Abilities Expo – Art Spark Texas

Artist Market at Abilities Expo Dallas

April Sullivan — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Look for us at booth #250, showing and selling artwork by Achievement Through the Arts, Jasmine’s Beats, and Jarrad Hamilton Fine Art. Please stop by to learn more about Art Spark Texas and our services for people with disabilities, Veterans, and seniors.

Call for Art: Artist Market – Dallas

April Sullivan — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Call for Art Deadline: October 11, 2021.
Abilities Expo Dallas Artist Market 2021

Abilities Expo has invited Art Spark Texas to host the Artist Market at their event in Dallas. We have been a part of this event for over 10 years in Houston, and are excited to be able to bring the opportunity to our Dallas area artists. We invite artists with disabilities living in the Dallas area to submit a booth proposal for the Artist Market at Abilities Expo 2021 in Dallas, TX.

There is a $25 booth fee due upon acceptance.

Splitting a booth with someone is allowed. 2D and 3D works in all media as well as crafts, literary arts, and CDs of music are eligible. Participants will be chosen by Art Spark Texas based on quality of work, the need to display diverse media, and ability of artist to be present and professional at this full weekend event.

More info about the event can be found at Abilities Expo Dallas

Download Entry Form (.pdf)

Questions? Contact April @ artsparktx.org.

Artist Dee Cay at her booth at Abilities Expo

10 Years of the Artist Market at Abilities Expo Houston

April Sullivan — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 14:53:35 +0000

It’s always the first weekend in August. I pack the car to the brim and head out! Vacation, you ask? A camping trip? No, it’s my annual four-day trip to downtown Houston to run the Artist Market at Abilities Expo Houston. I pack up our set of Pro-Panels, a cash box, the iPad and Square Reader, several receipt books, bubble wrap and bags. Our goal is to sell, sell, and sell more art by Houston area artists with disabilities.

Houston is my hometown, so it’s always fun to go back. I try to squeeze in time with family and friends when I am there, but with this event the best thing to do is tell them to come to me. I’ll be at NRG Center, Hall E, Booth 222 from 11-5 Friday and Saturday and 11-4 on Sundays. If they come, I put them to work! My mom has been a faithful volunteer most years.

Abilities Expo travels all across North America, from Boston, to San Mateo, to New York and Toronto. This event is the place to see the latest in technologies and innovations for accessibility. The vans and cars are always fun to look at, plus the numerous displays of wheelchairs that can do almost anything- raise and lower, ride across sand, who knows what else!

This year will be the 10th Abilities Expo in Houston and we have been there from the beginning. We usually have 6 booths, but this year we have 8 booths featuring some return artists, as well as some new faces. Our ever-faithful Brian Dodd will be back with his paintings. Plus Dee Franklin will return this year with her popular 3-D printed pieces that she turns into collages and jewelry. New this year we have Dee’s son Steven with his custom made dog toys and dog beds. Painters Kelley McClughan, Sarah Coleman, Shirley Konneath, and Jan Huff. Photographer Valerie Tate. And Word search coloring books created and published by Claire Theriot Mestepey. Over 40 varieties!

Abilities Expo Houston is August 2-4, 2019 at the NRG Center, One NRG Park, Houston, TX 77054.
Register for this free event online.

Once you are there, stop by booth 222 to say hello to me (and my mom Diane, and maybe my sister Kacy and my friend Stephanie), and shop the Artist Market for local, unique arts and gift items by artists with disabilities. Click here for more information.

And great news! Abilities Expo will be in Dallas for the first time ever December 13-15, 2019. So watch out for our Dallas artists being featured there. I am going to start recruiting my Aunt Evelyn and my cousins for that one!

April Sullivan

Artist Market at Houston Abilities Expo

Eric Clow — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 16:00:00 +0000

EXPERIENCE CREATIVITY AT THE ARTIST MARKET
The area’s most celebrated artists with disabilities will feature an eclectic mix of original, unforgettable artistry. From paintings, 3-D printed art, jewelry, word search books, gift items, dog items, prints, photography and more. These amazing works will be available for appreciation and purchase. Come to booth 222 to find art by these Houston-based artists:

Brian Dodd – Doddman Gallery
Paintings, Prints and Gift Items featuring his Artwork. Brian Dodd is an autistic adult who has always loved drawing creatures of his imagination.

Dee Franklin – Fabled Collages
2D as wells as 3D printed mixed media pieces, buttons, dolls, jewelry and more.

Steven Franklin – He Trained Me
Dog beds, dog toys, dog art, buttons, greeting cards and mugs all sold to support continued training for Steven’s service dog Zepho.

Jan Huff
Oil paint on canvas in the style of contemporary realism.

Kelley McClughan with Sarah Coleman and Shirley Konneath
Three friends from the Houston Art League’s Healing Arts Program will be displaying their paintings, like Kelley’s whimsical paintings of pigs.

Valerie Tate
Photography

Claire Theriot Mestepey
Words search coloring books created and published by Claire. Over 40 varieties!

Call for Art: Houston Abilities Expo 2019

Eric Clow — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Submission deadline: June 3, 2019*

Abilities Expo has invited Art Spark Texas for the 10th year in a row to host the Artist Market at their event in Houston. Art Spark Texas invites artists with disabilities living in the Houston area to submit a booth proposal for the Artist Market at Abilities Expo 2019 in Houston, TX. There is a $20 entry fee due with the application. If accepted into the show, there is a $25 booth fee. Splitting a booth with someone is allowed.

2D and 3D works in all media as well as crafts, literary arts, and CDs of music are eligible. Participants will be chosen by Art Spark Texas based on quality of work, the need to display diverse media, and ability of artist to be present and professional at this full weekend event.

Please submit the Abilities Expo Houston Entry Form with up to three examples of work to be in the form of digital photographs. The deadline for entry is Monday, June 3, 2019. Those selected will be notified by Monday, July 1, 2019. The Artist Market will be on display during the Abilities Expo from August 2-4, 2019 at NRG Center, 8400 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77054, Hall E.