Your Artists in San Antonio (cont'd)

Justin McHenry was born in New Bern, North Carolina in 1975. At the age of three, his parents moved to the Northwest where his father, Timothy McHenry, started a picture frame shop in Stayton, Oregon. It was there that Justin was exposed to the fine arts and introduced to many local artists such as Michael Bartlett and Susan Bardeut, a watercolorist. McHenry has continued his journey of art through his life and seeks to achieve the level of detail seen in Old Masters works. Although oils may be his first choice as a medium, he has also worked in pencil, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, sculpture, wood carving, pen and ink, and digital media such as Photoshop for animation.  

Carmen Cartiness Johnson is a self-taught artist. Her narrative art takes a snapshot of people interacting in social situations. The faceless images she creates allow viewers to cross racial lines, placing themselves in the situation on canvas. The inspiration for her vivid paintings comes from poems, songs, novels, and media. In addition to her figurative work, she creates large abstract work on canvas and paper using various papers, newsprint type, and photographs.

Robert Garza places more emphasis on compositional beauty than on hidden symbolism and prefers to allow design, color, and figure to tell the story of his paintings. The focus of his paintings is on the eyes that invite us to enter and experience our common humanity. Garza is a modern master who evocatively combines the classic and the contemporary. He says, “We are all one people... the sharp sense gives the artist the ability to observe and highlight the beauty of what we see.” Garza's artistic efforts allow him to appreciate human differences, his generosity, and his desire to understand others.

Born in Madrid, Spain, JD Morera became interested in art at an early age nurtured by a rigorous education under the tutelage of Catholic nuns. He came to the US to study art. After receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Art, Morera opened a studio where he specialized in large-format abstract paintings developed in collaboration with architects and designers such as Pepe Cabrera, Bruno Raymond, and Michael Keller in the US. He describes his early artistic life as nomadic, having exhibited extensively in Italy, Spain, France, and Mexico as well as in various galleries in California, New Mexico, Texas and Florida where his paintings are found in numerous private and commercial collections.

Rodney Pray's inspirations have been primarily rooted in modern and abstract art with a love for color and fluidity. He has worked with a variety of media including charcoal, acrylics, and resin and is self-taught in each. Working with resin has allowed him to expand on his creativity, adding a depth and vibrancy that he believes would be unable to attain through traditional methods. "As a child of parents who were artists, I was blessed from a young age to be exposed to art in many of its forms. I credit my childhood with helping me develop my own love and appreciation of art and to the artists who bring their visions forth."

Born in San Antonio, Dunn-Harr found her artistic expression slowly, yet deliberately, and continues to explore the many possibilities in the arts. She derived much of her early experience from traditional school and continues to embrace formalism. Her works are organic forms rooted in architectural elements. The forms are sensuous and portray the force and fragility of nature. Dunn-Harr considers herself a contemporary realist; she travels and exhibits internationally.

The “Visage” works in this gallery are also painted by Vie and considered studies, working under her mother’s family name as a tribute to a mother who supported her artistic path and believed in the importance of art not becoming insipid. One must always explore...The “Visage” works in this gallery are also painted by Vie and considered Studies. Working under her mother’s family name, as a tribute to a mother who supported her artistic path and who believed in the importance of art not becoming insipid.  One must always explore……

A pandemic-induced passion  

With a garage full of car parts and lots of time on his hands during the pandemic Jim let his creative juices flow with a singular purchase of a used guitar. Thus, was born GuitarsAsCars, a new endeavor for a man full of creative ideas outside his decade-long career designing homes. 

One guitar purchase led to several more old, well-used instruments that would be ‘enhanced’ with artistic new life by the addition of, what else? Car parts! Each of his art pieces is a one of a kind with errors, flaws and imperfections. The guitars are not playable. Their new life is that of a piece of art, sometimes themed, often completely random, and always unique. Car guys will recognize the pieces used. Guitarists will find recognizable parts as well. If you aren’t one or the other, you will find lots to appreciate just looking!

