Join us for a reception to see our latest exhibits:
Barry Byrd's photography
Kevin Stanford's sculptures
Manny De Los Santos' drawings
5:30 - 7:00 PM at The Center. Guests limited to 50 at a time to observe physical distancing. Masks encouraged.
Wine, beer and light hors d'oeuvres.
Free admission.
The Center for Contemporary Arts will debut a new round of exhibits this month with a public reception scheduled for August 21st.
On view in the Jane Adams Breed Gallery, Kevin Stanford’s solo exhibition, Centra Devolved will open on August 20th and run through October 10th. Stanford is a primarily self-taught blacksmith with a passion that lies in exploring non-traditional shapes in forged steel while using traditional blacksmith techniques and incorporating found objects in his sculptures. Influenced by tribal art, science fiction notions, and the elusive remnants of dreams, Stanford’s art explores the familiar while offering sub rosa glimpses of what could be commonplace in another world. Stanford states of his art, “my work glorifies the aesthetic of the found… forging, assemblage arc welding and patination are the processes that dominate my practice.”
In Gallery 4, Manny De Los Santos shares his talent for figure drawing in his solo exhibit, It Figures. This collection of renderings allowed De Los Santos to refine his drawing skills while perfecting the rendering of raw movement in a gesture drawing. These drawings focus on the process of capturing the image rather than the outcome. De Los Santos has led the Center’s “Dirty Drawers” program since 2016, a free weekly figure drawing experience with a series of poses by a live model followed by a group critique.
In the Bill and Alice Wright Photography Gallery, local photographer Barry Byrd displays his up-close encounters with flora and fauna in his solo exhibition, Nature’s Palette. Byrd says of his photography, “my passion is capturing the often unnoticed beauty of our region in all seasons.” As a consulting geologist, Byrd travels the country and is able to capture great moments through his lens with a sharp eye for beauty and just a bit of luck. In his image, “Summer Anvil,” Byrd snapped the exact moment a giant thunder cloud released a bolt of lighting across a West Texas sky. Byrd says he loves the Texas Caprock and Llano Estacado regions due to the diversity of flora and wildlife.
A reception is scheduled for all three of these exhibits on Friday, August 21st from 5:30-7:00 PM at the Center in downtown Abilene. In order to follow safe gathering guidelines, guests will be limited to 50 at a time inside the Center and are asked to observe physical distancing. Masks are encouraged. Admission to the reception is free.
The Center for Contemporary Arts is located in downtown Abilene at 220 Cypress Street.
For more information contact The Center at 325-677-8389 or visit www.center-arts.com
The Center for Contemporary Arts is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded to give local and area artists a professional venue to pursue their endeavors. All funds raised support our ArtReach and ArtHEALS programs for marginalized populations of our community, our monthly ArtWalk event, Contemporary Art Exhibition Programs, and free admission to our five galleries. All donations are tax-deductible. Visit www.center-arts.com for information and to become a member today.
