Mention Craighead Green Gallery in the Dallas area and you’ll be met with smiles and knowing nods. The gallery, on Dragon Street in the Dallas Design District, is an institution in the Dallas art world and is recognized throughout the Southwest as a premier dealer of contemporary art.
Craighead Green is like a world unto itself. It’s easy to lose yourself in the expansive gallery with its broad repertoire of contemporary art in all media and styles. With plenty to capture the eye, the gallery never feels visually crowded or overwhelming. Each piece is carefully placed at a safe distance from the next, so viewers have a chance to absorb one work completely and take a breath before moving on to the next.
Not confined to any one medium or style, Craighead Green showcases contemporary paintings, archival pigment prints and sculptures. If a particular piece or artist doesn’t suit you, you need only turn a corner to find something that beckons you. From soft, atmospheric landscapes and crisp, clear images of the ocean to vibrant abstract paintings, and mixed media metal and glass sculptures, there is something for everyone.
The gallery, which is a participating member of the Dallas Art Dealers Association and the Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas, is truly a judgment-free zone. Craighead Green Gallery meets the curious passerby, the first-time buyer and the established collector with equal enthusiasm.
“We want everyone to feel comfortable, to ask questions and share their love for art,” says Kenneth Craighead, director and co-owner of the gallery. He and Steve Green opened the gallery in 1992 in the Dallas Arts District and eventually moved to their current location in the Design District.
When asked what led them to open the gallery, Craighead responds, “Simple, our love for art.”
The gallery represents more than 50 contemporary artists, and Craighead says he feels fortunate to represent what he considers to be “some of the most talented and dedicated artists in our industry.”
Craighead Green has extensive established relationships with many clients and artists. Some of the artists it represents have been part of the gallery for more than 20 years, and another 10 to 15 of them have been represented there for at least 15 years.
“We have had, and continue to work toward, long relationships with our artists,” Craighead says.
However, despite the gallery’s longevity and its decades-long relationships with many of the same artists, Craighead says that the gallery is always changing.
“The gallery’s artists are constantly growing and pushing their boundaries,” Craighead says, adding also that as the gallery accepts new artists, they also “bring fresh ideas along with their art.”
The gallery’s assistant director, Caroline Irvin, and gallery assistant, John Oakley, also contribute “young energy, along with a wealth of knowledge and professionalism,” according to Craighead.
Craighead Green Gallery is also known for supporting young and emerging artists through an annual scholarship to a graduating high school student and a highly anticipated, yearly juried exhibition, New Texas Talent, which will be in its 24th year in 2017. Last year the exhibition was juried by Frank Hettig, director of modern and contemporary art at Heritage Auctions. He had the arduous task of reviewing more than 600 images from more than 200 artists in Texas.
Craighead Green has active Instagram and Facebook accounts to keep those interested informed of upcoming events and shows and to highlight individual pieces available at the gallery. The gallery hosts opening receptions for new bodies of work every five to six weeks.
Craighead says it is the interaction between artists, buyers and art admirers at the gallery that motivates and inspires him.
“It is a privilege to show the work, sell and share with buyers. Our dedication to customer service and attention to personal relationships with established and new clients is what I find most rewarding,” he says.
Krista Franks Brock is a Dallas-based freelance writer and editor who enjoys writing about art and design. For more information visit kristafranksbrock.wordpress.com.
