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The first thing apt to strike you in the Mary Vernon show at Valley House Gallery is sheer, often startling, beauty. Bold, brilliant colors fairly leap off the smooth, whiter-than-white polypropylene Yupo sheets the Dallas artist has been using instead of canvas in recent years.
With no surface texture to absorb and soften the oil — Yupo requires no preparatory gesso — the paint’s own tactility intensifies the pinks, purples, blues, greens and yellows. Vernon’s study of color theory informs the combinations, and she acknowledges inspirations from Matisse and Bonnard.
There’s considerable energy in bold slashes, dabs, jitters and occasional drools of paint. Whimsy, too, in some juxtapositions.
Vernon’s name is familiar to generations of Southern Methodist University alums who took her art history and studio art courses. Hired in 1967, straight out of grad school at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Vernon taught at SMU for five decades, chairing the art department for eight years.
I took her Picasso course a “few” years ago and was delighted to meet her again at the gallery. She radiates energy and intelligence, both probing and elucidating as born teachers do.
Aside from years of raising small children, Vernon also painted all along. Since retiring from academe, she’s been particularly active in her Design District studio. The current show of work from the last two years continues a yearslong series at Valley House.
Landscapes, in mostly horizontal formats, predominate, layering earth, vegetation, mountains and skies. Even if you didn’t know Vernon’s New Mexican background — she was born in Roswell — you’re apt to guess Southwestern vistas, although some paintings recall other places on her travels. But don’t expect literal portrayals.
“They’re not usually that documentary,” Vernon says. “They’re about structure, and memory, about the power of recollection.”
She does not paint outdoors. “I hate the wind and the bugs and the heat.”
In Yellow Table, a mountain range looms in the distance as a low zigzag, gray and blue. Below are suggestions of cliffs and a ribbon of forests. The foreground is dabs of yellows, browns, dark greens and reds, with, sure enough, a yellow table — so that’s what it is — upfront. Subtly blue-streaked white patches could represent either leftover rainwater or snow.
In Red Gate, recalling a Santa Fe scene, a low adobe wall and bright red arch supply horizontal counterpoint to the vertical thrusts and leafy explosions of trees. Structure is a prime concern for Vernon, who often dabs in outlines of her works before settling down to paint what we see.
Dogs appear in a number of the paintings, lending a whimsical touch but also providing more tangible reference points. In Still Life with Sourdough Bread, a pink-headed dog stretches a paw onto a table holding an exuberantly textured floral arrangement as well as the bulbous brown loaf.
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Other paintings explore dialogues between background illustrations and overlaid schematics.
Vernon’s titles sometimes focus on details we might otherwise miss. Without the Bee at Bee City title, would we notice the little yellow-and-black figure among black-on-white floral outlines and presumably a beehive on the opposite side? Woods with Fallen Head looks like a study in abstraction until our attention is drawn to the sculptured head looking rather alarmed.
In pamphlets for this and previous shows at Valley House, Vernon recounts inspirations and associations behind some of her paintings. Surely there are backstories for many, if not most, of the others. But she leaves us to guess, to imagine for ourselves. And to savor the beauties and energies.
“Mary Vernon: Paintings” is on display through Jan. 6 at Valley House Gallery, 6616 Spring Valley Road, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 972-239-2441, valleyhouse.com.
The Dallas Mavericks are looking to make a splash to their starting lineup after making a run to the NBA Finals. They may have lost in five games to the Boston Celtics but they’re still one of the NBA’s best teams and need to make some changes around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to get over the hump.
One option the Mavericks are looking into is Klay Thompson, who has spent his entire career with the Golden State Warriors up to this point. Per Marc Stein “League sources tell The Stein Line that the Dallas Mavericks, with some newfound financial flexibility after securing the Tim Hardaway Jr.-to-Detroit trade that I wrote about Tuesday, are another team intent on exploring the feasibility of signing Thompson once he makes it to free agency.”
READ MORE: Mavericks Trade Tim Hardaway Jr. to Pistons in Exchange for Quentin Grimes
Thompson does not have an offer on the table to return to Golden State as of Friday morning and will explore his options in the open market. He’s not the same player he was in the prime of Golden State’s dynasty at the end of the 2010s after an ACL and Achilles tear, but he still averaged 17.9 PPG while shooting 38.7% from 3 this season. For a Mavericks team looking for a third scoring option and an elite shooter, Thompson could fit alongside Doncic and Irving seamlessly. He’s still a positive defensively, even if he’s not as quick laterally as he used to be.
The Warriors may be more willing to facilitate a sign-and-trade as well, as they’re still looking to get back into contention as long as they have Stephen Curry playing at an elite level. Dallas sits just under $15 million below the first tax apron, but they’re likely to use the majority of that to re-sign Derrick Jones Jr. Thompson is likely looking for a 2 or 3-year contract as he enters the latter stages of his career.
Dallas could dangle Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, and trade exceptions to equal around $32.6 million in salary if the option opens up for a quality trade. The remaining trade exception from the Richaun Holmes trade at last year’s draft expires July 8th and it’d be best for a contending team to not let any asset expire.
