Commerce Gallery welcomes new artists

Commerce Gallery

Commerce Gallery will have artists Jacob Lovett and Reagan Corbett on Friday,

Aug. 2 at its August Meet the Artists from 5-8 p.m. There will also be an Open House from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and an After Party at Mill Scale Metal Works from 7-9 p.m.

Lovett

Jacob Lovett is an American artist most notably known for his contemporary western oil paintings. Born and raised in Fort Worth, Lovett finds inspiration in the lives, landscapes, and stories that have surrounded him since he was a kid. He embarks on journeys to scenic locations around the American West, connecting with the people and places that fuel his art. Lovett translates his firsthand experiences into stunning visuals, from rugged landscapes to faces etched with the stories of the land. These experiences allow him to not only capture the essence of the West but also share the narratives of its inhabitants.

Lovett’s artistic journey started in an unconventional way back in 2018 when a friend’s request for a portrait ignited a hidden passion. Never painted before, he accepted this project without any proper training, purchased the required materials, and looked up “How to Paint” on YouTube. Embarking on a self-taught journey, with some help along the way from his teacher, Laert Aleksi Xhaferi, he began honing his skills and developing his signature style. From 2018 to 2020, Lovett would take a few hours of weekly instruction at his hometown studio, developing the skills and confidence needed to create on his own.

After being let go from his corporate job during the 2020 pandemic, Lovett decided to go all in on his craft, and in 2021 Lovett became a full-time artist while simultaneously opening his shared studio space, Muse. Over the past 4 years Lovett’s talent quickly garnered recognition He has participated in numerous solo and group shows across the country. His work has been featured in prestigious publications like Southwest Art Magazine (“21 Under 31 Young Artists To Watch”), Western Art and Architecture, Cowgirl Magazine, and Fort Worth Magazine.

His collaborations with brands like Tecovas and Sendero Provisions have further solidified his position as a rising star in the contemporary Western art scene. Lovett’s signature style employs traditional techniques with a minimalist approach, creating a captivating blend of clean aesthetics and striking realism. Lovett offers a fresh perspective and personal point of view of the American West through his “Western Windows” stylization.

Corbett

Native Houstonian, Reagan Corbett has spent much of her life fully immersed in the world of fine art. As a young girl, Corbett spent weekends sketching at The Menil, and participated in a variety of classes at the Glassell Junior School. Throughout her childhood, Corbett developed a fascination for studying how the world is seen through the eyes of others. Corbett continued to study Art History at the University of Sorbonne in 2015 and received her B.A. in Studio Art from the University of Texas at Austin in 2016.\

Currently based in Houston, Corbett’s career has taken flight, fully emerging herself into the Texas art community and furthermore deepening her study of art and worldly perspectives.
In the wake of the current feminist and social revolution, Corbett is heavily influenced by social dilemmas and how they affect our society. Both her visual and conceptual focuses are rooted in American pop culture; Corbett’s work, while simple at first glance, offers open-ended questions for the viewer to contemplate.

Throughout her young career, Corbett has been featured in numerous articles including British Vogue, Vogue Mexico, Modern Luxury, Architectural Digest, Paper City and The Houston Chronicle, and many more. She has exhibited with numerous galleries, participated in group shows, and curated three solo exhibitions: Fleeting Moments in 2017, Perfect in 2019, and Sublime in 2021. Most notably, Corbett has placed her iconic Shipley’s Donut painting in Lizzo’s private art collection.

Additionally, she was selected by the TEDX Committee to give a TED Talk in May 2018, and was included in The Celebration fo Texas Art 2019, curated by Jennie Goldstein, Assistant Curator of The Whitney Museum of American Art. In 2020, Corbett completed her first large-scale mural on behalf of the City of Houston amidst the global pandemic; and in 2021, Corbett was the first solo exhibitionist at The Dallas Art Fair.