Artists | ArtsHound

Pages:

Valerie G

Visual Artist: Crafts; Visual Artist: Paintings; Visual Artist: Photography; Visual Artist: Sculpture / Pottery

Throughout my life, I have always been captivated by cute and slightly odd critters in fun colors, so naturally, I would want to bring this joy to my designs! All of my pieces are handmade (urban vinyl pieces are personally customized by hand), and most are one of a kind as well. Born in New York City, many of my artistic influences have come from countless trips to MoMA, the Guggenheim Museums, and the MET as well as the various art galleries in New York. Over the last few years, I have also been greatly motivated by the southwestern artists in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as well as the urban vinyl toy movement, mostly concentrated throughout California and New York. The majority of my training as an artist has been in the areas of ceramic sculpture and pottery, however, during this past year, I have decided to try my skill at customizing urban vinyl toys. I have really fallen in love with the whole process-it is my new favorite thing to do, plus… nothing to blow up in the kiln- yay! Over the last two years, I have also spent quite a bit of time working on my photography skills, mostly of urban vinyl toys. This is a new-and-upcoming art form, and the toys do make perfect models- they stay the way you pose them! Adopt a critter today- they’d just love to be your new best friend!

Galina Gabrielova

Nicholas Gaitan

Composer; Musician; Singer

Born in Houston, Nick Gaitan has played many regions in the U.S. and Mexico with Houston Based group Los Skarnales, a group which he played the double bass (upright bass) for. He also created and leads the street jazz, and urban sounding group called The Umbrella Man. Nick has been nominated several times in the Houston Press music awards dating from 2003, winning the award for “best bassist” in both 04 and 05 (he was also nominated for 06). Gaitan has shared the stage with many touring musicians from different backgrounds and genres and keeps a regular schedule around Houston playing shows on his Bass Fiddle.

Gaslight Gallery

Visual Artist: Crafts

Art gallery located in the Montrose area of Houston, Texas near downtown/midtown. Gaslight Gallery, 1416 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77006. Phone 713 524 3535

Tricia Garcia

Dancer; Visual Artist: Paintings; Visual Artist: Prints / Digital Art

Tricia Garcia Email: triciaygarcia@gmail.com Phone: 281-740-3872 Website: www.triciagarcia.com OBJECTIVE: To obtain and maintain a position where I can utilize my skills to help develop into a more versatile design career with an award winning team. SPECIAL SKILLS Design – Specializing in modern development of custom build concepts proficiency in AutoCAD, 3D architectural and structural visualization, and graphic design capabilities for marketing purposes Sales – Over 10 years experience with sales and administrative combined Artistic – Over 20 years experience in art with 12 years experience as an independent contract artist QUALIFICATION Mac OS X and Microsoft Office Suite PC user with special emphasis in: Photoshop AutoCAD Illustrator Revit InDesign 3D Studio Max Acrobat Google Sketchup Excel Powerpoint Word Outlook Typing Speed 60wpm Ability to perform conceptual design drawings either by computer aid or by hand as well as model construction Competitive and strategic in ergonomic design using eco-friendly products Provide professional architectural documentation with exceptional dimensions to detail Professional positive leadership attitude, self motivated Excellent time management and task oriented skills handled by priority EXPERIENCE July 1, 2012 – Present Design Pistol Houston, TX Independent designer working on various projects in residential, hospitality, and production design October 1, 2011 – December 10, 2011 University of Houston Opera House – Internship Position Houston, TX Scenic Assistant – Position held to assist the Set Design Director as well as to the production staff with staging the scene, crafts and props. Also gathered resource information and attended meetings for educational purposes and CIDA review. August 1, 2005 – December 1, 2006 SWE Homes, LP Houston, TX Real Estate Sales Representative – Position held maintaining an average quota of 10 properties sold per month, maintaining of monthly property inspections and repairs, while provided receptionist relief as needed. EDUCATION Art Institute of Houston Houston, TX Interior Design Bachelor Degree Program – June 2012 Graduate AWARDS Summer 2009 Honor Roll for maintaining a 3.6 GPA Fall 2011 Honor Roll for maintaining a 3.5 GPA AVAILABLE REFERENCES UPON REQUEST

