In the gallery for A Don't Hug Me Christmas Carol
We're featuring works by three different artists on our current show, Daggi Wallace on the East Wall, Gary Taggart on the West Wall, and Zach Brown in the Back Hall.
An update: we'd like to congratulate Daggi Wallace, who has been accepted into the juried International Association of Pastel Societies Show on January 22!
Daggi Wallace: Born and raised in Berlin, Germany, I had my first painting lessons at age five. Primarily self-taught, I continue my studies through workshops and classes by nationally known artists. My chosen medium is pastel. I love the immediacy of it and the luscious pigments are a pure joy to work with. I apply them wet and dry, so the end effect is very much like an oil or acrylic painting.
My subject matter includes landscapes and still lifes, but my main focus is on the human figure and portraits. Traveling extensively I sketch and paint on location, but usually complete larger pieces, portraits and figures in my home studio in Coppell, TX.
Recent paintings include a series of surfers and musicians, including a portrait of blues legend and Grammy winner Buddy Guy which I was commissioned to paint for his 71st birthday.
Currently I am working on a new series of commissioned portraits that are smaller and more contemporary. They are meant to be hung in groups to portray an entire family. I zoom in on the subjects face, cropping closely to create an even more intimate feeling.
My work is in private collections in the U.S., Switzerland, Italy and Germany and has won numerous awards in national and international competitions.
It has been published in several art magazines, newspapers, a children’s book and the 2007 art book “Best of America, Pastel Artists & Artisans”.
If you can hear the music, feel the spray of the ocean or see a stranger with new eyes while viewing my work, I have achieved my goal. If you can hear your child’s laughter or your mother’s voice when looking at their finished portrait, I am filled with inspiration and enthusiasm for the next piece. I invite you to view more of my work on my Web site: www.daggistudio.com.
Gary Taggart: Since 1984 I've performed in 21 productions at Stage West, including Neville's Island, two of the Jeeves romps, and Travels With My Aunt. My experiences here have never failed to give me joy, not only because of the fact and quality of the work, but because Jerry, Jim, Dana, Peggy, Lynn, Suzi and Steven are some of my favorite people in the world. About 20 years ago I began making quilts for my family, then for my friends, and the number of quilts and wall hangings is now into the 40's. To me, Stage West is both friends AND family, and it's their turn.
As to my process, I often draw inspriation from the internet, modifying what other quilters have done, often beyond recognition. Or sometimes I just start sewing fabric together and see what happens. The actual quilting (the sewing together of the three layers that compose the quilt) is often hired out, especially when the quilt involves circular shapes that I can't manage on my standard sewing machine. Most of these were done by Carla Vaughn of Pecan Grove Quilting. I think she did a great job.
Zach Brown: Zach Brown Attended Marymount Manhattan College in New York for a BFA in acting and a double minor in philosophy and art. Zach has been a resident artist of the YAT Gallery in Keller since 2006, and that’s the best place to currently see his original works. Although he has been drawing and painting since age 10, it wasn’t until his return to Texas that he began painting professionally after being encouraged by friends and family to share his talents. Now after dozens of shows, festivals, auctions, galleries and studios Zach Brown is beginning to truly carve his name into the art scene of DFW.
His work has been featured at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, Art in the Square arts festival in Southlake, 1919 Hemphill, Kellerfest, the Ft. Worth Amateur Art Exhibition 05, Arts 5th Avenue, and he is currently working with the wonderful talent at Art Love Magic in Dallas.
Zach started teaching in 2007 and immediately fell in love with it, leading him to develop new methods and techniques for teaching the arts to students of all ages. Since then he has Been asked to teach at the Monart School of Art, C.P.A.C. and now currently he is the head of the art department at Resonate artistic Studios in Fort Worth.
