VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

Sometimes, "Man's Best Friend" needs a friend too. Such was the case of Jack, a dog rescued from a kill shelter in Texas and adopted by painter Trudy Askew's daughter. Now, Askew is paying tribute to that precious canine family member in her exhibition "Jack of Hearts."  In the Main Gallery, Jung Center of Houston presents the  exhibition Jack of Hearts: Trudy Askew,  paintings by Trudy Askew chronicling the life of an unforgettable rescue dog, on view December 1-22. Opening Reception is Saturday, December 5th, 5-8 p.m.

Trudy Askew combines the emotional impact of bigger-than-life images with bold color to chronicle the life of a rescue dog. Painting is her language: the intersection between reality and imagination is her theme.

The artists writes:

TRIBUTE TO JACK: A RESCUE DOG FROM TEXAS  - Jack was rescued from a kill shelter in Texas. My daughter adopted him and discovered he had been abused: he was missing teeth, had battle scars, heartworms, and a list of neuroses a mile long. He now lives a life of luxury. Jack is the iconic American Dog. He’s part Dalmatian, English Pointer, Greyhound and Great Dane accidentally molded into a perfect form. He is an object of beauty and grace, easy on the eyes, and hard on the tender-hearted. My show is dedicated to all essential pets like Jack: you can’t breed for them, and money can’t buy them. Luck brings them to your door.

A portion of the proceeds of “Jack of Hearts” benefits  Friends for Life; the fastest growing No Kill animal adoption and rescue organization in Houston; www.nokill1.org. ♥

Askew received a B.F.A. degree from the University of Texas in Austin, and a M.F.A. degree in drawing and painting from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. She also studied in the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine; University of California, Santa Barbara; Universidad de Valencia, Spain; and Universidad de Artes Plasticas in Guadalajara, Mexico. Askew has taught art for 25 years in a variety of locations: University of Houston, Houston Baptist University, University of Illinois, Alief Independent School District, Art League of Houston, Grace School, and the Jewish Community Center.

And in the Side gallery, Jung Center of Houston presents Seascapes and Cityscapes:  Deborah Kemper.  

Deborah Kemper ’s watercolors capture the medium’s fluidity and sense of movement. Reflections, color, and the contrast between shadows and light evoke the mood of her seascapes and cityscapes.

Pictured Above:  a work by Trudy Askew.