Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1439514
T he New Year arrives with upbeat art news: A space on Colquitt Street gets a new tenant — a gallery with Texas heritage and alpine swagger; cue Christopher Martin Gallery, founded by artist Christopher Martin in Dallas, in 1995. Flash forward three decades, and Martin is one of the staples of the Dallas Design District, with his flagship gallery occupying 11,000 square feet of prime walls on Dragon Street. Since 2010, he's also had a Western imprint via his Aspen white cube. Now, the gallerist/painter doubles his presence in Texas and Colorado, opening within weeks of each other, a new space in Vail (in the heart of the iconic Vail Village) and, significantly for our scene, a plum spot upon Colquitt's Gallery Row. "We started thinking about Houston in 2018," Martin says. "The gallery space became available mid 2021, and the timing felt right. Houston is probably the second biggest concentration of our private collectors. One of my largest public installations, three 20-foot x 10- foot paintings, reside in downtown Houston in the Wells Fargo Plaza. I've also had several solo shows in the Houston area over the last 10 years." As for artist stable, CMG will carry its founder's own abstract canvases, as well as select fellow painters (who share his emphasis on abstraction), joined by printmakers, sculptors, and photographers. These encompass Ysabel LeMay, Steve Wrubel, Isabelle van Zeijl, David Middlebrook, Paul Bloch, Jeff Muhs, and Matt Neuman. We're eagerly watching photographer LeMay who depicts fantastical floral environments, and Wrubel, who photographs dramatic rodeo action, both Texas based. Also noteworthy is Brooklyn painter/printmaker Neuman; the Boston University MFA grad adroitly raids art history. Don't expect typical openings. Martin says. "We are planning to host intimate dinners with a speakeasy environment. These small gatherings will serve as an opportunity for connections and relationships to be formed." Houston grand opening Saturday, January 22, 2 to 8 pm. Christopher Martin Gallery, 2625 Colquitt St., 800.757.6035, christophermartingallery.com. By Catherine D. Anspon. Portrait Hannah Hurt. DALLAS, ASPEN, VAIL Christopher Martin with paintings from his "Merkaba" series Christopher Martin's Kira, 2021, at Christopher Martin Gallery … AND HOUSTON GALLERY ROW CHRISTOPHER MARTIN GALLERY UNVEILS ON COLQUITT. IMAGES COURTESY THE ARTIST AND CHRISTOPHER MARTIN GALLERY 38