After a year which consisted of 6 exhibitions, great educational programming and 7,000 visitors, CADD (The Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas is vacating the Art Lab in Downtown. My gallery is one of the founding member galleries of this organization. I personally have designed everything from the logo to the 3 art guides CADD has released. That was quite a trail we blazed in between Neiman Marcus and The Joule Hotel, and I am sad to see it come to a close. I hate to blame it on the economy, but sustainability was an issue. I realize that times are tough, but if Dallas doesn’t support the culture in this city, there will be very little left after the recovery. I think the psychology of the recession is causing this wave of frugality amongst people who haven’t suffered the same loss as others, mainly those I am now going to discuss.

Here is a list of some of the places I have found myself at either grabbing a drink or a bite this summer: The Old Monk, The Idle Rich, Meridian Room, Libertine, Toulouse, Cowboy Chow, Twisted Root, Social House, The Porch, Lakewood Landing, Bolsa and Cafe Madrid among others.

This represents a pretty good sampling of Dallas: Expo Park, Deep Ellum, Uptown, Knox-Henderson, Lower Greenville, Oak Cliff and Lakewood. Most of the times I was at any of these places it was pretty packed out and people were spending money. I would consider most of the people at these places as people who I could see frequenting and patronizing art galleries, and some of them probably do, but a majority don’t. Why is that?

Art is a great investment. Although this investment can be lucrative, that is not what I am referring to, but rather how much investing in art can enrich your life. I remember the places I lived in that were sans art, and the house that my wife and I have that is filled with it, the difference is massive. Art is a way to engage with people, it sparks stimulated conversation and debate. Art galleries are the best place to meet quality people. There is a certain amount of effort required to know where good galleries are and when they are having openings. These people are the same people that take you to amazing restaurants that you have never heard of. That great feeling you get when you go to a place before it gets all blown out, never goes away with galleries.

The fall is the best time for galleries, we book our best shows then. Although the Art Lab will soon be no more, visit caddallas.net for a list of the best galleries in Dallas. Come out this fall and test the waters, the drinks are on us. And when you hang that first print, drawing or painting you pick up, get ready because people will be jockin’ you like crazy…guaranteed.

I will say something about this first opening.
Richard Patterson is a British artist who happens to be based in Dallas. He is an amazing painter who rose to prominence within a group of artists known as the YBA’s (Young British Artists). Some of the other well known YBA’s include Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucus, Gary Hume, the late Angus Fairhurst and Fiona Rae. I am not going to give you an art history lesson, but these artists are a big deal (just ask the internet), and one of them is among us, so don’t sleep on this one.

