©Teresa Rafidi photography
Connally’s poetic colorscapes, with their expressive brushwork, sweeping gestural marks and animated cadence, reflect the artist’s passion for distilling the essence of her observations of nature and situate her work as the vital interplay between memory and imagination. Her palette of organic color and calligraphic brushstroke combine to serve as imprint of the artist’s profound love of being in nature and the desire that her painting reflect both her exterior and interior experience of it.
Citing Joan Mitchell as an important influence on her work, Connally employs exuberant, impassioned colors laid on her canvases in a pictorial strategy that teeters between the action painting of her abstract expressionist forebears and a more refined personal style that modulates the strokes and dabs that comprise her surfaces. Her layers of brushstroke read less as agitated ruptures and more like intuitive, sensual experiences rendered as prismatic atmospheres of color and tone. Rich, multi-layered surfaces of color morph, coalesce and scatter in quietly energetic rhythms that evoke the experience of being surrounded by nature.
Connally’s work has been exhibited extensively across the United States and is included in museum and private collections internationally.
-Ken Marvel, co-owner LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM writes of Connally
Find Connally’s Work in These Galleries
CONTACT
CV
CONNIE CONNALLY
American, b. 1952
EDUCATION
MFA - Southern Methodist University 2004
BFA - Wichita State University (Magna Cum Laude) 1975
Oklahoma University 1970-73
GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS
2002 Southern Methodist University, Full Scholarship, MFA Program
2004 Katerine Rigsby Dougan Graduate Scholarship, Southern Methodist University
2003 Southern Methodist University, Meadows Graduate Council Grant
2001 Hawn Foundation Award, “2001 Art in the Metroplex,” Texas Christian University
2001 Distinguished Art Award, People’s Choice, “Ulrich Alumni Exhibition,” Ulrich Museum of Art
2001 Juror’s Award, “Biennial Juried Exhibition,” McKinney Avenue Contemporary
2012 Art Council Award, “Lift,” Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art
2012 Juror’s Award, First Place, “Small Images,” Atkinson Gallery, SBCC
2008 Hunting Art Prize Finalist (Top 5), Sponsored by Hunting PLC, Houston, TX
2003 Best Portrait Artist in Dallas, “Best of Dallas Awards,” Dallas Observer
2013 Honorable Mention, “Small Images,” Atkinson Gallery, SBCC
PERMANENT MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX
Longview Museum of Fine Arts, Longview, TX
The Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi, TX
The Grace Museum in Abilene, TX.
Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA
California Nature Art Museum, Solvang, CA
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
The American Kennel Club, NY, NY
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2027 The Grace Museum, Abilene, TX, Remnants – A Blackland Prairie Story
2024 Billis Williams Gallery, Los Angeles, CA – Wilderness Playground
2024 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX - Welcome Home
2022 George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA – UnderStories
2020 George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA – Wild by Nature
2017 Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX – Place In Time Continued
2016 LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM – Place In Time
2015 LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM – Fusion
2011 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX – Life Like Water
2010 Sullivan Goss-An American Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA – Life Like Water
2009 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX – Coast Lines
2009 Cain Schulte Gallery, San Francisco, CA – Drawn Out Conversations
2008 Cain Schulte Gallery, San Francisco, CA – Liquid Lines
2008 Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX – Plein Air Abstractions
2007 McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX – Plein Air Into Abstraction
2007 MMGalleries, San Francisco, CA – Plein Air Into Abstraction
2006 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX – Reflections in the Harbor
2004 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX – Connie Connally – MFA Work
2002 Forum Gallery, Dallas, TX – People I Know
2002 McCormick Gallery, Midland, TX – People I Know
2001 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX – People I Know
2001 Forum Gallery, Dallas, TX – Portraits by Connie Connally
1999 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX – Portraits by Connie Connally
1999 The American Kennel Club, NY, NY - Rescue
1997 Anasazi Gallery, Dallas, TX - Portraits
1997 ERL Originals, Winston-Salem, NC – Portraits
1996 Southwest Art Gallery, Dallas, TX – Portraits - Loretta Swit guest
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026 George Billis Gallery - Winter Group Show
