BIO

Kelly Alison is an American artist primarily working in a rural area in the Texas Panhandle. In 2017 she founded the Contemporary Art Museum Plainview where she is now the Executive Director where she curated the first and the last exhibitions in the three year initiative called BIG ART in small town.

Before moving to Plainview, Alison lived and worked in Houston Texas where she taught art at the Art League of Houston. Alison has shown in over 100 exhibitions including national and international museums, most notably at the Shanghai Art Museum in China, the National Museum of Art in Lima, Peru and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. She has been published in books, catalogs and magazines such as Art in America, Texas Monthly and Town and Country. She was recently featured in the scholarly survey of Houston art by Pete Gershon in his book Collision: The Contemporary Art Scene in Houston 1972-1985 and her work is on permanent exhibition in downtown Houston as part of the Wayfinder project.

Alison was born 1957 and raised in the panhandle town of Plainview, Texas. In the late 70’s, early 80’s at The University of Houston she was one of the students involved with the original Lawndale Art Annex, (Houston’s first alternative space) where she studied under Richard Stout, Gail Stack, John Alexander, and James Surls.

In 1985, Alison was recognized as the youngest artist in “Fresh Paint: The Houston School”, curated by the highly regarded Barbara Rose and writer, co-curator, Susie Kalil. The prestigious exhibition opened at the Fine Arts Museum in Houston, then traveled to New York to the alternative space, PS1.

Two Art in Public Places projects were awarded to Alison, the Lee High School Mural Project and the Wayfinder Project, sponsored by the Downtown Association and the Cultural Arts Council of Houston. Both remain on permanent exhibit in Houston. Alison was also the first Director of the Winter Street Art Studios during its memorable Grand Opening.

During the 1990’s, Alison worked with the “Rubber Art Mob” Wayne Gilbert, Bill Hailey, and Ramzy Telly. At the same time, she was exploring the international and invisible world of collective identities and multiple name performers. She performed in a number of offbeat venues under the names l.knomore or Ima Knomore, Helena in the dadaNetCircus production of www. Faust, Discordia in Jonah and the www.Whale and Y2K with Richie Hubscher and the Easy Credit Theater. During this time, she had a short Residency at Diverse Works with the dada Net Circus.

In 2006, Alison exhibited in the Corpus Christi Art Museum, ” Art Caliente’, The Joe Diaz Collection” and the Arlington Art Museum. In July and August of 2006, Alison traveled to China as part of the exhibition,Houston Contemporary, curated by Christopher Zhu and Gus Kopriva at the Shanghai Art Museum in China. In 2007, Alison exhibited in “Amistad” at the Museo de Nationale in Lima Peru and Trujillo, Peru.

In 2012 and 2014 Alison was the organizer and administrator for Lone Star Explosion, Houston’s International Performance Art Biennale. The events brought in over 50 performance artists from all over the world, some from as far away as South Korea, Chili and Finland. It was widely attended and received a great deal of press.

Recent exhibitions include a 10 Year Retrospective called A Sense of Place at Wayland University and and exhibition called FOURTEEN at The Art Car Museum, Houston, TX. She was part of a group invitational at the Museo de Arte Moderno in Trujillo, Peru, represented by G Contemporary Fine Art in Houston TX and a participated in a recent residency at Box13 Artspace which was named by Houston Press as Houston’s best artists run art space.

Kelly Alison

Born: May 7, 1957

MFA: University of Houston, Houston TX BFA: Baylor University, Waco TX

2017-2021

Founder and Executive Director of Contemporary Art Museum Plainview, Plainview TX 2012-2014
Project Manager for Houston International Performance Art Biennale’, Houston TX 2008-2017
Art Instructor, Art League of Houston, Houston TX