Inter Gem

Relana Gerami

Actor; Director; Musician; Singer

Relana J. Gerami-Luss is the Founder and Executive/Artistic Director of the Bay Area Theatre & Voice Academy, along with teaching private voice lessons, as well as instructing the musical theatre workshops and the Advanced Musical Preparatory Track. Relana has studied vocal performance at the College of the Mainland and the University of Houston. She has directed adults and children in many shows in the community such as You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Cinderella, Oliver, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Les Miserable’s the School Edition, The Patient, 101 Dalmatians KIDS, Annie Jr., Aladdin Jr., Alice in Wonderland Jr., Aristocats KIDS, Beauty and the Beast Jr., Cinderella KIDS, Fiddler on the Roof Jr., Godspell Jr., Grease, Honk Jr., The Jungle Book KIDS, Little Shop of Horrors, Once On This Island Jr., Once Upon a Mattress, Pippin, School House Rock Live Jr., Suessical Jr., Sweeney Todd, Urinetown, Willy Wonka Jr. and many others. She has also been music director for shows such as A Touch of Broadway, Into the Woods Jr., Annie Jr., Once on this Island Jr., Lil Abner, Once Upon a Mattress, The Nutcracker and various musical revues and galas. Relana has appeared on the stage as Ida in Honk!, Lucy in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Miss Mona in The Best Little …. In Texas, Mabel in the Pirates of Penzance, Ms. Pennywise in Urinetown and other shows such as The Mikado, Venus & Adonis, Chicago, The Nutcracker, Curious Savage, Grease, South Pacific, Oklahoma, Annie Get You’re Gun, and many others. Relana taught privately in the Bay Area for over 6 years prior to opening BATAVA and is a first year recipient of the prestigious Freddie “G” Master Teacher Award for excellence in Musical Theatre Education. Students under Ms. Relana’s direction have won numerous group and individual awards and honors including Tommy Tune Awards & Nominations, UIL One Act All Stars, Junior Theatre Festival Outstanding Productions, JTF Outstanding Music Production, JTF All-Stars, JTF Outstanding Male Performers, JTF Outstanding Female Slam Performer, Classical Singer Scholarships and numerous Texas All State Choir members. Her students have been accepted (with scholarships) to some of the most prestigious Voice and Musical Theatre programs across the country including The Boston Conservatory of Music, Carnegie Mellon University, New York University at Steinhart, The University of North Texas, DePauw University, Oklahoma City University, University of South Carolina, Webster University, The University of Colorado at Boulder, Baylor University, Marymount Manhattan College, Belmont University and Oklahoma Christian University along with performing professionally across the nation for such companies as Houston Grand Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, New York City Opera, as well as itheatrics and regional/community theatres.

Megan Gibbs

Visual Artist: Paintings

Megan Gibbs passed away on March 24th, 2010. Painting has and always will be, my favorite intellectual journey. It is the process of creating, and not necessarily the finished product, that has always attracted me. Drawing was the catalyst. At a very young age, I would use drawing as a means of escape from the every day drama of being a child. When I am in the process of making a drawing or painting, it becomes the entire universe and any other worries fade from existence. Painting fills me with a sense of achievement and inventiveness, and is my vehicle for translating inner vision to outer reality. My style is slightly realistic, but more fantastical than real life. Many of my pieces take on an illustrative quality, with exaggerated features one will oftentimes see in some older illustrations. I gravitate towards the darker and cynical aspects of life, which definitely emerges in my work.

