Selected works by Billy Hassell & Isaac Smith

May 3–September 8, 2016

When we hear, “It’s second nature to him,” we really mean it is actually his first nature, it is fundamental, and is seemingly inherent. It is easy. And when something is second nature, it is of the core. It most often is true and clear, honest and direct­ — as is the art of Billy Hassell and Isaac Smith.

An ardent supporter of the environment, Billy Hassell sees us, all of us, animals included, as one big extended family. His vision and commitment has grown to encompass a global view of the environment and the interconnectedness of every living thing. His work is intense and vibrant and he has an uncanny ability to forthrightly layer this interconnectedness without a hint of doubt. Hassell paints the freshness and the fragility of our world. He celebrates the beauty and honesty of our planet in an ideal state, suggesting that we proceed through each day and walk down each path with care and caution. Hassell, whose work is found in many private, public, and museum collections, holds a B.F.A. from Notre Dame and an M.F.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Isaac Smith, born in 1944 in Winnsboro, Louisiana, loved to hunt and fish with his father. He held great fascination for all the animals. Years later, at a crossroads in his life, Isaac felt compelled by an inner spirit to create art. His life was changed, spiritually and professionally. A self-taught artist, he carved thousands of pieces of wood, learning how to work with the medium, sampling different species of trees, testing the hardness or pliability of the wood. As a woodcarver, Smith uses a chainsaw and a hatchet and he paints his animals the bright colors of his imagination. That is when they become real.

Sali Griffiths, photographer and collector reflects, “I used to go visit Isaac a lot in the early days. On one visit I asked him how he decided what he was going to do next, and he said, ‘I look at the wood.’ Then he pointed to a piece of wood and said, ‘That’s a tiger.’ I said that it looked like a log to me, and he said, ‘That’s obviously a tiger. I just go and get my chainsaw and lean over and say — come out of there tiger!” (From Isaac’s Ark, by Ronald J. Gard)

Together, the works of Billy Hassell and Isaac Smith sing to us of humor, of the fierceness of the lion and the softness of the flower petal, of the unity of all. What is second nature? It is our first nature and in it, we are one.

Curated by Sally Reynolds

In collaboration with the artists, William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art, Houston, and Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas  |  And through the generosity of The Stephanie Smither Collection

Photographs by Dawn Baxter