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

2017

Sense of Place: Ten Year Retrospective, Wayland University, Plainview TX

2012

Twist of Fate, Wagner Sousa, Galveston TX
Tweet, Nauhaus Art, Houston TX

2011

Riders on the Storm, Bogan Gallery Houston TX

2009

State of Denial, , Houston TX
Theory of M, , Houston TX

2007

The Spring Collection, David Addicks , Houston

2005

Return From Graceland, 101 Gallery, Houston TX

2003

The Ima Code, Nancy Little John Fine Art, Houston

1995

New Work, Graham Gallery, Houston TX

1990

The Mud Women Loses Her Head, Graham Gallery, Houston

1988

New World, New Wine, Graham Gallery, Houston TX

1987

How Fragile We Are, Graham Gallery, Houston TX

1986

Paintings and Pastels, Graham Gallery, Houston TX

1985

Alison in Wonderland, Graham Gallery, Houston TX

1984

Cutting a New Figure, Newell Gallery, Houston TX

1983

Hogg Wild, Newell Gallery, Houston TX1982

1982

Bird Brain City, 3321 Gallery, Houston TX1981

1981

Who knows No ZE, 3321 Gallery, Houston TX

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2020

Puttin’ on the Dawg, Contemporary Art Museum Plainview, Plainview TX

2012

Fourteen, Women Artist of Texas, Art Car Museum, Houston TX 2012
Gambol, 2nd place Winner, Art League Houston Competition
Trijillo Invitational, Museo’ de Arte, Trijillo Peru

2010

- Smackdown, Houston Dallas, Paxton Moore Fine Art Dal- las TX
- Smackdown Continues, Mighty Fine Arts, Dallas TX
- Debutants Run Wild, Diverse Works, Houston TX
- BCCKT Collaborative Project, Eye Candy, M Squard Gallery, Houston TX
- Pongos Helping Pongos, Artist and Primates Collaborate sponsored by Houston Zoo G Gallery Houston Tx

2009

Collage Williams Tower Gallery, Curated by Sally Sprout Fine Art, Houston TX
Arlington Art Museum, Houston Contemporary

2008

Collage Williams Tower Gallery, Curated by Sally Sprout Fine Art, Houston TX
Texas Twang Seattle WA, Catalog with color photo of work
Arts Initiative, Marf a TX, Catalog with color photo of
Ulterior Motif s # 10, Crazywood Gallery, Huntsville TX, catalog with color photo of
The Most Beautiful Art in The World, curated by Curry Glassel, Francisco and Wayne Gilbert,GGallery Houston, TX
Ladies Night Out, Ike Recovery Project, Houston TX 2007
Ulterior Motif s k.a. Camp Marf a”, Crazywood Gallery, Huntsville, Texas. Curated by Wayne Gilbert and Jef frey Wheeler. *Catalog (illustrated)

Camp Marf a”, The Art Depot in Lubbock, Curated by Wayne Gilbert. *Catalog (illustrated)
AMISTAD Texas Art in Peru”, Museum of Modern Art (Museo de Arte Moderno) in LIM, Curated by Gus Kopriva. *Catalog (illustrated)
Camp Marf a, Fort Russell Building, Marf a, Curated by Wayne Gilbert. *Catalog (illustrated)
Houston City Hall Annex Art on Loan Show, Houston, Cu- rated by Karen Rezai and Gus Kopriva 2006

2006

HOUSTON CONTEMPORARY, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai China, curated by Christopher Wu, catalog (illustrated)

2005

Art Caliente’, Joe Diaz Collection, Corpus Christi Art Museum, Corpus Christi, TX
Line, Drawing Show, 101 Gallery, Houston TX

2000

AIDS Foundation Gala, Art Scan, Houston TX
Rear Entry, Rubber Art Mob, CSAW, Houston TX

1999

Size Matters, Rubber Art Mob, Nancy Littlejohn Fine Art, Grand Opening, Houston TX
The Goths and Gawkers Ball, TemplO, Houston, TX

1998

Rubber an Art Mob, Holy 8 Ball Gallery, Austin TX
Rubber an Art Mob, Austin Art Alliance, Austin TX

1997

Origin of Chill as Director of Winter Street Art Center, Houston TX
Stretch Marks, Rubber Arts Group, CSAW, Public News Review by Catherine Anspon 1995
Figurative Dynamics, Art League of Houston, catalog with color photo of work, curated by Jana Van DerLee, Houston TX

1994

Lawndale Live, Lawndale Arts and Performance Center, Houston TX1992
Conscience and Content, The Art League of Houston, Houston TX 1987
Blood Ties and Other Knotty Issues, Diverse Works, curated by Gail Siptak, Houston TX1988
DIFFA Chair Exhibit, One Allen Center, Houston TX1985
Fresh Paint, The Houston School, PS1, curated by Barbara Rose and Susie Kalil, New York, New York Exhibition Catalog with color pho- tos of work
Fresh Paint, The Houston School, The Museum of Fine Arts, curated by BaKalil, traveling, Museum of Fine Art, Houston TX

1984

Some Houston Artist, Hyatt Regnecy Hotel, Houston Tx, catalog1983
Thirteen Artist, A Look at Houston, Curated by James Surls, Georgia State
Alliance Show, Lawndale Annex, Houston, Texas Heart of Hearts, Newell Gallery, Houston,Texas

