times and has created the successful zine comic with Fantagraphics, Unlovable—loosely based on a teenager’s diary she found in a gas-station bathroom.
A strong narrative sense runs through the paintings in her new exhibition Space is the Place:Paintings of UFOs and Such by Esther Pearl Watson. Charming and funny, they chronicle her life growing up in a series of small Texas towns, with an eccentric father who was always trying to build spaceships in the yard, often with disastrous results. Part fantasy, part puzzle (find the family cat, Pooter), and part homage to the past, these works feature glittery spaceships hovering over tilted and flattened perspectives of rural landscapes—some idyllic, some trash-littered and neglected—with extended titles written in childlike printing.
Executed in acrylics, graphite, silver leaf, glitter and spray paint, Watson’s works combine a sophisticated use of mixed media with an assumed unschooled style in which Watson adopts the vernacular of Outsider Art.

2010
DOMESTIC ANIMALS co-curated w/ Heyd Fontenot
Wilhelmina Adams-Ben Aqua-Elaine Bradford-Bruce Lee-
Celia Eberle-Chris Green-Frieda Gossett-Jenny Hart-
Tim Hooper-Brian Jones-Dottie Love-Pinky Diablo-
Nadine-Brian Scott-Tom & Judy-Julian Wolkenstein - view

2009
ART OF THE SECRET SOCIETY & PAINTINGS BY MICHEL NEDJAR - view
WHEN IN TEXAS ACT LIKE A TEXAN
Esther Pearl Waston, Mark Todd, Martha Rich, Scott Ogden
, Silke Thoss, Bob Tooke - view
FACES OF GORDON
94 framed drawings of hairy faces by Gordon Carver
& Ike Morgan portraits of Obama-view

2008
HIGHER POWER
Poster show with posters from the greatest poster artists across the land
& new work by Dan Phillips - view
WHAT IS IT? WHERE'D YOU GET IT? CAN I HAVE IT?
vintage sign and vintage neon - view
STEP RIGHT UP
Vintage carnival banners - view

2007
LO and BEHOLD
Mike Miller, Tom Sale, REv. Johnnie Swearingen, LT Thomas
HOOPLAH
recent finds and new discoveries - view
CARNY
Vintage carnival banners and artifacts,
prints from Hatch press, freak photos by Thomas Gibson,
and art by Tim Kerr, Ren Smith, Bob Tooke, and Silke Thoss.- view

EXPLOSION
An incredible selection of work by Ike E. Morgan and changing weekly selection of work by gallery artists along with all kinds of new finds and discoveries. -view

SPARK
Tony Bones, Camp Bosworth, Michael Krueger, Bryce McCloud, Dan Phillips,
Martha Rich, Matthew Rodriguez, Silke Thoss, Mark Todd, Bob Tooke,
Esther Pearl Watson, Bruce Lee Webb
upstairs gallery: tin types and photographs by Robb Kendrick - view

2006
RITUAL
Art and Artifacts of Fraternal Lodges
Masonic, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and others- view

EYES OF TEXAS
exhibit of early Texas Folk Art from the Gaye Hall collection - view

TRICK
pottery by Carl Block and dioramas by Tom Sale -view

TEXAS TALL TALE
exhibit featuring Texas artwork and curiosities - view

2005

FLASH IN THE PAN
The Amazing Hancock Brothers and Art of the Tattoo Culture
Jeff Rassier, Scott Harrison, Carl Hallowell, Kat Von D, Oliver Peck,
Dan Phillips, Slim TX, Bobby Love, George Perez, Caleb - view

TRIO
Michel Nedjar - small paintings, Robb Kendrick - true tintypes, Deborah Luster-contemporary tintypes - view


SMORGASBORD
sale of private Texas folk art collection

Ezekiel Gibbs, David Butler, James Harold Jennings, Howard Finster, Dwight Macintosh, Lanier Meaders, Burlon Craig, Sultan Rogers, Issac Smith, Rev. JL Hunter, Navajo art, loads of tramp art, memory jugs, numerous face jugs, hundreds of pieces..........

MONIKER
Art of the Road & Rail
Buz Blurr - Jason Brunson - Bill Daniel - Flashback Crew - Carter Gilliss -
Bryce McCloud - Dan Phillips - Other - Whenone - Rotgut - Tony Bones...view

2004
Posters:
100+ killer posters of music shows and events from small independent printmakers and letter press operations from across the country
William West:
(1881-1975) Paintings. Mr. West was from Trafford PA and painted quirky landscapes and scenes at the age of 84, up until his death in 1975. 40+ paintings of his various funny perspectives....view

50 x 100
art from every corner of the space - with work by Frank Jones,
Michel Nedjar, Luster Willis, Dan Phillips,Hector Benavides,
Royal Robertson, Chelo Amezcua, Chomo, Artist Chuckie,
Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Rev JL Hunter, Mose T, John W. Banks,
Baltimore Glassman, Mark Cole Greene, Rev. Johnnie Swearingen,
Inez Nathniel Walker, vintage fashion illustrations,
fraternal lodge pieces, anonymous art, and mucho more...... - view

Sideshow:
exhibit of vintage carnival banners and contemporary banners
by Glen C. Davies- view


2003

Write On:
drawings by Anthony - Terry Arnold - Hector Benavides- Buz Blurr - Dame Darcy - Hiroyuki Doi
Chris Hipkiss - Helen Mayfield - Gary Panter - Dan Phillips - Royal Robertson
Robert Simon - Rev. LT Thomas - Willie Young - Domineco Zindato - Vintage Tattoo Flash Steve Keene paintings & risque Ike Morgan- view

Mixer:
William Thompson- Ike E. Morgan- Robert Simon- Carl Nash- Norbert Kox
photos by Sam Fentress- view

Art From the Lodge Hall - view

2002

Beat: paintings & gun shot paintings by William S. Burroughs
paintings & poupees by Michel Nedjar
40's cheesecake photos- view