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C. Ellen Hart makes drawings, paintings and mixed media images with collage. A third generation Houston artist, Hart studied painting at University of Houston graduating in 1985 and was awarded a Sarah Campbell Blaffer Scholarship in 1984.
While living in Virginia, Hart was elected Resident Artist at the Arlington Arts Center and a Fellow of the Virginia Center for Creative Arts. While exhibiting works in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC Hart and husband, Jack, moved to St. Louis, MO. Since returning to Texas Hart was a 2008 recipient of Houston Arts Alliance’s Established Artist Grant for her Downtown Reflections and Bayou Reflections project. She has maintained a studio at Sawyer Yards since 2012.
Statement
My paintings investigate patterns of light, shadow and reflection that we all experience daily, but rarely stop to notice. The works reflect a perceptual duality: a tangible, distinct moment and place where the source pattern is found, intertwined with the fleeting and ephemeral nature of time. As our planet turns light and atmospheric conditions shift causing my source patterns to morph, move and change.
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Who will WiVLA highlight next?
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Each month, a WiVLA member is highlighted in the Newsletter. This is a fun way for us to get to know each other.
Contact the Literary Art Chair or the Visual Art Chair, if you would like your time in the spotlight.
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Jamie's The Koi Fish Pond wins Synkroniciti’s Dreams cover contest.
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Jamie's sunflower jewelry box, which is chip carving and wood burning won honorable mention on the online juried arts how from TERAVARNA's 10th flower art competition. Her Dandelion Expansion and African Violet chip carvings were also selected as finalists.
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Donna's fine art photograph "Lagerfeld at Pitti Palace" was selected by Ardest Gallery for the "Intersections" group exhibition.
Also, the closing reception for ESSENCE OF ELEMENTS, at Sabine Street Studios, curated by Donna is September 20th.
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Denise had two photographs and her flash-fiction piece Dishes selected for the Dreams edition of Synkroniciti.
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Sandi's poem Pipe Dream will appear with so many other WiVLA writers and artists in the fall Dream issue of Synkroniciti.
Her poem Angkor Wat Siem Reap Cambodia will appear in the September issue of TPA Quarterly and will be posted on September 7 on Texas Poetry Assignment as part of the Texas Travelers series.
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Kathi's updates:
- Kathi is joining up with Writespace for a book signing on October 18th at Sabine Street Studios. The event is on the WiVLA calendar.
- We are bringing Kathi's program, The World Inside You, to WiVLA members in January. Register for the program on the WiVLA calendar.
- Her poem, The Women Rallied as Time Slipped Away, will be published in the upcoming issue #54 of White Wall Review, based in Toronto, Canada.
- She has two poems accepted by Synkroniciti for their September Dreams issue: The Study of Moving Through Time and I Sat Next to Octavia E. Butler on a Tour Bus Headed to Crater Plato.
- Her poem, Listening to Lou Reed Sing "I Heard Her Call My Name” With Moe Tucker on the Drums, has been accepted by Public Poetry for their 2025 Anthology: Unbroken.
- Her creative nonfiction story, Versions of My Mother, will be published by The Argyle Literary Magazine in September.
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Brooke's poem, Returning, was accepted into the Dreams issue of Synkroniciti. Congratulations to Brook on her first poem (without images) to be accepted into a literary magazine!
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Gwendolyn, WiVLA’s Literary Co-chair, will be a panelist Friday, September 5th, at 4pm at the Mystery Writers of America’s annual conference Bouchercon in New Orleans to discuss writing the young adult novel. She will be at the author signing table afterwards. If you are attending the conference be sure to say hello!
Gwendolyn also joined Houston Community College, HCC, this semester as an adjunct faculty member to teach screenwriting for features.
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Synkroniciti is Open
for Written and Visual Art Submissions
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Synkroniciti is a quarterly online arts journal. They accept work in a variety of media across the visual, literary and performing arts spectrum.
Issue Vol. 7, No. 4, Patterns, will debut this fall.
Patterns are etched across nature and stitched through our memories. They are the rhythms of life, the habits we inherit or establish, cycles we long to create or break. From personal and cultural history to the motifs of our dreams and imagination, they shape who we are, how we see our world and how we act. Marked by geometric precision or chaotic abandon, wild colors or monochromatic tones, they are the models, forms, and languages that help us express and organize our inner creative chaos, as well as those that limit and imprison our growth. Synkroniciti invites you to share the patterns you perceive and the patterns you create.
Submissions for their Patterns issue are now open. Contests will be held in poetry ($75), flash fiction ($75) and for the cover ($100).
Theme: "Patterns"
Deadline: 10/15/2025
Fee: $3 per submission
Submissions should be emailed to magazine@synkroniciti.com
Want to know now what they look for in a submission? Check out this interview with editor Katherine McDaniel by Jim Harrington over at Six Questions For Katherine McDaniel, Founder/Editor, Synkroniciti Magazine
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Art League Houston (ALH)
2025 Open Call Exhibition Proposals
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Art League Houston (ALH) is pleased to announce that we are now accepting proposals for our 2027 exhibition season. This open call invites artists, curators, and collectives to apply for exhibitions scheduled in Winter (January–April) and Summer (May–July) 2027.
