A Conversation with Michael Sean Kirby about Groundswell
Q: Why turn the first floor of your house into an art space?
A: I’ve always valued the art community we have in Houston and wanted to contribute more. Converting the first floor of my home into a informal art space offers a secure setting for for experimenting and collaboration with the art world.
Q: Who is exhibiting groundswell in this space?
A: Patrick Renner. We met while he was working on his Funnel Tunnel project, a cornerstone in Houston’s art scene. It was an ambitious public art installation that had a big impact on many people. Patrick's approach to art making combines a fine balance of his creative audaciousness and humble craftsmanship. He also has a respectful and generous spirit.
Q: Why work with Patrick for this show?
A: Given our friendship and his qualities, it was an obvious choice. He took full control of the space and far exceeded expectations with remarkable creative courage, turning what was intended to be a three-month project turned into a year-long endeavor —a true “studio takeover.”
Q: How did the space evolve?
A: It evolves organically like a winding river. Occasionally the studio turns into a temporary community hub.
Q: What does this transformation represent?
A: Groundswell itself represents transformation and hopefully it's transformative in the spirit of supporting personal and artistic growth and engagement in the community.
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4001 Yale
Official groundswell emersion activation. Enjoy an evening of curated short videos from the the surface of Patrick Renner's undulating groun...
4001 Yale
4001 Yale
Official groundswell emersion activation. Enjoy an evening of curated short videos from the the surface of Patrick Renner's undulating groun...
4001 Yale
4001 Yale
Official groundswell emersion activation. Enjoy an evening of curated short videos from the the surface of Patrick Renner's undulating groun...
4001 Yale
4001 Yale
Official groundswell emersion activation. Enjoy an evening of curated short videos from the the surface of Patrick Renner's undulating groun...
4001 Yale
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Mike Hollis has always struck me as a unique person in the Art Houston scene. I believe he is one of the first to add geometric elements into his work in a consistent way. He is a very good colorist, too. I feel like Mike is a kid playing with color pencils and is not afraid to use the whole box.
I have been a fan Hollis’ work for a long time and acquired one of his paintings before the pandemic. In this piece the yellow and pink values have a harmonizing effect. They have the same tonal value and contrast the darker values. The simple geometric shapes contrast, balance and parade on the canvas. It has a portal-like effect to me.
There is definitely a spiritual side, too. It feels multidimensional; the paintings are light and clean and come at you from different angles. There is a playfulness, and still an orderly restraint. The best works draw you in and evoke a reassuring feeling – a higher order kind of thing, a pleasant and wise space
to be in.
msk
Featured artists:
Sculpture Month Houston, Altamira: The Urge To Create refers to the famous prehistoric cave in Northern Spain where approximately 17,000 to 16,000 years ago the Cro-Magnon people created magnificent, and now famous, cave paintings. They are similar to those in Lascaux and Chauvet in France. Along with early carvings made out of animal bones or mammoth ivory, like the “Lion-man” or diverse Venus effigies, these paintings can be considered the origin of art as we know it today.
The suggestion to our participating artists is: sit back and picture yourself as a cave artist but with the entire array of modern technology at your disposal. Explore and tie into this “primal urge to create” that compelled our ancestors to become curious and inquisitive about human existence and to transform their observations into tangible images.
(Showing canceled do to illness of Mr. Stout)
In the mid 2000's, Dick Wray and Richard Stout came across an opportunity to design some rugs to be made in Mexico. They liked the idea and began creating the drawings that would become the rugs. Ultimately, they decided not to pursue this beyond an experimental adventure, and the rugs they produced were forgotten. The purpose of this show is to exhibit the rugs for the first time since they were made.
This show, IRiE, is to celebrate the man, the legend, Tom Cunningham. I started working for Tom in 1993. By then, Cunningham Art Services was already established as being the best of the best, trusted by museums, top galleries and collectors. Over the years it has occurred to me that Tom also encouraged and supported many artists through his company. This show is proof and features a few of the many artists whose lives were touched by Tom’s entrepreneurial spirit and IRiE ways. Cunningham Art Services continues to serve the Houston arts community.
Exhibiting Artist
Angelique
Colin Costin
Janet Farb
Tommy Gregory
Mike Hollis
Colin Kaeppel
Michael Sean Kirby
Devon Christopher Moore
Michelle Reyna.
Exhibiting Artist
Leroy Gibbins
Patrick Renner
Michael Sean Kirby
Celebration the end of Sculpture Month Houston exhibits. VIP After Party.
Exhibiting Artist
Patrick Renner
Alex Larsen
Tommy Gregory
Michael Sean Kirby
Antartica Black
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