Kelly was born in Fordyce, Arkansas in 1918. He studied art at Louisiana Tech University before earning a master's degree from Columbia University. He moved to Fort Worth in 1943 as part of the war effort. There he studied graphic design and met a group of like-minded aspiring artists. This group became known as the Fort Worth Circle. They were among the first artists in the state to embrace European Surrealism and modernism, moving boldly beyond the regionalism and agrarian realism that had defined Texas art for a generation.

In 1947 Fearing joined the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin, where he taught for four decades as Ashbel Smith Professor of Art, inspiring generations of students and co-writing influential art education textbooks.

​His mediums included graphite, silver point, casein, gold leaf, frottage, collage, and a wide variety of printmaking processes. His art has been described as magical realist, mystical naturalist, and Romantic surrealist. Fearing died in Austin in 2011, having shaped Texas art education for over half a century.

Visit S|O Gallery's LAUNCH exhibition between June 19 and August 1 to experience Kelly Fearing's "Dark Bird in Passage Searching".

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​John Alexander was born in 1945 in Beaumont, Texas. John received his MFA from Southern Methodist University in 1970 before joining the faculty of the University of Houston. In the late 1970s he left Texas for New York, where his reputation as one of America's most compelling figurative painters flourished.

He is known for his satirical approach to rendering the relationships between nature and man. Alexander describes his approach as “nature at its grandest and man at his worst”.

His work appears in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the Dallas Museum of Art, among many others.

S|O Gallery will be featuring four of John Alexander's pieces: "Strange Fish", "Red Roses", "White Lilies" and "Raven on Flag".
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Tuesday, June 9, 2026 from 6-8pm

S|O GALLERY is honored to welcome Steve Bartlett — former U.S. Congressman, Mayor of Dallas, and Hill Country resident — for a special book signing of his inspiring new memoir, Ah Ha! The Power of Purpose: Family, Faith, and A Life Well-Lived.

Join us for an unforgettable evening of stories, conversation, and connection. Steve's book shares the real people and "AH HA!" moments that shaped a remarkable life — including Presidents, legends, and the woman whose first words to him were decidedly not "I love you." (You'll have to read it to find out what she said.)

Steve Bartlett truly personifies a life well-lived. His family and faith have always been paramount. From his early days on the farm to his work with Young Republicans, from business to politics to mentoring young people, he has lived a life with purpose.”

— Publisher's Description, Ah Ha! The Power of Purpose

Hosted by friends Gloria Campos-Brown and Paul Sumrall.  Arrived by 6pm for refreshments before the program.  Come early and learn about S|O GALLERY and our upcoming exhibitions.  

RSVP required, seating is limited.  

S|O Gallery is located in the Casablanca Center, rear side of the complex, at 1514 N US Hwy 281, Ste 103, Marble Falls TX 78636.  Questions?  (830) 203-6277.

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