Daniela Koontz
Daniela Koontz is an artist and art educator living in Houston, Texas. She has exhibited her work at The Art League of Houston, Lawndale Art Center, and Front Gallery. Koontz's drawings are a mix of traditional still-life painting and the type of illustrations you might find in an academic journal, but her sensibility is a bit Pop. Using the drawing techniques and realism of botanical or archaeological illustration, she makes lists of like objects and groups them together to carry new meaning. The arrangement is often humorous, and sometimes poetic. Working on paper lends the work an intimacy that you might find in the rare books section of a library. The work is meant to be thoughtful and quiet. She is part of the collective at Box 13 ArtSpace, Houston, Texas where she maintains a studio practice.  For the last 16 years she has been teaching High School for Alvin ISD.

Juror Statement
It’s always a delight to see people invent, experiment, and create meaning with their hands. My primary aim in selecting work for this show was to try to be as inclusive as possible given the size constraints of the gallery. There should be a broad range of visual expression in a group show. There were a lot of beautifully crafted flowers, birds, and boats. I was especially drawn to works that had a quiet narrative. Perhaps in this time of pandemic, it was important to select works that tell a story about our shared human experience.
Thank you so much for inviting me into your space to look at the work you have been making. Keep it up!
Best of Show
Whoever painted this little crowd scene has an exceptional command of watercolor technique. Every texture and pattern is delicately handled. There is a fun play between finished and unfinished, between loose blooms and precision. The subject matter is also surprising and original. Bravo!
Canvas/Panel Selections:
1st Place
This painting has an air of mystery to it. People are waiting, but it is unclear what they are waiting for. It is unusual to see a composition where everyone has their back turned to the viewer. There is a nice balance of blue throughout and a lovely painterly technique that is reminiscent of the structure of Cezanne.
2nd Place
This is a quiet landscape with a little path that guides the eye into the trees in the distance. There are profound contrasts here between the bright (almost neon) greens and yellows and the earthy tones of the trees, but somehow it works. 
Honorable Mention
It’s hard not to love this large scale, extremely well-painted explosion of flowers. They are like disco dancing flowers. The attention to detail is admirable.
Honorable Mention
These girls may be small, but their expressions tell us something about the women they will become. There is the sassy look of the front dancer, in her pink leotard and tattoos, that is completely lovable.
Honorable Mention
Ask yourself, how many marks and layers can you see in this work? The curvilinear lines and pools of color delight the eye.
Honorable Mention
This crisp palace of a painting invites us into a kind of Latin American surrealist world. Everything has a precise place. It is flawless.
Works on Paper:
1st Place
This is a lush document of our time. The theme is reminiscent of an internet selfie, but the scale and the remarkable watercolor technique make it otherworldly.
2nd Place
This swirling composition is full of interesting marks and passages. It invites the viewer to take a pleasant swim in it.
Honorable Mention
This work was selected for its sheer joy. There is implied movement in the diagonal, balanced by touches of red in each corner.
Photography
1st Place
Something wonderful and strange is brewing in this fairy-tale image. The narrative is compelling. The off-center figure is so subtle and odd because it seems her thoughts are lost in foggy butterflies. And what is going on with the pelican in the basket. The image is beautifully composed, elegant, and curious.
2nd Place
This small photograph has all the features of an early 20th century masterpiece. There are a wide range of grays and the balance of dark and light is at equilibrium.
Honorable Mention
The uneasy gazes of these creatures and the threatening background create a very intriguing narrative. This should be a series.
3D (in the round)
1st Place
100% adorable. The eyes are warm. He is Michelangelo’s David in dog form, complete with contrapposto. Well done! Figurative ceramics are very difficult to balance.
2nd Place
This lovely little bowl with drip glaze would make a lovely addition to any mantel or kitchen.
2D (Mixed Media)
1st Place
This artist is a master of organic line and shape. The collage elements are well integrated, and the personal voice of this artist’s mark-making technique is admirable.
2nd Place
This is the perfect statement for our time. We are alone and lost in the supermarket. Our needs are not being met. The painting is clever and the exaggerated one-point perspective adds to the tension.

2021 Spring Juried Show
April 26 changeover
Show Dates April 30- May 30
Juror Jan Harrell
https://www.janharrell.com/about
Jan has taught at the Glassell School of Art since 1993. She has juried national and international shows.