Barbara J Mason

My form of sharing my thoughts and ideas with the world is done through the expression of art.

At an early age, while growing up in an urban populated inner city; I learned to appreciate the beauty and details in the smallest subjects. As a young woman I began to travel and fulfill my childhood desire to explore, paint, experience areas around the world that many in my neighborhood could only dream of. My ideas of race and beauty and self-worth were shaped by and linked through the female matriarchs in my family, church and neighborhood. These images and ideas were strong, beautiful, unique and heroic, powerful and bold they influenced the way I viewed myself and the visual message I would later share through my artwork.

My art practice critiques the perception of beauty and magnifies the tiniest of details. Stereotypes, myths and negativity have no place in my artwork. My desire is to represent a balance of strength, beauty, truth and light! My artwork often displays multiple complex layers of color, double meanings, symbols, light and shadows juxtapose a rich color palette. Each painting is a page documented along my path as an artist.

Enjoy the palette of my life.

Recent Exhibitions:

2018 Chicago Museum of Science and Industry – Black Creativity
2017 Carefree Art & Wine Festival, Carefree, AZ
2016-2017 Artist of Texas – Breckenridge, Co.; Corpus Christi, TX
2016-2017 North Haven Garden Gallery- Dallas, TX
2013-2015, 2017 Contemporary Fine Artist International
2014-2017 Bayou City Arts Festival – Houston TX
2013-2017 Richardson Civic Art Society – Richardson, TX
2013-2017 Texas & Neighbors Regional Exhibit – Irving, TX
2013-2015, 2017 International Guild of Realism – Albuquerque, NM., South Carolina, Carmel, CA
2011-2017 Faith Artist Exhibit – Dallas, Arlington, Austin TX
2011-2016 Pastel Society of America – New York, NY
2012-2016 Dragonfly Studio Creations Gallery – Dallas, TX
2011-2016 Art in The Square -Southlake, TX
2011-2015, 2016 Southwestern Watercolor Society 48th Annual Exhibit –Plano, TX
2015 Connecticut Pastel Society– Renaissance – Stamford, CT
2015 Pastel Society of New Hampshire
2012-2015 Pastel Nationals –Kansas, New Orleans, Michigan
2012-2015 Arlington Museum, Dallas Baptist University- C.S. Lewis Exhibit
2011-2015 Pastel Society of The Southwest – North Texas
2011-2015 VAGF– Frisco Arts Main Gallery- Frisco, TX
2011-2015 Irving Art Association Exhibit- Irving, TX
2014 Texas Watercolor Society- San Antonio, TX
2012-2014 Annual Bosque Art Classic – Clifton, TX
2011-2014 PAA Members Exhibit -Plano, TX
2013 Ann Arbor Street Fair- Fine Art – Ann Arbor, Michigan
2013 Hidden Lantern Gallery – Rosemary Beach, FA
2013 Jacques Lamy Gallery Exhibit – Dallas, TX
2011- 2013 The Gallery 8680-Frisco, TX
2011-2013 Dutch Art Gallery- Artist of Texas Exhibit – Dallas, TX
2010, 2013 Frisco Arts Discovery Center- Gallery – Solo Exhibit -Frisco, TX
2012 Alley’s House -Incrementum II – Dallas, TX
2011-2012 Southlake Town Hall Featured Artist -Southlake, TX
2011 Black & White Exhibit – The Gallery 8680 – Frisco, TX
2011 Visual Art Society of Texas 125 Mile Exhibit- Denton, TX
2010, 2011 Art in The Atrium -City of Frisco Public Art Program- Frisco, TX
2010, 2011 Texas Visual Arts Association Members Exhibit – Dallas, TX
2009, 2010, 2011 Visual Art Guild of Frisco – Frisco, Texas – Members Exhibit
2011 Art Gives Back Plano Art Association – Plano, TX
2010 Blossom II-Art of Flowers- International Exhibit
2010 African American Museum-Bombay Sapphire Exhibit- Dallas, TX

Awards & Recognitions:

