“I don’t Want No Water, Ma!” by Craig Odle
The Art Museum of Southeast Texas will host “Craig Odle: Experiments and Evolution,” Aug. 29–Nov. 17 in AMSET’s Café Arts Series for Local Artists.
On Sept. 15, 2-4 p.m., AMSET will host a free and open to the public artist’s reception.
Born in Houston in 1987, Odle grew up in Beaumont, where he now resides. A pop-surrealist/lowbrow painter, Odle finds inspiration in day-to-day life. The concepts he uses in his paintings come to him from conversations, music, movies, dreams and at times just odd thoughts. The titles for his pieces generally speak to whatever idea was used in the conception of the piece. Sometimes, his artwork has a deep or dark meaning while other times the piece may insinuate a riddle or a pun. Most of his work is done on canvas using acrylic paint.
Odle believes that his life experiences have shaped the way he views and creates art.
“If we look at life and the world all around us, we can see evolution firsthand,” he said. “I believe that my experience and progression with my passion to create is no different. I had an experience around four years ago that changed my outlook on art and what it would take to move forward with my craft, and since then I have, one day at a time, moved further away from my comfort zone.”
A mixture of experimentation and evolution, as evidenced by the series’ title, has influenced Odle’s work.
“Over time I have begun to believe that my art is a living thing – when it is pushed and nourished it evolves like every other living being in the universe,” he said.
“These pieces showcase many of the experiments that took place to help my painting practice grow into what it is currently. Only time, and the evolution that takes place during that time, will tell as to what the future holds for me and the canvases that cross my path.”
AMSET is located at 500 Main St. in downtown Beaumont.
For more information, visit www.amset.org or call 409-832-3432.
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Finder’s Fayre Antiques will host an exhibition of work by Keri Stinnett, part of its Contemporary Local Artist Series. The show opens with a free reception Sept. 5, 5-9 p.m., as part of First Thursday in the Mildred.
Finder’s Fayre Antiques is located at 1485 Calder in Beaumont.
For more information, call 409-833-7000, or visit their Facebook page.
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The Stark Museum of Art has received a 2019 Cowboy Keeper award from the National Day of the Cowboy. The award recognizes organizations and individuals that have made a substantial contribution to the preservation of pioneer heritage and to those who support the continued growth and preservation of Cowboy culture.
The organization cited the collections and programs of the Stark Museum: “The Stark Museum of Art opened in November 1978, exhibiting the extraordinary Western American art collection assembled by H.J. Lutcher Stark and his wife, Nelda Childers Stark, which encompassed art from John J. Audubon to 20th century artists of New Mexico. The museum is committed to preserving, researching, exhibiting, and expanding its collections.”
The museum, which has four permanent galleries that feature Western themes and collections, also makes its collections available digitally through its website and with loans to educational exhibitions at other museums.
Stark Museum of Art is located at 712 Green Ave. in Orange.
For more information, visit starkcultural venues.org.