In Light of Conversations with Russell Lee
An Exhibition and Talk Series by Alan Pogue
Exhibition dates: January 4 to January 31, 2026
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In 1976, Russell Lee’s fine art photography class was booked three years in advance. Rather than wait, I sought him out during office hours and began what became a ten-year conversation about photography. Lee encouraged me to study Ansel Adams’s The Camera, The Negative, and The Print, and to continue documenting farmworkers, prisons, and everyday life in Texas, subjects he himself had photographed decades earlier.
Through our meetings, Lee taught me to look beyond surface beauty and focus on context, content, and character. His lessons were rarely spoken directly, but conveyed through quiet observation and response. From him, I learned that a photograph must reveal more than form. It must show that the photographer truly sees. Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Opening Reception and First Talk Ten Years of Discussing Photographs with Russell Lee Join us for the opening reception and an introductory talk, followed by an informal gathering with scotch on the rocks. Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. My Path in Photography: Documenting Movements for Social Justice Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Demonstration of Photographic Printmaking Sunday, January 25, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. The Economics of Aesthetics: Reality Versus Artifice (How I Cornered the Market in Impoverished 501(c)(3)s) |
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Toma Mi Corazón XXXIV (34)
La Peña's Annual FundraiserCall for Submissions: Join Toma Mi Corazón 2026! We are excited to announce that our annual community art exhibit, Toma Mi Corazón, is just around the corner, and we invite all local artists to participate in this wonderful opportunity and fundraiser. Toma Mi Corazón XXXIV (34) Saturday, February 7, 2026 We thank you for supporting La Pena’s Art and Educational Programs by participating in this annual event. La Pena Latino Arts Organization 227 Congress Ave. (512)477-6007 Please E-mail [email protected] with questions regarding Toma Mi Corazon 2026 |
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La Peña Día de los Muertos Exhibit and Altares
Recordando y celebrando a los que han pasado Remembering Those Who Have Passed Exhibit Dates: October 25 – November 30, 2025 Altar Honoring Flaco Jimenez & Other Tejano Musicians by Humberto Delgado This annual exhibition honors the rich cultural traditions of Día de los Muertos through art that celebrates memory, ancestry, and the continuity of life. Participating artists will present works inspired by this beloved Mexican holiday and by the legacy of printer and cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada, whose iconic skeletal figures offered both humor and social commentary on his times. Curated by Dolores Garcia, the exhibition invites the community to reflect, remember, and celebrate those who have passed through the powerful lens of contemporary art. As part of the Austin Studio Tour, the exhibit will be open for two full weekends--November 8–9 and November 15–16—offering visitors an extended opportunity to experience the show and engage with Austin’s vibrant art community. |
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La Peña Día de los Muertos Exhibit and Altares
Recordando y celebrando a los que han pasado Remembering Those Who Have Passed Austin Studio Tour: November 8-9 & 15-16, 2025 | 12:00–6:00 p.m. As part of the Austin Studio Tour, the exhibit will be open for two full weekends--November 8–9 and November 15–16—offering visitors an extended opportunity to experience the show and engage with Austin’s vibrant art community. Participating Artists: Alondra Acosta, Jayehl “Jay” Aguero, JC Amorrortu, Kimberly Bishop, Ana Borne, Chloe Canales, Cecilia Colomé, Humberto Delgado, Courtney Enriquez, Sandra C. Fernandez, Rebel Fitz, Angela Azucena Garcia, Azucena Suzy Garcia, Ilza J. García, Mary Jane Garza, Naxieli Gomez, Luis Guerra, Luis Gutierrez, Dr. Osa Hidalgo de la Riva, Charles T. Jones , Laura Atlas Kravitz, Esmeralda C. Lopez, J. Salvador Lopez, Carlos Lowry, Yleana Martinez, Fernando Muñoz, Anna Salinas, Cecilia Sanchez-Duarte, Liliana Wilson and Jaime “GERMS” Zacarias. |
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The Photography of Gilberto Cárdenas
Gilberto Cardenas has spent his life advancing Latino art and culture as a scholar, philanthropist, and collector. At the University of Texas at Austin, and later at the University of Notre Dame, where he founded the Institute for Latino Studies and the Notre Dame Center For Arts and Culture, he became one of the nation’s leading voices in the sociology of the Mexican American Experience. His research and teaching illuminated the struggles and triumphs of immigration, labor, identity, and community, shaping generations of students and expanding the presence of Latino studies in American higher education. Beyond academia, he has served in foundational roles with the Smithsonian Latino Center, MALDEF, Self Help Graphics, Galeria Sin Fronteras, Latino USA! and many other institutions, championing equity and access while amplifying underrepresented voices. At the same time, he built one of the most significant collections of Latino art in the nation, placing countless works in museums and institutions to ensure that future generations encounter the depth and brilliance of these communities. Throughout this tireless journey, Gil carried his camera. For more than sixty years he turned his lens toward the people and places that shaped him—friends and family, artists and elders, landscapes and city streets, the everyday and the extraordinary—capturing moments that speak to the human experience. Moments of love, creation, celebration, struggle, and reflection. All with their own unique beauty. These photographs hold memory against forgetting; they honor tales that might have slipped away if not for a still frame. They reveal not just what Gil saw, but how he wished the world to be remembered. Curated by Joshua Xernandez Curatorial support: Dolores García and Isabella Duarte. |