2013-2015, 2017 Richardson Civic Art Society -Best in Show/Purchase Award & First Place Watercolor, Merchandise Award, Honorable Mention.
2016 2016 Dallas A-List, Voted #2 Best Gallery in Dallas, TX.; Pastel Society of Austin, Texas – 2nd Place Still Life; Pastel Painters of New Hampshire Honorable Mention, Pastel Painters of Connecticut
2013-2015, 2016 Pastel Society of the Southwest: 1st Award of Excellence & 1st
2017 Signature Artist Status Awarded
2011, 2016 Springfield Old Capital Art Fair–Illinois Civic Art Purchase Award, First Place – Drawing/Pastel Category North Star Watercolor Society – Award of Merit – It’s Pastel Chicago Painters Society
2015 Richeson75 – Third Place Floral & Still Life Award & Floral and Still Life Meritous Award
2014 Wichita Center for the Arts-Executive Director Purchase Award
2014 Texas Watercolor Society: Texas Artist Award
2014 Greater Gulf Coast Jurors Choice Award, Oklahoma Water-Media National: 1st Place
2012 – 2014 Pastel Journal Magazine: Top 100 Pastel Artist
2012, 2014 Contemporary Fine Artist- Honorable Mention, Best in Show; Place Floral, Honorable Mention, Award of Merit, 2013, 2014 Texas & Neighbors: 1st Place Watercolor
2013 TVAA Wildlife & Nature Exhibit: 2nd Place
2012 Pastel Society of the Southwest: 1st Place Flora & Still Life
2012 Bosque Art Classic 1st Place Award- Pastel
2012 Pastel National -2nd Place
2012 Society of Watercolor Artist- Honorable Mention
2012 PAA – 1st Place Watercolor
2012 Dutch Art Gallery-Artist of Texas – Best in Show
2011, 2012 IAA Pet International Exhibit – Best in Show, Annual Juried Exhibit Best in Show, Watercolor 2^nd Place Award
2011 Pastel Society of America – Yang Family Award, Signature Status Awarded
2011 Art in The Square – Best In Show –Watercolor – Frisco, TX.
2011 Springfield Old Capital Art Fair–Illinois Civic Art Purchase Award
2010 Blossom Art of Flowers II – International Finalist- Honorable Mention
2010 Frisco Arts – Discovery Center -Frisco, TX. Best of Show, First & Second Place

Publications & Articles:

2016 Wichita Eagle Newspaper
9/2016 – Autumn & Art Featured Artist; – Wichita, KS. Splurge Magazine,
9/2016- Autumn and Art -Wichita, KS. The Community Voice Newspaper
9/2016- Painting a Late Career
2014, 2015 Art Collector Magazine
2012, 2014 Pastel Journal Magazine
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 Southwest Artist Magazine, Art Collector Magazine
2010, 2014 Plano Profile Magazine, Star Local Media
2010 Star Local News – Frisco Enterprise – Frisco, TX

Memberships & Affiliations:

Business Council for the Arts/LAI: Collin & Denton County
Pastel Society of America –Signature Artist Status – National- New York, New York
International Guild Of Realism -International
Artist Of Texas- TX., Contemporary Fine Art International
Visual Arts Guild of Frisco – Frisco, TX.
Pastel Society of the Southwest – Signature Artist Status – TX.
Plano Art Association (PAA) – Plano, TX.
Texas Visual Arts Association –Dallas, TX.
Visual Art Society of Texas – Denton, TX
Watercolor Society of Houston – Houston, TX.
Irving Art Association-Irving, Texas
American Women Artist –National

Recent Commissions:

“Transitions”, “Fleur De Lis”, “Scentimental”: Private Collection, Peter & Susan Alan, The Woodlands, TX.
“Premier Women, Dr. R. Stimage, Carrollton, TX.
“Logo”, Dr. N. Walden, Carrollton, TX.
“Ring Bearer”, “Flower Girl”, “Overflow,” “Colors In The Wind”: Dr. M. Wilson, Springfield, IL.
“White Daisies”, Private Collection, Charleston, NC.
“Safe In Her Arms II”, Newman Village (Public Art), Frisco, TX
“Floral Series”, Women’s Radiology Department _Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, IL.

