As the second largest state in the U.S., it should come as no surprise that Texas has a lot to offer. The Lone Star State is often associated with the Southwest lifestyle and landscape: cowboy boots, football, longhorn cattle and a dry, dusty, sage-covered terrain, but it also has an unparalleled diversity that has attracted many creative-minded individuals of all walks of life.
From the town of Amarillo in Northern Texas, to the city of San Antonio in the Southern region, there is a plethora of art hubs, along with significant museums and institutions, that cater to the contemporary and representational art scene.
In Houston, the largest city in the state, and where the demographic is one of the most diverse in America, you’ll find cultural epicenters like the Theatre and Museum Districts—home to the popular Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, where they strive to “connect the communities of Houston with diverse histories of art spanning 5,000 years and six continents,” say museum representatives.
Aerial image from Through the Lens: Dallas Arts District - showcasing the diverse neighborhood of arts and striking architecture. Courtesy Dallas Arts District Foundation and Visit Dallas.Heading north, you’ll reach the very active and populated city of Dallas, boasting one of the “largest urban arts districts in the country,” according to the visitors bureau on their website, www.visitdallas.com. They also note that April is “Arts Month” in Dallas, where many flock to the Dallas Arts District to celebrate. “The 20-square block district is jam packed with fine art museums, performing arts venues, award winning restaurants and so much more,” the website explains.
Yet another significant and dynamic area, about a three-hour drive west of Houston, is the city of Austin. Here you will find what can be described as a “laid back” atmosphere with trendy hot spots, amazing live music and an abundant visual arts scene. Across several neighborhoods and districts there are galleries, museums and institutions more notably in the Arts District and close to the University of Texas. This includes The Contemporary Austin that serves as an art school with two museum locations—the Laguna Gloria and the Jones Center.
Whatever art adventure you’re looking to have, you can guarantee that the vast state of Texas will have more than enough to satiate your desires. We encourage you to continue reading through this section to hear additional insights from artists and galleries that contribute to the Texas art scene.
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Southwest Gallery
4500 Sigma Road
Dallas, Texas 75244
(972) 960-8935
sales@swgallery.com
www.swgallery.com
Southwest Gallery, Great Day for a Balloon Ride, oil on canvas, 90 x 52", by Bette Ridgeway.Southwest Gallery has offered one of the largest collections of fine 19th to 21st-century paintings and sculptures in Dallas, Texas, for over 50 years. The gallery represents hundreds of respected and established artists with thousands of works from antique to contemporary, in over 16,000 square feet of space. The service-oriented staff provides design expertise that helps clients find their special art piece. The gallery family also includes Kittrell/Riffkind Art Glass, showcasing beautiful examples of glasswork sculptures for any collection.
Southwest Gallery, Amber and Turquoise, oil on canvas, 34 x 30", by Irene Sheri.
Interior view of Southwest Gallery, located in Dallas, Texas.Starting in April, while featuring the most recent Western paintings by Robert Hagan, Southwest Gallery will also be gearing up to highlight new, contemporary works by Bette Ridgeway who will be featured in her upcoming one-woman show in May.
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Nancy J. Balmert
www.nancybalmert.com
nbalmert@comcast.net
Houston, Texas-based artist Nancy Balmert is known for painting flowers in all their beauty and gracefulness, from the translucent petals to their sturdy or flowing stems. She is lovingly referred to as the “Queen of the Flowers” by Ruthie Tucker, owner and curator of Amsterdam Whitney International Fine Art, Inc. in Chelsea, New York.
Nancy J. Balmert, Rio Vista Iris, oil on canvas, 42 x 36"
“Her works perfectly capture the bloom, translating its ravishing details in a way that makes the viewer feel as if they were strolling through the garden, inhaling the scent of the flowers and the warmth of the sunlight beaming down upon them.” says Tucker of Balmert's work.
Nancy J. Balmert, Moon Orchids, oil on canvas, 30 x 24"
With each new painting that Balmert produces, she strives for it to be the best. She also explains, “My source of inspiration comes from the beauty that God has created for us to marvel at and enjoy. I love the freshness and scent of flowers and love painting them and bringing the outdoors inside [collector’s] homes…I paint every detail of the petals, so when people gaze at my paintings, they look so lifelike that the viewer can imagine smelling the flowers…”
Nancy J. Balmert, Vintage, oil on canvas, 14 x 14"
Balmert has earned an international reach, with her most recent exhibiton in Paris at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, France, and at the M.E.A.M. Museum in Barcelona, Spain, in November 2022. The artists most recent award was the International Prize – Donatello, awarded on January 21, 2023, at the Borghese Palace, Florence, Italy. Balmert has also received many other awards and recognition.
You can find Balmert’s work at the Amsterdam Whitney International Fine Art Gallery, Inc., in New York, or Prellop Fine Art Gallery in Salado, Texas.
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Mary Lambeth
32 Lafayette Place
Midland, TX 79705
(432) 770-5800
mary@marylambeth.com
www.marylambeth.com
Artist Mary Lambeth is a sixth generation Texan, with a degree in painting from Arizona State University and a MAE from Texas Tech University. Most of her work is created in watercolor with a focus in capturing color.
“I started a native Texas Wildflower series about 10 years ago, inspired by the vivid pops of color along the roadsides of the Texas Hill Country,” Lambeth explains. “These roads are primarily around Junction, Mason, Llano and Castell, Texas.” She continues, “I am a Texas Master Naturalist (a program through the Texas parks and wildlife that educates volunteers on the parks’ plants, wildlife, fauna, history, etc). This allows me to enjoy and reinforce what I learn from them through my study of Texas natives.”
Mary Lambeth, White Passion Vine, watercolor, 22½ x 30"
This last year, Lambeth revisited more tropical florals taken from summer vacations in Cabo, and proclaims again that, “it is the color that I am trying to capture!”
Lambeth has shown her paintings at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, is a signature member in the Texas Watercolor Society (TWS), American Plains Artists (APA) Society and Montana Watercolor Society (MTWS). Lambeth’s upcoming shows include Artscape at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden on April 29 and 30. Details can be found at www.dallasarboretum.org/events-activities/artscape. —
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