On view: August 18 – November 13, 2022
Artist Reception: Sunday, November 6 from 2 – 4 p.m.

AMSET is proud to present the work of Art Nations for the upcoming fall Café Arts exhibition. Art grew up in Houston and graduated from Lamar University with his BFA in 1979. He attended the University of Arkansas Fayetteville (1980-1982) and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (1983) for his post graduate studies. Art was inspired by many of his university professors, including Dr. Lynne Lokensgard, Robert O’Neill, Ken Parker, Henry Chotkowski, and Ted Halkin. Other sources of inspiration include his good friend and artist Robert Birmelin, the work of Henri Matisse, ‘Late-Period’ Philip Guston, R.B. Kitaj, and Susan Rothenberg. He is also thankful for the support of his parents, sisters, extended relatives and close friends in his artistic pursuits.

Art is well-known in the Southeast Texas art community and regularly exhibits at the Art Studio and the Beaumont Art League. For this exhibition, he will be showcasing some of his most recent Snowmen paintings and drawings. The snowmen first made an appearance in Art’s work in 1983, and he has continued to depict them through various series. When asked about his choice of subject matter, Art says,

“Snowmen are mysterious and uncanny creations made by ourselves in our image. No one really knows when or who made the first snowman, but they were first recorded in manuscripts in the 1300’s. Snowmen, like ourselves, are transitory and fragile creatures. Some of my pieces address the Human Condition or curious circumstances, while others are focused on simply pictorial formal concerns.”

An artist reception will take place on Sunday, November 6 from 2 -4 p.m. This reception is free and open to the public.