Centennial Artists and Texas State Parks

Reprinted from Passport To Texas

by Cecilia Nasti | Oct. 30, 2019 | Passport To Texas

This is Passport to Texas

The year 2023 is the centennial anniversary of Texas State Parks, and thirty-one Texas artists have been chosen to create illustrations for a printed book about the State Park System.

The whole history of conservation in the United States, particularly in the national parks, it was aided and abetted by artists.

Former Texas Parks and Wildlife executive director Andy Sansom is project organizer and co-author of the centennial book.

They are all Texas artists. Each one of them will paint two paintings. There will be sixty-two parks in the book. And then the text will be written by me and my colleague Bill Reaves. And Bill will write mainly about the artists, and then my portion of the book will be about the State Park System. ‘Be a little bit of history, a little bit of personal reflection on my own experiences, a little bit about contemporary issues facing state parks, and celebration of the hundredth anniversary.

The paintings will be offered for sale, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation to benefit the State Park System.

The book is scheduled to come out during the centennial year, along with an initial public exhibition of the paintings at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Artist Spotlight: Hailey Herrera

By ALYSSA SCHULTZ | March 5, 2018

“Lemon Grove” by Hailey E. Herrera, watercolor, 18”X24” Sold

We are honored to have the work of Hailey Herrera on display in our current exhibit, Retrospective. Retrospective celebrates our first 5 years in Downtown Bryan by bringing together 7 incredible artists who have all shown at SEAD before. Herrera has been a significant part of SEAD Gallery’s history. She has shown her work with us in both 2016 and 2017, and we constantly have a rotation of her prints for sale in the gallery.

Herrera is a watermedia artist, creating her work using methods like watercolor, watercolor batik, ink, and acrylic. A signature of Herrera’s work is bright, vibrant colors that draw the viewer in to her art’s exuberance. The first word that comes to mind when viewing Herrera’s creations is “joy”. Herrera’s spontaneous personality spills over into her work, which is why she enjoys the freedom that watercolors allow her in its layering, colors, and transparency. She has a heart for abstract work, specifically tree/forest abstract landscapes, Texas wildflowers and cacti, and various animals.

When she was seven, Herrera took an art class at school. She very much enjoyed the class and it planted the seed for her love for art, which bloomed many years later. She eventually left her home in South Korea to earn her PhD from Texas A&M University. She then worked for a research scientist and lecturer for a short time before taking community art classes, where her passion for art was reignited. Since then, she says “it has only flourished”.

Herrera’s favorite part of being an artist is the creative process, in which she enjoys planning a piece and imagining how it will turn out. As she moves into the future of her artistic career, she hopes to continue to improve, always guided by what inspires her.

Come see Hailey Herrera’s work on display in Retrospective until March 10.

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SATORI X SEAD: AN ARTISTIC COLLABORATION

BY INSITE BV EDITORIAL STAFF | October 5, 2017

“Geo Tres” by Hailey E. Herrera, 30”X40”, SOLD to the art collector in Houston

Here at SEAD Gallery we are all about embracing the eclectic nature of our community and using art to make inviting environments. We recently partnered with Satori Marketing, a marketing firm located in Houston that shares our values and vision, to bring life into their spaces through featured work from SEAD Gallery.

Located in the heart of the vibrant, artistic community of East Downtown, or EaDo, Satori plans to bring that creative energy of the Houston neighborhood into their space, and they asked us to help them do so. The plan? To feature artists every 10-12 weeks, highlighting the work you’ve loved at SEAD Gallery at their temporary home in Houston. We are influenced by the creativity that flows in our local community and can’t wait to unleash that across city boundaries.

Kicking it off are artists Hailey Herrera and Scott McDermott, both local to the Bryan-College Station area. You might recognize Hailey Herrera from our main gallery just weeks ago. Her watermedia paintings lined our walls, intriguing all by expertly capturing beauty and depth. Her use of color and form brings a special light and look to each of the spaces they grace. Work by Scott McDermott will also be featured, his bold, colorful pieces revitalizing and reenergizing walls. Scott’s work has been with us from the beginning when we opened five years ago. Showing with us in those first months, Scott’s art is sure to bring a newness to the space, just as it did for us.

A forward leap from their old Heights office, Satori Marketing is embracing the hip and urban “underground art scene” of EaDo by filling the empty walls of the lobby and office spaces with art.

We are incredibly excited to start this journey of bringing fine art into the daily lives of our friends in Houston.