The Goss-Michael Foundation: Richard Patterson
Exhibition runs from February 21-April 30, 2009
2500 Cedar Springs Rd
214.696.0555 // gossmichaelfoundation.org
Image: Richard Patterson in his Dallas Studio
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Conduit Gallery: Robert Jessup, Johnny Robertson and Denise Duong
Opening Reception Sat. Feb. 21 (5:30-8:30PM)
1626-C Hi Line Dr, Dallas, TX
214.939.0064 // conduitgallery.com
Image: Robert Jessup
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Marty Walker Gallery: There’s Something I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You: Archie Scott Gobber, Alexandra Grant, Mark Flood, Thomas Feulmer, Mickey Smith and Wayne White
Opening Reception Sat. Feb. 21 (6-8PM)
2135 Farrington St, Dallas, TX 75207
214.749.0066 // martywalkergallery.com
image: Wayne White
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Craighead-Green Gallery: Ron Pokrasso, Gary Schafter and Mark Smith
Opening Reception Sat. Feb. 21 (5-8PM)
1011 Dragon St, Dallas, Texas 75207
214.855.0779 // craigheadgreen.com
image: Ron Pokrasso
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Mighty Fine Arts: Luke Sides and Brad Ford Smith
Opening Reception Sat. Feb. 21 (6-9PM)
419 N.Tyler between 8th and Davis St, Dallas, TX
214.942.5241 // mfagallery.com
image: Luke Sides
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Light and Sie: Philip Vanderhyden and Joe Pflieger
Opening Reception Thurs. Jan. 08 (5-8PM)
129 Leslie Street Dallas, TX 75207
214.745.2255 // lightandsie.com
image: Philip Vanderhyden
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Conduit Gallery: Susan Barnett, Matt Clark and Jules Buck Jones
Opening Reception Sat. Jan. 10 (5-8PM)
1626-C Hi Line Dr, Dallas, TX
214.939.0064 // conduitgallery.com
image: Jules Buck Jones
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Holly Johnson Gallery: John Adelman
Opening Reception Sat. Jan. 10 (5-8PM)
1411 Dragon Street, Dallas, Texas 75207
214.369.0169 // hollyjohnsongallery.com
image: John Adelman
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PanAmerican ArtProjects: Rusty Scruby
Opening Reception Sat. Jan. 10 (5-8PM)
1615 Dragon St, Dallas, TX 75207
214.522.3303 // panamericanart.com
image: Rusty Scruby
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Marty Walker Gallery: Ted Kincaid, Barry Anderson, Lisa Grossman and Casey Rae
Opening Reception Sat. Jan. 10 (5-8PM)
2135 Farrington St, Dallas, TX 75207
214.749.0066 // martywalkergallery.com
image: Ted Kincaid
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Craighead-Green Gallery: Paul Abbott, Connie Connally and Philip Shore
Opening Reception Sat. Jan. 10 (5-8PM)
1011 Dragon St, Dallas, Texas 75207
214.855.0779 // craigheadgreen.com
image: Paul Abbott
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Gerald Peters Gallery: Tony Foster
Opening Reception Sat. Jan. 10 (5-8PM)
1019 Dragon St, Dallas, Texas 75207
214.969.9410 // gpgallery.com
image: Tony Foster
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Mighty Fine Arts: Kana Harada
Opening Reception Sat. Jan. 10 (6-9PM)
419 N.Tyler between 8th and Davis St, Dallas, TX
214.942.5241 // mfagallery.com
image: Kana Harada, Forest (detail), cut foam sheet
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PDNB: Bill Owens: New Suburbia
This show has been extended through January
1202 Dragon Street, Suite 103, Dallas, TX 75207
214.969.1852 // pdnbgallery.com
image: Sunday afternoon we get it together. I cook the steaks and my wife makes the salad. 1971
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As put by Centraltrak, Checkpoint is, “a borderland project based on an ersatz state of collective dreaming.”

Check out this link to a trailer posted on You Tube to get a better feel for the project. There is some great footage of the process in this video.

You can can also visit the site for the project at dadara.nl

More importantly, the artist will be giving a talk at the Dallas Museum of Art Thursday, January 8
at 7:30. You can experience the installation and performance at the museum next Saturday, January 10 from 5-10PM. Don’t forget to download your immigration forms.

The DMA is located at 1717 N. Harwood St. in Dallas. Visit them online dallasmuseumofart.org

While your there be sure to check out the Olafur Eliasson exhibition, it is really amazing.

Art Galleries
There are 3 major galleries in Deep Ellum and a lot of alternative spaces, here are the 4 standouts in the neighborhood…

Barry Whistler Gallery // 2909-B Canton St. // 214.939.0242
Barry Whistler is the Godfather of Dallas Art Dealers, with 20 years in the game. The gallery represents mostly mid-career and established artists. It is an extremely well rounded program showing a range of media including photography, drawing, painting and sculpture. Some of the best minimalist abstract work in Dallas is shown here with John Pomara and Johnnie Winona Ross leading that charge. Lawrence Lee is also a bright young artist whose works on paper are amazing.

The Public Trust // 2919-C Commerce St. // 214.760.7170
This is the space that I am the owner and director of. Since I am biased, I will not run on about how great the work is etc. What you can expect is a lot of drawing and painting and form and content going hand in hand. I am a huge advocate of outstanding craft, and the gallery’s program reflects that. We focus on emerging and mid-career artists, with an emphasis on two-dimensional work. There is a boutique in the front of the space that offers prints, t-shirts, books and other limited edition artist products. The purpose of this is simply because paintings are not for everyone but artist products are.