Ends on Friday, Oct 31, 2025 11:59 PM
We welcome proposals from individuals and groups working in all disciplines, including visual arts, installation, performance, video, and interdisciplinary practices. ALH is committed to supporting diverse artistic voices and encourages applications from both emerging and established practitioners.
There is no application fee, and all proposals must be submitted through our Submittable platform. Full guidelines, selection criteria, and submission details are available on our Open Call page.
For questions or additional information, please contact:
Zhaira Costiniano
Curator and Exhibition Manager
zhaira@artleaguehouston.org
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LSAG Art League Fall Judged Shows!
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The Conroe Art League (CAL) Virtual Fall Show
- Registration Closes: September 7, 2025
- Awards Announced: October 11, 2025 at the CAL General Meeting
- Gallery Take-In (for eligible winners): November 4, 2025
- Eligibility: This show is available for all Texas Residents.
- Judge: Susan Sheets
- Show Location:
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The Woodlands Art League (TWAL) Fall Show
- Registration Opens: September 6, 2025
- Registration Closes: October 6, 2025
- Awards Announced: October 11, 2025 at the show
- Eligibility: This show is available for all Texas Residents.
- Judge: Lee Jamison Art Gall
- Show Location: Sam Houston State University – The Woodlands Center
3380 College Park Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77384
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Call for Photographers: Winter in The Woodlands Contest
Application Deadline: September 19
Entry Fee: $25 per submission
Contest Details:
Photographers are encouraged to submit up to three of their best photos of The Woodlands parks and pathways, nature, landscapes, aerial scenes, or drone photography.
- Submit up to three (3) photos
- Location: All submitted photographs must have been taken within The Woodlands.
- Timing: Shots must represent winter months (Nov- Feb) in the last five years
- No use of AI technology
- Entry Fee: $25 for adults. No entry fee for students.
- Submission deadline: September 19, 2025
- Notifications of acceptance will occur on October 9.
Photographer Details: We welcome photographers of all ages and experience levels. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.
Categories include:
Professional photographer (presently or in the past)
Adult amateur photographer
High School & College Students
Youth up to 8th grade
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The Hardy & Nance Studios Call for Entry:
Abstract Art Show
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Theme: Abstract art
Abstract art that explores the relationships of shape, form, color and line to create a composition that breaks away from the traditional representation of physical objects. Examples of Abstract Artists include Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky, Mark Rothko, Frank Ammerlann, & Liam Everett - just to name a few
Deadline: September 8th
Fee: $15 per accepted pieces for up to four (4) images.
Location: The Hardy and Nance Studios, 902 Hardy Street, Houston, TX 77020
Show Dates: September 8th
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Deadline: October 1, 2025
We are currently open to visual art submissions for a special selection period. The artwork selected will be paired with poems in our 2025 Coniston Prize issue, debuting in mid-October.
We are especially interested in:
- Art centered on the female experience, including birth, death, generational trauma, science and women's health
- Visual representations of nature motifs
- Thematic representations of catastrophic world events
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Persimmon Tree Call for Art
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Persimmon Tree’s mission is to bring the creativity and talent of women over sixty to a wide audience of readers of all ages. We are looking for work that reveals rich experience and a variety of perspectives. Each issue of the magazine will include several fiction and nonfiction pieces, poetry by one or more poets, and the work of one or more visual artists. The magazine is published quarterly.
We’d like to include your work — whether it’s a painting, drawing, collage, photograph, or in any other medium — in Persimmon Tree.
If you are a woman over 60, you are invited to email us up to five samples of your art (in jpg format, 72 dpi). Address your email to publisher@persimmontree.org,
and include:
- the title and medium of each work
- a headshot
- your name
- postal address
- phone number
- email address
- a short biographical statement (less than 50 words).
Submission Fee: For your work to be considered by Persimmon Tree, you must be a subscriber. Subscriptions are free.
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Leonard Cohen Poetry Prize
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Theme: Love, Faith, & Sex
Dates: September 21 - November 7
What to Send: Send us up to 3 pages of poetry Each poem starts on a new page.
Submission Fee: $15
In the spirit of Leonard Cohen, we ask that your poems deal in some way with the intersections of Love, Faith, & Sex.
We only accept previously uncurated work.
We love cover letters and would prefer knowing whose work we are reading. You are welcome to share your love for Leonard Cohen, your publication history, if any, though that would not influence our decision. Please make sure that the document of your poems is stripped of any biographical information—use the cover letter field on Submittable for this.
Please withdraw your poems if they get accepted elsewhere.
We will respond to everyone by the end of this year. Winners will be announced and published in January.
Your submission comes with an exclusive 33% discount off any of the annual ONLY POEMS membership tiers ($33-$82 value).
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Writing Contests, Grants & Awards
The Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.
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Literary Magazines
Find a home for your poems, stories, essays, and reviews by researching the publications vetted by our editorial staff and listed in the Literary Magazines database. Here you’ll find editorial policies, submission guidelines, and contact information—everything you need to determine which publications match your vision for your writing and your writing life.
