Ana María, “Anamarietta” was born and raised in Barranquitas, an agricultural town in the center of the Island of Puerto Rico. Known by the local art scene for her Humanoid creatures, Ana’s work has been recognized in multiple cities for the subtle brush stroke and shading of characters that seemed to be taken from a dream of a Biologist with excessive imagination.

Artist Statement

I believe Peace is possible, I believe in common sense, Human Being is in constant war with everything; nature, time… himself.

I like to work thinking of the possibility of a devolution , some kind of situation where human “superiority” is proven wrong, as a consequence of the excessive effort to make the world accessible to our needs, based on believes that we are the superior Kind.

I play with organisms to create characters that can deprive of live at the minimal or inexistent provocation but they choose to stay still, they choose peace, that is, in my believe, a superior Virtue.

In my imagination, different dimensions of life and time collide to create characters with mixed phenotypes, animal and human, functioning parallel to a story that I feel, from anger, melancholy or love, every second I spend on the process… but only the spectator can tell.

For more information, check out http://www.anamarietta.com.

DUAL stands for the conflict between “street art” and “fine” art, between freeway burners and gallery exhibitions, between mass recognition and total anonymity. His bold lines and fresh colors are a break from the every day monotony of life in the city—a taste of urban subculture, whether you asked for it or not.

While one may not have a choice in where and when they encounter a DUAL piece, DUAL leaves it up to the observer to assign a meaning to his work. By operating under a pseudonym, he lets his audience write their own narrative for who he is and the message he is trying to get across.

Perhaps best known for his work with wheat paste, particularly since his feature in the 2011 wheat pasting documentary Stick ‘Em Up!, DUAL has never been one to confine himself to a particular medium, background, or context.

He has been recognized not only for his work with silkscreen and spray paint, but also for his work with lithography and acrylics. Though his obsession with “making marks” stems from his background in graffiti, he has translated that into a passion for creating art. His “art” includes everything from large-scale murals to micro-painting projects such as model trains and custom watch dials, to the forgotten art of sign painting. Most recently, his focus has been on gestural character studies with mixed-media on canvas – creating quite the dichotomy between the “street” artist and the “fine” artist.

In addition to being a constant presence on the street and a fixture in the Houston art scene since 2005, DUAL has also pursued a formal arts education and his work has seen more than its fair share of gallery walls.

DUAL has been featured in a number of exhibitions by some of the top names in the Houston art scene including M Squared Gallery, Aerosol Warfare, and Colton & Farb Gallery. He has had the opportunity to collaborate with a number of brands, labels and charities including the Lebron James Family Foundation, Pabst Brewing Company, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Dickies Workwear, Schmutz Watches, Street Serpents Apparel, and even Sprite. He has also been featured in a number of periodicals including 002 Magazine, Houston Modern Luxury, Houston Press, Free Press Houston, Houston Chronicle and Case Magazine and books such as Stay Up and Stuck-Up Piece of Crap: From Punk Rock to Contemporary Art.

For more information, check out http://dualstreets.com

Henry David Thoreau once said, “The world is but a canvas to your imagination”. 2:12, a Houston-based artist takes this concept to it’s literal end.

Wielding an X-acto knife, spray paint, wheat paste, and other assorted tools, 2:12 transforms mundane, trivial landscapes around us into art. Where a nondescript wall existed, now becomes a gateway to his imagination, a glimpse into his artistic expression.

Much of his inspiration comes through traveling, which has opened his eyes to the beauty and diversity of other cultures. His hope is to break up the monotony of everyday life for those that come across his paintings and to inspire others with his art just as the world has inspired him.

For more info, check out http://www.twotwelveart.com.

Alex “Zú” Arzú was born in 1984 in Augsburg, Germany. He studied architecture at the University of Houston. Zú is the son of two Afro-Honduran immigrants. Recognized by General Rigby and Congressman J.C Watts of Oklahoma as a gifted and talented artist in 1996. Zú was the youngest person to study under renown sculptor Luis Jiménez (1940-2006) and inspired gifted and talented programs available for young gifted visual student artists in 3 different school districts. Zú was also the youngest to be accepted to the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain, a prestigious arts academy held in June in southwest Oklahoma in 1997 held at the University of Oklahoma. The metro-area students were among 270 selected through competitive statewide auditions from a pool of nearly 1,000 applicants. Zú is a versatile artist and expert in visual art, digital art, body art, and structural art.

Recipient of the Gerald D. Hines Structural Design award from the University of Houston in May 2009.

Finalist January 2010 Zú was the graphic artist for Lewellyn-Davies Sahni Architects for Houston Land/Water Sustainability design competition for the Bastrop promenade for the future development of Houston’s Dynamo Stadium (The cities Major League Soccer Franchise).

Former Lead Designer and Production artist for Eyeful Art Murals and Designs 2012.

Former clients Cola, Willie Nelson, MTV Cribs, Kendrick Perkins, Warwick Holdman, Musician Propain, WCW/WWE Torrie Wilson, Red Bryant and Brittany Griner, Houston Midtown Management District “Love you Mural”.