2025-2026 California Nature Art Museum, Solvang, CA
2025-2026 Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX
2025-2026 Paul Mahder Gallery, Healdsburg, CA
2026 Anderson O'Brien Fine Art, Omaha, NE
2025-2026 Rueben Saunders, Wichita, KS
2025 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX - Annual Group Show
2025 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX - Scapes
2025 Paul Mahder Gallery, Healdsburg, CA
2025 Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, Omaha, NE
2024 Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, Omaha, NE
2024 Sullivan Goss Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
2024 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX - Annual Group Exhibition
2024 Paul Mahder Gallery - 10 Year Anniversary Celebration Exhibit
2024 Recent Acquisitions, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX
2024 LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM – True Colors, An Exhibit of Color Abstraction
2024 George Bills Gallery, New York City, NY
2021-2023 Towards a 21st Century Abstraction: (Organized Traveling Exhibition)
2022-2023 Longview Museum of Fine Arts, Longview, TX - Towards A 21st Century Abstraction
2022 San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX - Towards A 21st Century Abstraction
2022 Arts Fort Worth, Ft. Worth, TX - Towards A 21st Century Abstraction
2022 George Billis Gallery, Westport, CT
2021 Art Essex Gallery, Invitational Summer Exhibition Juried by George Billis, George Billis Gallery NYC
2021 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA – Towards A 21st Century Abstraction
2021 Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, OR - Towards A 21st Century Abstraction
2021 Billis Williams Gallery, Los Angeles, CA – Abstract Show
2021 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art
2020 Art Essex Gallery, NYC Invitational, Juried by George Billis Gallery NYC
2020 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA
2020 Wildling Museum of Art & Nature, Solvang, CA
2020 Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
2019 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA
2018 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA
2018 George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles Invitational Show
2018 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Montecito, CA – Highlights of Recent Acquisitions to the Permanent Collection
2018 Wildling Museum of Art & Nature, Solvang, CA – The River’s Journey
2018 The Arts Fund, Santa Barbara, CA - JuxtaPOSE
2018 Sullivan Goss-An American Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA – Spring Break
2017 Wilding Museum of Art, Solvang, CA – Points of View
2017 Jane Deering Gallery, Gloucester, MA – Drawn From Life
2017 Paul Mahder Gallery, Healdsburg, CA
2017 Sullivan Goss-An American Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
2016. Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Women’s Board, Santa Barbara, CA – Off the Wall, Invitational
2015 LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM – Color Play – Primacy of Color in Contemporary Art
2014 McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX – MAC@20 Part II
2014 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA – Made You Look, Meg Cranston, Juror
2014 LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM – Now and Then
2014 AMOA and Arthouse at The Jones Center, Austin, TX – 5 x7, Invitational
2014 Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Women’s Board, Santa Barbara, CA – Off the Wall, Invitational
2014 Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX – New Paintings
2013 Longview Museum of Fine Arts, Longview, TX – New Art from the Last Decade
2013 LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM – Six Rising Stars
2013 Atkinson Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA – Small Images, Award for Familial Faces
2013 Santa Paula Art Museum, Santa Paula, CA – Face of California
2013 AMOA and Arthouse at The Jones Center, Austin, TX – 5 x7, Invitational
2012 Atkinson Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA – Small Images, Juror’s Award
2012 Sullivan Goss-An American Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA – elemental: WATER
2012 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA – Lift 2012, Art Council Award, Juror: Howard Fox, curator emeritus Contemporary Art, LACMA
2011-2013 Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Ft. Worth, TX – Experiencing Perspectives
2012 Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Women’s Board, – Off the Wall, Invitational
2012 AMOA and Arthouse at The Jones Center, Austin, TX – 5 x7, Invitational
2011 The Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi – Revelations: Women’s Art from the Permanent Collection
2011 Longview Museum of Fine Arts, Longview, TX – Far and Near – East Texas Regional
2011 Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, Lincoln, NE – Small Works