Earnest ‘Earnie’ Benton

I consider myself a contemporary artist who loves painting while listening to music, especially Jazz, which is a source of inspiration. My strong colorful work is sometimes realistic and sometimes abstracted. Through the years, I have worked to develop a unique and distinctive artistic style and craft producing several notable pieces, some by special request for private events and individuals. A native of Chicago, Illinois, I have been actively involved in artistic activities since early childhood. I am a self-taught artist and started making sketches with pencils at a very young age. I have competed in and won many local, regional and national competitions for numerous juried shows and exhibitions, building a solid reputation as a well-respected artist.

For me, art is essential to the human experience. “A basic understanding and appreciation of the arts serves to broaden character and deepen the connections with those in our social circles” (A Passion for Jazz!  2007). I like to use my art as an opportunity to inform, educate, and ignite the interest of art lovers and students. The paintings I create depict the sounds, flavor, and vibrations of life and I hope that in some authentic way to generate an opportunity for communication and understanding. As an artist I truly enjoy the process of creating a piece, from its conception, to building and layering textures, to selecting a color palette, and finally to see shapes and figures come together and form a unique, beautiful, and moving piece. My paintings are created to depict the sounds, flavor, and vibrations of life and I hope that in some small way larger opportunities are generated for communication and understanding.

My mediums of choice are acrylics and pastels with a palette embracing a mixture of earth tones, cool pastels, and vivid primary colors focusing on styles, texture, and form. My creative process is inspired by passion, beauty, and the abstracts and intangibles of music, thought, form, shapes, and color. My work mostly resolves around the interplay of shapes and color, and the interaction between the abstract and the figure. Many of my pieces are evocative of the great Picasso in geometry and form; yet display a truly distinctive approach.

My paintings are collected and displayed in fine homes and private collections across the United States including California, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, New York, Kansas, Oklahoma, and in the collection of Northlake College in Irving, Texas, and my painting “Quaker Town”, commissioned by the City of Denton TX Public Art Project, which hangs in the Denton Texas City Hall. My wife and I now reside in North Texas where I am actively involved in local art activities, exhibitions, public art projects, and participate in selective juried fine art festivals throughout the country.

Solo Exhibitions:

Strictly Earnest Fine Art Gallery – Dallas, TX – 2013 – 2015
North Lake College Solo Exhibition – Irving, TX – 2007
The Blues & Jazz Experience Art Exhibition Two Artist Exhibition –
Irving Arts Center – Irving, TX – April – Sept 2008
55 Degrees Wine Bar & Bistro – Plano, TX – Nov 18, 2008 – Feb 28, 2009
Barnes and Nobles Book Sellers Solo Exhibition – Denton, Texas – 2008
Farmers Branch Manske Library Gallery – Framers Branch, TX – 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013
Marshall Motors – Dallas, TX – Oct 20, 2009 – Jan 31, 2010
Solo Exhibition – Buttons Restaurant – Fort Worth, TX – Nov 21, 2009 – Feb 28, 2010
Café Du Luxe Solo Art Exhibition Denton, TX 2012

Past & Current Artist Affiliations:

African American Visual Arts Association, Baltimore, MD 2005
Associated Creative Artists, Dallas, TX 2004 – 2006
The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Dallas, TX 2003 – 2005
Irving Art Association, Irving, TX since 2003 – 2012
Irving Arts Center, Irving, TX since 2003 – present
Pastel Society of the South West, Dallas, TX 2003 – 2007
Plano Art Association, Plano, TX 2004 – 2006
Southwest Watercolor Society
Texas Artist Coalition, Fort Worth, TX since 2005
The Art House at the Jones Center, Austin, TX 2005
Visual Arts Coalition of Dallas, TX 2004 – 2006
Visual Arts Society of Texas, Denton, TX since 2004 – present
Texas Visual Arts Association Dallas, TX since 2007 – 2011

Group Exhibitions:

