CURRENT | MAY 4 - JUNE 26, 2022
UNBOUND BOTANICALS
MIXED MEDIA WORKS BY PAULA OWEN
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Unbound Botanicals germinated during the pandemic shutdown. In the absence of regular social interaction, time and solitude were fertile ground for each piece to begin with an intentional, personal challenge to respond—to a surface, shape, tool, observation, or memory that sat at the back of my mind. Committed to allowing each piece to evolve incrementally over time, often starting over completely, they became discoveries.
The “unboundness” of these works does not refer to anything radical, but to the imagined—quite the opposite of how traditional botanical drawings and paintings are created. Uninterested in representation, I convey some otherwise unexpressed quality of these familiar references in the natural world. Unbound Botanicals celebrates both the artwork of Paula Owen and the significant contributions she has made to art education during her tenure at Southwest School of Art. ARTIST BIO Paula Owen has been President of Southwest School of Art in San Antonio since 1996, following 11 years as the Director of the Visual Arts Center in Richmond, VA. Owen holds the MS degree in art education from Minnesota State University and the MFA in painting and printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her work is held in numerous private and public collections. --- Important Dates: Exhibition Dates | May 4 - June 26, 2022 Opening Reception | Saturday, May 7 – 12:00PM to 4:00PM The exhibition and Opening Reception will be located at the Studio Comfort Texas ART GALLERY, located at 716 High Street in Comfort, Texas. Images pictured on poster: Garden (left) Forest (right) 
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PAST | MARCH 9 - MAY 1, 2022
DAYDREAMS IN BRIGHT HOURS
MIXED MEDIA PAINTINGS BY POLLY JONES
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Daydreams in Bright Hours is an exploration into the possibility of transcendence in the midst of ordinary life. Bright sunlight shines through the studio window and illuminates objects on a table. Eventually, flowers wilt and the sun changes position. That one perfect moment passes and a broader recognition of time filters into the evolving image. A sense of mindfulness and gratitude for a particular moment becomes a part of the painting.
Polka dots reference and make room for faith in atoms, spirit, pixels, and all the things that are difficult, if not impossible, to see in our world. Grappling with these ingredients is a serious and joyful form of play––a delight in the properties of color, light, pattern, and texture. Layers of paint and vintage paper ephemera bring other voices and viewpoints into the image and invite a closer look. This slowing down and time spent with paper is an antidote to scrolling through digital screens. It asks us to daydream. ARTIST BIO Polly Jones grew up in the flat lands and big sky country of Littlefield and Plainview, Texas, and received her BFA in painting from Abilene Christian University. She has had solo exhibitions in Tennessee and Texas, and participated in numerous group and juried exhibits. Her work is collected across the USA and internationally. Polly has been featured in Create Magazine and Studio Magazine. She lives and works in Abilene, Texas, with her husband, an artist and ACU professor. --- Important Dates: Exhibition Dates | March 9 - May 1, 2022 Opening Reception | Saturday, March 12 – 2:00PM to 6:00PM The exhibition and Opening Reception will be located at the Studio Comfort Texas ART GALLERY, located at 716 High Street in Comfort, Texas. Images pictured on poster: A Trick of Light (top) Clouds Forever (bottom)
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PAST | FEB 23 - MARCH 27, 2022
GOD IS DANCING
COLLAGRAPH PRINTS BY MIKE MARTIN
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GOD IS DANCING is an exhibition of collagraph prints based on local artist Mike Martin’s experiences at a ranch on Elm Pass Road near Comfort. Trees are prevalent there, particularly elms, and some of the old ones have taken on the shape of a human figure in motion. Some of the works begin on the plate en plein air, in the midst of dancing trees.
MIKE MARTIN lives in Comfort, Texas, with his wife, Susan. He is a plein air watercolor painter and has recently returned to his roots as a printmaker working primarily in collagraphs. --- Important Dates: Exhibition Dates | February 23 - March 27, 2022 Opening Reception | Saturday, February 26 – 1:00PM to 4:00PM The exhibition and Opening Reception will be located at Studio Comfort Texas ARTSPACE, located at 713 High Street in Comfort, Texas. We ask that masks be worn if you have not been vaccinated or if you are experiencing any symptoms related to the COVID or Influenza viruses.
