VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

Artists Raul Gonzalez, Nubia Gala-Seibert, and Zak Vasquez, also known as the 2011 John Palmer Escapists, will be exhibiting for the first time together at Caroline Collective.

About the Artists:

Raul Gonzalez - Raul earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts: Studio Art - Painting, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Houston in 2010. In his own words, "Escapism means being successful, self-determined, motivated and positive. Most artists are seen as lazy and sometimes irresponsible. I see 'Escapism' as the super-hero for the art world. Through Escapism, artists will be seen in a new light. It allows an artist to be more than just a creative source of energy, but to be a positive one."

Nubia Gala-Seibert - Originally from Colombia, Nubia has lived all over the world: Mexico, Canada and Indonesia to name only a few. Her style is primarily abstract and I encourage you to watch her original video on YouTube. "Escapism to me means moving away from what is uncomfortable, non-serving and creating a new reality. In life I have always "escaped." As a child I spent a lot of time daydreaming of being in faraway places. Escapism as applied to my life has allowed me to make my own rules and my own agenda as to how I live a meaningful and productive life that I am proud of."

Zak Vasquez - In 2010, Zak resigned from a successful job to focus his life on being a full time artist. He describes that day as "the best of his life." In his own words, "To me, Escapism is a mindset that one needs to achieve in order to do great things. You need to free yourself from the restraints of traditional thinking and methods, thus allowing yourself to have a true artistic interpretation of what you are attempting to create. By allowing yourself to throw convention out of the window, you are opening yourself up to immeasurable means of self expression."

About the Escapist Program - John Ross Palmer's Escapist Mentorship Program was founded in 2009 as a casual way for a fun group of local Houston artists to meet, communicate with each other about art and business while learning by example from artist John Ross Palmer as a group leader.

In 2010, the program was elevated by the business of John Palmer Art by having a juried application process. Applicants were required to submit images and answer a series of essay questions. Applications were received from all over the United States of America--and one was received from an artist named Wavinya Ngei--a full-time resident of the country of Kenya.

Laid-back group meetings are regularly scheduled in addition to personal visits by Palmer to their respective artist studios. Palmer gives them homework and they write about their goals and intentions in journals that he has created for them. John coaches them not only on evolving their art technique--but also on how to promote their art, retain exclusivity, have savvy business salesmanship and overall personal and professional confidence.

John Palmer's business and life partner, attorney Ryan Lindsay, is highly involved too--meeting with the Escapists at their discretion to coach them on effective marketing, running a small business, the advantages of sharing your art online and how to improve their website design. Unlike many other artists that are concerned with the competition, John Ross Palmer sees the inherent benefit of elevating all artists to add power to the profession.

Pictured: Raul Gonzalez, detail "Road Work and an Abstract Painting," mixed media, 20" X 20", 2010. (detail above, full image below).