Abstracts of Jazz Exhibition Dallas, TX 2014
Artist’s Showplace Associates Show 2005
Artist’s Showplace Gallery Juried Exhibition 2005, 2006
Artscape Plano, TX 2004
Associated Creative Artist Annual Award Show 2005
Bank of America BHM Art Expo 2003-2005
City Lights and Music Exhibition Dallas TX 2015
DAF Productions Art Exhibition 1994
Dallas Symphony African American Concert Festival Dallas, TX 2007, 2008
Fort Worth CAC 9″ x 12″ Works on Paper Exhibition 2008
Fort Worth CAC Biennial Exhibition 2008, 2009
FWCAC Biennial: 39 Hour Exhibition 2004, 2006
FWCAC Extended Show 2006
General Electric Cultural Art Exhibit Fairfield, CT 2012
Grand Prairie Arts Council Juried Art Exhibit 2004 – 2008
IAC – Art Connection Members Show 2004-2006
ICTN “Visual Embrace” Solo Show 2005
Irving Art Assoc. Annual Members Juried Show 2004-2006 – 2009
Irving Art Assoc. Annual Wildlife Juried Show 2005-2006
Irving Art Assoc. Winners Exhibition 2006
Irving Black Arts Council “Boundless Expressions” 2007
Merging Visions Exhibition Denton Public Library Denton, TX 2013
Passion, Art, Community: Denton Texas in Word and Image 2012
PCPC Arts Festival Dallas, TX 2007
Plano Art Association “Beauty of Nature Show” 2005
Plano Art Association “Walk On The Wild Side” 2006
Plano Art Association Members Show 2004 – 2005
Richardson Civic Art Society Annual Regional Juried Art Exhibition, Richardson, TX 2017
Somewhere In Between Exhibition Dallas, TX 2014
Sprint Arts and Crafts Festival in Northern Virginia 1993, 1996
Studio 2600 “Swells & Curves” Dallas, TX 2007
Texas & Neighbors Regional Juried Exhibition 2006
Texas Visual Arts Association (TVAA) New Members Exhibition Dallas, 2008
The Halls Are Alive with Art & Music Art Exhibition Dallas, TX 2012
TVAA Citation Show Plano, TX 2013
TVAA Digital Art Show Dallas, TX2008
TVAA 60th Members Exhibition 2007
Verizon BHM Art Connection 2003-2004, 2007
Visual Arts Society of Texas “Art and Poetry” Exhibit Denton, TX 2008, 2010
Visual Arts Society of Texas Connections Exhibit Dallas, Texas 2008
Visual Arts Society of Texas 125 Mile Show – Denton, TX 2017
Washington D.C. Urban League 1997

Festivals& Events:

Addison ArtFest – Addison, TX, 2007
African Festival of the Arts, Chicago, IL, 2009, 2010
Allen USA Celebration Allen, TX 2006
Alpharetta, GA StreetFest, 2008
Art & Air Festival, Saint Louis, MO, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2017
Art Afaire, Fort Worth, TX 2009
Arts, Beats & Eats, Royal Oak, MI 2017
ArtFest Fair Park Dallas, TX 2008, 2009
Arts Goggle, Fort Worth, TX 2009 – 2013
Autumn & Art at Bradley Fair, Wichita, KS 2010 – 2015, 2017
AVAA 34th Annual Regional Juried Show, Arlington, TX, 2010
Barrington Art Festival, Barrington, IL 2017, 2018
2014 Buckhead Spring Arts & Crafts Festival Atlanta, GA 2014
Columbus Arts Festival Columbus, OH 2016
Cottonwood Art Festival Richardson, TX 2008
Dallas CityArts Festival Dallas, TX 2006, 2007 – 2009
Deep Ellum Art Park Public Art Project, Dallas, TX 2009
Denton Arts & Jazz Festival Denton, TX 2007 – 2009, 2010 – 2018
Festival in the Park, Charlotte, NC 2009
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Painted Violins Ft Worth, TX 2011
Frisco Arts Festival, Frisco, TX 2009
Frisco Arts in the Square, Frisco, TX 2011
Gaylord Texan SummerFest Grapevine, TX 2016
Glenco Festival of Art Glenco, IL 2014
GrapeFest, Grapevine, TX 2008
Highland Village Art Festival Highland Village, TX 2015- 2016
Huffhines Art Trails Richardson, TX 2008
IAC Art In The Garden, Irving, TX 2006
Jazz By The Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 2006- 2009
Lakewood Summer Arts Faire, Dallas, TX 2006, 2008
Lincolnshire Art Festival, Lincolnshire, IL 2017
Lubbock Arts Festival, Lubbock, TX 2014
Millennium Art Festival Chicago, IL 2014
National Black Arts Festival, Atlanta, GA 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
National Medical Association Art Exhibition New Orleans, LA 2012
Paul Quinn College Benefit, Dallas, TX 2009
Preservation is the Art of the City, Fort Worth, TX 2009
Red River Revel, Shreveport, LA 2015
Smoky Hill River Festival Salina, KS 2013
Southwest Black Arts Show Dallas, TX 2012
The Flats Festival of the Arts, Cleveland, OH – 2016, 2017
Three Rivers Arts Festival Pittsburgh, PA 2016
Wylie Arts Festival Wylie, TX 2014-2015

