Art Display

Amanda Schilling
Archival Pigment Print / 40x40 inches / 2018

Texas native, Amanda Schilling '19, created this photographic series to investigate the female desire for perfection in a culture where the mass-media and social media alike tell women that perfection is the norm. For this series, she photographed bits of detritus found around her house. These relatively tiny imperfections are intentionally photgraphed out of focus and blown up out of proportion to speak to the idea of feeling small and out of control in the male-dominated and make-over obsessed world we live in.

Samiria Percival
Photography / 13 feet

Percival is currently an MFA candidate in the University of Houston graphic design program. She graduated as the first woman to receive her Bachelor of Science in Digital Media Arts at Prairie View A&M University in 2018. In her piece, Risk Management, the color bar represents both the comfort and risks associated with different African American hairstyles. Green represents the positive, “low risk” hairstyles, while red represents lower comfort, “high risk.”

Marky Dewhirst
(from left to right) Oil on Canvas / 60x36 inches / 2020
72x60 inches / 2021
60x36 inches / 2020

Houston based artist, Marky Dewhirst, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, and is currently pursuing an MFA in painting at the University of Houston. Previously she has studied at the Glassell School of Art, the New York Studio School of Art, and the Vermont Studio Center. Initially a sculpting major, Dewhirst transitioned to painting and now focuses on the psychological qualities of images conveyed through painting, drawing, and collage. In the past, her work has been displayed at the Blaffer Art Museum and various exhibitions across Houston.

Hyun Park
Acrylic on canvas / 40x56 inches / 2018

University of Houston BFA recipient and MFA graduate student Hyun Park captured everday objects—objects that are overlooked despite the presence in their daily life that intrigues them. The artist seeks abstract qualities within common objects to show the coexistence of abstract and non-abstract.

Emily S. Chambers
Black and white / Silver gelatin / 39.5x44 inches / 2017

"In Plain Sight is a body of portraits of people whom I believe to be in plain sight of those whom they serve at the University of Houston. Over the course of my time as a student at the University of Houston, I gained a guardian angel, who shall remain nameless, who always looked over to me to make sure I was doing okay..." Read the full description of this art piece in the Student Centers.

Hyun Park
Acrylic on canvas / 45x40 inches / 2018

University of Houston BFA recipient and MFA graduate student Hyun Park captured everday objects—objects that are overlooked despite the presence in their daily life that intrigues them. The artist seeks abstract qualities within common objects to show the coexistence of abstract and non-abstract.

GONZO247
Spray paint on plexi glass / 6x6 feet / 2019

This piece, by well-known Houston-native graffti artist GONZO247, was created during 2019’s Frontier Fiesta at AMCAP’s tent. He is a self-taught artist with 25 years under his belt and has produced some of Houston’s iconic murals.

Elizabeth Gates
Acrylic on canvas / 40 x 30 inches / 2019

Elizabeth brings the tenacity that served her well as a single mother to the artistic conversation regarding women’s roles in the home and the workplace. She uses paint, needlework, collage, and mundane household objects to explore the push and pull of what it means to be a modern American woman who loves to sew, to cook, to hold babies, but who also rages against being relegated to sewing, cooking and holding babies through societal expectations. Her work mixes her love of domesticity, home, and hearth with her fierce determination to live life on her own terms.

Charis Ammon
Oil on canvas / 80 x 96 inches / 2018

The artist received her Master’s from the University of Houston in 2018 and had a show at the Blaffer Art Gallery before graduating and moving to New York City. This piece was based on a photograph the artist took on her way to see the 2017 solar eclipse.

L. Rose Stern

​Bouquet For the Decision Makers (Left) 2017

Bouquet For the Ex-Lovers (Right) 2016

L. Rose Stern received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin, and her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Houston. Primarily a painter, Rose also works in a variety of media, including oils, water colors and acrylics. In addition, she creates 3D sculptures pieces with metal, found objects and organic materials. These 2 pieces were from a larger project that she exhibited at the 2017 MFA Show at the Blaffer Art Gallery.

Acrylic on canvas/ 36 x 48 inches / 2018

A collaboration piece by UH students and staff to express their gratitude and appreciation for the Student Centers. In 2018, we celebrated our 50th year of service in conjunction with our annual “I <3 My Student Centers” event. The retro design was inspired by 60’s pop-culture; the decade in which the Student Centers, then known as the University Center, first opened. We would like to thank all of the UH community who participated in creating this piece, and who have helped the Student Centers continue its mission to further student success over the past 50 years.

