Gallery Round-up

Some pret-ty, pret-ty, pret-ty cool stuff opening this weekend, kids. Check it out:

Jeanne Cassanova / Reginald Rachuba
The Joanna Gallery

"Those in attendance can be assured a multi sensory onslaught of 'image spillage'."

Oh, really. We have to admit, the term "spillage" sort of scares us, but the image at right is so cool, we're willing to risk it. Both Cassanova and Rachuba pull from contemporary images and create narratives woven between each other in their work. You'll see some sculpture and paintings, as well, and the artists' use of The Joanna Gallery will flow about the main spaces as well as the front and back yard.

Cassanova received her Bachelor of Arts degree with a focus in both Painting and New Media from the University of New Orleans in 2004, and is currently in the Graduate Painting program at the University of Houston. She will receive her M.F.A. in 2008. Rachuba's background has proven more elusive, but, we're sure if he's hooked up with Cassanova, it'll be A-Ok.

Jeanne Cassanova / Reginald Rachuba
The Joanna Gallery
December 1 - December 25, 2007
Opening Reception: December 1, 6-9 p.m.
713-825-1976
4014 Graustark
Houston, TX 77006
www.thejoannawebsite.com

Valerie Hegarty/Jackie Gendel
CTRL gallery
December 1, 2007 - January 12, 2008

Moving on to another interesting show at the CTRL gallery...

Valerie Hegarty makes elaborate trompe l'oiel reproductions of artworks in decay -- imagine rescued works from the Titanic. Or, at least, that's what crusty old George Washington here looks like to us. Very interesting stuff, though, and should be exceptional when seen in person, given the layering that must be necessary to complete this type of work. Hegarty received her BFA from the Academy of Art in San Francisco, and her MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago.

Thematically, Jackie Gendel somewhat shares Hegarty's historic muse, however, the imagery is completely different. Gendel makes conceptualized portraits that fuse historical figures with friends and found images. The paintings involve layers of loose images that spawn ever-shifting identities. The work is far more ethereal than what's represented in Hegarty's base of realism. Gendel's paintings evoke the passage of time, much like Hegarty, conceptually, though, making this a dynamic pair of painters to go see this weekend! Jackie Gendel received her BFA from Washington University in St. Louis and later earned her MFA from Yale. She is a native Houstonian.

Opening Reception: Saturday, December 1, 6 - 8 pm
Exhibition continues through January 12, 2008
CTRL Gallery
www.ctrlgallery.com
713.523.2875
3907 Main Street
Houston, TX 77002