Zú currently has a private studio in East Downtown Houston pursuing a successful art career in body art, contemporary art, illustrations, and murals. In addition, guest lectures and conducts workshops for continuing education for artists in the Houston area.

I am 27 years old and have been painting with aerosol cans on found objects for the past twelve years. Graffiti influenced work is usually the kind of art that either gets you into trouble or is seen to be unique and eye- opening. I have a background in art due to the influence of my late grandmother and two of my brothers. Graduating from Ball High school and Galveston Community College i’ve had the privilege of great art teachers such as Mr. Dunn, Mrs. Moore, and Mr. Stovall. They have made a tremendous impact on getting my work out in public with the encouragement of pushing me to stay consistent with art and passion. In my teenage years, I had the opportunity to take several summer trips throughout the West coast of California for visual inspiration which gave me a kick start in culture, music, and art. These experiences began my journey into the very fascinating “graffiti movement.” After spending a great deal of time being an illegal graffiti artist and chasing walls to paint around the city, I felt a Call from the Lord to change my ways and approach graffiti art a different way. Using a different method I decided to strictly do legal work and commissions began coming in because of obedience. The work I focus on mostly is images of photography, transferred into stencils cut out by hand, finding and building metal/wood canvases, and finally using aerosol paints to transfer the original images to to found objects. This was a way I could express myself and use my talents without breaking the law, but now people actually want the ever appealing graffiti. Most of my work reflects on the Joy that has been given to me as a strength. With so much grace and mercy from Jesus Christ from illegal matters, it has completely changed the very way I paint presently.

At an early age Adam was drawn to the arts. Music, dance, drawing and painting were skills that guided Adam growing up in Deer Park. Adam developed his skills as an artist and has become one of the few highly recognizable graffiti artists from Houston. For the last three years, Adam has been focused on developing highly attended graffiti and street art events in Houston to showcase the hip hop culture of Houston. Art is an everyday part of Adam’s life, and as the Meeting of Styles Houston art event grows, Adam continues to collaborate with hundreds of artists who paint together at different art events all over the world. “This is one of the few things I had that no one could take from me.”

http://facebook.com/graffitiofpilot
pilotfx@hotmail.com

Born in 1986, in Oklahoma City, Shelbi-Nicole spent just a short time there before moving to Houston, TX. Aware from a very early age that painting and drawing were essential to her identity, she continually explored different shapes and forms of abstract art through her formative years. By age 18, Shelbi-Nicole relocated to France, where she had access to a range of art museums, and truly started to explore herself as an artist. She eventually moved to Miami and developed a passion for bright colors and vivid shapes, which are very much a part of her signature look today. After Miami, she headed back to Texas and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Houston. Since then, she’s been creating a name for herself in the Houston art scene and maintaining a small studio space in downtown Houston. Shelbi-Nicole’s work can be found in public and private art collections, and has been seen in numerous exhibitions. ​

For more knformation, visit http://shelbinicole.com

W3R3ON3, AKA Gelson D. Lemus is a Guatemalan-born resident of Houston, TX who began creating art work at a young age. His art journey really took off in the late 90’s when he was introduced to graffiti culture which has shaped his path from a graffiti artist to what he has now become, a self-taught “muralista” (muralist).

Throughout the years, W3R3ON3 has developed techniques that have helped him create his unique style of painting that has placed him as a professional muralist.

Born in the metropolis of Houston, Wiley Robertson’s journey began as a graffiti artist in the streets of the city in 1998. His early work was traditional freehand graffiti in aerosol form, but stencils, stickers, sign painting, wheat pasting and large murals quickly became his forte. As his curiosity of other materials developed, his work became more widely recognized around Houston, during which he created his unique, opulent and ornate style. Wiley attended the Kansas City Art Institute, where he studied painting. Although his formal training proved relevant as a traditional artist, his mother – a graphic designer and artist, his father – an artist and teacher, and artists Keith Haring, Basquiat, and David Choe, influenced him most.

Wiley’s work often engages a positive stream-of-conscious doodling-style that embraces pop culture, colors of the 80s, and never-dying, happy, pattern-filled worlds. Common subjects include typography, portraits, architecture, and people he observes. One of his most celebrated projects is “LOVE.” The word “LOVE” is painted on wood and affixed to light post and buildings. These can be seen around the greater Houston area at stoplights and light posts. They are mostly found in the Heights, Montrose, and in Downtown Houston.

Community collaborative murals are at the foreground of his most current work. These murals reside in lower to middle class latino communities. The idea behind these murals is to create an aesthetic where the community can feel that the mural reflects it, helping to create a sense of civic responsibility and pride. His community projects involve students and young adults from the surrounding areas that house these large murals.

Recent experience and commissions include:

• Station Museum of Contemporary Art – “Call It Street Art, Call It Fine Art, Call It What You Know” exhibition
• The Heights Interfaith Ministries (HIM) Food Pantry
• Project Row House
• Gallery Row – “FunkMotor” exhibition
• Oxheart restaurant
• GreenStreet – downtown Houston
• Skatestock II Artwork

1970: Baby Lee – Lee, at one one-year-old, is destined to be The One.

