September 2018 Program: Alana J Coates
Artist Talk – Fraying the Canon
FASA September General Meeting, 9/10/18, 10:00 am to Noon
San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N New Braunfels Ave, San Antonio, TX 78209
The juror for the 44th Annual FASA Juried Exhibition 2018 will be Alana J Coates, www. Alanajcoates.com. She describes herself as a gallerist, educator, and independent curator. Academically trained in Art History, Museum Studies, and Nonprofit Leadership, Coates has worked in museums, city-wide arts programs and cultural centers working with artists of international acclaim, while supporting emerging artists through independent projects in her free time. Alana is now employed at the McNay Art Museum – we wish her much success in her new position.
At the presentation Alana will share with us about her background in classical education (fine art) her shift to focusing on Latino Art and now Fiber – both largely left out of the canon of art history. She will reference some of her past fiber projects (Thread) and provide insight as to how jurors, curators, and critics in the art world see the fiber. The title idea, “Fraying the Canon” alludes to my classical education and my shift to focusing on Latino Art and now Fiber — both largely left out of the canon of art history.
Originally from New England, she has called Texas home for almost a decade now. At her recently curated “Thread” exhibition for Clamp Light Studio in March 2018 as part of San Antonio Contemporary Art Month (CAM) she won the CAMMIE Award for the best curated show at this venue. She will be part of the 2018 Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival Curatorial Committee, the event to be held November 9 – 11, 2018 in San Antonio. Alana is very actively involved in our fast growing community arts scene and brings incredible perspective from her professional work in the arts!