Other reports have shown that the Mavericks are interested in Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope but that Denver would be unlikely to help facilitate a sign-and-trade with another contending Western Conference team. Thompson, at 34 years old, is a better player than Caldwell-Pope but his value may be similar given his age.
Teams can start openly negotiating with free agents on June 30th, which is just two days away. There is a good chance the Mavericks reach an extension with Derrick Jones Jr. before then so they know exactly how much they can operate with in this year’s free agency.
READ MORE: NBA Free Agency Rumors: Dallas Mavericks Interested In Two-Time Champion Guard
Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the NBA Offseason
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The Afiya Center, Texas’s only Black-led and Black women-centered reproductive justice organization, is hosting its 11th annual Get Tested, Grab A Bite! HIV testing event in Dallas this weekend.
The Afiya Center works to advocate, educate, and provide resources to empower Black women in Texas living with AIDS.
In 2021, the Dallas County saw a 30% increase in HIV cases among men and a 6.5% increase among women. In its newly released State of Black Womxn in Texas Report, the Afiya Center found that in 2021, young Black women accounted for 51% of new diagnoses among women under the age of 25, but sex education and disease prevention programs in the state rarely address community needs.
“Texas is known to be like a resource rich kind of state, right?” Afiya Center founder Marsha Jones said. “But those resources don’t meet the people who need them the most.”
Jones started the free testing event to bring attention to the lack of resources, as well as normalize HIV testing for women.
“We wanted to make this a day that wouldn’t just be focused on HIV testing, but it would really have a sense of community,” Jones said.
Attendees who want to get tested will be able to get a full STI screening free of charge. Dallas County Health and Human Services will provide[NF1] mobile testing sites to help the organization collect data and build more resources in areas that need them.
“It helps us to build out our program,” Jones said. “It helps us to shape narratives around the importance of getting tested.”
People who choose not to get tested can still enjoy the free event filled with free food and live DJs. Jones has urged vendors not to sell anything to avoid discouraging people from attending an event that is based around finding a safe space.
“This is literally a day to enjoy life and have a good time and get some updated information about your sexual health,” Jones said.
The Get Tested, Grab a Bite! event is on Saturday, June 29, from 3-7 p.m. in Glendale Park.
Zara Amaechi is KERA’s Marjorie Welch Fitts Louis fellow covering race and social justice. Got a tip? Email Zara at zamaechi@kera.org. You can follow her on X @amaechizara.
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After a prolonged absence from match play, FC Cincinnati will return to action Saturday night in a cross-conference visit with FC Dallas at Toyota Field. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and listen locally on ESPN 1530.
With The Orange and Blue deep in the heart of Texas, let’s break down this matchup with some key numbers to consider, presented by CTI.
Luciano Acosta has been the most impactful player in MLS dating back to the start of the 2023 season without a doubt. Since the start of the 2023 season, a year in which he won the MLS MVP, Acosta has had the most games with 2 or more goals+assists with 16 this season. Acosta, who also has 15 assists this season which leads MLS, also leads the league in games with 1+ goals and 1+ assists with 12, five more than the second place Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF.
Pavel Bucha leads all midfielders with 17 balls won this season, which also stands fourth most in the league when factoring in all positions. Two of the three players above him on the full rankings, though, are his teammates, Miles Robinson and Matt Miazga, with 25 and 24, respectively. Right behind the Czech midfielder as well is teammate Obinna Nwobodow with 16 balls won in a tie for fifth place.
The newcomer to Cincinnati has been a force in the midfield as, on top of his importance in the midfield, Bucha is second on the roster behind only Luciano Acosta with 5 assists this season.
No active FC Cincinnati players have scored a goal against FC Dallas, but not for good reason. The last time FCC played Dallas was in 2019 on a trip to Toyota Stadium, where The Orange and Blue fell 3-1, with Emmanuel Ladesma scoring the lone goal.
With Yamil Asad’s headed goal last Saturday night, FC Cincinnati has now had 10 first-time goal scorers for the club this season, the second most since the club joined MLS in 2019 and the 13 debut goal scorers that season. Asad joins Malik Pinto, Alvas Powell, Isaiah Foster, Dado Valenzuela, Miles Robinson, Luca Orellano, Corey Baird, Kevin Kelsy and Pavel Bucha.
FC Cincinnati has been one of the best road teams this season in MLS, providing dominant performances on offense and defense when playing away from TQL Stadium. With 15.32 xG, third most in the league and 19 goals, also the most road goals in the league, the offense has clicked when it’s needed to to secure a 7-1-1 record on the road. On defense FCC has conceded just 12 times away from home and allowed 14.98 opponent xG, fifth most in the league on both fronts.
What matters most, though, is FCC has tallied a league-high 22 points away from home, putting The Orange and Blue already on pace for one of the best seasons away from home in MLS history. With the record road pace being set by LA Galaxy in 1998 (pre-draw era) at 35 road points, eight more road points would give FCC a tie for the top ten with 30.
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