Art: Eric Verret

The Point of Art

The Ink and Acrylic Paintings of Eric Verret

By JoAnna Ordonez

Millions of little dots, that’s how Austin artist, Eric Verret describes his work, ink and the technique of pointillism. What is pointillism you ask? It’s the art of producing a painting with many little dots of color all layered over and again to produce a bright and intriguing work of art. Verret explained “it’s my favorite way of bringing my world to paper”.

Eric, a Navasota native, soon found his way to Austin and worked as a stonemason for over 20 years. It was about 5 years ago that Verret left his job in stone to pursue his artwork fulltime. “I’ve always painted and drawn and mom was an artist too, and then one day I gravitated to the ink and markers,” added Verret.

When you first see one of his paintings, the colors are bright and vibrant and really draw you in. It’s amazing how 3 to 6 colors can have such a rich and full effect that gives you the look of a fine art painting evocative of Monet or Van Gogh. I asked Eric what people thought of his paintings

and he added “when people see my paintings they smile really big, the colors are bright and subject matter is very light hearted and 3d glasses works with my pieces too. “

Verrets subject matter focuses on the quiet spaces in our world, from Texas landscapes to the world under the sea, he finds those special places we all long for. “I love the ocean, so I take that world and make it more imaginary and then translate it to paper. I also love to take walks in the woods, deep back where no human influence has been, to really quiet places that actually exist and make them into a more cartoon world as Dr. Seuss did.” adds Eric.

Eric takes 20 to 40 hours to complete one painting and finds that it can be very relaxing, meditative and rewarding. Starting with a blank piece of paper, he begins an outline of his drawing with the lightest color and then slowly adds more colors from lightest to darkest until the full effect is achieved. Layer by layer the depth grows until the colors jump off the paper and the image is complete.

“I’d like to bring a little bit of light into everybody’s world, some what like a song” adds Eric. His work is bright and cheery, inspiring and fun. His paintings are doing just that and showing how a self-taught artist can bring color and inspiration to light.

Visit Verret online at www.ericverret.com and look for him at Austin Art Shows this fall including the Art on the Square in Georgetown.

JoAnna Ordóñez is a local glass artisan and owner of Vidriosa Glassworks. Her work can be found at The Lucky Lizard (412 East 6th Street), and The Oasis Gift Shop (Comanche lane) and Local Art Shows. Visit her online at www.4coolglass.com.

Sculpture in Glass - Bill Meek

Sculpture in Glass

The Mesmerizing art of Bill Meek

By Jo Anna Ordóñez

Driving the through the hill country this time of year is always an adventure and a discovery at every turn. Sparkling, formed and fractured pieces of glass hanging in the trees caught my eye as I drove through Wimberley and found the studio of Glass artist Bill Meek. Meek Studio and Gallery showcases the many works that Bill has created and his most recent works including trees, angels, tables and sculptural pieces that are not only amazing to look at but beautiful in their form.

Meek is a self-taught artist who over 30 years ago began putting his ideas together in fascinating ways and today his work is featured in galleries throughout Texas and the World. “I’m a carpenter and glass artists, so my tools are those of a carpenter, chisels, hammers, glue and more” said Bill. I was amazed at how beautiful each piece was in that it was a puzzle of many different pieces all placed just right to create a gorgeous work.

I found a small butterfly and Bill added, “my work focuses on the beauty and fragile aspects of life, those things we sometimes take for granted”.

Bill had the opportunity to travel the world and now calls Wimberley, Texas home with his wife Valerie. It seems he was always drawn to sculptures and knew that one day he would grow up to become a sculptor. “I’ve always made a living creating with my hands and work most days and into the night,” said Bill. He began his artistic career as a woodworker who tried to incorporate different ideas into his pieces. In the early 1980’s he moved to Houston and began working on with glass etchings and installations. Soon his love of three dimensional and sculptural pieces took over and he started experimenting with broken glass to create one of a kind pieces.

Bill is a glass artist that works in cold glass, not blown glass. He works the glass, grinds, carves, shapes and polishes it until it fits his vision for the work he is creating. “I try to develop my own methods and style so that my look is distinctly my own” adds Bill. This gives Meek the freedom to create very large pieces. His work is in very high demand right now and some of his larger installations include a large glass and steel mobile towering above the lobby of the Wells Fargo Building in Houston and installations at the George Bush Presidential Library.

Bill said, “I am self-taught and have been blessed with having mentors who believed in, inspired, and challenged me. Over the decades, many of them have passed away and I find myself becoming a mentor to others through volunteering in the non profit Arts From The Heart organization in my hometown of Wimberley.”

