“The Great Wall” by Lief Anson Wallace
The Beaumont Art League presents Visions of China: Ancient to Modern, an exhibition of photography by Lief Anson Wallace. A closing reception will be held 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Oct. 7.
As winner of the BAL’s 2016 Annual Membership Show, Beaumont photographer Lief Wallace earned a solo exhibition. His show.
“Visions of China: Ancient to Modern” will showcase 25 of his photos, half of which were taken on his 2013 trip to China. The photos also include images of the tetraptych from his “Hands Series” which took first place in the BAL show, as well as pieces from a series on old farm equipment.
BAL is located at 2675 Gulf St. in Beaumont.
For more information, call 409- 833-4179, or visit Beaumont Art League on Facebook.
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Due to the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, all Stark Cultural Venues in Orange will remain closed to the public throughout September to allow the community and Stark Cultural Venue employees to continue recovery efforts. Along with many community members, neighbors, friends and patrons each venue has been affected by the flood.
The Stark Museum of Art did not incur any damage, and is scheduled to reopen to the public Oct. 3 with regular hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts incurred minor damages, and is scheduled to begin the 2017 fall season on Nov. 16 with “A Very Electric Christmas.” For more information, call the box office at 409-886-5535.
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center will remain closed for an extended period due to significant flood damage. The venue aims to reopen in the next few months, but a specific date is not scheduled at this time.
The W.H. Stark House did not incur any damage, but will remain closed through the end of 2017. Special tour hours will be announced in early 2018.
For information on all Stark Cultural Venues, visit starkculturalvenues.org.
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High Street Gallery’s art installation by Kailee Viator, originally scheduled for Sept. 15 has been rescheduled for 7-10 p.m., Oct. 21, due to Hurricane Harvey. The gallery is located in Victoria House, 2110 Victoria St. in Beaumont.
The exhibition is titled “Flora and Fauna” and is described as “an installation which transforms High Street Gallery into an indoor/outdoor mystical wonderland designed to mythically describe life’s origins and those of the world we inhabit.”
Kailee Viator is a Vidor native who received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio art from Lamar University in 2013. She said this show, which incorporates a multitude of media as well as live models, is unlike her previous work.
“Most of the local art community know my work for my paintings, drawings, and few for my ceramic sculpture work. While I am still working a similar conceptual pattern, I think that my work has softened exponentially,” Viator said. “There is still the darkness I believe I am known for, but with a much more subtle, feminine approach. Decayed animal skulls meet grandmother’s doilies, giant Wolf spiders accompanied by Baby’s Breath….
“The room is lit by lanterns and tealights, warmly peeking out from behind folds of pink tissue paper reminiscent of the primordial womb. Amidst a woodland backdrop and floral decorum sits a goddess figure bathed in milk and honey. Egg cartons cascade from the ceiling, sprinkled with trinkets of life and death: tiny animal bones, dried flowers, and bird feathers, all encapsulated by beeswax.”
She is inspired by artists like Sherry Owens, Sharon Kopriva and Ann Wood, and is also influenced by others in her own community, such as fellow artist Amanda Berry.
“The viewer should contemplate the symbolic language of spirituality, as well as the great question: ‘Which came first: the chicken or the egg?’” she said.
Entry is free and open to the public. Refreshments are provided at the reception on Sept. 15. A pared-down version of the installation will be on view again during the evenings of Sept. 20 and 24.
For more information, email victoria housetx@gmail.com, or visit the High Street Gallery Facebook page.