Sarah Gish

ARTIST’S STATEMENT: SARAH GISH I am the owner of Gish Creative (www.gishcreative.com), a personal, family, and business enrichment company that ignites lives, creates connections, and champions culture. Because of my desire to reach a wider and more diverse audience, and because of my lifelong interest in the arts, I began creating art in 2003. My art is about transformation and soul-searching with a modern twist on alchemy. I take ordinary found objects and create new images and meaning with them – abstract assemblages that communicate concepts. The objects I use seem to speak to me, begging to be noticed and elevated. It is through my work that I glorify them as a metaphor for my belief that all that exists in our world is important. Transforming these shards makes life exponentially more interesting as patterns and connections emerge where there were none. It is my hope that a metamorphosis occurs as viewers are forced to look at things differently. My art is also about the circle of life which is laden with meaning: the connections between us all, the cycles of our lives, and the ability to use circles to reach a deeper center. These circles are often represented in my work by hubcaps or eyes which for me become modern-day mandalas that I call “Mod Mandalas”. Mandalas are known in many cultures to represent the universe and their designs fascinate me and draw me in. Eyeballs are known as mirrors to the soul and it is through these images that my work plumbs the inner thoughts of myself, others, and our culture as a whole. When I create, I come up with a concept, I focus in on an image, and I then assign a title. I am also a writer, so the words in my titles and throughout my pieces become not only a means of expressing a concept but also another material for my artwork – similar to the way a painter uses paint. Words have great power in our lives since they are representations of our thoughts and will create what we want to manifest. Because of this, I always work with words in a conscious and deliberate way. I have been in marketing and teaching since 1985 – two fields whose focus is communication. Through my art, my writing, my marketing, and my teaching, I have discovered the importance of connections between all of us. My art is yet one more way for me to communicate and to connect. Sarah received a B.A. in Art History from the University of Texas/Austin in 1985 and her artwork has been exhibited at The Art Car Museum, Bering and James Gallery, Caroline Collective, The Central Library Art Gallery, DiverseWorks, Koelsch Gallery, Lawndale Art Center, MECA, Mind Puddles Gallery, and Super Happy Fun Land, among other places. Sarah’s creativity also extends to workshops and private intuitive guidance sessions as well as to marketing consultations for businesses. She loves to teach, to learn, to ignite lives, to make art, and to be of service.

Rob Gladstone

Visual Artist: Prints / Digital Art

My work is simple. I’m inspired by beauty. I see it in rugged, multi-textured, mountain landscapes. I see it in the vivid color and supple feel of a flower. I see it in dreams when I am asleep and awake. I see it in my wife and daughter when they don’t even think that I’m paying attention. Growing up in Houston, Texas from the age of 8, I earned degrees in political science and law from the US and Europe. But there was always another intention and so I entered the art world with my first film in 2000 and it was my second film that introduced me to the world of 3D modeling and special effects. This is the heart of my work as I employ it to make both landscape and macro subjects more impressionist or abstract in nature. Photography alone cannot convey how I choose to see the world, so I use the computer to manipulate the photo. With it, I can bend light. Enhance color. Alter perception. Not to make it more beautiful, but to play with it. To feel it. The color, the light, the texture. The flow. The motion. Appreciating its layers and its structure. Beyond photographic based work, my computer FX background allows me create new worlds. There is no limit in 3D space. If I can dream it, I can bring it to life as if I was taking a photo and this gives me the opportunity to connect with people who share that dream as well.

James Glassman

Visual Artist: Prints / Digital Art

Molly Gochman

Visual Artist: Paintings; Visual Artist: Prints / Digital Art; Visual Artist: Sculpture / Pottery