The Art Of Imperfection: Herrera’s art to cover SEAD Gallery

By MATT KOPER | Jul 20, 2017 | The Eagle

Bryan-College Station artist Hailey Herrera’s “Calligraphy + Color Watermedia Abstracts” is the latest exhibit headed to the SEAD Art Gallery in Downtown Bryan, with an opening reception scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday

The reception, which is open to the public, offers free food and wine at the gallery, 216 W. 26th St.

Callie Storie, the gallery coordinator at SEAD, said Herrera’s art encompasses a different style with its blend of abstract influenced by wabi-sabi, which is a Japanese painting style.

“It’s a lot of abstract free-form lines, calligraphy and shapes all put together,” Storie said. “It’s really beautiful. She kind of leads with her emotions whenever she creates these.”

“In her artist statement that she gave us, she said that she finds beauty in the imperfect shape and incomplete things in the Wabi Sabi aesthetic even though she doesn’t fully understand its philosophies,” Storie said. “I think she’s more interested in the aesthetic of it, which seems to be kind-of incomplete movement and different colors.”

Herrera’s last display featured at the SEAD in the fall was titled “Into the Woods” and focused on landscapes.

“I think its pieces that will really make you think and they’ll be able to immerse themselves and kind of get out of their normal framework,” Storie said of Herrera’s latest work. “I think it’ll be a great way to get away from life for a few minutes.” 

Herrera said she was inspired by looking at each aspect of her art and, in turn, it helped her transform her work to look like nothing she’s previously crafted.

 “When I look at shapes, colors, and textures in my paintings, I perceive they can be transformed into abstract elements,” Herrera said. “I want to explore possibilities and unleash my imagination and visual sensibility, bringing elements together into my paintings to create something more intuitive.”

Herrera said she was looking forward to people seeing one painting in particular: It’s titled “Liminal Spaces.” She said it best captures the essence of what Wabi Sabi is all about.

“The painting is the most Wabi-Sabi-esque among the paintings to be exhibited,” Herrera said. “Colors transition to another as if the space has no complete or defined boundary. These colors are interplayed with uneven lines and shapes - the way colors and shapes are incorporated in this painting is most pleasing to my eyes.”

Some prints from her older work is sold at the book shop, including a few landscape paintings, Storie said, adding that Herrera plans to raffle off a piece of her work to benefit the Brazos Valley Food Bank.

The exhibit runs through Sept. 16. For more information, visit http://seadgallery.com.

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SEAD Gallery Welcomes Hailey Herrera

by SEAD Gallery | July 17, 2017

“Prickly Pizazz 2” by Hailey E. Herrera, watercolor batik, 12”X16”, Herrera Collection

SEAD Gallery is excited to present a fantastic BCS local artist, Hailey Herrera. Herrera’s exhibit, “Calligraphy + Color: Watermedia Abstracts” will be SEAD Gallery’s featured exhibition for the next two months.

While the collection is comprised of abstract pieces, Herrera only recently became interested in creating abstract art in 2016. The beauty of abstract art is the notion of creating just to create. Herrera says unless she has considered a specific theme, she begins a piece with nothing but calligraphic lines. She goes into the piece without a preconceived idea or end result in mind and allows it to become what it is. If she likes the way a certain theme or color combination is going, she will work in a pair or series, in effort to see which permutations or combinations bring the most pleasing result. She said in the process of interplaying lines and creating shapes spontaneously, an idea emerges and the painting reveals something new which her intuition and emotions respond to.

Herrera is a watermedia artist and uses a batik technique in her watercolors. She uses wax to block the areas she wants to keep a certain color for each layer, similar to that of traditional batik techniques. She is inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi-Sabi and has created a palette which is colorful, vibrant and intense with depth and brilliant tonal ranges.

Hailey has been painting off and on since she was seven years old growing up in South Korea. She moved to the United States in 1996 in pursuit of graduate studies. She graduated with a PhD from Texas A&M University in 2004. She has worked as a research scientist, a lecturer and has co-authored a book titled, “The Art of Painting Sea Life in Watercolor”. As revealed in the book, her paintings reflect her love for colors and masterful ability to control water.

We are so excited to decorate the gallery walls with Hailey Herrera’s art and will not only have her abstract art on display and for sale, but we also have prints of her other works available for purchase.

Join us for the Opening Reception for “Calligraphy + Color: Watermedia Abstracts” on Thursday, July 20th from 6:30 – 8 PM. Hailey has chosen to raffle off a piece of her work to benefit the Brazos Valley Food Bank. The cost of a raffle ticket is $10, and the winner can choose any of Hailey’s work sized 12” x 16” and below. SEAD Gallery would also love to thank our sponsor, Sterling Auto Group, for making this exhibit possible and continuing to support local art in Brazos Valley. Hailey’s work will be on display until September 16, 2017.

