VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

Buchanan Gallery presents artist Mary Jenewein, who offers the intimate Conversations, plus the provocative 8 Degrees of Wrong. On View June 1 - July 4, 2009.

After showing in more than 50 solo and group exhibitions, Houston's Mary Jenewein has gained a reputation as a brave voice ready to address injustice anywhere in the world. For her first show at Buchanan Gallery, Jenewein has created a series of intimate still-life paintings called "Conversations," which take pleasure in examining the beautiful and familiar objects in our lives.

"These paintings represent the intimate and comfortable parts of my life - family, friends, home," Jenewein said. "I call them 'conversations' because that is the heat with which relationships are forged."

For those more accustomed to viewing Jenewein's powerful social and political statements, this exhibition will not disapoint, for it also includes her "8 Degrees of Wrong" series of mixed-media sculptures, examining issues such as child labor and oppression of women.

New work in the gallery
Also on view Saturday will be new paintings by gallery artists including Danna Ruth Harvey, whose "Late November" depicts an emotion-filled treescape, and Doug Sweet, who continues his ongoing fascination with grapes in "Island." "Landscape of Memory," a cast concrete sculpture by Diane Arnold, has been installed in the gallery's courtyard.

Pictured:  Mary Jenewein, detail Conversations (His father was against him), Acrylic on Board.