5 Art Events for Your Weekend: May 19-21

Three New Films by Richard Bailey at the Margo Jones Theatre
1121 1st Ave.

Richard Bailey made a couple of 16mm films after finishing film school. But he started focusing on poetry and short stories once the expenses of filmmaking caught up with him. After digital advances drove down the costs, he returned to filmmaking with a literary approach. The three short films here are all scored by local artists, including Cygnus. The films focus on odd characters, using poetic language to enhance visuals, create a sense of spectacle and draw viewers into settings. This event starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 19. 

Savages: A Love Letter to Frank Campagna at The Lawley Art Group
1507 Dragon St.

Over 50 artists will participate in an exhibit to celebrate Frank Campagna, artist, owner of Kettle Art and outspoken advocate for local artists. "I blurted something like, 'Really? Are you kidding?’” Campagna says, about being approached with the idea. "Maybe not the most gracious response, but I was baffled. Was it going to be a roast? Most importantly, would there be beer?" Turns out, the answer to the first question is "probably not,” but absolutely “yes” on the latter. Painters, sculptors and photographers will all submit work specifically to honor Campagna. Participating artists include Cathey Miller, Mark Nelson, Sergio Garcia, Judith Lea Perkins, Michael Ledoux, Joshua King, Mikki Mallow, Carlyn Ray, Jeremy McKane, Hobbs Vincent, Jenna Fredde, Steven Hamilton, Roxy Burrus, Kankan Huang, Carlyn Ray, B.C. Burns, and Bob Poe. This event runs from 6-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 20-21. More info here.

Open Studios at Deadbolt 
2609 Parvia Ave.

The West Dallas studio for five painters will open its doors so you can take a look at some art that is new, old, or in progress. Listening to the train go by, you can possibly play a game of basketball or sit and talk about art. Expect large figure paintings from Zeke Williams, based on fashion and the male gaze. Paul Winker is working on analog paintings that reference digital culture and Randy Guthmiller continues his exploration of shapes and banal minutiae. Matt Clark has large paintings with lush layers of blue and green influenced by a trip to the Caribbean. Brian Ryden's paintings are constructed with fabric. This event begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 21. More info here.  

Salud at Pariah
1505 Gano St.

As he prepares to move back to Spain, visual artist Joachim West bids farewell to Dallas with a show that manipulates images of his experiences in Oak Cliff with a sense of joy. This is appropriation art with items in Oak Cliff shops, Oak Cliff plants, and even objects found on the ground in Oak Cliff. These images are cut up and recombined. An agave plant with donuts on it perfectly captures West’s experiences in Dallas, which often involved eating sugary foods. This event is from 7-10 p.m. Saturday, May 21. More info here. 

Arts Writing Workshop with Justine Ludwig at The Wild Detectives
314 W. 8th St.

Explore different approaches to arts writing in a free short workshop with senior curator of Dallas Contemporary, Justine Ludwig. The Contemporary’s current exhibit, Paolo Pivi’s Ma’am, will be used as a starting point for different ways to approach the critical eye. Ludwig has written for Dallas Morning News, Patron and Paper City, as well as several publications in other cities. This event takes place at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 21. More info here.