Art gallery review: Kettle Art Gallery in Dallas

Kettle Art is surrounded by an entertaining scene and filled with interesting artwork.

Photo by Nicholas Bostick

The Kettle Art Gallery is one of my favorite galleries in Dallas. It is located in an area with a vibrant nightlife and the artwork is eclectic and professional. There is something there for everyone. There is also something very pleasant about the lack of pretensions in the community of artists that runs the gallery and the warm-hearted earnestness of the owner, successful muralist Frank Campagna.

Frank Campagna’s work has been visible through the Dallas streets, especially in Deep Ellum where Kettle Gallery makes its home. Before I had met him, I had seen his mural in front of the McKinney Avenue Contemporary. Frank is an intelligent man who cares about the community, about our society and our culture. His gallery, Kettle Art, is an important part of the scene because it gives local talent a venue to show their work without many of the artificial strains and difficulties that revolve around getting a gallery show at other venues, like the difficulty of being “important enough” to take up some of the gallery owner’s time. By stripping away those conventions of the art world, Kettle Art provides an important service to the community and to art lovers in the Dallas area.

Linear, which is showing works by Robb Conover, Dave Patterson, and Yovanny, was an interesting mix of artists and styles that was able to function together in the gallery setting. The work by Patterson and Conover would fulfill the dreams of a person looking for beauty in organic form or pure architectural form. I have seen a painting that looked like a Conover painting selling for 16 times the amount that it was selling at Kettle Art that night on Dragon Street in the Dallas Design District.

Photo by Nicholas Bostick

Many talented artists show work in the Kettle Gallery. Before I had seen the Sour Grapes 13 crew’s work on the walls of Oak Cliff or in the outside and inside of the Dallas Contemporary, I saw a small work of theirs inside of Kettle Art. Sour Grapes 13 is just one of the examples of the many fine artists and artist groups that have had continued success after showing here. Kettle Art is a treasure trove, both culturally and as a provider of fine art.

I had a chance to speak to one of the artists that was showing that night. Yovanny is the youngest artist that I personally have seen hang work at the Kettle Gallery, though Frank obviously chose him for a reason. His woodblock prints were emotionally expressive and the muted tones reminded me of prints that I have seen by Edvard Munch. I am curious to see where his work goes in a few years.

Kettle Art is surrounded by an entertaining scene and filled with interesting artwork. If you have never been there, it is definitely worth checking out, and if you are surfing for artwork you should stop by Kettle Art and speak with Frank.