Molly Gochman is an experiential, intersensory artist working and residing in Houston, Texas. Her work provides evocative experiences through interdisciplinary-installations. In the last five years, Gochmanâ€™s work has been exhibited as far away as the Roney Gallery in Sydney, Australia, to various galleries throughout her home state of Texas including Barbara Davis Gallery, Margolis Gallery, DiverseWorks and her own space, Commune. It is through Gochmanâ€™s inimitable personal energy that one best gets a sense of her unique artistry and vision: â€œI install objects in space. I manipulate architectural spaces through building topographies that seem to drip and melt from the walls and ceiling.â€ According to Gochman, it is through â€œplacementâ€ that objects become endowed with an ability to communicate a range of concepts, voyages and experiences. â€œThrough arranging objects in spaces I create environments and experiences. This is my way of communicating what I cannot come close to expressing in words.â€ Gochman became interested in this type of work because she wanted to allow viewers to enter an area where fabric, one of the main materials used in her work, would be moving fluidly around them. â€œI wanted the area I created to be texturally sensual. The forms I sculpt out of fabric appear 3-D. However, art is at least 4-D. It exists in time. We experience it as we move through dimensions within spaces as time passes.â€ Gochmanâ€™s fabric sculptures hang on walls, and according to her, they are sagging at the same rate as our skin. This is a process that one notices if one allows themselves to really see the work and to get to know it. â€œAs time passes, this work will age similarly to us. I value the way these works change over time. They surrender to gravity, gather dust, and crack.â€ Her method and inspiration in creating sculpture is unique. â€œDancing is the word I use to refer to the state I enter when I am flowing with making my work. I flow in and out of this dance during the installation process. Stepping back and assessing it from a different perspective outside of the dance, either alone or with others, is always beneficial.â€ What occurs during the dance allows her work to integrate details that she is not able to access outside of the dance. â€œWe all possess elementary and essential knowledge that can easily get buried under other information. Memories coalesce with this primitive understanding during the dance. Actions and intentions integrate instinctually. There is internal dialogue and debate as I move objects around while dancing. I am working from my gut.â€ It is space that defines the heart of Gochmanâ€™s work. â€œI work within space and spaces that are defined by real and imaginary boundaries.â€ Most of her work has been within architectural spaces. Her work begins with exploring, and with an investigation of possibilities within boundaries. â€œArchitectural spaces are created to shelter people and the objects that they care about. I often ask: why was the space created? Is it serving that purpose?â€ Gochman enjoys working within intimate architectural spaces that have a relationship to those we spend time inside everyday, such as our homes. Her work has also found its place within public settings such as yards, theatres, parks, and galleries. Her work â€œesthetizes, which makes people more sensitive to everything.â€ Each work that Gochman creates can be connected to a concept that has been dissected and refined, yet has a larger purpose. An experience within one of Gochmanâ€™s installations has led some people to begin recognizing things such as the lace formations that treesâ€™ shadows form on the street; it is said that her work can heighten oneâ€™s appreciation for everyday experiences. Gochman is very influenced by the work of Agnes Martin. â€œI am transported through her work. She addresses the unity of life through horizon lines. Through contemplating the landscape and escaping the habits practiced, she developed other routes to know.â€ Other artists that she admires are Lygia Clark, Jonas Mekas, Mierle Laderman Ukeles, Adrian Piper, Annette Messager, Hanna Wilke, Francesca Woodman, Sophie Calle, Maya Li, Dennis Oppenheim and Carol Rama.Born in San Antonio, Gochman as been making art since she was very young. She began dreaming of a career in ceramics when she was in first grade. She explored painting, drawing and Super 8 film in high school, and at the age of 19 found her passion with sculpture. She created her first installations at age 22. It was then that Molly learned to develop her own method for communicating through objects and real space. In addition to studying art in New York City and London, Gochman received her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from Guilford College in 2001 and had her first solo art exhibition in Houston, where she currently resides. In 2003 she began work on Boundaries, which evolved into the founding of Commune, L.P., an art project, company, and interdisciplinary workshop where Gochman continues to create and show her work. In 2007 she was awarded a residency at Elsewhere in Greensboro, North Carolina. Reviews of her work have appeared in the Houston Chronicle and Papercity.

Susan Goettsche

Visual Artist: Paintings; Visual Artist: Photography

I have spent the last 30 years in Houston TX painting and drawing. Three years ago I began to attend shows and show my work to the public. Moving into the Elder Street Artist’s Lofts, my husband and I have started a gallery called Elder Street Gallery last year that is conducting shows every two months and has been well attended. I love to use color to express joy and beauty. Life is colorful and so should be art. I paint in a number of media just as life is a varied pallet and are combining different artistic styles such as Realism, Surrealism, and Symbolism; but, most of all, I am following my intuition, my guts and perception, This year, I have returned to school at Glassell School of Art to deepen my artist expression.

Sarah Golightly

Visual Artist: Crafts; Visual Artist: Paintings; Visual Artist: Photography; Visual Artist: Sculpture / Pottery

For years I’ve been baking, painting & creating things mostly as gifts for friends and family, and occasionally when they request for something specific. It has been only recently that the fire has been lit and I’ve finally decided that I want to pursue my passions more aggressively. I have worked in the same industry for 16+ years (since high school). It is very stressful and the hours are very long. I have 4 beautiful daughters, ranging in ages from 3 to 17. Their father is in the ARMY and has already done 2 tours overseas, 18 months in Iraq & 11 months in Afghanistan. So with that being said, I try to make the most of my free time, what little I have. Over the years I’ve learned about myself that I can do many things; and I can do them very well, and usually with little difficulty. I’ll look at something and say “I can make that” or “I can do that”; and I do with a fair amount of ease… It almost always turns out pretty good, sprinkled with an amazing or fantastic, as well as the occasional need to try that over. So I’ve realized if I can get those results with the little amount of time I given myself to practice what I do, think of what I can do if I really take the time to ameliorate the situation…I could turn out stunning, sprinkled with wondrous and awe-inspiring. That is what I’m working towards now. Sarah Golightly

