‘My paintings, sculptures and installations are abstract studies of the human-nature relationship.’
NEWS
‘Elements on Earth and BEYOND II’
October 11 - December 6, 2025 Dennis Gallery, Forster Art Complex Austin College, Sherman, Texas
OPENING RECEPTION - Saturday, October 18, 4-5 pm
Dear Friends and Art Lovers -
I’m honored to be invited by my alma mater Austin College to present my work over the past six years in a solo exhibition in the beautiful Dennis Gallery. There will be several new works adding to the “How I Wonder What You Are’ installation as well as a few artworks from my student years. You're invited to visit the exhibition October 7 - December 6 with the Opening Reception during Homecoming weekend Saturday, October 18, 4-5 pm.
This exhibit will display the colossal installation How I Wonder What You Are revealing entities I call ‘Star Babies’. They are arranged in formations reminiscent of galaxies scattered across a vast, mysterious universe. Perhaps they are new planets or stars - I’m not sure. But to me, a ‘star’ connotes light, wonder, joy, and mystery and a ‘baby’ is a new being or entity, with an unknown future. Star Babies hold the promise and hope of a shiny, brilliant beginning and a glorious future.
Utilizing mixed media, such as acrylic polymers, acrylic mirrors and earthy materials, I'll present strange new worlds to explore. The Elements of Nature concept provides a construct in which to explore color, texture, transparency, reflection and materiality. From man-sized floor sculptures to tiny 'Star Babies', you'll step into a new place and time. Yep, it's a bit funky, fun and magical all at the same time.
Come with me on an odyssey into what is and what might be.
Mars Woodhill
AUSTIN COLLEGE
Dennis Gallery, Forster Art Complex
Art and Art History Department
900 North Grand Avenue
Sherman, Texas 75090-4400
Gallery Hours
Monday - Friday 9 am - 4:30 pm
Info: 903-813-2251 - jtuley@austincollege.edu
Why explore the ‘Elements of Nature’?
Throughout time, mankind has striven to understand our world – both on Earth and out in the vast, mysterious universe. The idea that there is a connection between all living and nonliving entities has resonated in the past with philosophers, religions and cultures such as Chinese, Greek, Japanese, Hinduism, Buddhism, and more. Variations of the Five Elements philosophy - Earth, Water, Fire, Metal and Wood - guided their spiritual thoughts and influenced scientific explorations, classifying and explaining the natural world, both on Earth and the cosmos – stars, planets and even far away galaxies.
For the past six years, I’ve created art with the goal of connecting man with nature. I hope that the juxtaposition of modern, sleek surfaces with natural materials promotes a reverence and respect for our environment. Utilizing mixed media, such as acrylic polymers, acrylic mirrors and earthy materials, the artwork spans from large floor sculptures to small Star Babies, which have now expanded into galaxies. The ‘Elements of Nature’ concept provides a construct in which to explore color, texture, transparency, reflection and materiality.
MEDIA
Click for Glasstire review ‘Heaven and Earth’ by Michelle Kraft June 24, 2024
Click for Daily Toreador review ‘Earth, Space Collide’ by Nathan Kenison June 13, 2024.
June 13, 2024
June 13, 2024
Click for Catalog of Solo Exhibition June 2023 at City of Austin’s Dougherty Center of Art.
Click for 1 minute Video of Star Babies
Amazing OPENING NIGHT at LHUCA, June 7, 2024, featuring Elements on Earth and Beyond sculptures, wall artwork and installation How I Wonder What You Are.
LHUCA June 2024 - installation How I Wonder What You Are with floor sculptures Fire and Earth.
Star Baby - detail of installation How I Wonder What You Are
How I Wonder What You Are - Galaxy 1200 - Timberland
Click for 30 sec Installation Video of ‘How I Wonder What You Are’ installed at LHUCA June 2024.
PAST EVENTS
Excited to be selected for a solo exhibition ‘Elements on Earth and Beyond’ presented in the Christina DeVitt Exhibition Hall at LHUCA in Lubbock, Texas. Opening Night June 7, 2024 was estimated to have 6000-7000 attending during Lubbock’s First Friday Art Walk. I debuted my installation How I Wonder What You Are, along with ‘Elements of Nature’ floor and wall sculptures. Exhibit was held June 7 thru July 27.
Thrilled to be presented First Place for my sculpture ‘Elements of Nature - Earth’ by Katie Robinson Edwards, executive director/curator of the Umlauf Sculpture Gardens & Museum, at the Texas Society of Sculptors exhibit for Austin’s Museum Day . Juror was Margo Sawyer, imminent public artist and UT educator. The Texas Society of Sculptors sponsored an amazing exhibit of over 30 sculptors on Sunday, Sept 18, 2022. My special thanks to the TSOS members and Umlauf staff for all their hard work in planning and executing this fun event.
Thrilled to be awarded Second Place at the 64th Annual Permian Basin Juried Exhibition ‘FROM NATURE’ at the Ellen Noel Art Museum in Odessa, Texas held June 2 - August 21, 2022. Exhibited was ‘Elements of Nature - Series III - Earth’, 2020, mixed media, 80 x 54 x 34, shown above. The juror was Diana Kersey, amazing ceramist and Assistant Professor at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio.
Honored to be selected for a solo exhibition in the Julia C. Butridge Main Gallery of the Dougherty Art Center in Austin, Texas. ‘Elements of Nature’ was held May 27 through July 1, 2023 and featured allnew sculptural work - from large floor sculptures to my new Star Babies, galaxies, meteors and more.
