Indulge me in a personal moment, will ya? I've written about Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton art for seven years now, and I find myself a little teary, too, as I read these names. I've interviewed and looked at art with nearly every one of these people. I liked some but didn't like their art. I liked some art but hated the artist's reluctance to talk. I saw some of their work when it was very new, and now their names--Steven Price, Val Hunnicutt, Jake Gilson, Carol Benson, Pat Kelly--are commonly known and respected in art circles. I love J.T. Grant's breathtaking--his art really deserves this word--paintings, and it tickles me to remember when he tried to teach me to paint on Saturday afternoons at the Modern Art Museum. I tear up seeing Tre Arenz's name. She was easy to know, easy to interview, and she died suddenly, too young and for no good reason, three years ago. Campbell represents her estate and will show some of her quirky mixed media sculpture in the anniversary exhibition.
This party will be too cool for many tears, I think, but you'll have a memory or two over the long career of Bill and Pam Campbell. A dedicated duo, they've earmarked part of any art sold in this show to benefit the Emergency Artists Support League (EASL). Take a hankie and stop by to see spectacular art, meet some unusual artists, including crowd-pleaser Bob Daddy-o Wade, slap the Campbells on the back and remember Tre. Wish them all many more years.
