Julia C. Butridge Gallery
The Julia C. Butridge Gallery is located in the heart of the arts district adjacent to the Long Center and Butler Park at the Dougherty Arts Center, a multi-cultural community arts center providing opportunities for creative expression to citizens for over 41 years. Visitors enjoy an exceptional 2,000 square feet of exhibit space in the main gallery, and an additional 480 square feet in newly renovated gallery space. The natural collision of creative activity at the arts center contributes to the gallery’s longstanding reputation among the arts community as an accessible and nurturing venue and incubator, ideal for emerging and established artists. The gallery is free and open to the public.
On Display
Left: Jamie Spinello, Proteanopsis, 2024, Fabric and steel
Right: Kristen Van Patten, Analagous Signals, 2023, Stoneware
Morphology & Modularity
Jamie Spinello and Kristen Van Patten
On Display: May 16 – June 27, 2026
Artist Reception: May 20, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
Artist Talk: June 24, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
“Morphology and Modularity” is a dual exhibition of sculptures, paintings, and ceramics by Jamie Spinello and Kristen Van Patten. Both artists create abstract works, which draw inspiration from their separate interests but related working methods. Spinello is inspired by the relationships between structures of plants, insects, and geological structures, and Van Patten from relationships between architecture, mechanics, and landscape.
Many of their works contain modular structures, shapes, and patterns that can be reconfigured or interchanged. Together, the two explore morphology and modularity, creating two cohesive bodies of work.
Website: www.JamieSpinello.com, www.KristenVanPatten.com
Instagram: @jamiespinello, @kristenvanpatten
Victoria Majesta Marquez, Inkblot, 2025, Acrylic on canvas
Realms
Victoria Majesta Marquez
On Display: May 16 – June 27, 2026
Artist Reception: May 20, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
Artist Talk: June 24, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
“Realms” presents a vibrant exploration of nature and surrealism, drawing inspiration from oceans, animals, and microscopic life, to create imagined realms filled with fluid, ever-shifting patterns and textures. Through spontaneous processes like decalcomania and layered collage, Marquez allows textures to unfold and evolve, developing intricate compositions inspired by both macro and micro forms in nature. Using a bold, polychromatic palette and a maximalist approach, the work invites viewers into psychedelic, dreamlike environments where imagination and reality merge into immersive worlds to explore, play, and engage with.
Website: www.victoriamajestamarquez.com
Instagram: @tori.majesta
Left: Anita Horton, State Highway 71, 2024, Acrylic on Stonehenge Paper
Right: Charlotte Seifert, Sunset, 2025, Monotype
Land and Sea
Anita Horton and Charlotte Seifert
On Display: May 16 – June 27, 2026
Artist Reception: May 20, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
Artist Talk: June 24, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
“Land and Sea” features the work of Anita Horton and Charlotte Seifert, whose practices engage deeply with natural realms from complementary perspectives. Their combined work demonstrates a love for Texas, its people, and their activities, on both land and sea, as it explores the dynamic relationship between terrestrial and aquatic environments.
Website: www.charlotteseifert.com
Instagram: @anitajohorton
Upcoming Exhibits
David Cook, Texas Bluebell, Photograph, 2025
Recovering the Lost Words
David Cook, Emily Hansen, Helen Hartman, Danny Martin, Marsha Riti, Emma Schmidt, Anja Thomsen, CJ Williams
On Display: July 6 – August 15, 2026
Artist Reception: Wednesday, July 8, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
Artist Talk: Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
“Recovering the Lost Words” brings together the artwork of eight Texas Master Naturalists to memorialize words from nature that were removed from the Oxford Junior Dictionary in recent years. Through photography, illustration, embroidery, stained glass, painting, and mixed media, the exhibition reintroduces these “lost words” to encourage viewers of all ages to rediscover the wonder of the natural world.
Zoee Xiao, On Our Way to See Dada Bear, Acrylic on canvas, 2025
Little Memories
Zoee Xiao
On Display: July 6 – August 15, 2026
Artist Reception: Wednesday, July 8, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
Artist Talk: Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
“Little Memories” is a collection of works inspired by childhood memories shared between the artist Zoee Xiao and her children. Through her whimsical interpretation of childhood, Zoee’s paintings celebrate the beauty of simplicity, the magic in the mundane, and everyday wonder. The exhibition invites viewers to slow down, rediscover childlike curiosity, and appreciate the subtle joys woven into ordinary life.
Artist Website: www.zoeexiao.com
Instagram: @zoeexiao
Darla Barolini, Crush, Acrylic on canvas, 2024
The Classroom
Darla Barolini
On Display: July 6 – August 15, 2026
Artist Reception: Wednesday, July 8, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
Artist Talk: Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 7-9 p.m.
“The Classroom” is an exhibition featuring large-scale paintings and classroom desks exploring education from both educator and student perspectives. Vibrant, expressive paintings depict imagined classroom scenes inspired by the artist’s teaching experience, while the desks blend art history with teenage iconography to create an immersive installation. Together, the works explore themes of connection, community, and growth, contrasted with isolation and apathy, reflecting the classroom's broader societal impact.
Artist Website: www.darlabarolini.com
Instagram: @darlanorma