What is the ‘best’ is always hard to define. Some might say that in the context of art, it refers to those who have reached the pinnacle of their career, displaying internationally and selling their originals for money that can only be dreamt of. For others, the ‘best’ might refer to the most diverse – someone or somewhere that displays a broad spectrum of art from within the surrounding community. In this article, I’ve chosen three galleries in Houston that offer something a little bit different – history and the promotion of quality authenticity, the search for meaning and creativity and diversity drawn from the community.
Courtesy of visitinghoustontexas.org
When it comes to art that is a little bit more niche, the Antiquarium is ideal. Combining history, scientific interest and an appreciation of aesthetic, this gallery is a combination of displays for viewing and original items for sale. What it offers includes antique prints, maps, documents, photographs and objects including atlases, paintings and book illustrations. It also has a display of scientific instruments. All items available for sale come with a certificate of authenticity. In the residential heart of Houston, this gallery-museum-shop combination is ideal for those with an eye for both art and history.
Courtesy of junghouston.org
The Jung Center is a small nonprofit gallery dedicated to facilitating creative expressions, increasing self-awareness and providing psychological insights. It hosts both permanent and monthly exhibitions from a range of local and further afield talents. This is in addition to movie screenings, classes and a library and bookstore combined. At present, as it's closed due to COVID-19, it's live-streaming classes and lectures. Some of the upcoming classes include ‘The Gift of Connection’, ‘Finding Resilience’ and ‘Yoga for the Eyes’. If you have an interest in both art and psychology, once it reopens fully, the Jung Center is the place to go to find meaning and creativity.
Courtesy of archwaygallery.org
The Archway Gallery was born as a result of a group of artists wanting more control of the art-buying and artistic process overall. The number of artists displaying their work in the gallery has expanded from the original 11 to 30, ranging from painters to sculptors and everything in between. Diverse and professional, the Archway Gallery strives to foster both art and business sills within the community. If you want to do that little bit extra when visiting, look out for the classes, life modeling groups and wine and art viewing events, among others.
Given the current and evolving circumstances regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, it's recommended to contact the galleries before visiting as there may be certain procedures in place to keep the space hygienic and safe, such as limited visitor numbers, having to book visiting slots or even virtual tours only. Regardless, these three galleries all have a distinct, unique character of their own that makes them stand out from the rest.
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