1982

An Event, Curated by Charmagne Locke, Lawndale Annex, Houston TX
The Dream Show, Daughtery Arts Center, Austin, TX
221 Gallery Retrospective, 3221 Milam, Houston TX 1981
Five UNimportant Modern Artist, 3321 Gallery, Houston TX Drawing Invitational, Lawndale Annex,

Houston

1980

From Lawndale, Four Painters, Lawndale Annex, Houston TX1979
Pow Wow, the FIRST show at the original Lawndale Annex, Houston TX Brothers and Sisters, Lawndale Annex, Houston TX

PERFORMANCE ART

2001

Nomer does Photography, CSAW, Houston TX Patient Zero, AIDS Foundation GALA, Art Scan, Houston TX

2000

Nomer does Portraits, Rear Entry, Rubber Art Mob, Houston TX
Jonah and the Whale, dadaNetCircus and the Easy Credit Thea- ter @Diverse Works, artist in residence grant, Houston

1999

Y2K, Richie Hubscher and the Easy Credit Theater, Notsuo H, (ran f or several weeks) Houston TX
Hoar, Size Matters, Nancy Littlejohn Fine Art, Grand Opening, Hous- ton TX
Disf unctional Family Circus, Art Car Parade Perf ormance with Nestor Topchy and TemplO, f irst place f orperf ormance, Houston TX
The Goth and Gawkers Ball, chairman, TemplO, Houston TX
Statue of Liberty Whip, Indepen DANCE Day, TemplO, Houston TX One AX, TemplO, Houston TX

1998

Pumpkin, Rubber (An Art Mob), Holy 8 Ball Gallery, Austin TX
Poles, Rubber (An Art Mob), Austin Art Alliance, Austin TX

Pixil Bus as Discordia, dadaNetCircus and Easy Credit Theater, Art Crawl, Houston TX
One AX, TemplO, Houston TX
The Blessing Mobile, Art Car parade with Nestor Topchy and Tem- plO, Houston TX
DadaNet Circus at the Suits Project Gala, Art Guys, Rice Hotel, Houston TX

1997

FAUST, dadaNetCircus, TemplO, Houston TX
FAUST, dadaNetCircus CSAW, Houston TX 1982
- Anthony Braxton’s Composition 102 f or Orchestra and Thea- tre, Lawndale Puppet Annex, Houston

TX 1981

Overman, Kelly Alison, 3321 Gallery, Houston, TX

GRANTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS

2017-2021

Numerous grants from Community Foundation of West Texas for the formation of the Contemporary Art Museum Plainview

2014

Project Manager f or City of Houston’s Mayors Initiative Grant f unding Houston’s International Performance Art Biennale Lone Star Explosion

.2012

Project Manager f or City of Houston’s Mayors Initiative Grant f unding Houston’s International Performance Art Biennale Lone Star Explosion

2007

Art in Public Places Rail Project, Houston Metro Rail System 2005
Wayf inder Project, downtown Houston sinage Art in Public Places. First On permanent exhibit in Houston

2000

Jonah and the Whale, artist in residence grant, Diverse Works, Houston TX 1998
 Director of Winter Streeet Art Center

1995

The Hugger Mugger, an unruly newsletter, six issues
The Lee High School Mural, 30′x90′ in conjunction with Lawndale, Houston

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Catalogs and Books:

2020

Collision: The Contemporary Art Scene in Houston 1972-1985 by Pete Gershon 2007
Amistad, National Museum of Art, Lima Peru
Ulterior Motifs, Arlington Art Museum
Camp Marfa, Marfa Tx 2006
Houston Contemporary, Exhibition in Shanghai Art Museum Book

2005

Arte Caliente Catalog! Corpus Christi Art Museum, Corpus Christi Texas
James Surls: The Splendora Years, 1977-1997, Blaffler Gallery, University of Houston, Houston Texas

1995

Figurative Dynamics, The Art League of Houston, curated by Jana Van-derlee, 1994
Lawndale Live, Lawndale Arts and Performance Center, 1986
Fresh Paint, The Houston School Exhibition Catalog, Museum of Fine Arts, curated by Barbara Rose and Susie Kalil

Public Media & Television

2019

KBLK Lubbock News
PBS documentary on Contemporary Art Museum Plainview 1997
dadaNet Circus, ABC NEWS and KTRK local
El Mundo, Winter Street Art Center 1995
The Mural Project, Live at Five, CBS news, Interview Channel 48, 1990
Mural Project Interview KHOU, Houston Texas

1985

 Documentary on Fresh Paint in conjunction with the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and PBS

