Art Con X!

More about Art Conspiracy:

Art Conspiracy was formed to create awareness for the arts, and to bring artists and musicians together to “conspire” for the benefit of the local arts scene.
The 2005 Art Conspiracy event, the first of its kind, was held at the historic Texas Theater in Oak Cliff, where Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested shortly after President John F. Kennedy was shot. JFK-oriented conspiracy theories are intertwined in modern Dallas life. The name, Art Conspiracy, acknowledges this and also highlights the positive impact conspiracies can bring about.

Mission: Art Conspiracy is a nonprofit community that conspires to bring artists and musicians together, raise funds, and activate awareness for regional creative programs and causes.  

Vision: To be an altruistic friend, resource, and platform for the regional creative community

I walked into the warehouse on creation day armed with coffee and my trusty Sakura Permapaque markers. They are definitely by go-to markers when working on wood or canvas.

Like last year, I really had no plan and just went with the flow. Winging it seems to give me a far more superior outcome than extensive planning for some reason.

My finished piece! Due to having way too much fun and shenanigans with other artists, this took me far longer than last year. Haha.

There is nothing quite like being part of Art Con. Crossing my fingers that I'll be chosen again next year!

P.S. My partner in crime was amazing and filmed my portion of the auction. You can watch below!

Upcoming Fall Shows!

I've been on a bit of a show hiatus due to my busy grad school schedule, so I am especially excited to jump back into things with these two fun events!

I'll be joining 150+ artists to create original art to be auctioned off for a local non-profit beneficiary on November 15th as part of Art Con X! This will be my second time to be part of Art Con! Art Con auctions boast live music, food trucks, drinks, and high energy auctioneers. It's definitely an event like no other. You can view a list of all the chosen artists here!

Ticket info/RSVP here!

Art Conspiracy is turning 10 this year and pulling out all the stops in celebration. Art Con X, the tenth anniversary of its annual fundraising event, will feature the work of more than 150+ artists. Rather than donating old, unsold inventory, Art Con artists gather at the venue to create original artwork on Art Con’s signature 18 x 18 boards in a single day. Each piece is auctioned LIVE at Art Con X with bids starting at $20. Proceeds to benefit Art Con 2014 beneficiary Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico.

“Art Con X is a milestone for the artist community in Dallas,” said Art Conspiracy Executive Director Erica Felicella. “After 10 years of promoting art and music and community in Dallas, we are still going strong and growing. We have raised more than $250,000 to support the arts in our community so far. We cannot wait to see how much money we can raise for Ballet Folklorico this year. It’s our patrons who allow us to give back.”

The mission of Art Conspiracy is to inspire Dallas’ art and music scenes to join forces for the benefit of local non-profit arts organizations. Non-profits with an annual budget of less than $400,000 and that offer creative programming in the form of art or music that gives back to youth, families, and citizens within the Dallas DFW city limits are considered to be chosen as Art Conspiracy’s annual beneficiaries.

I am so excited to be one of ten local artisans hand-picked for Cykochik's Annual Chiks Night Out Pop-Up Shop! It'll take place on November 22nd at Kettle Art Gallery in Deep Ellum in downtown Dallas. I'll have many new inky offerings, including never before offered prints of pieces from my solo show, Night Flora.

Not only will there be a wide array of shopping goodies, but there will also be live music, sips, bites, and the event will coincide with the closing of the DEEP: Expressions of the Feminine Aura Exhibition at Kettle Art. As always, Chiks Night Out is a free event!

More info/RSVP here.

1 Warehouse + 150 Artists + 1 Beneficiary = Art Con 9!

On November 9th, I joined 150+ artists in an urban warehouse on Singleton to create an original piece on an 18x18" plywood board. The chilly Fall air, limitless environment, and studious artists all around me immediately shifted me into high gear. Knowing that I was creating for such a worthy cause made the whole experience that much more fulfilling. The pieces would be auctioned off for charity in a high energy auction a week later.

Creation day! This took me about 4 hours.

Art Conspiracy, known for their street-level philanthropy, is a forerunner in the Dallas community. For the last 8 years, they've hosted Art Con, a high energy live art auction whose proceeds benefit a chosen local non-profit.

This year's beneficiary was My Possibilities!

My Possibilities is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving adults with disabilities (including Autism, Down Syndrome, Aspergers, Prader-Willi, and head injuries). The organization is the first full day, full year continuing education program in DFW for Texans with disabilities that have “aged out” of secondary education, and is considered a leader in the local community and throughout North Texas for meeting the needs of adults with special needs.

The pieces were auctioned off for charity in a high energy auction on November 16th. See my piece being auctioned off below!

You can see the Dallas Observer's 11 Best Photos from Art Con 9 here.

The whole experience was just as special as past participants had described. I hope to have the opportunity to do it all again next year!

November Shows, galore!

This Fall has been insanely busy on the art front! I have several events in November that I am extremely excited about. Mark your calendars! :)

11/01
Art & Coffee: Dia De Los Muertos Edition
BUZZBREWS Kitchen & Bar in Deep Ellum, Dallas
FB event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1416147915280539

11/02
Cykochik presents: Chiks Night Out Holiday Pop-Up Shop
Evol Society (Shops at Park Lane), Dallas
FB event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/532421953501352

11/15
Pancakes & Booze Art Show
The Quixotic World, Deep Ellum, Dallas
FB event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/549056655153109

11/16
Art Conspiracy presents: Art Con 9
500 Singleton Blvd. Dallas
FB event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/547356605336289/