Road Agent // 2909-A Canton St. // 214.749.4049
Approaching its 3 year mark in Deep Ellum, this space shows really progressive work with content being critical to the work on the walls. They recently mounted a solo exhibition of paintings and drawings by acclaimed British artist Dan Perfect. In addition to showing work by artists as established as Perfect, they also boast a stable of younger artists whose work is extremely exciting. Margaret Meehan’s exhibition which will be up through January 17, 2009, is an excellent example and should not be missed.

Deep Ellum’s Alternative Space…

Kettle Art // 2714 Elm St. // 214.573.7622
Kettle Art, “The little Deep Ellum gallery that could” is the leader in the alternative spaces category. Unlike most galleries, Kettle is keeps limited hours and is only open at night (7-10 PM Thursday-Saturday) so keep that in mind before you head over. This is an artist run space, so it’s vibe is a lot different than most commercial galleries, mainly it’s a lot less formal. The work is almost always within everyone’s price range, which is what makes going there so worthwhile. This is a great place for young artists to get their start, as their submission process is not as stringent as most other galleries. That being said some of the art can be a little green, but I have seen some incredible work in this space.

Food & Beverage
This is and will always be one of the neighborhood’s best attributes.

Local // 2936 Elm St. // 214.752.7500
I love fine dining, don’t do it nearly as often as I would like, but I have eaten at most of the finest restaurants in Dallas and Local is in the top 5. The thing about a lot of fine dining establishments is after a point they are trading on their name. I remember the first time I ate at Stephen Pyles, it was right when they opened. The food was pretty spectacular, but there has been a drop off since. Stephen Pyles can afford to do that, his reputation allows him the luxury. He’s famous, all of your friends have told you how amazing it is, therefore you will most likely think it is indeed amazing. Local doesn’t have that. “It’s in Deep Ellum, how good can it be?,” will be the attitude of most people. They will almost not want to like it, but once they take their first bite, they start to break down and it’s game over, best dinner ever.

Murray St. Coffee Shop // 103 Murray St. (on the corner of main & murray) // 214.655.2808
Everything about this place is good. The owners, Liz and Doug Davis, have a good thing going. The baristas are great, they serve Illy coffee, good food, beer and wine selection, everyone has good taste in music, the regulars are cool, the artwork is amazing, basically all of the trappings of your average coffee shop are non-existent here. It’s worth going out of your way to make this a part of your daily coffee fix.

All Good Cafe // 2934 Main St. // 214.742.5362
Give me All Good over Cafe Brazil any day of the year, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Everything is fresh and from local vendors. The chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans is as good as it gets. Weekend breakfast and lunch daily is usually the most crowded times, unless of course you’re there in the evening when there are live music performances. Usually cafes and coffee shops are upstart music venues, but All Good has brought some serious bands in to play a set, so the music is usually on point. One of my favorite overall spots in the hood for sure. Tuesdays from 6-9 is also by one get the less expensive entrée free night.

Twisted Root // 2615 Commerce St. // 214.741.7668
Best burger in Dallas. The only downside to this spot is that it is pricey for a burger place and at lunch it is hella busy, line out the door busy. Everything is fresh and made daily. They offer all beef, buffalo, ostrich, venison, turkey and veggie burgers all of which can be prepared as one of their many signature burgers, but that will cost you an extra 2-3 bucks. If you haven’t hit this spot up, join the crowd, I’d recommend a late lunch, between 1:45-2:00 if you are going on a weekday.

Cowboy Chow // 2801 Commerce St. // 214.742.2469
Cowboy Chow is the other dining option offered by the Twisted Root people. It has now eclipsed TR as my favorite place to grab lunch. The M.O. is the same, all fresh ingredients, however the menu isn’t very big but it is good. I recommend the brisket sliders with cowboy nachos to start.

