Killeen Exhibit with Photos

The exhibit, Pastels and Beyond, featuring paintings by Regina Burchett and myself, Jo Knoblock Castillo, went up at the Civic and Conference Center Killeen, Texas, yesterday.  It will be there about six weeks.

We each have 21 pieces in the show.  Regina works mainly in pastel.  I have a mix of pastels, oils and acrylics in the exhibit.  It is always great to see them all together.  Most often they are scattered around in separate exhibits.  They make a very nice show together.  If you get a chance, stop in and see them in person .. always better than photos.  (They are all for sale, by the way.)

The reporter asked me which was my favorite painting.  I guess it is the one I finished most recently.

There is an article in the Killeen Daily Harold on-line today. There is a photo of Gene accompanying the article.   I will copy the article here because you never know how long the article will stay on-line.  (Copyright of Audrey Spencer and the paper)

Killeen Civic and Conference Center display features area artists

By Audrey Spencer

Killeen Daily Herald

More than 40 compositions of pastels and paint were put on display Tuesday, as the Killeen Civic and Conference Center features its third round of artists.

Jo Castillo and Regina Burchett, friends who met at the Bastrop Fine Arts Guild and members of the Austin Pastel Society, each have 21 pieces hanging in the lobby of the center, many of them landscapes.

Castillo, who was hanging pieces Tuesday, said pastel is one of her favorite materials.

"They're very tactile," she said of using soft pastels. "It's drawing and painting at the same time."

Castillo lived in South America and is from New Mexico — facts that are apparent by the vibrant colors in her still life pieces. "We lived in Bolivia and Peru, and some of the bright colors come from there," said Castillo, of Bastrop. "I prefer to paint from life. Landscapes and stills."

Burchett's works feature many landscapes and skies, with a few still-life pieces thrown into the mix.

"I love to paint skies, clouds and storms," said Burchett, who lives south of Austin. "It just totally wipes out everything when I'm working on a painting like that and I hope to give that feeling to people looking at my work."

The art show at the center features a different artist or competition each month.

The center's volunteer art coordinator, Charles Wilson, said the goal of the exhibits is to make Killeen a more family- and art-friendly community.

"The idea (is that) a person doesn't have to go all the way to Austin or Waco to see quality art," said Wilson. "We have very talented people right here in Central Texas."

The artwork will be on display until April 10. The lobby is open during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., during the week, and on varying hours during the weekend, depending on what events are being held. For more information, call (254) 501-3888.

Contact Audrey Spencer at aspencer@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7476.
 

A few photos of the exhibit:

Pastels and Beyond as you enter the front door.

Front entrance at the sign.

First Section

Second section, we mixed them up.

Again, some of Regina's work and some of mine.

I like this photo of  the countryside around Killeen, Texas.