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PAST | OCT 20 - DEC 30, 2021
SUEÑOS (DREAMS)
FIBER + SOFT SCULPTURE + DRAWINGS + PAINTINGS BY ANGELICA RAQUEL MARTINEZ
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Sueños (Dreams) references the artist’s dreams, rich with metaphors and punctuated by the folklore of her family, particularly her beloved grandfather. The animal world, the land, vast skies of stars inform the stories she tells through her work. “I think back, lovingly, to honey-dripped memories and a youth spent en el monte, but also to (my) dreams and night terrors and how they are so intertwined to my personal lore,” says Angelica.
Angelica Raquel Martinez is a multi-disciplinary artist living and working in San Antonio, Texas. She earned her MFA from The University of Texas at San Antonio and a BFA from Texas State University. Angelica was born and raised in border city Laredo Texas, where much of her passion for Folklore and storytelling was kindled. She draws much of her inspiration from her upbringing and culture. --- Important Dates: Exhibition Dates | October 20 – December 30, 2021 Opening Reception | Saturday, October 23 – 2:00PM to 6:00PM The exhibition and Opening Reception will be located at Studio Comfort Texas ART GALLERY, located at 716 High Street in Comfort, Texas. We ask that masks be worn if you have not been vaccinated or if you are experiencing any symptoms related to the COVID or Influenza viruses. Images pictured on poster: Los Tesoros De Mi Abuelito (top) A Recurring Dream: The Struggle (bottom)
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PAST | SEP 15 - OCT 17, 2021
LOVE HER WILD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CIEL EVANS
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Love Her Wild features photography by Ciel Evans that explores the interface of nature, play, and the powerful feminine that arises from the wisdom and innocence of youth.
Ciel Evans is a Wildlife Biologist and Photographer who lives in Boerne with her husband and two daughters. www.instagram.com/ciel.evans --- Love Her Wild is part of the 27th Annual FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA Photography Festival. The exhibition is also part of the 9th Annual Comfort Art Festival. Artists will be on hand at local businesses throughout the day to greet visitors and discuss their work. The event is will be held at Studio Comfort Texas ART GALLERY, located at 716 High Street in Comfort, Texas. We ask that masks be worn if you have not been vaccinated or if you are experiencing any symptoms related to the COVID or Influenza viruses. Image pictured on poster: "Bird's Eye" 
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PAST | SEPTEMBER 24, 2021
THE QUARTERLY POETRY EVENT
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 6:30-8:00PM
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Please join us for Comfort's Fall Quarterly Poetry Event!
Hosted by Studio Comfort Texas and Ursa Vineyards-Branch on High. Featuring the poetry of David Meischen and the story and song of David Pipes. David Meischen will read a selection of poems, including from his book, Anyone’s Son. He is a native of rural South Texas, a lifelong storyteller, Pushcart Honoree and winner of multiple awards. Residents of Austin for more than thirty years, David and his husband, Scott Wiggerman, now make their home in Albuquerque. David Pipes will tell a couple of “true” stories that could happen to anybody of wit, and if lucky, get the audience to sing along with him on one of his songs. He is a part-time musician and spinner of tall tales, an educator and environmentalist. He lives in Boerne with his wife, Kim Pipes. Location change! Event will be at Studio Comfort Texas ARTSPACE, 713 High St. • This is a free outdoor event • Ursa wines will be available for purchase by the glass or bottle • No outside wines allowed • Food is allowed only if you pack out what you pack in • Some chairs will be provided, but bring your own if you have one handy • If you have not been vaccinated, please wear a mask |
| Fall 2021 Poetry Event Poster |
PAST | JUN 25, 2021
THE QUARTERLY POETRY EVENT
FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 6:30-8PM
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It's the return of Comfort's Quarterly Poetry Event! Featured will be The Fantastic Four––Lucy Griffith, Judith Youngers, Lee Robinson, and Jerry Winakur.