The Angry Dog // 2726 Commerce St. // 214.741.4406
Used to be the best burger in Deep Ellum, but if you aren’t down with the gourmet prices that Twisted Root charges, then the Angry Dog is a close second. I personally am a fan of their chicken spiedez (pronounced speed-ease). I am not sure how they make chunks of seasoned grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, grilled onions on a white roll something I can’t duplicate at home, but I am glad that they do.

Baker’s Ribs // 2724 Commerce St // 214.748.5433
4 sloppy joes for $5, the best potato salad ever and a damn fine bbq chicken sandwich, are what makes Baker’s ribs a solid spot to grab a bite. Their giant barrel of salty peanuts, whose shells you can discard on the floor adds that extra layer of awesome. Oddly enough I have never had the ribs, but I can bet they are pretty good, since they didn’t call it Baker’s Chicken Sandwiches.

Rush Patisserie // 2901 Elm St. // 214.749.4040
You may remember Sweet Endings, you may not, but that doesn’t matter because Rush is now there and is way better than Sweet Endings and its Greenville rival Society Bakery. I don’t have a super sweet tooth, but Samantha Rush makes some excellent sweets. So next time you are down for the sugar coma she will gladly abide.

Taco Loco // 3014 Main St. // 214.748.8226
Handmade tortillas and gigantic breakfast tacos are the signature moves for Taco Loco. Their chorizo, egg and cheese taco is insanely good. Taco Loco and Fuel City are deadlock for the number 1 spot for best taco stand tacos in Dallas. If you don’t know about Fuel City, you better ask somebody.

Deep Sushi // 2624 Elm St. // 214.651.1177
How do you stay open in Deep Ellum for 12 years? Consistency. Deep Sushi is always consistently good, that stands for everything from the food to the service and atmosphere. The selection is big and the sushi is always really fresh tasting for a landlocked sushi spot. Your dollar will go a lot further here than in other parts of Dallas and the food will most likely be on the level or better. Great spot for happy hour or lunch specials with 2 for 1 action on both occasions.

Retail, Music Venues & Bars
Where once there were a lot of the above, sadly there is very little. The biggest hole in the neighborhood for sure. Here are some spots that are still holding it down.

Club Dada // 2720 Elm St. // 214.742.3400
The last man standing. When Deep Ellum was THE spot for live music, Club Dada was there. Despite the desolate live music scene here, Dada is still cranking out the jams. New management and better booking is rebuilding their audience, and their back patio is still one of the best in Dallas.

Century Modern // 2928 Main St. // 214.651.9200
On any given day you can find something amazing here. Vintage everything, from a 1940’s neon wall clock to a red leather Barcelona chair. This is one of those, “those who know…know,” kind of spots and you will most likely leave with something on your first visit. I heard that Issac Brock (the Modest Mouse lead singer) was spotted there buying vintage microphones, a specialty of this unique retail store.

Orange Salon // 2932 Main St. #104 // 214.698.2006
I have never had my wig chopped here, but it seems like everyone else has or does, and if the doubling of their salon and the owners orange Land Rover are any indication of a healthy clientele then it’s probably a place to consider if you are in need of a stylist.

Leather Masters // 3000 Main St. // 214.528.3865
I am not a leather man, nor am I into bondage or dog masks, but I have to hand it to these guys for cornering a market in Dallas. If you are into having your fantasies fulfilled or picking up some strange, I would suggest high tailing it to Leather Masters and they’ll bring out the gimp for you.

Although I am exhibiting this year, which basically means I won’t get out much to the other fairs, I am going to try and capture the Art Basel experience and post everything right here. This is going to be a good time.

Nothing Moments is the newest project of Steven Hull, who has teamed up with Tami Demaree, Annie Buckley, and Jon Sueda for this most ambitious of Hull’s projects to date. With nearly one hundred participating writers, artists, and designers, Nothing Moments embraces the disparate fields of visual art, literature, and design.