Stephanie Gonzalez

Composer; Musician; Visual Artist: Crafts; Visual Artist: Paintings; Visual Artist: Photography; Visual Artist: Prints / Digital Art

Born in Monterrey N.L. Mexico, Stephanie Gonzalez grew up with her grandparents in Reynosa, Mexico and picked up painting from her grandfather. She began painting at the age of 14 and later started developing new techniques and experimenting with different mediums. As a child, Gonzalez moved from Georgia to Mexico, then to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. After high school, she moved to Houston, where she currently resides. Stephanie enjoys creating abstract works that reflect her emotions, freelance logos, murals, interior designs, and she also creates simple twine bracelets. In her work, she uses mixed media such as coffee, wine, aerosol paint, watercolors, acrylics, oil pastels, china ink. Stephanie received her BFA in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Houston in December, 2011. She has created works for public collections such as Starwood Hotels – Le Meridien in Saigon, murals for Lot 8, famous designer Chloe Dao’s retail boutique in Rice Village, Skyline Art Services, the Make a Wish Foundation, Pearl Bar, and friends commissions; in addition to these murals, Gonzalez has also participated in many art happenings in Houston and shown her art at various galleries throughout the South Texas area. She is well versed in many design programs including Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, AutoCAD, Revit, & 3D Studios Max. Stephanie currently works as a full time fine Artist in Houston, TX. Stephanie seeks to inspire emotion and touch people’s hearts with her works.

luis gonzalez

Visual Artist: Paintings

A New York Artist currently residing in Houston. My work is Abstract Figuritives.

Stephanie Gonzalez

Visual Artist: Paintings

Biography Born in Monterrey N.L. Mexico, Stephanie Gonzalez grew up with her grandparents in Reynosa, Mexico and picked up painting from her grandfather. She began painting at the age of 14 and later started developing new techniques and experimenting with different mediums. As a child, Gonzalez moved from Georgia to Mexico, then to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. After high school, she moved to Houston, where she currently resides. Stephanie enjoys creating abstract works that reflect her emotions, freelance logos, murals, interior designs, and she also creates simple twine bracelets. In her work, she uses mixed media such as coffee, wine, aerosol paint, watercolors, acrylics, oil pastels, china ink. Stephanie received her BFA in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Houston in December, 2011. She has created works for public collections such as Starwood Hotels – Le Meridien in Saigon, murals for Lot 8, famous designer Chloe Dao’s retail boutique in Rice Village, Skyline Art Services, the Make a Wish Foundation, Pearl Bar, and friends commissions; in addition to these murals, Gonzalez has also participated in many art happenings in Houston and shown her art at various galleries throughout the South Texas area. She is well versed in many design programs including Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, AutoCAD, Revit, & 3D Studios Max. Stephanie currently works as a full time fine Artist in Houston, TX. Stephanie seeks to inspire emotion with her works. Artist Statement Everything starts with a feeling, I work with unconventional materials and spend months, sometimes years on my pieces. I explore with the idea of grunge, imperfection and beauty in the disaster. My work, while abstract, attempts to represent specific emotional instances or conflicts that occur within my mind and/or heart and/or “soul.” I would be hard pressed to explain to a viewer what an individual painting or portion of a painting means. My hope is that each viewer will experience some personal connection with a painting that translates into a better understanding of my experience.

GONZO247

Visual Artist: Graffiti

Graffiti Artist and Curator: GONZO247, is a native Houstonian who was exposed to graffiti and began his pursuit in 1984 as an artist. GONZO247’s list of achievements includes opening Aerosol Warfare Gallery, producing a video series, establishing a Houston Wall Of Fame (the city’s first largest art production of its kind) and working with top brands like Converse, Red Bull, Coca Cola and Sony on advertising campaigns that speak to urban communities. These days GONZO247 maintains a street, urban and graffiti art gallery, Aerosol Warfare; creates his own art for public or private exhibitions and enjoys supporting other art organizations and artists. He has also found a love for teaching his medium through CKC StART Street Urban Arts who offers street and urban art workshops classes for ages kids, colleges and older adults. Recently he taught at Art League Houston, Rice University, Kipp Academy, Eastwood Academy and other institutions and organizations.