Billy Dietz is an artist who works primarily in painting and drawing. His work meditates on the ways the body yearns for, resists, and struggles for connection. In 2016, he received his BFA in Visual Arts from the University of North Dakota and earned his MFA in Studio Arts at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dietz has been part of various group exhibitions: the North Dakota Museum of Art, The Ewing Gallery at the University of Tennessee, Sugar Gallery in Arkansas, Bascom Center for the Arts in North Carolina, Foley Gallery in New York, and ZG gallery in Chicago. 

Born and raised on the Southside of​ San Antonio, Veronica C. Guerrero started dabbling​ in fiber art and fine arts at the age of six. She taught herself how to crochet, draw, paint, and sew. Guerrero attended Our Lady of the Lake University where she received her BA in Art and English and her M.Ed. in Education and English. Guerrero taught high school art for several years. She left teaching to become a stay-at-home parent. She currently works on creating her art, patterns, and projects.   

Shari’s passion for art stems from her life experience. Her work is abstract and figuritive. Each piece tells a unique story. Every stroke is filled with intuition, passion, and purpose. She uses bold elements to drive each narrative. Black and white hues are used to add balance and flow. Even though her work is abstract, certain facial features are painted realistic to draw attention. Symbolism is how she creates her story. This allows the viewer dig deeper within themselves to relate. She continues to create one of a kind pieces and hopes to inspire others to follow their soul purpose.  

Pamela Reed is an artist, painter, and writer. She moved to Belize in 1990 and lived there for over two decades to pursue her art; while there, she painted in natural spaces that are slowly being extinguished by the climate crisis. Her greatest achievements so far have been empowering women in art and creating art education in schools where there was none. Because of the increase in violence in Central America, she moved back to San Antonio, her birthplace, and hopes to find a place where she can reestablish herself to make contributions to her community through art.

Rene Cantu was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. He is a 1974 graduate of King High School and a Vietnam Era Veteran. Cantu served in the US Army from 1974 to 1977. After an honorable discharge, he attended Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. He is retired from the US Postal Service after 37 years of service and is now a full-time artist. Ever since he was young, he enjoyed drawing. Cantu has always enjoyed creating images that depict his surroundings and culture. He likes to paint still lifes, and once he has reproduced the values, lighting, and details, his paintings look incredibly realistic and highly detailed.

Born and raised in San Antonio, grito del mar has been painting for over 10 years.  He mainly paints with acrylics on stretched canvas. Many of his paintings have been reinvented over and over again during the process toward its end result. "I usually try not to think too much about the final outcome. I try to work with the idea that a so-called mistake should be taken advantage of and where it goes should not be feared. I’m not always successful in that approach, but it keeps the painting fun and interesting to me."

Fernando Giron is a self-taught artist originally from Mexico. He has lived in Texas for the past 14 years. As with many artists, Giron grew up drawing and sketching daily. He started painting in 2010. His work has been displayed in interior design stores as well as in over twelve private art exhibitions throughout Texas in the past four years. Fernando likes to experiment utilizing new materials and techniques. He dreams, imagines, thinks, feels, and communicates what moves his soul. His artwork is an explosion of color, vigorous figures, light, and shade to produce an effect and emotion. He considers himself a figurative and abstract expressionist. His dream is to transcend in this medium and continue contributing to his community through his art and charitable donations.

Resa Wohlrabe is a native San Antonian. She received her Master of Fine Arts in 2007 from Florida State University. In addition to her being an award winning artist, Wohlrabe was featured in SA Women's Magazine in March 2016 and chosen as the 2016 Official Fiesta Poster winner. Among her awards are the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series regional competition in Austin, Texas. Her paintings reflect pure feeling and positive outlooks. Colorful displays with subject matter ranging from pianos to bicycles inspire her to keep creating more.

After 35 years in sales and marketing, Judy Jungbauer was facing retirement with trepidation and "not too happy with the 'retirement age number' that goes along with that Social Security Check". On a whim, she signed up for an art class, and since then, has not stopped learning. She views it as the greatest gift she ever gave herself! "From that first class, I have found a new lease on life - a creative side of me that I never knew existed, a great group of new friends, and a passion and purpose to get up every day and explore my world to then put it on canvas. Now, six years later, that 'retirement age number' only means that I am free to create the world I am excited to live in."