Nothing Moments consists of twenty-three limited edition books and more than four hundred original drawings. The project expands on the relay-inspired process Hull has explored in previous projects, whereby the work of one artist is responded to and expanded on by another. In Nothing Moments, each book begins with a fiction text authored by a contributing writer. This text is then passed to a contributing artist who makes drawings in response to the story. Finally, the text and art are given to a designer who creates a unique design. The resulting books emphasize a fusion of writing, visual art, and design, inverting the traditional foregrounding of text over art in the book format.

Nothing Moments offers an intriguing cross-pollination of the populist sensibility of a book fair with the rarified atmosphere of contemporary art. In celebrating the blurring of boundaries between disciplines, the project brings an exciting, collaborative energy to the gallery and offers thought-provoking questions to contemporary critical discourse.

Opening Reception: Sat. May 17, 2008 (7-9PM)
2919-C Commerce St // Dallas, TX 75226 // 214.760.7170 //

Here are the openings of note this Saturday May 10, 2008…

PDNB Gallery, 5-8 PM: Home Sweet Home
1202 Dragon Street, Suite 103, Dallas, TX 75207 // 214.969.1852 // www.pdnbgallery.com
above image: Misty Keasler (left) and Chris Verene

Conduit Gallery, 5-8 PM: Roberto Munguia, Ellen Berman & Briar Bonifacio
1626 C Hi Line Dr. // Dallas, TX 75207 // 214.939.0064 // www.conduitgallery.com
above image: Roberto Munguia

Holly Johnson Gallery, 5-8 PM: Joan Winter: Counterpoint
1411 Dragon Street // Dallas, Texas 75207 // 214.369.0169 // www.hollyjohnsongallery.com
above image: Joan Winter

Marty Walker Gallery, 5-8 PM: Archie Gobber: In Loving Memory of You
2135 Farrington // Dallas, Texas 75207 // 214.749.0066 // www.martywalkergallery.com
above image: Archie Gobber

PanAmerican ArtProjects, 5-8 PM: Isabelle Du Toit
1615 Dragon St. // Dallas, TX 75207 // 214.522.3303 // www.panamericanart.com
above image: Isabelle Du Toit

Gerald Peters Gallery, 6-8 PM: Richard Haas
1019 Dragon Street Dallas, TX 75207 // 214.969.9410 // www.gpgallerydallas.com

Craighead-Green Gallery, 5-8 PM: Miroslav Antic, Carole Pierce and sculptor, Bill Weaver
1011 Dragon Street // Dallas, TX 75207 // 214.855.0779 // www.craigheadgreen.com

For more details on the event and to see the roster of participating galleries visit www.caddallas.net

CONDUIT GALLERY: Saturday, January 5 (5:30-8:30pm)
1626 C Hi Line Dr. // Dallas, TX 75207
214.939.0064 // www.conduitgallery.com

Billy Hassell: Journal

Reinhard Ziegler: Along for the Ride: Images from Marfa & Big Bend

Memotronic: Co-Curated by Danette Dufilho and Julio Cesar Morales (Queen’s Nails Annex, San Francisco, CA)

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HOLLY JOHNSON GALLERY: Saturday, January 5 (5-8pm)
1411 Dragon Street // Dallas, Texas 75207
214.369.0169 // www.hollyjohnsongallery.com

Gael Stack: Gaps, Sinkholes, and other Chasms, Janaury 2008

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MARTY WALKER GALLERY: Saturday, January 5 (6-9pm)
2135 Farrington St. // Dallas, TX 75207
214.749.0066 // www.martywalkergallery.com

Jay Shinn: With the Grain
with Maquettes by Tom Orr in the other gallery.

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PanAmerican ArtProjects: Saturday, January 5 (5-8pm)
1615 Dragon St., Dallas, TX 75207
214.522.3303 // www.panamericanart.com

Gustavo Acasto: New Work

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PHOTOGRAPHS DO NOT BEND: Saturday, January 5, 2008 (5-8pm)
1202 Dragon Street, Suite 103, Dallas, TX 75207
214.969.1852 // www.pdnbgallery.com

Texas Bauhaus: Work by Carlotta Corpron (above image), Ida Lansky and Barbara Maples

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