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SEAD Gallery Presents Hailey Herrera’s “Calligraphy + Color: Watermedia Abstracts”

by Insite Editorial Staff | July 11, 2017 | Brazos Valley INSITE

SEAD Gallery is excited to announce the opening for Hailey Herrera’s “Calligraphy + Color: Watermedia Abstracts” on July 20. The opening reception will be in the main gallery from 6:30-8pm during Downtown Bryan Art Step. Hailey has chosen to raffle off a piece of her work at the opening to raise funds for Brazos Valley Food Bank, an organization that feeds those in need. Hailey’s exhibit will be on display through Sept. 16.

Starting in South Korea at age seven, Hailey has been painting most of her life. She graduated from Texas A&M University with her doctorate and worked as a research scientist before discovering her love for creating vibrant watercolor paintings. She has even co-authored a book titled “The Art of Painting Sea Life in Watercolor” by Walter Foster Publishing. Hailey’s initial inspiration came from her interpretation of nature and her surroundings. Transforming the textures and colors into abstract elements allowed her to broaden her imagination. For the “Calligraphy + Color: Watermedia Abstracts” exhibit she gathered ideas from the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic. Beginning with calligraphic lines, then adding in color, Hailey creates unconventional paintings that call for an emotional response.

Accompanying Hailey’s dazzling “Calligraphy + Color: Watermedia Abstracts” will be the ever growing SEAD Library & Bookshop. With new vintage books added to the shelves every day, it’s a wonder what someone could discover. A handful of Hailey Herrera’s marvelous prints are also being sold in the bookshop for the affordable decorator.

SEAD Gallery is located in the Federal Building at 216 W. 26th Street in Historic Downtown Bryan. SEAD Gallery provides a unique downtown venue for arts and cultural exchange. Through exhibits and events, Advent GX seeks to encourage innovation and discover new ways to understand and positively impact local communities and the world.

For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.seadgallery.com, and follow SEAD Gallery on Facebook to stay up to date. SEAD Gallery would love to thank their sponsor, Sterling Auto Group, for making this exhibit possible.

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Art Exhibit: Fresh Paint | Hailey Herrera

By: Art News DFW | February 22nd, 2017 | DADA Dallas Art Dealers Association

Inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi-Sabi, in this exhibit of abstract watermedia paintings Hailey Herrera integrates freeform lines and shapes; finding her inspiration from nature and her surroundings. Unless she has a specific theme in mind, she begins with some calligraphic lines without a preconceived idea of result. In the process of interplaying lines and shapes spontaneously, an idea emerges and the painting reveals something new to which her intuition and emotion responds. This spontaneous decision process leads to a fascinating and unconventional result.

The work displayed at Elm Street Studio is an ongoing study of experimentation in watermedia abstract painting.  Please join us at Elm Street Studio in Keller, TX for a complimentary reception and meet the artist on Friday, March 24 from 6 to 8 pm. For more information and to see images of Herrera’s work, please visit www.ElmStreetStudioKeller.com. Fresh Paint: Watermedia Abstracts by Hailey Herrera will be on display through April 27, 2017.

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How Herrera Hones Her Inspiration

by SEAD Gallery

“Creekside Tranquility” by Hailey E. Herrera, watercolor batik. in a private collection

Hailey Herrera has been painting watercolor since she was seven years old until the end of her junior high years. She decided to paint again in her adult life, and painting with watercolors was her first choice. Since then, she has tried acrylic, oil, pastel and if she wasn’t allowed to use watercolor she would “use collage:  cutting out fabric or colored rice paper and rearrange them on paper or canvas”. But, it seems she enjoys painting the most when she uses watercolors. Herrera with the glint of someone talking about their true love in life said  “ I can control watercolors better than other mediums. One of my favorite ways to paint is to drop colors onto wet paper. It is exciting to see watercolors blend together as they touch the water.  Watching the watercolor spread like a drop of ink in water creates a sense of happiness and relaxation for me.”

One look at Herrera’s watercolor paintings and even those that lack art expertise can tell she uses a unique approach and technique to create these works. Hailey uses a batik method in her watercolor that is similar to a traditional batik method and uses wax as a resistant to block the areas she wants to keep with colors for each layer. On top of this Herrera uses a paraffin wax and melts it into a hot skillet with temperature control, then dips a natural hair brush into the hot melted wax and applies it onto the paper.  

