Second Saturday. July 11.

Lotus Gallery at Nydia’s Yoga Therapy 4680 Lockhill-Selma. Where? Hidden in this wall that stretches for a dozen miles? Thanks Goggle Maps. Nothing refreshes like a drive all the way out to Lockhill-Selma and Huebner at 6 o’clock, driving up and down Lockhill-Selma for miles, and finding that the block numbers jump from 3800 to 11300. Seriously, if anyone knows how to unlock the door to the other dimension and find this place I’d like to know.

Meanwhile back in the real San Antonio, Fishead Design Studio and Microgallery exhibits digitally modified photos from Phillip Luna and Danielle Cunningham. These are colorful images incorporating graffiti, text, the Lord, and the Virgin artfully hung in this truly micro space.

Phillip Luna and Danielle Cunningham

FL!GHT Gallery presents a group show featuring works that all bring a smile to your face. Derek Allan Brown’s small stereoscope photos are a hit with viewers. These inventive works portray local characters and their haunts (HEB freezer isle and a flea market booth) in 3-D. The antique parlor trick of stereo-optics coupled with Brown’s simple photos make for a successful series of pieces. Andy Benavides presents a comforting reminder nestled in nostalgia. A small music box attached to the front of the projection screen plays a gentle melody. Kerri Coar’s reference to art making points to a clever, self-effacing wit. Jung Hee Mun’s two pieces of swirling colors intertwined with figures look like the beginning of a project that should be pursued and refined. These motifs deserve further exploration and the brush work could use some sharpening. I think these would deliver a greater impact if they were on a larger scale.

Jung Hee Mun

Andy Benavides

Kerri CoarDerek Allan Brown

At first glance, Ruth Buentello’s series of paintings at 1906 Gallery seem to have a very strong Kehinde Wiley influence. Like Wiley, Buentello is portraying historically excluded figures on an embellished background. But unlike Wiley, Buentello’s portraits are heartfelt and telling of their subjects.

Ruth Buentello

Carlos Hernandez fills the SMART Art Project Space with graphics of Day of the Dead rock stars. Rock goes San Anto. Frankly these are a little silly and a kind of sloppy.

Carlos Hernandez

Lone Star Studios features a group exercise in quality craftsmanship. Carlos Don Juan shows some admirable contemporary portraiture.

Carlos Don Juan

At Gallista Gallery, Alejandro Padilla’s abstract compositions range from being too symmetrical to just poorly constructed. For me, these examples of pure design are too shallow to be engaging as fine art. These would a make a great album cover.

Alejandro Padilla

Marcus Rubio and the Gospel Chior of Pillows end the night’s festivities on a high note.

all photos Jeremiah Teutsch