01/31/2025
The College of Arts and Humanities at Houston Christian University is pleased to announce the opening of Under the Fig Tree, a solo exhibition by Houston-based artist Callan Summers.
Artist Statement:
All of my work hinges on the common element of naturalistically depicted people. In these portraits and figures, I aim to confront the essence and condition of the human soul in addition to capturing physical likeness. This presentation of the soul is achieved by provoking emotion through a blend of traditional naturalism and modern expression. The emotive quality in the figures is then echoed in their setting. By placing my characters in equally evocative landscapes, I can use this harmony between figure and setting to highlight the strong connection between nature and humanity, particularly when it comes to spiritual and mental well-being. As a partner to this theme, I typically incorporate references to Christian Scripture, fairy tales, and mythology. This serves the double purpose of communicating multiple layers of meaning (through an established symbolic language) and of transporting viewers beyond the humdrum into a world with eternal significance.
Artist Bio:
Mrs. Callan Summers got her start in art at an early age, completing her first commissioned portraits at age fourteen and illustrating her first children’s book at eighteen. Since then, she has gone on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and an MFA in painting from her alma mater, Houston Christian University, while working freelance as a portraitist and illustrator. Today she serves full-time as a teacher and continues to make art in her precious moments of free time. What a joy it is to share truth and encourage creativity in growing young minds!