Loctation: Studio Comfort Texas in their backyard, located at 716 High Street Ursa Branch on High will have wines available for purchase by bottle or glass In case of inclement weather, an alternate open-air covered location will be announced. Some chairs will be provided. If you want to be certain you have a seat, consider bringing your own camp chair. |
| The Quarterly Poetry Event_June 25-2021 |
PAST | MAY 17 - 30, 2021
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE | JARA FATOUT LANG
OPEN STUDIO SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1-4PM
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JARA FATOUT LANG is our SCTX Artist In Residence, May 17-30, 2021.
During her residency, Lang will dedicate herself to exploring the complexities of an intimate natural world in a process involving observation, photography, research, and the translation of barely perceptible detail into macro oil paintings and colored pencil drawings. Her work goes beyond the surface beauty of the often-overlooked tiny wonders around us. Join us for an OPEN STUDIO on SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1-4PM. You can also see her progress during business hours, which will be limited during the residency to Fri-Sat 11a-4p and Sun 12-4p. featured: "What the Bee Sees: Chrysanthemum" 36x24 Oil on canvas |
| Jara Fatout Lang - Poster |
PAST | NOVEMBER 12 - DECEMBER 27, 2020
DEEPLY ROOTED
JEANNETTE MACDOUGALL + MIKE MARTIN
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JEANNETTE MACDOUGALL | Boerne, Texas
MIKE MARTIN | Comfort, Texas Deeply Rooted is a collaborative exhibition of etched encaustic botanicals by Jeannette MacDougall and collagraph prints by Mike Martin. The artists have reached deep into their respective familial soils and uprooted personal stories symbolically grafted onto finely illustrated branches, roots and trees. Through processes of layering, imprinting and excavation, MacDougall and Martin weave together private and universal iconography that invites the viewer to contemplate their own personal growth and roots. IMPORTANT DATES Exhibition Dates | November 12 – December 27, 2020 Opening Reception | Saturday, November 14 – 1:00pm to 5:00pm View Artist Profile for Jeannette MacDougall View Artist Profile for Mike Martin
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PAST | SEPTEMBER 17 - NOVEMBER 8, 2020
CURIOUS CUTTINGS & REBELLIOUS RHIZOMES
CARRA GARZA + TRACY LYNCH
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Two artists turn to the natural world to find solace and resilience, employing lens-based interpretations and solar printing methods of their flora familiars. In a time when many are tuned constantly to the current trials of the modern world, Garza and Lynch rebel gloriously by focusing on the undeterred plant life nurturing us even as we struggle within our own species.
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” - John Muir IMPORTANT DATES Exhibition Dates | September 18 – October 25, 2020 The Comfort Art Festival | Saturday, September 19 – 10:00am to 4:00pm (health and safety permitting) Opening Reception | Sunday, September 20 – 1:00pm to 4:00pm (physical and/or virtual; health and safety permitting)
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FRIDAY JUNE 26 | CANCELED DUE TO COVID
POETRY EVENING OUTDOORS
FEATURING READINGS FROM RUTH McARTHUR AND DAVID MEISCHEN
PAST | JUNE 1 - 14, 2020
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE | BECKY LILJENWALL
OPEN STUDIO SUNDAY JUNE 14 FROM 1-4PM
PAST | 03/11/20 - 03/29/20
WALTER SALAS-HUMARA
A SOLO EXHIBITION / EVENING OF ART+MUSIC
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Join us for an evening of art and music as we present WALTER SALAS-HUMARA's solo exhibition on Saturday March 14th. Walter's whimsical, dream-like horses are sure to capture the imagination of all ages. Ranging from palm-sized to several feat, his colorful herd realizes the emotions of the artist. In his own words: “I do not literally paint the horse, but the emotion it produces upon me...The shapes and hues assert themselves and interact with one another, as if in conversation.” Come join in conversation with Walter and his horses from 4pm-7pm on Saturday 14th March with a concert following from 7pm-9pm. IMPORTANT DATES Exhibition Dates | March 11 - 29, 2020 Artist Reception | Saturday, March 14, 4-7pm House Concert w/ Walter and Friends | Saturday, March 14, 7-9pm View Artist Profile for Walter Salas-Humara
FOLLOWED BY | 04/01/20 - 05/31/20
APRIL DRESSED IN ALL ITS TRIMA GROUP EXHIBITION OF ARTWORK EXPLORING THE LYRICISM AND LONGING IN SHAKESPEARE'S SONNET 98
with guest curator PAULA OWEN | ||
PAST | 11/09/19 - 12/31/19
XS ART
SCTX ARTISTS GROUP SHOW
PAST | 10/09/19 - 11/10/19
WORKS ON PAPER
CARA HINES | CHRISTINA NOUVEAU | CONAN CHADBOURNE | DANA FALCONBERRY | DANVILLE CHADBOURNE | JEANNETTE MACDOUGALL | MARK PEAVY | MICHELLE TRAHAN-CARSON | NAOMI SHIHAB NYE | ROSE HARMS
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Please join us for an opening reception for the new group exhibition, WORKS ON PAPER.
