Art meets function at gallery in Conroe
Conroe Art League members got creative when they needed to limit the amount of light coming into the downtown gallery’s second-floor studios.
They had first talked about blinds for the tall rectangular windows, but gallery manager Debra Riley knew as artists they could be more creative with their plan for the gallery at 127 Simonton St. in downtown Conroe.
About a year ago, art league leaders put up five double-sided panels to block light coming from the three second-story windows facing Simonton Street and one large square window facing the art league’s courtyard at the back of the studio. The art on the panels is by Conroe Art League members.
Recently they added four more panels to four additional second-floor windows facing Simonton Street. Two of the windows are in the art league’s upcoming Studio 127 photography gallery. The other two windows are in Riley’s office.
Now all those passing by on Simonton Street can enjoy the work as the league supports downtown’s cultural arts designation last fall.
In September, the Texas Commission on the Arts designated Conroe’s downtown district a Texas Cultural District. Cultural districts are special zones that drive economic development, community vitality and attract tourists, according to the Texas Commission on the Arts. Eligible organizations within the district are able to apply for Cultural District Project grants, which can be as large as $250,000.
“This turned out to be a lot of fun,” said artist and league marketing coordinator Brenda McDougall. “Now we’re noticing people walking down the street and pointing up at the windows.”
McDougall designed the panels for all nine windows.
The panels are made of lightweight foam so they can be easily moved in and out of the window frame. The panels are used most for paintingfrom-life classes, where the room must be dark as all of the light is concentrated on the subject.
McDougall said they wanted to depict people on the panels.
Two men, a young girl and two ladies are featured. The art is by Ken Roy, Anthony Walz, Vickie Nash, Riley and McDougall, and a variety of styles of painting are represented.
Roy’s is of a man at Mardi Gras, Walz’s image is a selfportrait of the artist, Riley’s is of the granddaughter of her friend, Nash’s is a pastel of an unknown woman and McDougall’s is an alcohol and acrylic of a woman from her imagination.
“The artistic appearance of the building is an open invitation to the creative-minded that downtown Conroe is a place they can come to draw inspiration,” said Conroe Public Information Officer Andrew Yousse.
The need for additional panels came about when art league members had plans to use a second space upstairs for a photography studio open to art league members. This space will open in March.
For the second group of panels, McDougall selected the phrases on the panels especially paying homage to Conroe’s cultural arts district designation. In addition to their functional purpose, McDougall said the pieces show off the talent of some of their league members.
The panels also draw attention to the gallery. Riley said they often hear from visitors, “We never knew you were here.”