Pressed Into Time: Ecos de la Memoria
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Loteria: The Art of Courtney Enriquez
Exhibition dates: July 1- July 31, 2025 “My work is inspired by cultural, spiritual and lifetime memories and experiences. I am known for my love of Mexican Loteria, which is full of color and cultural symbols. This century old game, a household staple with families of Mexican ancestry, has inspired families to gather, enriching relationships and building community bonds. My passion for vibrant color, creating and Christ is what I aspire to share in my artwork. I am diversifying my color palette in murals, paintings, upcycling and crafting.” Courtney Enriquez is the recipient of the 2025 ESB-MACC Award of Excellence: Emerging Artist in Austin, Texas. |
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ARTEMIS: From Combat to Art
A COLLECTIVE EXHIBIT OF VETERAN WOMEN ARTISTS Exhibition dates: June 18-29, 2025 Artists: Joy (Acacia) Anderson, Juanita Gotts, Shirley Ann Riley, and Denise Knebel. Founded by Pamela Ellen Ferguson, Dr Kimberly Layne, and Annie McMillin. The Artemis Project: Named after the Greek Goddess of Health and Vigor, the Artemis Project is an informal peer group of women veteran artists and those in active service exploring their “inner artist”, especially as a way of processing experiences of trauma and post-traumatic stress (PTSS/PTSD) unique to women in the military. Described as “non-therapy therapy”, the Artemis Group has staged Austin exhibitions at the Samaritan Center, the UU church on Grover Ave, the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest, and at the Carver Museum, since 2014. |
OPENING RECEPTION
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
Postcards of Hope
A collection of images and words by Fernando Muñoz Returning to Austin after four years abroad, Fernando Muñoz shares a new series of artworks, each paired with a short poem or note—a small letter of hope. In a time when we’re all seeking light, connection, and resilience, these visual postcards offer quiet moments of reflection and warmth. Through the gentle pairing of image and text, Postcards of Hope is a reminder that even the simplest messages can carry us forward. Chilean artist Fernando Muñoz began his creative journey in 2013, motivated to produce meaningful work. As a self-taught artist, he explores drawing, printmaking, ceramics, photography, and poetry, drawing inspiration from his experiences in Chile, Oregon, Texas, and Lisbon. |
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OFRENDAS A REUNION:
SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2025 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. An evening of conversation and readings by Mary Sue Galindo, María S. Limón, and Jesse James Johnson. Forty years ago, these three writers—who met as students at UT Austin—published a chapbook of poems, Merienda Tejana (1985). Their reunion, along with the release of a second handmade chapbook, Tres Voces, is a tribute to their resilience, their love of words, and the strength of their friendship. |
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OPENING RECEPTION:
SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2025 4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. Exhibition dates: March 8 - 28, 2025. This exhibit creates an artistic space led by women engaged in creative activities with artistic expressions reflecting unique viewpoints and cultural enlightenment. This exhibition is dedicated to Alice Kleberg Reynolds and the support provided through the years by her foundation. Participating Artists: Alejandra Almuelle, Ana Borne, Ana Campos, Chloe Canales, Pierce L. Cedillo, Cecilia Colomé, Rita Maria Contreras, Courtney Enriquez, Sandra Fernández, Azucena “Suzy” Garcia, Scherezade Garcia-Vazquez, Mary Jane Garza, Marsha Gomez, Naxieli Gomez, Maribel Hambric, Amara Y. Lopez, Esmeralda C. Lopez-Renta, Kelly Daniela Norris, Rachel Salcido, Cecilia Sanchez Duarte, Liliana Wilson & Terry Ybañez. Curated by Dolores García |
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS: CELEBRANDO LA VIDA
A COLLECTIVE EXHIBITION AND ALTARES La Peña commemorates the annual Día de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead with a group exhibition of artwork and traditional altares (altars). This vibrant celebration honors the lives of loved ones who have passed, embracing death as a part of the cycle of life and memory. This year Día de Los Muertos is dedicated to Lucy Orta and Eddie Canales. |
Opening Reception:
Saturday, October 26, 2024 4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. Exhibition dates: October 7, 2024 - November 15, 2024 PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: Participating Artists: Alejandra Almuelle, J.C. Amorrortu, Rene Arceo, Ana Borne, Cecilia Colomé, Nicolás De Jesús, Humberto “Beto” Delgado, Felipe Ehrenberg, Courtney Enriquez, Mery Godigna-Collet, Naxieli Gómez, Luis Guerra, Luis R. Gutiérrez, Esmeralda C. López, J. Salvador López, Carlos Lowry, Julio Martinez, Yleana Martínez, Malaquias Montoya, Fernando Muñoz, Eduardo Oropeza, Pamela Sanchez, Cecilia Sánchez Duarte, Patssi Valdez, Liliana Wilson, Jaime “GERMS” Zacarias. Additional artworks from the Jill Ramirez – Serie Project, and the Gilberto Cárdenas and Dolores García collection. Curated by Dolores García |