Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1512214
H o u s t o n 's a r t w o r l d reverberates with its most optimistic energy in a decade, with museums and nonprofits marking milestones — Blaffer Art Museum celebrates a half-century, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and Art League Houston both turn 75. The healthiest indicator of a town's art scene, though, is always the galleries. Houston boasts a number of heritage dealers who rise to the level of iconic. Texas Gallery, Moody Gallery, Josh Pazda Hiram Butler, Barbara Davis Gallery, Inman Gallery, Hooks-Epstein Galleries, McClain Gallery, and Latin American powerhouse Sicardi Ayers Bacino have all achieved nearly 30 years or longer in the art biz, beginning with Hooks-Epstein, founded 1969. Yet, one always seeks out fresh voices, and this fall we have an unprecedented seven new art-dealing spaces unveiling. Last month, we covered Seven Sisters Gallery, buoyantly launched by McClain alum Erin Dorn. In December, check out these six other notable art arrivals: Hogan Brown Gallery at Eldorado Ballroom, Isabella Valise at Isabella Court, The MAG — DCG at 201 Roberts in EaDo, 3131 Gallery at 3131 Emancipation Avenue, Throughline Collective at Isabella Court, and Zoya Gallery at The Silos at Sawyer Yards. These galleries are led by trusty curators of culture, alongside some promising new arrivals, activating areas of the city beyond the museum corridor. Preservation and urban renewal also play a part in this bigger story. First up, Third Ward is hopping. Artist/ curator/community activator Robert Hodge steps up to direct exhibition programs at chef Chris Williams' Hogan Brown Gallery in the reborn Eldorado, as well as the 3131 Gallery sited on the second floor of Garnet Coleman-founded Center for Civic and Public Policy Improvement at One Emancipation Center. Hodge's grand opening at 3131 focuses on the seven founders of neighboring Project Gallery Boom By Catherine D. Anspon Row Houses: James Bettison, Bert Long Jr., Jesse Lott, Rick Lowe, Floyd Newsum, Bert Samples, and George Smith (through January 25). Isabella Court, anchored by Inman G a l l e r y, s e e s a n exciting new lineup, with respected dealer and collector Devin Borden launching Isabella Valise while relocating to 3913 Main St. within the complex. Borden plans to craft a fine and decorative arts destination, featuring curated consignments and intimate exhibitions softly launching this month with a fashion-themed intro to gowns by Houston talent Laura Lark. Also debuting at Isabella, at 3909 Main St., an ambitious 20-member collective conceived by artists Sarah Sudhoff and Jonas Criscoe, inspired by a prototype in Austin called ICOSA. Throughline's inaugural show, "Rise," introduces eight of its members, as well as Sudhoff and Criscoe themselves: Carolina Borja, Diana Davis, Luisa Duarte, Jeanette "Joy" Harris, Heather L. Johnson, Molly Koehn, Colleen Maynard, and Ellen H. Ray (through December 16). In thriving EaDo, Deborah Colton joins with community leader Emergent & Co. to form The MAG — DCG in collaboration with Modern Art Gallery team Will York, Tay Powers, and Emmanuel Alia. The new concept holds court in a mid-century modernist building that was originally HQ for the oil-and-gas supplier W-K-M Company. With unique programming ranging from vintage photos of Warhol and Indiana by William John Kennedy to creations by Houston artists Paul Horn and Suzanne Paul, The MAG — DCG keeps it avant-garde in a quest to develop new collectors (through December 31). Finally, over at Sawyer Yards, RISD grad, artist Zoya Tommy reopens and rebrands in an intimate space set to showcase her own work alongside a small, curated collection of those she admires: Houston creators Saralene Tapley, Mike Hollis, and Julon Pinkston, as well as national and international surprises such as secondary-market global Pop star Ushio Shinohara, whom Tommy introduced to Houston art-goers in 2013. ccppi.org/site/3131gallery, devinborden.com, emergentandco.com, hoganbrowngallery. c o m , t h r o u g h l i n e c o l l e c t i v e . c o m , zoyatommy.com. Right: Throughline Collective's (first row) Colleen Maynard, Jeanette "Joy" Harris, Luisa Duarte, Jonas Criscoe, Diana Davis, Carolina Borja; (second row) Ellen H. Ray, Heather L. Johnson; (third row) Molly Koehn, Sarah Sudhoff. Left: Will York, Tay Powers, Deborah Colton, Emmanuel Alia at Emergent & Co.'s The MAG — DCG. GEORGINA SKYE SCHOTT WURA OLAGBAJU 16