Downtown gallery hosts colorful crowd for arty party
An intimate, colorful crowd gathered inside Esperson Gallery for its “A Midsummer [Collector] Night’s Dream” soiree on Wednesday night.
Painter Willy Gardiner and his kaleidoscopic canvases were the first stop for arrivals at the industrial GreenStreet space downtown; meanwhile, abstract artist Jumper Maybach — dressed in his signature clown suit — manned a popular area across the lobby.
State Sen. Rodney Ellis tweeted pictures of himself and Ghanaian Black Star Art Gallery owner Widdup Coubagy posing in front of Donkeeboy’s (Alex Roman) striking “PACasso” and “Red Nosed Warhola” pieces featuring Tupac Shakur and Andy Warhol, respectively.
“I’m a big supporter of the Esperson Gallery,” said Ellis. “They curated an exhibit titled ‘I See You’ for this legislative session that has been so popular that it was extended through the fall. I couldn’t imagine walking into the capitol without seeing it every day.”
Guests mingled over beer and small bites with artists such as Kelley Devine and Taft McWhorter before Patrice Pike performed. The Austin-based songstress was accompanied by a special guest — her niece, Cameron Cates, who currently is undergoing treatment at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Ten works were auctioned off to Kristin and David Finklea, Susan and Chris Dray, and Jason Fuller during the event.
Among the attendees:
David Adickes, Scott Peveto, Karyn and Jay Guerrero, Steven Silverstein, Robert Hodge, Kim Unerfusser, James Phelan and Jennifer Detillier.