Summer Colors, now in its 11th year, was an idea born out of passion for both art and the patients of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Founded in 2009 by Jenny and Loren Koziol, this silent art auction raises awareness about the hospital, while also exposing the Dallas community to up and coming local artists. Each year, local artists donate original pieces of art to be featured in the auction, with all the proceeds benefiting our hospital. Over the next few weeks, we will be introducing you to all of the artists. This year’s event will be held on Thursday, July 25, at Scottish Rite for Children.

Anita Felix 

Anita is renowned for her interpretations of ballerinas, churches, barns and of course, angels. Her current surroundings in east Texas inspire her modern paintings of quaint historic barns and churches. After living by the ocean for many years, you can see the influence of water in many of her contemporary pieces.

PHYLLIS MABUS

Background - Studied oil painting under Clara Stovall at the Garrett Art Gallery in McKinney. (7 Years) Studied one semester under Janet Reynolds. Took drawing (MLA) at SMU.

Inspiration: I am in love with color! When I retired from teaching, I never expected to find something as meaningful to my soul as painting. I discovered God’s world in a whole new way. Though I only paint as my schedule allows, it is one of my greatest joys. I paint from my husband’s photographs, which are another inspiration. We are becoming nature lovers and so appreciate what God provides for us every day.

KRISTIN O’KEEFE

Bachelor of Art from Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska. I’m a jack of all trades and a master of none.    

Inspired by ordinary moments, rainy days, and quietness.                                            
                                                 

MEGAN ADAMS BROOKS

Inspired by patterns and textures in the natural world, Megan Adams Brooks creates abstract paintings on silk that reflect the beauty found throughout nature. Brooks began painting interior scapes on canvas early in her career. It was through depicting the fabrics and patterns in a room that she discovered her fascination with fabrics, which led her to designing custom textiles. From there, Brooks found her true passion for the silk medium. Painting on silk, similar to watercolor, provides many opportunities for unexpected challenges and happy accidents. The process is time-sensitive, multi-layered and endlessly inventive. Brooks' unique method of self-expression fulfills her unending obsession to create. 

Brooks' work has been exhibited at Art Basel in Miami and McKinney Avenue Contemporary (The MAC) at 3120 McKinney Ave, Dallas, TX. Her work hangs in public and private collections, nationally and internationally. Brooks holds a Bachelor of Fine Art degree in painting and drawing from Southern Methodist University and a Master of Fine Art degree from the University of North Texas. She lives and works in Dallas, TX.

Madison Slusher 

Background: Jewelry designer since 2006 and newly developed abstract painter 

Inspiration: My inspiration is knowing that someone will treasure my art as much
as I do and bring them joy!

Bree Smith

Bree Smith is a Dallas-based mixed media artist. She received her Bachelor of Fine Art in Studio Art from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

I'm enamored with the ideas of what the future looks like for Earth. I enjoy exploring the belief that Earth will be made new again one day. This series explores my imagined extension of our world at its end through abstracted hints of a colorful utopian and slightly Suessian world.

Matt Esparza 

Matt Esparza is a Dallas based visual artist, film maker and photographer. As a graduate of Oral Roberts University (ORU), in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Matt obtained a degree in Art Graphic Design, with a concentration in Video. He was also a key player on the ORU Men’s Soccer team and went on to train with professional clubs in Brazil. As a gifted artist, Matt has displayed and sold works across the United States, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Tulsa, New York and Los Angeles. After living in L.A. for a year, and apprenticing under highly respected artist, Andy Anh Ha, Matt relocated to Dallas in 2012 to establish his studio. Matt is continually getting inspiration from the world around him, drawing equally from urban and rural textures, international travels, and famous artists. The artists who have most influenced him include: Jackson Pollock, Jean- Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter, Georges Mathieu and Franz Kline. His main source of inspiration, however, is his faith in God, and the effect that has had on his life. Matt is a highly travelled individual and has visited over 18 countries in the past 10 years. He has recently returned from an 8-month sabbatical in which he lived and travelled around the world and visited 12 different countries including, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Uganda, Vietnam, Myanmar, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Costa Rica and Mexico. Esparza’s preferred medium is a variety of acrylic and oils, on board, with regular use of polymers, spray paints, stains, epoxy resin and sheet metal.

When Esparza is not painting or traveling the world filming, he is busy volunteering at his church, enjoying local eats, working out, dancing or enjoying the outdoors.

ERIKA KRIVDA

I believe that there is no one "thing" that inspires me. My inspiration comes from an accumulation of three things: my past, present, and future. Coming from a family of artists, I have been painting and creating since I was a child. I've watched my artwork evolve over the years and I love finding new ways to create. Painting is my way of understanding myself and everything around me. 

Alison Greene 

Inspiration: My inspiration for this form of art came from accidentally stumbling upon a video of the acrylic flow process being done online. The final product is largely impossible to predict until the paint has covered the entire work surface.  The method I personally used to create these pieces is known as flow acrylics. I layer the paint in cups, flip them onto the canvas, then pull the cup straight up as I watch the layers spill out over each other to create beautiful, galaxy-like streaks with cells of multiple colors popping up throughout. I find it fascinating that something that looks so simple, such as an upside-down cup of paint, can create such a stunning final piece of art. The resin that I add to complete the project makes the canvas look as though it has been freshly painted at all times. I absolutely love art and have experimented with everything from ceramics to printmaking throughout the years. I have enjoyed them all, yet I always ran into the same problem when starting out, “What do I want the final piece to look like?” Working with flow acrylics has been much like a guessing game. Learning to achieve a desirable final product has taken a lot of practice along with trial and error. I have spent the last year working on this form of art and it has been a very exciting experience for me, every step of the way. Due to the unpredictability of the final product, I no longer stress about it coming out exactly as imagined. Doing this has been a great way for me to relieve stress. I find it to be personally therapeutic to watch the creation unfold right before my eyes. I strongly encourage every artist to give it a try!