In Dallas, that spot is undoubtedly Las Almas Rotas, a rustic temple to the delights of mezcal that has drawn everyone from performance artist Christeene to the best and brightest of the local scene. One of the bar's consistent patrons is painter Francisco Moreno, whose work has exploded recently in size — and value.
Because Moreno lives across the street in a loft, you can often find him perched at Las Almas, working out ideas for a new show or just doodling impressions of his immediate environs. These casual evenings inspired a one-night exhibition of new paintings open to the public from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 13.
“The manager here, was like, ‘You should do a show, and I said, ‘Let’s fucking go,’” says Moreno. “I just remember Dallas in 2010 when artists would do shows anywhere and everywhere. I think it’s cool that the city has grown up and we have these incredible commercial galleries, but I’m of that Dallas generation that’s like, let’s make it happen.”
Drawing from influences that range from Mexican modernism to baroque paintings to surrealism, each of the 11x14 works was inspired by the drawings he’s made over the years. They depict a hand holding an object with hidden meaning — from a Wolverine-like creature’s arm holding a book called Fantastical Creatures and their Meaning to a hand taken from an Aztec manuscript holding a heart.
Moreno doesn’t anticipate selling out (or even necessarily selling). This show is more of an excuse to bring the community together, serving as an amuse-bouche for a busy year while he’s working on the large-scale series of paintings shown everywhere from Arts Fort Worth to the COL Gallery in San Francisco.
“This is a big project that focuses my life right now. I think of [the work] more on a mythological standpoint, like Botticelli’s 'Primavera,' which is still a mystery to people,” Moreno says of the 8-by-9-foot works. “There’s not a specific narrative. Usually, I’ll be reading a book or a poem and will illustrate something using surrealist strategies, so you look at [a work], it becomes mystical and poetic.”
Because each of his large paintings takes up to four months to complete, Moreno anticipates finishing the series of eight by 2026. Being so consumed with this particular project means the Las Almas show might be the only opportunity to grab one of his pieces locally for a while, aside from the single painting he will donate to the last Two by Two for AIDS and Art auction this fall.
For the owners of Las Almas Rotas, Moreno’s exhibition is another way to bring lively energy to the Fair Park community.
“We always wanted to be more than just a place people wanted to come drink at,” says co-owner Shad Kvetko. “We had a show with Carlos Hernandez from Houston, and we always wanted to have more shows featuring Mexican artists. The funny thing is, Francisco was our chalkboard artist for a while. We always used to laugh about it because he’s a pretty well-regarded artist, and his stuff brings a pretty penny.”
This pop-up event is just one of the unique events the bar’s owners have planned for the near future. Kvetko, his wife Leigh, and partner Taylor Samuels are in the middle of structural planning on the bar’s new sibling, a “classic honky tonk” called Low Bar that will also be located in the Expo Park area.
Live, Love, Ugh
Named because it’s a “low bar” to create the best honky tonk in town, the spot will have two rooms — one for drinking and one devoted to live music and private events, both created in the instantly welcoming DIY style that has made Las Almas so beloved.“It’ll have live music and dancing because classic country and Western music is another passion of mine,” says Kvetko. “Apparently, I just open bars to satisfy my passions! I think Dallas needs it — everything here is a corporate affair, and we really want to celebrate not only classic honky tonk and country and Western but also the rich field of [musical] artists we have here in Dallas now and haven’t had in the past. Austin gets all the credit for that, but honestly, Dallas and Fort Worth have a lot of great musicians.”
Low Bar’s opening date is still TBD, but Kvetko says, “It’s definitely going to happen, because I bought a ton of shit for it.” Décor includes old wagon wheels, a Pearl Beer neon clock from the 1940s and a Longhorn mount to be placed over the bar. All the treasures he’s unearthed assure Low Bar will have the same been-there-forever vibe as the furnishings of Las Almas Rotas.
“We want it to feel like it’s a little worn in,” he says. “There’s not going to be a neon fucking Instagram sign in there. I’m so sick of Instagram vignettes in every bar. One strength behind Las Almas is that we’re from the industry and we did things the way we wanted to do them. People recognize that, and they know when there’s sincerity behind it, and it’s not just corporate bullshit.”
And, with a new place for the best and brightest musicians to play so close to a bar beloved by the city’s local painters, we may look back at this time in Expo Park as another golden era of artistic history — with a twist.
Six Paintings by Francisco Moreno will be open 6–9 p.m., Thursday, June 13, at Las Almas Rotas, 3615 Parry Ave.
