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THE
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HISTORY
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Current Exhibitions and
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Modern Jackpot:
Vintage Vegas Signs by Marilyn Davenport
July 1, 2008-September 13, 2008
Opening Reception Thursday, July 10, 6-8pm
Las Vegas
conjures up images of excitement, glamour and wealth. Captured are
colorful, haphazard displays of classic 50’s through 70’s iconic
Americana, vibrant graphics and fabulous font styles reminiscent of
a glorious past. These photographs celebrate memories of a heritage
of greatness with original Las Vegas signs that have aged and now
lie in a state of disrepair behind a locked privacy fence in stark
and arid outskirts located in the un-glamorous side of Las Vegas.
The artist
became fascinated with the evolution taking place in Las Vegas. Once
she discovered the signs at the Neon Museum located on the outskirts
of Las Vegas, it took months to pin down an appointment. The shoot
took place under strict guidelines and supervision. Museum staff
would soon be clamping down on visits, due to the onslaught of
requests for filming music videos and popular magazine shoots.
Despite the obvious kitsch aspect of these vintage rusted treasures,
the artist states, “I wanted to share this place from a more
historical viewpoint”. Images are exhibited courtesy of the Neon
Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada.
A native Texan,
Marilyn Davenport grew up in a creative household environment and
developed an interest in photography from an early age. Today she
shoots in digital SLR, 35mm, and medium film formats. Ms. Davenport
sees the camera as a tool to express creativity, convey a message or
simply to create pieces that are pleasing to the eye. With a degree
in Advertising Art, Ms. Davenport continues to be involved in higher
education serving on advisory boards and portfolio review boards.
She has managed wet dark rooms, digital labs and photo studios, as
well as served as an apprentice to several award-winning fashion and
commercial photographers. Her work has received recognition in
juried competitions and has been exhibited in several museums,
galleries, libraries, Fotofest, and Houston City Hall.
This exhibition is sponsored in part by
Que Imaging, Houston, Texas and Silver Eagle
Distributors, Houston, Texas.
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Texas Grassroots:
Botanical Prints by David J. Webb
June 12, 2008-September 6, 2008
Opening Reception Thursday, June 12, 6-8pm
These large scale monoprints, printed directly from the plant
specimen, represent the nexus of art and science.
Up to 44” in length, these prints
are evocative of Asian brush painting in their simple strokes and
elegant forms. These grass prints, titled by the grass genus and
species names, represent a scientifically precise visual record of
botanical specimens.
The specimens were collected in the urban
centers of Houston, and pressed in the artist’s studio in a large
herbarium press, before being inked and run through a standard 30” x
48” etching press. Grasses with their parallel veins possess great
internal strength and are ideal for printing. Using the monoprint
technique the artist may achieve far greater detail than other
printing techniques.
David J. Webb is an artist working principally
at Glassell School, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. His various
works on paper have been seen in Glassell exhibitions. He has
numerous block prints, etchings, lithographs, and photographs in
private collections from Houston to Tokyo, Zürich, and Poltava,
Ukraine. Strongly informed by a background in genetics and
evolutionary biology, his work functions on the cusp between art and
science.
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Comic Books: a Visual Journey
May 14, 2008-August 16, 2008
Comic Book Fun Fest, Friday, June 20, 2008 from
6-8pm
Gallery Tour with Richard Evans at 6:30pm on Friday, June 20
The Museum of
Printing History is pleased to present Comic Books: a Visual Journey.
The exhibition presents an illustrated excursion through the development of a uniquely
American art form. From their inception during the Great Depression, comic books
have been a source of entertainment, wonder, derision, and controversy. What
started out as a low cost experiment has grown into a huge, multi-media cultural
mainstay. See the transformation of comic books, from their humble beginnings,
World War II patriotism, '50s horror and violence, and the return of the
superhero, through today's wonders of art and packaging.
Comic books in the show
represent seminal works in the medium. Examples include early appearances of
Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Iron Man, and X-Men. This show has been organized
by Richard Evans of Bedrock City Comic Company.
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Unabridged Editions: WIVLA Print &
Photography Show
July 31, 2008 – October 18, 2008
Opening Reception Thursday, July 31, 6-8pm
In conjunction with Women in the Visual and
Literary Arts, the Museum of Printing History is pleased to present
Unabridged Editions: the WIVLA Print & Photography Show. Open
to all WIVLA members, this exhibition showcases all printmaking
techniques, including photography, computer generated art and
giclees. Work must have been completed in the last three years,
without supervision, and not previously exhibited in the Museum of
Printing History. According to the theme, Unabridged Editions,
artists were encouraged to modify their prints and photos in some
manner, by adding painting, drawing or collage.
The Museum of Printing History is funded in
part by grants from the City of Houston through Houston Arts
Alliance.
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