She uses rice paper because rice paper is fabric-like; thin and strong enough to be used for batik. Any thin paper can be used for batik, but not all are successful for painting watercolors. Rice paper has been used in East-Asia for watercolors. For Hailey, it was a great choice that reflects and compliments her style and senses.

So how does she make her colors so vivid? Instead of mixing the colors on a palette she mixes them on paper. She also doesn’t mix multiple colors at once– this helps the colors to stay vivid and not get muddy on the rice paper.  Hailey uses any visual elements she encounters (photos, magazines, nature, movies) to help inspire her. When she isn’t painting her eyes are always peeled for a piece of visual stimulation to inspire her next piece. She also uses new-age or contemporary classical music, music by Yiruma, July, Valentin to help along her innovation and inspiration process. Her favorites include:  July’s my soul, Valentin’s a little story, and Yiruma’s River flows in you. And some of her favorite artists are Randall David Tipton, Erin Hanson, Robin Purcell, Wolf Kahn, Shirley Trevena, and Carolyn Lord.

Her latest exhibit “Into the Woods” is featured in the SEAD Gallery’s Parlor Gallery, where the pieces (21 in total) are selling quickly. So, make sure to stop by the SEAD Gallery in Downtown Bryan, TX to see her unique ingenuity of rice paper, vivid colors, wax, and watercolor.

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SEAD Gallery Welcomes “Into the Woods”

by Alyssa Schultz

The SEAD Gallery is honored to display Hailey Herrera’s installation, “Into the Woods.” This set of pieces is a beautiful testament to the artist’s incredible talent for watercolor landscapes and even features striking depictions of A&M’s famed Century Tree. The exhibition will be on display starting October 20, 2016 and ending December 10, 2016 with an opening reception on October 20, 2016 at 6:00 pm in the SEAD Gallery to welcome Herrera and her work.

Herrera’s intentional curation of paintings is reflective of her love for the colors of wooded nature. Having grown up in South Korea exploring the wooded and mountainous areas, the artist has developed a watercolor palette that is vibrant, bright, and rich with incredible depth and wonderful tonal ranges. This is all evident in the “Into the Woods” installation which Herrera says are creations of recent years emulating Texas landscapes or other creations of her mind. “My intention is to capture the beauty of the woods by layering watercolors on rice paper,” says Herrera.

Although she grew up in South Korea, Herrera came to the United States in 1996 for her graduate studies, and went on to earn her PhD from Texas A&M University in 2004. She worked as a research scientist and lecturer for a while before deciding to take the community art classes that began her passionate pursuit of watercolor. Each watercolor piece in this exhibit is thoughtful and full of touching hues that are so expressive of Herrera’s careful forethought.

Join the SEAD Gallery Thursday, October 20th in welcoming Herrera and her artwork. Her moving interpretations of nature are sure to touch your heart and soul. Until the show, learn more about Hailey Herrera at her website, hailey-herrera.com.

“The Century Oak” by Hailey E. Herrera, watercolor batik, 24”X18”, in a private collection

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Art show to benefit Valley Proud Environmental Council

Staff Report  | May 7, 2016 | Valley Star Inspire Magazine

HARLINGEN — Valley Proud Environmental Council is proud to announce Valley Impressions, an art show and silent auction organized in conjunction with and held at Beyond Arts Gallery, 114 North A Street, Harlingen.

The opening reception is on May 12 at 6 p.m. at Beyond Arts Gallery. The show will remain open until June 30.

Curator Charles Wallis, along with 10 other artists, will be showing unique pieces that celebrate the mission of Valley Proud. Each artist will contribute a piece of work for a silent auction and will be donating a portion of the proceeds to Valley Proud, a nonprofit organization, to aid in their efforts to preserve the natural beauty and environment of the Rio Grande Valley.

Artists include:

Wallis, a graduate of the Baylor University fine art program, paints in a traditional realistic style as well as impressionistic and abstract styles.

Kirk Clark, who was born in McAllen. He studied sculpture and drawing in the mid-1960s and graduated from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Mark Clark, who commented, “My most notable work as an artist has been to create Galeria 409 in downtown Brownsville, a venue for the artwork of others, and a catalyst for the creation of paintings, sculpture, photography, music, performance art and poetry.”

Barbara German began as a middle school art teacher. She enjoys working in acrylic and mixed media. Each piece of her artwork has a special story or meaning attached.