Paper is tactile and ancient. It is a renewable resource and harkens back to a time before technology when we worked directly with our hands with available natural resources. WORKS ON PAPER exhibits the broad diversity of media and techniques artists use to work on this surface, used both as studies for creations in other media and as finished works of art. This encompasses collage, prints, watercolor and acrylic paintings, drawings, photographs, encaustic monotypes, as well as handmade artist books incorporating handmade papers and handwritten or printed text. featured artists: Cara Hines Christina Nouveau Conan Chadbourne Dana Falconberry Danville Chadbourne Jeannette MacDougall Mark Peavy Michelle Trahan Carson Naomi Shihab Nye Polly Jones Rose Harms IMPORTANT DATES Exhibition Dates | October 9 - November 10 Reception | Saturday, October 19, 5-8 pm During Comfort Harvest Fest |
PAST | 09/04/19 - 10/06/19
BETWEEN TIME AND PLACE
2019 FOTOSEPTIEMBRE USA
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Relationships with the ancient and recent past are explored in the photographs by Trish Simonite and Richard Nitschke. The landscape beneath the surface reveals something mysterious yet familiar between layers of color and texture. The work has both personal and universal meaning that cannot be known in a single snapshot.
These images invite consideration to sift through BETWEEN TIME AND PLACE. As part of the 2019 Fotoseptiembre USA International Photography Festival, Studio Comfort is featuring work by Richard Nitschke and Trish Simonite in an exhibition of fine art photography entitled BETWEEN TIME AND PLACE. Exhibited concurrently will be photographs and books by renowned Hill Country photographer, David K. Langford. The artists and their exhibit will also be part of the 7th Annual Comfort Art Festival. Stop by the gallery to meet them, and join us for artist talks in the afternoon. IMPORTANT DATES Exhibition Dates | September 4-October 4 Reception | Saturday, September 7, 3-7pm Artist Talks - Comfort Art Festival | Saturday, September 21, 1-3pm View artist profile for Richard Nitschke View artist profile for Trish Simonite View artist profile for David K. Langford
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PAST | 07/17/19 - 09/01/19
SUMMER '19 EXHIBITION
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SUMMER '19 is a collection of paintings that celebrates color, living more of our lives outdoors, and the simple pleasures found in the small moments of summertime, when hopefully we have a little more time on our hands.
JEANNETTE MACDOUGALL KENNY JONES * LAURA MIJANGOS-RAPP MARK PEAVY * MICHELLE TRAHAN-CARSON PAULY TAMEZ POLLY JONES * WALTER SALAS-HUMARA * artists new to Studio Comfort IMPORTANT DATES Exhibition Dates | July 17 - Sept 1, 2019 Open House / Closing Reception | Sat, Aug 31 – 1PM to 4PM
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PAST | 05/30/19 - 07/14/19
BURNT OFFERINGS
CARA HINES | JEANNETTE MACDOUGALL
BURNT OFFERINGS Exhibition and Events poster
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Working with beeswax is a sensual experience combining fragrance, translucence, embedding and scraping away, “burning in” the layers of wax and pigment and object. It is this process of melting wax that requires heat and fire, that transforms material into ethereal. It is an offering up of reverence for our co-creators the honey bees, and of appreciation for the acts of creation and transformation that are these encaustic paintings.