Bills work can be found at Gallery on the Square (Wimberley, Texas) and at Artworks (Austin). You can visit Bill Meek at his studio and gallery on Ranch Road 12, two miles north of the Wimberley Square. For more information, call 512-847-6768 or visit www.meekgallery.com .

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JoAnna Ordóñez is a local glass artisan and owner of Vidriosa Glassworks. Her work can be found at The Lucky Lizard (412 East 6th Street), Things She Adores (2306 E. Cesar Chavez, Suite 101), The Oasis Gift Shop (Comanche Lane) The Old Mill Store (Wimberley Square) and Local Art Shows. Visit her online at www.4coolglass.com.

Art - Where To Go in ATX

Spring Art Fix
Where to go when you’re looking for Art

By Jo Anna Ordóñez

As nature is in full bloom in the Texas Hill Country, we are blessed with an abundance of magnificent Artists in this area and many places showcasing their works. Here are some suggestions for those days when you might want to get out and enjoy the Art Austin has to offer.

Austin Museum of Art
(AMOA, 823 Congress Avenue , www.amoa.org)

The Austin Museum of Art has two locations in Austin that offer a wide variety of galleries and exhibits showcasing a myriad of art. From contemporary art to educational programs, tours, performances and more, there is always something for every member of the family. They also feature a wonderful assortment of works by local artist in their Gift Shop. The Downtown location offers art for the broad general audience while AMOA-Laguna Gloria a historic look at the beginnings of the museum as well as classes. Visit them today for a great day of learning, exploration, discovery and fun.

Mexic Arte Museum
(419 Congress Avenue, www.mexic-artemuseuminfo.org)

Mexic-Arte Museum is a fine example of Austin’s finest coming together to offer the community a glimpse into Mexican American Fine Art through programs and education. It was founded in 1984 by artist Sylvia Orozco, Sam Coronado and Pio Pulido and today has grown to into a cornerstone of the arts and cultural community in Austin. They hold the high honor of being designated as the Official Mexican and Mexican American Fine Art Museum of Texas by the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas.

With its many programs, artists are showcased and inspired though participating in many outreach projects. Through the summer, there will be several exhibits including Imagining Mexico: Expressions in Popular Culture and Photographs of The Revolution by Agustin Victor Casasola.

La Peña Museum and Art Gallery
(3rd Street & Congress Avenue, www.lapena-austin.org)

Cynthia and Lydia Perez were inspired by the South American custom of community gatherings, known as Pena’s. Traditionally, Pena’s are festivals where local artisans gather to share art, music, poetry and performances. This concept led to their creation of the La Peña gallery in 1981 and along with it a desire to bring about the promotion of artistic expression in the community. La Peña's mission is to support artistic development, to provide exposure to emerging local visual artists, musicians, poets and other performing artists, and to offer Austin residents the full spectrum of traditional and contemporary Latino art.

This gallery has become a cornerstone of cultural life in central Texas.

There are many exhibits throughout the year that feature local artisans and school children, but it is the Toma Mi Corazón Exhibit that brings in several hundred pieces of art that are all auctioned in order to help fund the exhibits and community outreach programs. Visit the Women without Borders Exhibit through April and consider taking a Pastel Class too.

The Benini Foundation and Sculpture Ranch
(Shiloh Road, Johnson City, Texas, www.sculptureranch.com)

On this great weekend getaway just about an hours drive from Central Austin, you will be richly rewarded with a visit to the Benini Foundation and Sculpture Ranch. It’s located 1.2 miles West of Johnson City, just watch for the Steel and Chrome Longhorn Sculpture on the left and you’re almost there. Not only will you see natures bounty in full spectrum of color, you will also be pleasantly surprised by the Art and Sculptures to behold on this beautiful 140-acre display of imagination.



Originally a showcase for the paintings and sculpture of artist Benini, the Sculpture Ranch has evolved into a living work of art and facility that include a Studio Building, Fine Arts Library with Exhibits and Sculptures by Artist from Texas and around the world. A picnic is a must for this ride and there is so much to see. From metal to stone, glass and works of art by Mother Nature, the whole family can enjoy this beautiful site and it’s free!



JoAnna Ordóñez is a local glass artisan and owner of Vidriosa Glassworks. Her work can be found at her Discover Art Attack Studio (701 Goforth Road in Kyle) at The Lucky Lizard (412 East 6th Street), Things She Adores (2306 E. Cesar Chavez, Suite 101), The Oasis Gift Shop (Comanche Lane) The Old Mill Store (Wimberly Square) and Local Art Shows. Visit her online at www.4coolglass.com.