2010 Sullivan Goss-An American Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA – Spring Salon
2010 Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, CA – The Art of Summer
2008 Hunting Art Prize, Houston, TX – Top 5
2007 Gerald Peters Gallery, Dallas, TX
2000-2014 AMOA - ArtHouse at the Jones Center-AMOA, Austin, TX
2006 Bonhams & Butterfields, San Francisco, CA
2006 Michael Martin Galleries, San Francisco, CA
2004 Pollock Gallery, Dallas, TX – MFA Exhibition
2001 Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita, KS – Ulrich Alumni Exhibition, Distinguished Art Award, People’s Choice
2001 The Stage Gallery, NY, NY – Face to Face
2001 Pleiades Gallery, NY, NY
2001 Moudy Art Gallery, Ft. Worth, TX – 90 portraits – People I Know
2001 McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX – Biennial, Juror’s Award, 28 portraits – People I Know
2000 The Stage Gallery, NY, NY – Face to Face – 12 portraits - People I Know
2000 Moudy Art Gallery, TCU, Ft. Worth, TX – Art in the Metroplex – Hawn Foundation Award for People I Know
2000 San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, CA – People I Know
2000 Visual Arts Alliance, Houston, TX
2000 Loudoun House Gallery, Lexington, KY
2000 Dallas Visual Art Center, Dallas, TX
1999-2012 Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX – Annual Group Show
1995-1999 Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX – Beau Arts Ball
2009 – 2025 – Sullivan Goss – An American Gallery – 100 Grand
PRESS
2024 Glasstire - July 19th - Jessica Fuentes - Museums in Central and North Texas Announce Recent Acquisitions
2021 Abstraction Moves Forward in Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Independent, by Charles Donelan
2021 Towards a 21st Century Abstraction LUM ART MAG, by Kit Boise-Cossart
2021 Westmont Exhibition Looks at Current State of Abstraction Noozhawk.com, by Gerald Carpenter
2021 Westmont Displays Abstract Works Santa Barbara News-Press, by Dave Mason
2021 Towards a 21st Century Abstraction, Eugene Weekly, by Ester Barkai
2018 The River’s Journey; One Year, Six Artists, 92 Miles Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Spring 2018, BY Leslie Dinaberg
2018 The River’s Journey; One Year, Six Artists, 92 Miles Santa Barbara Seasons magazine, Spring 2018, by Leslie Dinaberg
2018 Down By, In and About the River Scene Magazine, March 23 - March 29, 2018, by Josef Woodard
2018 A River Runs Through Them: Six Artists Take “A River’s Journey” through the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley watershed at the Wildling Museum (Cover photo depicts Connally and her painting being hung in the museum) Santa Maria Sun, by Rebecca Rose
2018 Artists Explore River’s Journey Over Course of a Year Noozhawk, by Katie Pearson
2016 Connie Connally / Place In Time at LewAllen Contemporary, solo exhibit, essay by Ken Marvel
2015 Connie Connally, Sammy Peters / Fusion at LewAllen Contemporary, essay by Ken Marvel
2015 Color Play - Primacy Of Color In Contemporary Art at LewAllen Contemporary, essay by Ken Marvel
2013 Now and Then: contrasting Approaches to Key Themes of Modernism at LewAllen Contemporary, essay by Ken Marvel
2013 Art Things, Small and Smaller, The Scene Magazine by Josef Woodard
2013 Six Rising Stars essay by Ken Marvel, LewAllen Contemporary
2012 Small Images, The Scene Magazine by Josef Woodard
2012 Lift, The Scene Magazine by Josef Woodard
2010 Life Like Water at Sullivan Goss-An American Gallery, solo exhibit, CASA Magazine, by Kerry Methner
2010 100 Grand, An Art Spree for You and Me, The Scene Magazine by Josef Woodward
2009 New Home, New Directions at Craighead Green Gallery, essay by Nance Cohen Israel
2008 Connie Connally / Liquid Line at MMGalleries, solo exhibit SPOTLIGHT, Gallery Guide West
2006 Journey Into Abstraction Dallas Modern Luxury, by Steve Carter
2002 Finding Your Visual Voice, book, 6 color plates included by Dakota Mitchell and Lee Haroun
2001 Face Time by Annabell Massey, Dallas Observer
2000 Austin Art Scene by Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman
2000 Explorations of the Face, Both Realistic and Fanciful Art Reviews by Helen A Harrison, The New York Times (photo featured my painting
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1993, 2000 – 2005 Adjunct Professor of Art, Brookhaven College, Dallas, TX
2002 – 2004 Teaching Assistant, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
1988 – 1989 Adjunct Professor of Art, East Texas State University, Commerce, TX
2002 Guest Artist, Brookhaven College, Dallas, TX
2000 Creative Art Center Professor of Art, Dallas, TX
COMMUNITY SERVICE
2016 – 2018 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Board of Advisors
2016 – 2018 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, President, Executive Art Council
2014 – 2022 Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, Executive Art Council
2024 – Present Southern Methodist University, Meadows Mentor Program