Pre Conference Highlights - Thursday, March 31

Thursday began with a tour of the elegant Rachofsky House built by celebrated architect Richard Meier. Thomas Feulmer gave an intimate tour of the contemporary art collection of Cindy and Howard Rachofsky that spread through the interior of this architectural masterpiece. Works by Eric Fischl, Louise Bourgeois, and Janine Antoni were featured, among others. The art collection expanded out to the surrounding grounds where members roamed through the sculptural works by artists such as Kiki Smith, Robert Irwin, and Jeff Koons. Members then boarded buses to the Meadows Museum where Mark A. Roglán, Interim Director at the Meadows gave an insightful tour of the Spanish collection housed in the Meadows including works by Goya, Picasso and Juan Gris. Participants then explored the masterworks in the collection of Raymond and Patsy Nasher in the light filled pavilions of the Nasher Sculpture Center , a 54,000-square-foot glass building designed by award-winning architect Renzo Piano. Outside in the expansive two acre sculpture garden designed by Peter Walker, an installation by James Turrell refreshed viewers with its open skyspace, and sculptures by artists such as Jonothan Borofsky and Richard Serra adorned the peaceful outdoor blend of art and nature. Thursday wound down with a relaxing evening at the Atrium Café in the Dallas Museum of Art where conference participants enjoyed a light meal, live music and good company.

Conference Highlights - Friday, April 1

On Friday morning Edward DesPlas, Executive Vice President of El Centro College gave a warm greeting to TASA members in the new Student and Technology building at El Centro College , and the group saw the show W omen in Print on view in the El Centro College Gallery . This exhibition featured eight women artists that use photographic and printmaking media . Afterwards, there was a tour of the El Centro Art Department facilities and student work. Next members took buses to Richland College art studios and galleries where Randall Garrett led the group through the art facilities at Richland College . At the Logo Vista Gallery Dwayne Carter gave an in depth talk on his concepts and process for his series of digital prints in his show Interrupted Gestures at Richland. Shelley Minnis with Sanford Corporation gave a presentation in front of the Brazos Gallery at Richland before the group had a lunch reception for the One Square Foot Exhibition in the Brazos Gallery. The tour then led to the University of Texas at Dallas where Greg Metz introduced the group to the UTD art facilities and gallery. The UTD Gallery exhibition Subrealities and Distributed Nerves, an exhibition that ran concurrently on the web, explored new methods of generating and distributing narrative through the use of digital media. At UTD the Paul Hanna Lecture recipient Kurt Dyrhaug gave a comprehensive and entertaining slide lecture about his dynamic wood and caste metal sculptures. Collin County Community was the last stop of the afternoon, were the group toured the CCCC art facilities and gallery which featured a wonderful exhibition of Peruvian folk art titled Finding Faith: Folk Art of Peru from the Private Collection of Ambassador Antonio Lulli Avalos. That evening conference participants went to the McKinney Avenue area to see the TWANG exhibition at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary and they had the option to dine in the McKinney Avenue area.

Conference Highlights - Saturday, April 2

After a continental breakfast in the El Centro College dining hall, members listened to three excellent art history lectures in the El College Performance Hall. Gail Gear presented Travel in the Ancient World in the Early Christian Period (1 st - 4 th century A.D.), Bob Hext presented Similarities in Style and Motif of Indian Rock Art Among Shelters in Jeff Davis County , and Future Akins-Tillett presented Finding the Studio . The group then had lunch and a TASA business meeting in the El Centro Dining Hall. That afternoon conference participants were offered various art tour options that included visiting galleries such as 500X Gallery, Grey Matters Gallery, Plush Gallery the Latino Cultural Center , as well as the Latino Cultural Center and Dallas Center for Contemporary Art. Members went to the Southside Studios on Saturday night to tour the open studios and attend the TASA banquet where keynote speaker and acclaimed art historian Richard Robson Brettell, Ph.D. spoke to the group about the history, development, and mission of the Southside Studios, and he was awarded the TASA Art Patrons Award for continuing support of the arts.

Keynote Speaker: Richard Robson Brettell

McDermott Professor of Art and Aesthetics at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Dr. Brettell has also served as the American Coordinator for FRAME, the French Regional and American Museum Exchange, McDermott Director at the Dallas Museum of Art, Visiting Professor at Harvard University, Yale University and Northwestern University. His fellowships include The
Getty Museum National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Fellow and Visiting Scholar at the Clark Art Institute.

His professional affiliations include chairman for the United States Federal Indemnity Panel, The Getty Grant Program Publication Committee, The American Association of Museum Directors, The Elizabethan Club and The Phelps Association.

The most recent books from his vast list of publications include, 19th and 20th Century European Drawings in the Robert Lehman Collection, Impression: Painting Quickly in France 1860-1890, Modern Art: 1851-1929: Capitalism and Representation, Monet to Moore: The Millennium Gift of Sara Lee Corporation, among others.

Paul Hanna Lecture: Kurt Dyrhaug

For over ten years, my work has explored architectural and mechanical forms utilizing wood and cast metal as primary materials. Since moving to Southeast Texas, I have been conceptualizing my sculpture utilizing 3D graphics. For this lecture I will bring forward my experiences with cast metal, specifically the cast iron process and benefits to community and academic institutions. I will also present my experiences with bridging fine art and graphic design.

While working in Minnesota, I had been exploring machines used in agriculture. Although my current work still references these tool forms, it also explores my experiences living in Southeast Texas. The nautical and petrochemical industry of the Gulf Coast has influenced new forms and content. My sculpture evokes the form and function of these implements, providing new associations of meaning. This work explores mechanical devices used to alter the landscape. The purpose of these devises interests me with their ability to cultivate as well as scar the land. Reconstructing forms of this nature alludes to a variety of interpretations and potential applications based on the relationships of scale and materials.

One Cube Foot Exhibition

Paris Je Suis Perdu (I am lost), by Chris Bergquist Fulmer, mixed media, 2005

In 2005, the TASA One Cube Foot Exhibition took place at the Brazos Gallery, Richland College in Dallas. Randall Garrett, Gallery Coordinator at the Brazos Gallery organized the TASA One Cube Foot Exhibition , that was on display from March 1 – April 1, 2005 and the closing lunch reception was Friday, April 1st from 11:30am-12:30pm. There were a large number of participants for this exhibition, and the work was diverse, dynamic, and inventive.

2005's exhibit featured twenty-three entries. Asel Art Supply and Sanford provided the awards. The exhibition was held at Richland College 's Brazos Gallery in conjunction with the annual 2005 TASA Conference in Dallas . The jurors were noted Dallas collectors Karol Howard and George Morton. The winners of the 2005 One Square Foot Exhibition were Chris Fulmer (5th Place), Cathie Tyler ( 4th Place ), Eddie Rawlinson ( 3rd Place ), Laurie Weller ( 2nd Place ), and Susan Moore (1st Place).

JAMES TURRELL / INSTALLATION TITLED TENDING (BLUE) FROM HIS SKYSPACE SERIES AT THE NASHER SCULPTURE GARDEN, DALLAS, TEXAS

The first piece by James Turrell that I saw in person was Tending (Blue). I took these photographs (on the left) as I approached the installation, and as I went inside of it. I was overwhelmed with the sense of calm and quiet that this installation evoked in me and the other people that were viewing it. The links below give a description of the project, as well as background information on James Turrell, and some individual experiences of the project.

- Victoria Taylor-Gore

Spring 2005 Envision newsletter (PDF)