Felice’s next series depicted women war workers during World
War II. Painting her friends in place of the original women, she drew
a connection between her generation and that of her grandmother.
Her latest series, “Re-Western,” features iconic western film stills
starring contemporary women instead of the original male heroes
such as John Wayne and James Dean. “The younger generation
doesn’t necessarily recognize the images, but for many folks my age
and older there’s an instant recognition of the image, with added
surprise of the gender flip,” says Felice.
Felice is familiar with high-end commission work, having
created portraits for figures such as the late Dan Burke, former
chancellor at the University of Texas, and Mack Brown, former head
football coach at the University of Texas. For a time, she made her
living entirely from commissions such as these.
Now a professor at Texas A&M, Felice sees teaching as an
important ingredient for being an exhibiting artist. “They work
hand in hand and it’s my preferred recipe for life – to do half-andhalf, studio painting and teaching,” says Felice.
Felice explains that understanding how to paint is similar to
understanding how to construct a sentence; it requires a student
to be given the correct information. “I make sure all my painting
students succeed. I don’t just focus on a few; I really believe that
anyone can learn how to paint; it is a learned skill,” says Felice.
When Felice received the phone call requesting she create the
10th anniversary commemorative poster for the Austin City Limits
Music Festival in 2011, she thought it was a friend playing a trick
on her. “The call was so out of the blue; it was a little surreal,” says
Felice.
Her focus on imagery of women shines through in the poster she
created. Felice created an image of a woman from the perspective
of the stage, with the crowd screaming behind her and the skyline
of Austin in the distance. She describes the women as exuberant,
ecstatic, and elated. “She’s not presenting herself for someone
else’s entertainment,” says Felice. “She is self-absorbed in her
experience.” i
ABOUT ART979
O
ver a Golden Mocha at The Village Downtown, owner Kristy Petty shared her original
vision for the café, one that included an arts
website that served as a local clearing house of
all things arts: from venues and performers to
visual artists and their wares.
The other component was an arts magazine.
Her vision sounded like a richer, more intimate
approach to Insite’s traditional arts coverage
and so the first Art979 issue of Insite Magazine
launched in September 2012. From introducing
local artists to those who provide art venues, the
Arts979 features compliment the eclectic local
features that are the mainstay of Insite Magazine. Enjoy the beauty and introspection of the
local art world, and we hope this issue has something to capture your imagination and attention.
ART by LENSE
Timothy Douglass
– Angelique Gammon
Story By KATIE CANALES
T
he Art979 photographs are credited
to Tim Douglass of Fidelis Studios. The
photographer’s vision for the photo essay
morphed a few times before settling on an
overarching theme: the origin stories.
“We boiled it down to, ‘Where did you
come from? What is the core of who you
are?’ and starting from, ‘Where are you
now?’” explains Douglass.
For the coordinators of Guerrilla Art
Takeover, Tim played on Jeremy Herrera’s
middle school habit of getting in trouble
with his teachers and Nancy Elliott’s history
of teaching art. “When they finally met
together, it was kind of like a fortuitous
kind of deal. So we did him in a schoolboy
uniform, she did the art teacher thing, and
they did a collaborative piece,” says Tim.
Tim photographed the family members
behind SteepHollow Forgeworks, and says
when he asked Carlton Lee who they were
Carlton’s answer was “basically family.” Tim
48
INSITE FEBRUARY 2016
recalls Calton explaining they do family, and
they happen to do steelwork outside of that.
When Tim asked makeup artist Leanna
Hale where she came from, he says Hale
didn’t have an answer for him. “She’s kind of
living her origins story right now,” says Tim.
For the photoshoot, Hale painted six models
with her own artistic vision.
With Felice House, Tim says: “We tried
to incorporate the students coming through
and have them fading in and out of the
image. So it’s like the students are supposed
to be representative of all this time that’s
passing in and out of her life and this one
thing, art, staying.”
Tim and his wife, Kristen, have operated
Fidelis Studio Photography for nine
years. They are located at 110 N. Bryan in
Downtown Bryan and specialize in wedding
and engagement photo shoots, as well as
other special events. For more information,
visit fidelisstudio.com. i
A
rt979.com was launched so that artists, art
hosts, and art lovers could come together in
one place. We want to support and promote the
local art scene.
Why? Because we love it. We eat, breathe, and
sleep art, and we want to share it with anyone
and everyone who wants to do the same.
We hope that you use Art979.com to discover
places to go, shows to watch, music to sing,
things to buy, and pretty things to see. Use the
blogs to learn more about the people who make
this community great. Use the forum to meet a
new friend, share your favorite event, or give a
review of a show you just saw.