On view November 6 - 28, 2023 | Works by Alexis Houston, Claudia Maysen, and Joy Reyes
EXHIBITION STATEMENT
The Arts Forth Worth 2022 Biennial Exhibition juried by Lilia Kudelia in 2022 not only
highlighted and celebrated the artistic talents of Texas artists but gave viewers an
opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of artworks, vote for their favorite ones and reward
their authors with a show. The winners, Alexis Houston, Claudia Maysen and Joy Reyes,
have come together to present a selection of recent pieces. This exhibition encompasses
paintings, sculptures and installations in a wide array of mediums, including clay,
bronze, steel, wood, fabric and acrylics. These artworks speak of conflicts with the
world’s perception of beauty and our animalistic instincts, social issues in our
communities, and family, through a feminine perspective.
ALEXIS HOUSTON
Ever since Alexis Houston drew on the walls at a childhood friend's house and was banned
from their home, she knew art would be a big part of her life.
Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, she attended the University of North Texas and graduated
with a BFA in Sculpture. Houston primarily works with metal but also enjoys clay,
printmaking, painting, jewelry, mixed media and murals. (She still loves drawing on walls.)
In Her art, Houston's humanoid figures and plant forms express the struggles the world
forces upon us, releasing the basic animalistic instincts that lurk dormant to reveal
our true selves.
In the darkness, Houston finds something beautiful and inspiring.
CLAUDIA MAYSEN
Claudia Maysen is a Mexican American artist who merges abstraction with representation
to explore emotions, social issues, and the meaning of community. Using collages of her
own figurative drawings, she focuses on impactful subjects and incorporates ambiguous
elements through water media, graphite, spray paint and ink, to hold the viewer’s interest
and open the door to reflection. Inspired by her previous career in architecture, she
moves to the three-dimensional space to expand on certain topics. Wood, steel and
readymade objects, help her build sculptures and installations that support diverse
interpretations.
Maysen got her Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and graduated with honors from Monterrey
Tech, where she also train
Chicago, Illinois, at Woman Made Gallery, and in many venues in Texas, including Dallas
City Hall, Arts Fort Worth, Austin Central Public Library, Create Arlington Gallery, and
San Marcos Public Library. In 2022 she received the People’s Choice Award at the Fort
Worth Biennial juried by Lilia Kudelia at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, and the
1st Place Prize and
Community Favorite Award at the World AIDS Day Art Contest presented by Tarrant County
at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Maysen also creates public art. She recently
completed a mural for the AIDS Outreach Center in Fort Worth and an art bench sculpture
for the Bates Festival Street in Keller, TX.
Committed to making a positive impact in the community through the arts, Maysen
participates in consulting, teaching, and engaging activities for nonprofits. This year,
she joined the review panel for the Will Rogers Memorial Center interpretative text
project at Fort Worth Public Art, continued her work as Mixed Media Instructor for
at-risk senior citizens and organized museum visits for them and their families.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The Midwest often gets pegged as being monotonous or dull. DUMPTRUCK rejects this. The
region can be a comfortable and beautiful space when it is given the correct lens. There
is a beautiful sense of community that is underwritten, and the collective brings light
to those details. DUMPTRUCK strives for a vibrant and soft retelling of an otherwise
overlooked landscape through the artists’ perspective.
ARTIST BIO
DUMPTRUCK is a Cincinnati-based fiber arts collective established in 2021 by Ron Biernat
and Hailey Fulford. The two artists met while attending The University of Cincinnati and
have been displaying their work regionally ever since. The art collective uses found
fibers to create immersive installations consisting of soft sculptures and pictorial
tapestries. DUMPTRUCK emerged from the two artists’ love of the Midwest and their desire
to relate their own queer experiences to the landscape that raised them.
ENRICHING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ART
Part of the mission of Arts Fort Worth is to provide a quality event, visual and
performing arts venue for all of the community. This historic and dynamic arts complex
boasts seven indoor galleries, an outdoor gallery, artist and performance studios, and
office suites for nonprofit arts organizations and is managed by Arts Fort Worth on
behalf of the City of Fort Worth.
Arts Fort Worth also provides educational programming, promotes experienced and emerging
artists. The three theater spaces hosts a wide-range of performances by local and
nationally known artists and organizations- the Hardy and Betty Sanders black box theater,
the traditional William Edrington Scott Theatre, and The Vault, which hosts Fort Worth
Fringe acts.
HISTORY
Located at 1300 Gendy Street, Fort Worth Community Arts Center is part of the most
architecturally significant museum districts in the United States. The striking modern
Herbert Bayer building (with a later O’Neil Ford addition) opened to the public in 1954
as home to one of the most prestigious and oldest collecting organizations in the state
of Texas, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. When, in 2002, the Modern moved down the
street, the Fort Worth Community Arts Center opened. The building continues to exhibit
world class art and support the performing arts for more than half a century.
LOOKING FOR A UNIQUE SPACE FOR YOUR EVENT?
Arts Fort Worth provides versatile spaces to meet a variety of rental needs. Whether you
require well-lit exhibition areas, unique rooms for meetings, special events, or the
comforts of an accessible, professional-quality performance venue has a space that fits
your needs. This dynamic arts complex includes the black box Hardy and Betty Sanders
Theatre, the William Edrington Scott Theatre, seven galleries, and studio and office spaces,
including a conference room overlooking the Cultural District towards downtown. These
spaces are adaptable to a wide range of uses, including conventions, special events,
weddings, workshops, and theater productions. If you're interested in more details contact