1976: Master Lee – At six, Lee is elated that he can draw so well so early in life.

1985: Ol’ Skool Lee – By 16, Lee is dividing his time and talents between full-time graphics and part-time airbrush artistry.

1990: Ole’ G Lee – At 21, Lee is at the peak of his artistic career, which would later become a downfall.

2000: Renaissance Lee – Not one to give up and restored, Lee is back on track and ready to take his mind, body, soul and talents to the next level.

2005: THE ONE LEE – At 36, determined, dedicated and disciplined to be what his Mother (R.I.P), brother, family and friends have spoken into him; that he is a “famous artist”.

2015: PRESENT DAY THE ONE LEE – Now 45 and painting 3D and living 3D (determined, dedicated, and disciplined) to become a better artist and person.

Roger Seward was born, raised, and is now painting in Houston, TX. He is a self-taught creative focusing his production in acrylic paint on canvas. Roger is a deep thinker in life, but he tries to convey a light, simple, joy in his artwork. Subject matters for Roger’s work are rooted in scenes and sights around Houston. Most notable and recognizable themes are Houston fire hydrants and Houston’s grand trees. Roger also enjoys touches of quirk and surrealism, often including or hiding exotic animals in strange locales. The overall mission of his creativity is to produce laughter, a smile, and deeper thought in the viewer. Roger is a full time artist passionately practicing to hone his craft. Roger paints every day to improve his abilities and to maintain his sanity, often taking is easel out into Houston’s parks to receive and provide inspiration from his fellow Houstonians.

I am a self-taught artist, from the lovely south-east coast of Texas, continuously learning and evolving my art as I go through life. Painting and creating art for me are as necessary as water and air. It is something I must do… and fortunately, art is my passion. It is a way to escape the day-to-day grind, but it is also my way of taking life and making it beautiful… no matter what the circumstance or situation, beauty resides in everything. Creating art is my way of finding that beauty, and releasing it back into the world. I look at painting as therapy and a means to express myself in a way and style that is my own. I find inspiration for art in daily-life and activities. As an artist, I see it as my duty and responsibility to show the everyday in a new way. I find beauty in the regular… regular people, doing regular things. From a stranger sitting at a bus-stop, to my daughter playing, to my pets lounging in a window sill. It could be a bird sitting on a fence post, or even a face in the crowd on the street. Beauty is everywhere. Finding it is all in how you look at it. There is always something interesting and beautiful in the most simple of actions and activities… and finding it and showing that to people through my eyes, well, that is my mission. To show people the beauty in the everyday around them. To show that regardless of what it is, there is beauty everywhere in everything.

Bret Nix was born in Houston, TX in the summer of 1980. Fascinated with drawing
at an early age, he was rarely seen without a fistful of crayons. This obsession
continued through high school, and into adulthood, eventually leading to the
completion of a BFA in Studio Art from Texas State University. Although he has
traded the crayons for tubes of paint and brushes, his love of color is as
strong as ever. His current series of works are hard-edge geometric abstractions
that focus on color and movement.

Jessica Rice is a Houston artist with a soft spot for oddities and neglected things. A mother of three little girls and a teacher, she draws inspiration from the honesty and silly freedom of the children in her life, always keeping her connected to the boundless creativity of her own childhood.

Janavi M Folmsbee wants to live in a world where we can close our eyes and imagine a painting into creation. Born in Mumbai, India, in 2005 Janavi moved to the U.S. to study at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, where she received her Bachelor in Fine Arts. As an artist, she has shown her work in India, Beijing and Europe. Her work has been featured in international fairs like Kunst Rai and Art Rotterdam and in articles in print media such as Harper’s Bazaar (Malaysia edition), The Times of India, Verve INDIA & Houston Modern Luxury.

When Janavi is not in her studio creating new work or off on a scuba diving adventure in an exciting location like the Maldives or Turks and Caicos, you can find her visiting The Cy Twombly Gallery at the Menil Collection  in Houston or writing in a new café that she may have stumbled upon.

Janavi currently lives and works in Houston. This year she has begun to work with various conservation organizations such as the Galveston Bay Foundation and continues to grow her relationships with several others to help with Marine Conservation through Art.

I was born in Trinidad and raised in New York City. I attended Pratt Institute for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting. My visual vocabulary leans toward abstraction but I enjoy illustration as well.  I live and work in Houston, Texas.

​Artist Statement

As an urban interpretive painter and sculptor, I am intrigued by texture, sound, lines and atmosphere. I translate surroundings and locations as audio waves or sounds, personalities, and shapes.

I enjoy crossing art boundaries through mixed media, For example, I mix sumi ink and acrylic paint together, joining the properties of both media in my ink work. Or I use paper and acrylic as a papier-mâché texture to make a painting a crossover into sculpture.

In my drawings, paintings and murals, some themes that interest me are: Aviation, the human form, conversations, music, traffic patterns, cityscapes, rock formations, astronomy, geographical maps and organic forms.