Photographer: Ron Villaraza

Condensed Artist Statement

I seek to offer snapshots of places and spaces that are often avoided and/or misunderstood. The visual arts allow me to document experiences that don’t always make the headlines of newspapers. My interests include or have included: documentary, street, entertainment, artistic, nature, travel, models, automotive, portraits, and animals.

​Don't forget to like / follow my photography on Instagram.
@vanggarrett

Check Out My Work...

My photography has been accepted into this cool show!

My work is on display in Rome.

​We Love Houston Art Show
ROCKSTAR ART GALLERY
2.17.18

Featured in F-Stop Magazine.

Galveston.com & Company saw my photo on Instagram. They want to use my work to promote tourism in Galveston. Keep an eye out... #cool

Lines of Reason at Jazz at Kitano. New York. (c) Van G. Garrett

Reunion: The Dallas Review. Hope by Van G. Garrett, featured in Volume 7. #ReadReunionAlready #YouWillLoveIt

My photography appears in the latest issue of Reunion: The Dallas Review.

"Sisters" (c) Van G. Garrett

Honorable Mention: A World Full of People Exhibit: Texas Visual Arts Association
Photo credit: Karen Jimenez

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Dahlia Woods Gallery:
Mermaid Exhibit
9/16
*Photo credit: Dahlia Woods Gallery

                   
​ "Cool" in the Beeville Art Museum Collection

Photo credit: Beeville Art Museum. "Cool" (c) Van G. Garrett

Photo credit: Beeville Art Museum. "Cool" (c) Van G. Garrett

Caribbean Glow
2016 Portfolio

         

​Winner of The
​Oh Snap! 3 Prize
​https://www.com.edu/news/article/2016-04-14/oh-snap-crowns-contest-winners

​PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS

2018

FEBRUARY

*1 Photographs published in F-Stop Magazine
* 9 2018 “RED” Online Photography Exhibit, Photography Center of Cape Cod and the Cape Cod Art Center
* 17-28 Photography Exhibited in We Love Houston Show, RockStar Gallery (Houston, TX)
 
MARCH
 
*1-11 The Mask Exhibit, Millepiani Gallery (Rome, Italy)
*10-23 FotoFest (Houston, TX)
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​HONORS:

**Work in Beeville Art Museum Collection 
**Work featured in Galveston.com & Company
​**Featured in Reunion: Dallas Review
​
Honorable Mention:
A World Full of People Exhibit
Texas Visual Arts Association

Honorable Mention:
Mermaid Exhibit
Dahlia Woods Gallery

Red Wolf Gallery Invitation
​
2016 Texas Artists Exhibition

Special Recognition:
Botanicals Art Exhibition

Best In Show: Oh Snap! 3:
​Juried Cell Phone Photo Contest

Oh Snap! 2: Juried Cell Phone Photo Contest

Foto Fest, Houston

Photographed President Nelson Mandela

​EXHIBITS:

Mermaid Exhibit:
Dahlia Woods Gallery, San Marcos, TX

A World Full of People Exhibit:
Texas Visual Arts Association, Dallas, TX

Contemporary Arts Gallery Online: Animal Art Exhibit

2016 Texas Artists Exhibit

​Botanicals Art Exhibit
The Light Space & Time Online Gallery

​May Flowers Exhibit:
Texas Visual Arts Association, Dallas, TX

Stereotypes Exhibit:
Georgetown Arts Center, Georgetown, TX

Oh Snap! 3:
College of the Mainland, Texas City

11th Annual Art Show & Sale:
Art Space, Austin, TX

Celebrating the Words of African Americans:
​ArtSpace, Round Rock, TX 

8th annual f/22 Open Juried Photography Exhibit

College of the Mainland

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

University of Rhode Island

​Walter Branch Library

Houston Baptist University

University of Houston

*Featured Show: Snaps of Ghana:
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Photo-and-Poetry-Exhibit-to-Present-Ghana-to-the-World-166150

PUBLICATIONS / EXPERIENCE:

Reunion: The Dallas Review 

Wharton Journal-Spectator 

Writers Tribe Review 

Peregrine Fund

Popular Photography

Sugar Land Magazine

One Ghana, One Voice

Capitol Records

Source Magazine

The Houston Informer

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Oh Snap!

​Projects / Events

​Senior Prom...

​Exhibited

"Canal" on display 5/1/16 to 5/31/16. Botanicals Art Exhibit.

"Jiffy III" on display 4/15/16 to 5/29/16. Georgetown Art Center, Georgetown, TX.

"Chemistry" on display 2/5/16 to 3/5/16. Art Space, Austin, TX

"Afternoon Muse" on display 1/12/16 to 2/27/16. ArtSpace, Round Rock, TX

Van's Portfolios:

I. Mixed Bag: II: 2005- 
* "Cutie" in Popular Photography
*Bike Promotional Ad
II. Adidas Photo Shoot With The Princess of Boxing: 2015
http://www.boxingprincessjiffymorales.com/portfolio.html
III. Boxing: 2014
IV. Austin Light Paintings: 2014-

"Cutie" in Popular Photography

The Boxing Princess

NEWS...

Van’s photo is accepted for the 8th annual f/22 Open Juried Photography Exhibition, judged by Carlos Maldonado. The signed photo will be on display and for sale at the Firehouse Gallery in Del Rio, TX.  July 4th-26th.

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Peregrine Fund
http://www.peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/Red-tailed_Hawk#sthash.MxkJRJ2Y.dpbs

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Oh Snap! 2
Juried Cell Phone Photo Exhibition
April 7 - May 1, 2014
College of the Mainland Art Gallery
https://www.facebook.com/comartgallery

Photography: On & Off The Road
Photographs Van Has Taken On His Travels Around The World

​Paintings...

Pickle
2016

Man in the Mirror Exhibit
Midtown Gallery

Studio Work...

Negritude Paintings
Eighth Annual Citywide African-American Artists Exhibition
Rice University