Find Boxing and Bliss at Barry Whistler

If you attended Artopia on December 3, you may have stopped first at the Barry Whistler Gallery reception for a little pregame celebration. If you missed out, you still can celebrate the opening of three incredible exhibitions. Featuring solo shows by 2011 MasterMinds nominee Lawrence Lee and sculptor Jonathon Cross,…

Find a Little Enlightenment at the Crow

Christmas this, Christmas that. You know what would really piss off Bill O’Reilly this holiday season? Learning about religious and philosophical traditions outside of the dominant paradigm. Tomorrow presents a perfect opportunity with a “Perspectives on Buddhism” talk by David Sunshine, owner of Dallas Yoga Center. Perhaps a crash course…

In Mine Own Image: Pictures of Me at Photographs Do Not Bend

We never shy away from an opportunity to imbibe before noon, so Saturday was the perfect opportunity to check out the installation, Pictures of Me, at Photographs Do Not Bend’s Annual Holiday Brunch. For those who haven’t heard, Pictures is just what it sounds like – an assemblage of photographs…

Come for Brunch, Stay for Burt

If you haven’t spent a lot of time in the up-and-coming Design District, Saturday’s brunch at Photographs Do Not Bend is a perfect opportunity to traverse streets with names like “Inspiration” and “Dragon” and to check out the burgeoning neighborhood. Just like you preferred Bieber when he was underground (okay,…

MasterMind Finalists: The Almost-Chosen Few

Winnowing down Dallas’ growing, dynamic community of artists to three MasterMinds was like lining up at a vast buffet prepared by an outstanding chef: too many wonderful selections and too little room on our plates. On the way to naming the winners, our judges narrowed the original list of 45…

The Dallas Observer 2011 MasterMind Awards

Art happens, no matter what. Neither poverty, madness, clueless critics or an unappreciative public can kill the relentless drive to re-imagine the world. Sadly, however, all but a lucky few artists must waste valuable creative energy in soul-crushing regular jobs to survive. But no amount of dog-walking, poop-scooping, telemarketing, sperm-donating…

The MasterMinds Finalists: Part Three

Winnowing down Dallas’ growing, dynamic community of artists to three MasterMinds involved some tough choices. The process was like lining up at a vast buffet prepared by an outstanding chef: too many wonderful selections and too little room on our plates. On the way to naming the winners, our judges…

The MasterMinds Finalists: Part Two

Winnowing down Dallas’ growing, dynamic community of artists to three MasterMinds involved some tough choices. The process was like lining up at a vast buffet prepared by an outstanding chef: too many wonderful selections and too little room on our plates. On the way to naming the winners, our judges…

The MasterMinds Finalists: Part One

Winnowing down Dallas’ growing, dynamic community of artists to three MasterMinds involved some tough choices. The process was like lining up at a vast buffet prepared by an outstanding chef: too many wonderful selections and too little room on our plates. On the way to naming the winners, our judges…

Heel, Sit, Watch! Angel Dog Sneak Peek Tonight

If you’re the kind of person who thought putting sweaters on dogs was weird only until you owned your first “baby,” then you can understand the power that a little furry face holds over even the most cynical human psyche. In fact, PBS’s Nova reported in its September 2010 “Dogs…

Letters About Literature Contest: Our Top Five Theses

Let’s face it, teachers, you’re just riding it out until winter break. Well, you’re in luck, because we know how to knock out — what, a week? — of lesson-planning with the annual Letters About Literature contest. Students are asked to write a conversational letter to authors who have inspired…

Basking in Historical Sexiness

If there is one universal truth about Texans of all stripes, regardless of political leaning, social status and demographic background, it’s that we love Texas. Like, really love it — almost as much as we love our Mamas and possibly even more than our reproductive organs. This fall, we get…

You Know What Art Crawl Needs? More Artists.

Friday marked the Dallas Arts District’s second Art Crawl, a recurring event which takes place on the 3rd Friday of each month, correlating with Late Nights at the DMA and the Crow. With seven food trucks, tracks spun by DJ Durty Laundry and a live show by Ishi, Art Crawl…

Art and Booze. We’re In.

Good thing it’s an Art Crawl, drunkie, because you won’t even need a DD to get to all of the fabulous events on Friday night in the Arts District. Besides, if you’re anything like us, “Lights, Camera, Bollywood” at the Crow will start to make a lot more sense after…

Etsy Dallas Puts a Tingle in Your Jingle

Doing the seemingly impossible, Etsy Dallas improves upon the winter holidays by ensuring that the handmade fun comes twice per year with its biannual shopping parties in spring and fall. The “independent local craft collective” (inspired by, but unaffiliated with Etsy Inc.) announces this year’s fall Jingle Bash, a free…

Dallas City Council Judas-es the Arts District

From the no-surprise department, Dallas City Council voted unanimously yesterday to grant a developer special exceptions to a “No Commercial Signs” rule in the Arts District for a proposed high-rise development on Ross Avenue. Arguing that it was a matter of cultural development, and that the economic benefits for the…

35th Annual DRC Half Marathon: Our Top 5 Observations

Yesterday marked the Dallas Running Club’s 35th annual half marathon, better known simply as the DRC Half. One of the country’s oldest half marathons, the DRC’s signature 13.1 mile race was first organized in 1976, and this year literally thousands of runners, spectators and volunteers descended upon the trails at…

Autodidact Art

Greater minds have filled countless pages trying to articulate a definition of art, but all we know is that it seems to come from a source greater than pure education or formal training. This fall, the Pollock Gallery at SMU celebrates underappreciated American artists in its exhibition Self-taught Masters of…

¡Vivan Los Muertos!

Celebrate Latin heritage this fall with two Día de los Muertos events celebrating life, renewal and the memory of loved ones: The Bishop Arts Foundation hosts its first Día de los Muertos celebration 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday outside the North Oak Cliff library at 302 West 10th St. with…