San Antonio-based artist, Brittany Shipman, began her professional life as a freelance artist. She built up a business with painting and illustration through commission and volunteer work with other businesses. She was awarded for her achievements through galleries and art shows while gaining her degrees in Art. She is now practicing digital and animation art. Her focus lies with fantasy art and spiritual meanings behind animals. Shipman prefers to use bright colors to add dreamy effects to her work. There is symbolism and storytelling in her images for people to connect with in their own way. Utilizing video art programs, she is able to create live images of her paintings with small animations and gifs that can be made for unique website pop ups, music videos, and background art. 

Marcus A. Cerda's synthetic Cubist paintings are each like a stream of consciousness that starts with a collage of randomly placed pieces and textures.  The universe is broken down into colors and shapes via the rationale that it is comprised of circles and right angles; Cerda paints while remaining consciously aware of color blocking and shapes. This collage style of synthetic Cubism challenges and strengthens his sense of aesthetics. The Cubist paintings depict the mundane in a colorful, vibrant, and transparent way by expressing movement in the everyday objects as a frenetic, textural juxtaposition of shape, pattern, and color. "I have developed an interconnection of self and the environment that space and time are interdependent and intermingled."

Nancy Yarbrough's attraction to the unique and appealing art of fused glass has its origins beginning more than 35 years ago in stained glass works. After years of stained glass production, she switched her medium of choice. In 1999, she studied watercolor and drawing at the Glassell School of Art in Houston, Texas. The education she received renewed her love for painting, which had been set aside to raise a family. In 2002, Yarbrough was introduced to fused glass as an art form. Combining her love for painting and creating in glass, she has mastered a way of creating “paintings” using only forms of glass and heat. She continues to take inspiration from the beauty of creation all around us. Yarbrough and her husband of 48 years live in Boerne, Texas with a small herd of pygmy goats.

Born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Armando Vasquez Rubio displayed an artistic ability early in his childhood. At 16, he obtained a diploma in Graphic Art from the National School of Fine Arts. Rubio has won various prizes and recognitions for his art as well as participated in national and international exhibitions. He was awarded a grant by the Italian government to study sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara, Italy. He returned to Honduras to study Interior Design at the University of Design, Architecture, and Construction where he obtained an Associate's Degree in Interior Design. There, he continued to study Architecture, but in his third year, relocated to San Antonio where he now practices his knowledge of art to develop different artistic projects. 

Frank Cadena's natural talent was enhanced with the formal training he received in college, and he has furthered his studies with personal instruction from professional artists. Cadena also worked for Thomas Kinkade for several years as a master highlighter. These experiences have offered unlimited opportunities for his artistic ability. He is a full-time artist and resides in Helotes, Texas. His paintings reflect his love for wildlife, landscapes, and seashore scenes. His work has been displayed in the White House and at the Dallas Cowboys Football Visitor Center. Cadena's work is owned by collectors in five countries and throughout the US.  

Born in El Paso, Texas, Robert Wilkens is a dedicated, full-time artist living and working in San Antonio. Though he enjoys all artistic media including drawing, sculpting, and welding, he is an oil painter at heart. His subject matter ranges broadly from abstracts to westerns, still lifes to portraits, landscapes to surrealism, and beyond. He is well-known locally for his Day of the Dead paintings and live art events in venues in and surrounding San Antonio, but he also travels for competitions and commissions - his most notable being the Theater Room in The White House by former First Lady, Laura Bush. 

Laurel Cyrene officially began teaching others art at a very young age and later worked as a degreed art teacher in the public schools in Texas. She then went into the private sector and has created murals for churches, businesses, and private homes. "Some of my first memories are of my mother painting her landscapes and the smell of oil paint and turpentine. I have delved into everything from photography and pastels to watercolor, oil, and sculpture, but my favorite medium is acrylics." Cyrene is also a member of the Lytle Friendship Club and San Antonio Art Association.