From Cluley Projects:

"Cluley Projects, the satellite project space of Erin Cluley Gallery, is pleased to announce a group show featuring three Texas based muralists. The exhibition will run October 1st through October 22nd. A Closing Reception will be hosted for the artists in conjunction with the annual Art Walk West on Saturday, October 22nd from 5-8 pm. 

OFF THE WALLS is an exhibition of work by three Texas based muralists all of which have strong ties to their local communities. Murals often transmit messaging based on scale and pre-existing structures, whereas works in this exhibit will present similar imagery devoid of surface constraints. The muralists will expand their works by way of three-dimensional form or framed multimedia works. These smaller pieces express more detailed tableaus of the artist’s traditional themes and artistic practice.

Works by the trio of artists presented as sculpture, works on paper, and mixed media evoke memories of place, personal stories of community engagement, and their own creative journeys in their studio spaces. 

J Muzacz (Austin) creates oversized images of the tools he uses in large scale mosaic murals presented on wall panels. His “Tools of the Trade” series relates to his international experience as a street artist. “Mosaic, in varying forms, offers an incredible depth and detail with great visible impact. It has become a medium perfect for engaging and educating the community in public art spaces.”

SM SANZ (Dallas) will present works on paper and paintings on panel referencing strong feminist themes and a longing to return to her Panamanian roots. “Whether it is for a place, a person or a moment in time. I want to convey the bittersweet feeling that comes with this emotion and the desire to return to something we had before.”

Wheron (Dallas), also known as Will Heron, fuses Southern imagery, elements of queer identity and shape illusions to create fantastical menageries.  His pieces are inspired by nature and explore larger concepts of resilience and physical, metaphorical growth. “Wall works and small sculptures are fragments from my larger mural works, some blooming some breaking off much like the communities that we often engage. The forms are found in nature but I able to amplify their effects using hyperreal color and shiny surfaces.

About the Artists: 

SM Sanz is a visual artist and muralist based in Dallas, Texas. Her work addresses the concept of feminine allure and empowerment, expressed through portraits of strong women. She has over 10 years of experience as a visual artist. She paints mainly with acrylics, ink and spray paint on a variety of surfaces. The artist has participated in the Wild West Mural Fest in Dallas as well as several mural projects in the US, Panamá, Mexico and Colombia.

Wheron lives and works in Dallas.  He is an artist and organizer of Will West Mural Fest and Art Walk West for the last eight years. His public artworks can be found across the DFW Metroplex including Oak Cliff, West Dallas, Deep Ellum, Lower Greenville, Plano, Richardson, Southlake, and Fort Worth. 

JMuzacz is a social practice artist mural painter, mosaicist, and educator.  He received his degree in sociology at University of Texas. He has created large scale murals in the US as well as New Zealand, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan.  He is co-founder of Austin based, The Mosaic Workshop, an artist run creative hub at Something Cool Studios where community members learn the process of public art from concept to completion through collaborative completion of mosaic mural projects .

About Cluley Projects and Erin Cluley Gallery:

Erin Cluley Gallery’s satellite gallery Cluley Projects opened in April 2021 and is housed in an 1100 sq ft space on Sylvan Avenue within walking distance from the Belmont Hotel. Cluley Projects will act as an incubator space focusing on regional artists and providing a platform for discovery and mentorship. 

Erin Cluley Gallery opened its doors in West Dallas in 2014, igniting a creative movement and acting as a hub for visual arts and community engagement. After nearly five years on Fabrication Street, the gallery moved its main operation to Riverbend – a development in Dallas’ Design District celebrating the intersection between culture and commerce."