Black Goodfella

Musician

SOLO ARTIST H.R. ROUNDTREE A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN IS BRINGING SOME MORE SOUTHERN STYLES FOR THE WORLD WITH FAMILY BASED NEW INDEPENDANT RECORD LABEL FIRST MIND RECORDS,AND STREET VERSION MUSIC. WITH BANGING BEATS AND LIVE LYRICS FOR ALL LISTENERS, HE HAS FEATURED ARTIST PAINKILLA,$BANDIT,BIG-J-POOH, ENDO, C-MAJOR, BIG LO, MANYFACEZ, WY GOODIE, DAN RHOADES,& ASHLEY FISHER, FOR HIS SOLO DEBUT ALBUM,MIXED AND MASTERED AT DIGITAL SERVICE STUDIO, A STATE OF THE ART STUDIO THAT HAS MIXED AND MASTERED MANY PLATINUM SELLING ARTIST PRODUCT, THEY HELP TO GIVE BLACK-G. AN EVEN MORE CUTTING EDGE SOUND, SO IF YOU ARE INTO BANGING BEATS, AND REALITY TO THE POINT LYRICS,BLACK-G. IS THE PERFECT SELECTION,……….IF YOU CANT PURCHASE ONLINE GO TO YOUR NEAREST SOUNDWAVES,.. CACTUS MUSIC OR ANY NEAREST RECORD STORE AND PLACE YOUR ORDER FOR H.R.ROUNDTREE, BLACK-G. THE UNEXPECTED,.. THEY MADE ME,.. AVAILABLE THROUGH SUPA D DISTRIBUTION

Ron Gordon

Poet; Visual Artist: Crafts; Visual Artist: Paintings; Visual Artist: Sculpture / Pottery

Born in Memphis, raised in rural Mississippi, Gordon began painting with his Grandmother at age 10. He holds and Associates Degree in Commercial Art and a BFA in Art Education from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he completed 2 yrs of graduate studies with a fellowship as the Public Relations Depts. Graphic Artist. Ron taught Public School Art and Photography for 3 years in Michigan, worked as a free lance Graphic Artist in Houston for 7 years and was the Principal of a Private School for 10 years. The artist returned to Art as a “Brush for Hire” in 1998 painting murals, and providing Art Services for corporate and residential clients. Ron now lives and studios in the warehouse district of downtown Houston Texas. A “Story Teller” by nature, Ron Gordon works by commission with designers, executives, architects, and private patrons to provide paintings and sculpture intended for specific applications. He also produces pieces for exhibit and sale in galleries and exhibitions. His wide range of abilities, diverse experiences, and unquenchable passion for paint,and design make Ron an incomparable artist. He is uniquely qualified to create in many styles, and virtually any medium. Ron is available for travel as a muralist, consultant, art director or instructor. His work is installed in public venues and private collections across America. He continues to provide fine art and art services for clients desiring a “well told story.

Natasha Gorel

Actor; Poet; Visual Artist: Photography

Natascha Gotesky

Visual Artist: Paintings; Visual Artist: Sculpture / Pottery; Writer

Having a profound passion for Art and Children, I commend the importance of artistic expression and exposure to artworks in early childhood. My GoGo Creations (coined from my last name), utilize color, line, shape, texture and form in unique ways to present our senses with new, interesting combinations. My goal is to invite children to wander into my paintings and sculptures, enjoy the adventure in which they see themselves as an integral part; and exit with an array of colorful emotions and a sense of unlimited imagination! Through my extensive experience teaching art, I discovered that the most popular, and one of my favorite genres is Cartooning. Subsequently, I have incorporated cartoon elements into my creations so that when children gaze at them, they are prompted to smile, and even snicker – as do I when creating them!!My InspirationOf course, my beautiful 4 year old daughter with her big, sweet, brown eyes is my inspiration. GoGo Bugs began with her love for Ladybugs and Butterflies at a very young age, and are a reflection of her inquiring eyes.