CARA HINES Cara Hines is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a degree in Interior Design and minors in Business and Architecture. She is an abstract artist who works primarily in mixed media and encaustics. She has wide ranging experience in various capacities of the design and art worlds including project management, sales and marketing, showroom and gallery management, and art instruction. JEANNETTE MACDOUGALL Jeannette is a graduate of Parsons School of Art in NYC and has been an instructor at Southwest School of Art in San Antonio for over 30 years. She is highly accomplished in drawing and painting, and her artwork is widely collected. As a professional artist and art educator, she finds great inspiration and joy in sharing her methods and experiences with those ready to tap into their own dreams of self-expression through art exploration. IMPORTANT DATES Exhibition Dates | May 30 - July 14 Opening Reception | Saturday, June 8 – 3-6pm
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PAST | 05/01/19 - 05/26/19
TWO LOCAL GUYS
DENNIS REINKE | MIKE MARTIN
TWO LOCAL GUYS Exhibition and Events poster
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You might have seen Dennis Reinke and Mike Martin around Comfort painting the people, places, and vistas of the town and surrounding Hill Country. We are honored to feature works by these TWO LOCAL GUYS who many of us are fortunate to call friend or neighbor.
MIKE MARTIN Mike was born in Houston, Texas in 1956. He was a Scholarship student at Hill Country Arts Foundation in 1970 and continued his art education at Texas Tech University. He painted under the tutelage of Clay McGaughy, Buck Schwietz, and Herb Mears, as well as other prominent Texas artists, and is currently studying with master artist Holly White-Gehrt. In 1981 Mike joined the Lubbock Police Academy, which led to a career in forensic art and composite drawing. His images helped lead to the capture of numerous criminals. After retiring, Mike began plein air painting and building his own pochade boxes. He loves to paint among the peaceful landscapes of Texas--the people, structures, or scenery of the place. Mike now lives in Comfort and paints the local historical homes and buildings of the town. DENNIS REINKE Originally from South Bend, Indiana, Dennis has spent most of his years from 1970 until 2013 in Colorado, mostly in Loveland and then in Estes Park. He has brought the discipline of his Masonry and Architecture background into his art profession while raising his family. Delving into stone and bronze sculpture along with painting seemed quite natural. Along the way, Dennis was mentored by many fine Artists such as Clyde Aspevig, Fritz White and George Lundeen. For years his focus has been “Painting the Scenes You Love” creating paintings that celebrate the people and special things in their lives. Eventually Dennis and his wife Nancy left the cold and moved to Boerne, Texas, just a short drive from his Studio at “Gatherings on High” in Comfort. Soon they will leave us to move to Coleman, Texas. Join us to wish them well. IMPORTANT DATES Exhibition Dates | May 1 - May 19...extended through May 26 Two Local Guys: Open House | Sunday, May 5 – 1PM to 4PM Two Local Guys: Reception | Friday, May 17 – 4PM to 6PM
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PAST | 03/13/19 - 04/28/19
SCTX DEBUT EXHIBITION
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GALLERY RECEPTION
SCTX Debut Exhibition and Opening poster
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We are pleased to announce our SCTX Debut Exhibition and Gallery Debut Reception featuring select works by our thirteen visual artists and poet.
SCTX Debut Exhibition runs from Wednesday, March 13, through Sunday, April 28. You are invited to join the celebrations during the Opening Reception on Saturday, March 16, from 3:00PM to 7:00PM, followed by an after party with live music from 7:00PM to 9:00PM. Music for the after party will be provided by two of our artists—Dana Falconberry and Walter Salas-Humara. The event will be held inside the gallery and the adjacent gardens, so dress to relax in the presence of art, friends, and the outdoors. There will also be a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Comfort Chamber of Commerce on Friday, March 15, at 5:00PM. IMPORTANT DATES SCTX Debut Exhibition | March 13 – April 28 Comfort Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting | Friday, March 15 – 5PM SCTX Debut Opening Reception | Saturday, March 16 – 3PM to 7PM SCTX Debut After Party | Saturday, March 16 – 7PM to 9PM
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