JD Moore

Art created within the movements of the early Renaissance and Impressionism have inspired me to create a body of work.

My desire is to compose pieces that will be both visually time-stamped and give an accurate representation to the contemporary culture in which it was painted. By using references such as fashion, and models that are not traditionally represented in fine art, my aim in this current body of work is to merge the aesthetic of classic pieces with content and subject matter relevant to the ideas of the present.

This painting depicts Mansa Abubakari II, an African emperor who ruled Mali in the 14th century and, according to African storytellers, discovered America nearly 200 years before Christopher Columbus. The ‘Voyager King’ once ruled what was the richest and largest empire on earth – covering nearly all of West Africa. He enjoyed wearing a European silk coat, but gave up all the power and gold in pursuit of knowledge and discovery.

Kendrix Wesley

Native of Longview, TX, Graduate of Stephen F. Austin University, now residing in Allen, TX since 2004.
My love of color and culture is attributed to the many planes, trains, and automobiles that God has blessed me to take to experience beauty world-wide.
As an accomplished photographer (Supreme Dream Photography), and gallery owner (Ten20 Gallery), my abstract art is being shaped by all the wonderful souls encountered, special moments shared, adversities, defeats, and victories experienced.
Over the years, I’ve come to realize that artistic expression is the common denominator that transcends our differences and unifies our communities. We often appreciate Art faster than we can appreciate the person that created it, because there is no immediate stereotype associated with it.

Recent Exhibitions:

2016-2017 Ten20 Art Gallery-Plano, TX
2017-2018 Pipe & Palette Art & Wine Walk- Plano, TX

Awards & Recognition:

2016 For the Love of Art Honoree: Arts Impresario Award presented by The Art Centre of Plano

Publications & Articles:

2016, Plano Profile Magazine-Feb, April edition
2016- Plano Magazine
2016- Good Morning Texas WFAA
2016- Community Impact News Paper
2016- Plano Podcast
2016-2017- Collin College News

Memberships & Affiliation:

Ten 20 Gallery, Co-Owner
Ten 20 Art, Board Member
Downtown Plano Foundation of Arts & Heritage, Board Member
Historic Downtown Plano Association (HDPA)- Plano, TX, Board Member

Recent Commissions:

“Coral Canyon”, Chas & Teresa Worley, Plano, TX
“Melodico” Private Collection, Plano, TX
“Beloved” Private Collection, Dallas, TX
“Imagine” Private Collection, Lucas, TX
“Intrepid”, Private Collection, Ithaca, NY

Quincy Conwell

Quincy has been a staple at the Allen Arts Festival, and is currently busy exhibiting his artwork around the country.

An accomplished artist that started with depicting jazz scenes, and now enjoys working with abstract images and strong primary colors.

Reyon Nurse

Don’t be a slave to the thoughts of old men.

Evolution is possible in this lifetime.