Heather Bause
Latex,drapes and thread / 12 x 10 feet / 2016

Originally from Englewood, New Jersey, Heather Bause was raised in Houston, TX and earned both her BFA and MFA in Painting from the University of Houston. Her exhibitions include, among others, “Hard Tension/Soft Surface” at Projects Gallery, University of Houston School of Art and “The Stanford-Binet” at Darke Gallery, Houston. Her work has been included in group shows at McClain Gallery, Zoya Tommy, Gallery Homeland and the Blaffer Museum. She divides her time between Houston and New York City.

In My Heart There Is No Longer Sorrow, Latex stained on bed sheets, drapes and sewn with thread, 2016, 12 feet by 10 feet.

Vinyl on wall, Photos on acrylic

This timeline tells the history of the Student Centers in linear form. It spans decades from the 1940’s to present. Celebrating the rich history of UH’s Student Centers, the timeline highlights construction and early use, student activities, political and social activism on campus and continuous support of student life.

Ruben Reyna and Mario Gonzalas
Acrylic on vinyl 8 x 50 feet / 1973

The University’s iconic Chicano Mural to celebrate Mexican-American culture on campus. The painting depicts the progression of the Chicano movement through images of Aztecs, farmers and historical figures. It also includes an image of people calling out for change.

Vinyl on glass

A “word cloud” lines the windowed wall above the monumental stairway is the epitome of the student-inspired face-lift. Students from the UH Policy Board chose 90 words to describe the University of Houston experience.

Aaron Parazette
Acrylic on canvas / 2014

Houston artist and UH professor Aaron Parazette created this mural in conjunction with the building’s extensive renovation. Free Drive is done with a cooler range, drawing on the sensory experience of water.

Aaron Parazette
Acrylic on wall / 2014

Houston artist Aaron Parazette created these murals in conjunction with the building's extensive renovation. "Remembering Next Summer" has a warm pallet intended to reference the long days of sun and leisure. The smaller mural, which is done with a cool color range, drawing on the sensory experience of water.

UH School of Art, Masters of Fine Arts Graphic Design Students

This Student Centers installation was created by UH School of Arts MFA Graphic Design students as part of their class project to share sustainability facts about the Student Centers and to transform a hallway into an interactive space. Materials used: 80 aluminum cans and 10 plastic bottles were recycled for this project to remind us of the small changes which can make big differences.

UH School of Art, Masters of Fine Arts Graphic Design Students

The new Student Centers installation was created by UH School of Arts MFA Graphic Design students as part of their class project to share how to build more inclusive spaces.

The Student Centers hosted Latino Art Now! throughout April 2019, showcasing art pieces from some of the most internationally recognizable names in Latino/a/x visual art. In addition to the temporary exhibit, the LAN conference also took place in the facility, attracting art educators, scholars, curators, collectors, dealers and rising stars from Houston's vibrant art scene.

In December 2017, The Student Centers & the Center for Diversity & Inclusion hosted the Inside Out Project, a global art project that allowed individuals to get their portraits taken and make a statement about what they stand for in the world. The Inside Out Project at the University of Houston focused on the topic of immigration & Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). It was a beautiful and powerful installation featuring Houston Dreamers and those who are part of their community.

UH faculty, staff, & students participated and were challenged to use their portraits to share the untold stories and images of people in their communities. Their actions were documented, archived, and exhibited online at www.insideoutproject.net. The Inside Out Project at UH was co-sponsored with Pantsuit Republic, United We Dream Houston, & Mi Familia Vota.

The Miraculous: Houston - A Public Art Installation at the University of Houston

Composed as a series of brief texts ranging from a single sentence to two pages, The Miraculous (first published in book form by Paper Monument in 2014) is largely focused on conceptual and performance art. The Miraculous recounts feats of endurance, acts of absurdist wit, projects that confront political repression and racist attitudes, and celebrations of the natural world. Many of the artists included perform their work in the streets, parks and squares of big cities, unleashing the creative potential of public spaces.

Assorted Photos

The Student Centers, in partnership with the University of Houston's Public Art Collection hosted an exhibit of Andy Warhol's work in the Fall of 2016. This exhibition was a rare opportunity to see moments from Warhol's life. By some accounts, he shot a roll of film every day. He left behind over 66,000 photographs when he died on February 22, 1987. Many of these photographs, including pictures from his vacations, parties, weddings and portrait sessions, were donated to the University by the Warhol Foundation.