Nancy Hampton Elliot has been exhibiting primarily in the Brazos Valley for the past seven years. She is a former art educator now working as a full-time artist. She holds a BFA in Visual Art from Auburn University and a teaching certification from Birmingham-Southern College.

Hailey Herrera works in watercolor, watercolor batik, ink and acrylic. Her art has found a home in many private and public collections around the world.

Jessica McBride was born in Edinburg. She studied commercial art and advertising at TSTC in Waco, and began her career in graphic design. After 15 years in the field, McBride shifted her focus to a full-time career in fine arts in 2004.

Jessica Monroe Martinez was born in McAllen. She holds a BA from Southwestern University and studied painting at New York University and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. For more than 15 years, Monroe has exhibited her work throughout Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.

Monika Pate was born and raised in Warsaw, Poland, and has a master’s from Warsaw University. Pate works with transparent watercolor. Her artwork is included in private and corporate collections in the United States, Poland and Germany.

Anna Varela was born in Phoenix and her parents settled in South Texas. She said, “Interestingly, my Mexican-American culture has played a significant role in the depiction of the scenes found in my work … in the creation of the characters found in my work; and in the teachings I have conducted.”

Benjamin Varela, born in Brooklyn, New York, is a Puerto Rican artist who has exhibited in Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City. In addition, his work is in many public collections.

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WILLOW SPRINGS BRIDGE PROJECT

The Willow Springs Bridge project is a result of several "Conversations at the Gallery" in Round Top, Texas. Many artists from around the area come together, once a month, at the Gallery to discuss matters of Art, Education and Social issues. Sometime in early 2014 it was decided to invite anyone to send in art work in any form with the Willow Spring Bridge as focal point. 

On June 7, 2014 all artwork came together in a one-day exhibition at ARTS fro Rural Texas in Fayetteville. A large crowd, participants and public, gathered to view the artwork or listen to the poems and story written about the bridge. Also, many artists, professional and occasional, came forward and told the public about the why and how of their approach. You will see that there is a rich variety of expressions.

We could not leave it at that. With this website we tried to capture, not only the artwork, but also the spirit in which it was conceived. Hopefully it will inspire future projects.

Special thanks go to Karen Vernon and Ken Muenzenmayer, owners of the Gallery in Round Top. Not only for hosting the "Conversations" but also to arrange for the one-day exhibit at ARTS and hang all the artwork. Also thanks go to ARTS for Rural Texas to make the facility available and Bernard Mendoza to MC the evening.

Participating artists and poets includes : Geogeann C. Baron Ph.D., Amber Bartek, Hendrik Bergen, Jeanette Bergen, Joke Bergen, Bonnie Brahms, Gwen Bundy, Robert Ezell, Shirley Ezell, Cindy Fanning, Sue B. Foster, Larry Guidry, Laura Quinn Guidry, Babette Hale, Robin Heilig, Hailey E. Herrera, Cathy Ingham, Maxine Lain, Jean Magahan, Jean Michael, Shawn Paul Michael, Ken Muenzenmayer, Barbara Nilsson, Bobbe Shapiro Nolan, John Pinkerton, John Schaeffer, Jeanne Schilling, Art Stokes, Karen Vernon, laurette Wallace, Christopher Woods,Bekey zjicek.

“Willow Springs Road Bridge” by Hailey E. Herrera, watercolor on Arches paper, 18”X24”, Collection of Art for Rural Texas.

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Downtown art fair showcases community talent

by Cassidy Tyrone | Monday 4. 14. 2014 | The Battalion

The Downtown Bryan Association, in conjunction with the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, hosted the fifth-annual Downtown Street and Art Fair Saturday. Amanda Reynolds, programs and event manager for the Downtown Bryan Association, said the purpose of the fair was not only to showcase the artists’ work, but showcase downtown Bryan itself. “Our goal is to give people an experience to see the art and bring it home.” Reynols said. “And of course to see the beautiful downtown Bryan.”

Second-time participant Hailey Herrera, Class of 2004, has also benefited from the support of the Bryan-College Station community. Herrera said after moving to Texas from South Korea, she found her passion for watercolors in a class offered by the city of College Station. After winning best i show in an art competition, Herrera said opportunities to show her art started rolling in.

Herrera, who never imagined becoming a professional artist, said her favorite part about showcasing her work at the Downtown Street and Art Fair is getting to discuss her art with new people. “I look forward to chatting with the people that come to my booth.” Herrera said, “I like to get to know people and see what they like. It’s a great opportunity to meet people.”