Other Selected Magazines and Newspapers:

2008

Kelly Alison’s Neo-Expressionist Work opens at G Gallery, River Oaks Examiner 2006
Zhu, Christopher, “American Contemporary Art from Houston”, Journal of Suzhou Art and DesignTechnology Institute, Septem-ber 2006 issue, pages 47-52. (illustrated)

Houston Art in Shanghai”, a documentary of “Houston Con-temporary Art”, directed by Christopher Zhu, co-produced by TV station of Minhang District, Shanghai, and Jacob Video Studio, 08-18-2006.
Liu Jingjing, “Houston in Two Seconds – in Retrospective of Hous-ton Contemporary Art”, Art World, Panorama (September, 2006), pages 64-69.
Anspon, Catherine , “China syndrome: Houston artists Shang-haied”, Paper City, October 2006, page 71.(illustrated)
Celestino, Magdalen, “Houston Contemporary Art in Shanghai”, Glass-tire September 2006 1989
Big Spotlight on Houston May be Too Bright, Patricia Johnson, Hous-ton Chronicle, 9 1988
Kelly Alison “Critics Choice”, Chadwick, The Houston Post, April `5,1988

1987

Art Capital of the Third Coast, Art in America, Gambrell, Jamey April 1987 1986
Critics’ Choice, The Houston Post, p 9H, June 22, Susan Chadwick,
The Talk of the Town, Eveningham, The Houston Post
Alison shows Clarit”, Johnson, The Houston Chronicle
Aftereffects Eveningham, The Houston Post

1985

Fresh Paint, The Houston Barbara Rose, catalog 2 color photos plus interview
An Interview with Barbara Rose”, Artspace, Winter 1984-85, 8 color photo, p. 11
Persistent Vigor, Texas Monthly, Michael Ennis, pp 152-158, March 1985, color photo
Reginal Revisions, Houston and Chicago”, Art in America, 90-99, July 1985
Fresh Paint, The Houston School, Susie, Kalil

Ultra Magazine, color photo of artist and work, milk blood, 57
The Houston School Local Talent”, Mel McCombie, Houston Chronicle inset, several photos p 14,
The Houston School, Houston Post, photo of work, Carol Eveingham, Talk of the Town, , Houston Chronicle, April 7, 1985
Personal Space, Texas Monthly, Michael Ennis, August 1983 st Statements Welcome to the World of ArtisticDreams, Aus-tin American Statesman, July 25, `
Art, Artscene, January/February
Art Works at Lawndale”, Mimi Crossley, The Houston Post, February January 1985
The Chicago Tribune, Artist Kelly Alison, Trading Easy for Ab-stract, Leigh Hopper-
Dallas Morning News” from: Lee, Kelly Alison, full page story that was picked up on the wire from:Trading Easy for Ab-stract, Leigh Hopper
Kelly Alison calls Brazoria Home”, Leigh HopperBrazosport News, Lake Jackson TX
The Houston School” color photo of work, Aftereffects, Carol Everingham “Houston Spotlight” Johnson, photo, Houston Chronicle
Fresh Paint Insert, supplement, January 20, 1985, Houston Chronicle
Houston School Supplement, The HoustonPost,
The Magazine, January 20, color photo PBS – Channel 8 and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Jankowski, Patrick,
Fresh Paint, The Housotn School, pp 25-29 Fresh Paint, If it represented the Houston School, someone is playing Hookey
Artist Statements Welcome to the World of Artistic Dreams, Aus-tin American Statesman, July 25, `
Art, Artscene, January/February
Art Works at Lawndale, Mimi Crossley, The Houston Post, Feb-ruary January1985
The Chicago Tribune, Artist Kelly Alison, Trading Easy for Abstract, Leigh Hopper-
Dallas Morning News” from: Lee, Kelly Alison, full page story that was picked up on the wire from:Trading Easy for Abstract, Leigh Hopper
Kelly Alison calls Brazoria Home”, Leigh Hoppe rBrazosport News, Lake Jackson TX
The Houston School” color photo of work, Aftereffects, Carol Everingham “Houston Spotlight” Johnson, photo, Houston Chroni-cle
Fresh Paint Insert, supplement, January 20, 1985, Houston Chronicle
Houston School Supplement, The HoustonPost,
The Magazine, January 20, color photo PBS – Channel 8 and the Mu-seum of Fine Arts, Houston, Jankowski, Patrick,
Fresh Paint, The Housotn School, pp 25-29 Fresh Paint, If it represented the Houston School, someone is playing Hookey