Jennifer Grassman

Composer; Musician; Singer; Visual Artist: Crafts

Once upon a time in a city called Austin, Texas, there lived a little girl named Jennifer Grassman. When Jennifer was eleven years old her parents gave her a beautiful upright piano which she played every day for many years. As Jennifer grew, so did her love for music and she began writing songs about the stories she read, the people she met, and the places she visited.Jenniferâ€™s journey took her to many different places, from Memphis, Tennessee, to Los Angeles, California, and finally to Houston, Texas, where she continued her studies in piano and also began pursuing opera lessons at The University of Houston where she was admitted as a vocal major.When Jennifer was eighteen she worked as an intern at Sugarhill Recording Studios where she met producer Dan Workman. At the age of nineteen Jennifer and colleague producer M.D. Thompson recorded her debut double album, At The Back Of The North Wind, which captured seventeen of Jenniferâ€™s original songs. At the age of twenty-one, Jennifer began working on her second full length album, Keep Silent, with producer Dan Workman, and was also signed to the independent label, TLM Productions.Today, Jennifer plays in cities across Texas. She has recorded two full length albums and is currently in the studio working on a third. She is also shooting her first music video with producer Ross Wells of ZenFilm. Jenniferâ€™s main inspiration to compose songs has consistently been to console and reassure people who are suffering and to inspire meaningful thought, great expectations, and hope. While many of Jenniferâ€™s songs cover difficult topics, she remains faithful to a positive outlook on the universe. As Jennifer said in a recent interview with Mass Histeria Magazine, â€œI aspire to write songs that heal and comfort. Often in order to shine the light, one has to confront the darkness.â€

Natalie Gray

Actor; Choreographer; Director; Singer

BIOGRAPHY Returning to Houston in April 2015, Natalie Gray has been a vocal technician and coach for over 14 years. She maintains studios in New York City, Westchester County, and most recently Houston, TX. Natalie is the Resident Voice Teacher at The Random Farms Kids Theater in New York, and specializes in musical theater and classical style for children and teens. She trains students for All-State Choir auditions, concerts, and school/professional auditions and performances. Several of Natalie’s private students have secured professional contracts in Broadway productions (Matilda, Newsies, Kinky Boots, Chaplin), National Broadway Tours (Les Miserablés, The Music Man), television (NBC’s The Sound of Music, Disney Jr.’s Gaspard and Lisa), film, and commercials. She educates parents as well, providing insight into the skill, vocal technique, and career preparation their children acquire in their lessons. Natalie received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and a degree in Music Therapy from The University of Georgia. Most notable performance credits include the Tony-award winning Broadway produced Avenue Q at The Wynn Theater in Las Vegas as “Christmas Eve”, Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures (The Alliance Theatre & North Shore Music Theatre), A Funny Thing Happened …Forum as “Tintinabula”, Ruthless: The Musical as “Ms. Thorn/Ms. Block”, and Much Ado About Nothing as “Hero.” Natalie’s notable opera credits include Opera Manhattan’s production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel as “Gretel”, and Verdi’s La Traviata as “Annina.” Other memorable roles include Mozart’s Don Giovanni as “Zerlina” and Romberg’s The Student Prince as “Gretchen.” She has also performed with the U.S Department of Defense Overseas Entertainment Tour traveling to Korea, Japan, Okinawa, and Johnston Atoll “entertaining the troops!” Trained and coached by some of the most notable composers, musicians and directors in both opera and musical theater such as Bobby Lopez (Frozen, Finding Nemo, The Book of Mormon, Avenue Q), Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect, Shrek, Avenue Q), Stephen Oremus (The Book of Mormon, Avenue Q, Wicked), Kent Gash (Pacific Overtures, NYU Tisch School), Rob Meffe, Sherry Overholt, Steven Crawford (Metropolitan Opera), Norma Newton, and Joan Kreuger, Natalie utilizes all of her education and experience and applies them to her teaching. Natalie is a proud member of Actors Equity Association and The National Association for Teachers of Singing.

Pages:

Find An Artist

DIRECTORIES

RESOURCES

CLASSIFIEDS

SUBMIT

SUPPORT US

ABOUT US