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According to their website, "Duotrope is an established, award-winning resource for writers and artists. We help you save time finding publishers or literary agents, so you can focus on creating. Our publication and agent listings are up to date and full of information you won't find elsewhere. We also offer submission trackers, custom searches, deadline calendars, statistical reports, and extensive interviews."
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According to their website, "For writers, getting your work published and recognized is a step toward realizing your goals as an author. However, finding the right contests or publications can be a challenging and time consuming. Authors now have the opportunity to find and submit their writing to magazines, publishers, and contests through a website called Submittable."
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According to their website, "CaFÉ strives to make art opportunities available to all by offering arts organizations an affordable submission platform and artists an easy way to apply. CaFÉ has an open call for everyone, from competitions to public art calls, to art contests and more. Artists can create an artist portfolio for free and apply to various call listings. CaFÉ also hosts its own call for entry."
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According to their website, "Since established in 2003, Smarter Entry has evolved to become one of the most comprehensive competition and call for entry management systems. Used by art groups and organizations of all sizes, this intuitive, affordable web-based software makes it easy for organizations to run regional to worldwide events. Smarter Entry is a perfect choice for sculpture and other 3D media, as well as photography and painting competitions."
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According to their website, "For the Artist, Maker and (Forever) Inspired. Artists Network is with you every step of your art journey. Artists Network produces anywhere from three to five major events for visual art enthusiasts each year. We plan and produce different art-making getaways and retreats, art competitions, pop-up learn-ins, Paint Alongs, art talks and tours, and more in locations worldwide."
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WHEN: Monday, September 22nd 10 am
WHERE: Fairhaven Methodist's Trinity Center, 1330 Gessner Road, Houston, TX 77055
COST: Non-Members – $60.00, HAS Members – $40.00
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Check out these classes and more at WAS-H!
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Location: WAS-H at 1601 West Alabama at Mandell, Houston, TX 77006.
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Painting Contemporary Flowers with Acrylics
Mini Workshop with Carolina Dalmas
In this workshop, we’ll break that cycle by exploring new ways to apply paint and express yourself through brushwork. You’ll learn how to control and vary brush types, paint consistency, and pressure to create dynamic textures and marks. Taught using both acrylics and oils, this session is ideal for artists who want to push their boundaries, refine their technique, and infuse their work with energy and emotion.
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WHEN: Saturday, September 6th from 2:15 pm to 5:00 pm
WHERE: TWAL Studio 701 Sawdust Rd, The Woodlands, TX 77380
COST: Non-Members – $100.00, TWAL Members – $75.00
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Dynamic Still Life with Pastels
with Carolina Dalmas
Join Argentinian artist Carolina Dalmas for an engaging and liberating artistic experience where you'll harness the power of spontaneity and intention to create compelling pastel artworks. This workshop offers both structured learning and creative freedom, ensuring a rewarding journey into the world of soft pastels.
 During this workshop, we will paint a still life "alla prima" (completing it in one session). In this way, you will achieve freshness and joy. Instruction will cover composition and lighting of a still life, shapes, value, edges, color harmony, and movement.
Carolina creates art with a deep connection to nature. She encourages her students to observe the world as if they are seeing it for the first time. Acrylics and pastels are her favorite mediums. Recently, one of her pastel still lifes was awarded first place in the Pastel 100 Competition, hosted by Pastel Journal.
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WHEN: September 20-21, 2025. 9:00 to 4:30 both days, with a 1-hour break for lunch
WHERE: Conroe Art League Studio. 127 Simonton St., Conroe, TX 77301.
COST: $290 for CAL Members, $330 for non-members.
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WHEN: Classes start throughout September
WHERE: Houston Center for Photography 1441 West Alabama, Houston, Texas 77006.
COST: Varies per class
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WHEN: Classes start throughout September
WHERE: Ardest Gallery, 25200 Grogan's Park Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77380.
COST: Varies per class
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Check out these classes and more here!
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Find out more on these classes here!
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WRITESPACE is Houston's writing center. Founded in April of 2014, we are a grassroots literary arts organization founded by writers, for writers. At WRITESPACE, we support writers of all genres, including writers of literary fiction, poetry, science-fiction, fantasy, mystery, young adult, and other genres.
We offer weekly writing workshops, manuscript consultations, write-ins, open mics, socials, and more. In the spring of each year, we host a national literary festival, Writefest.
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- Happy Hour: Making Yourself and Your Creative Practice a Priority (Online Zoom)
- The Amherst Way with Jessica Cole (Online Zoom)
- Unreliable narrators in Creative Non-Fiction (Online Zoom)
- Spirituality and Life goals for Writers
- Writing from the Power of the Senses: Scents
- Finding Draft Problems (and Fixing Them)
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The Time Has Come!
HWG is hosting its annual AuthorPalooza conference in Houston, Texas at Rice University!
This two-day conference offers numerous opportunities and learning experiences, from pitch sessions and keynote speakers to presentation sessions and craft/writing workshops! This conference offers the possibility to network with industry professionals and enhance your knowledge in a variety of subjects.
Dates: September 27–28, 2025
** Make sure to check your Membership Portal for the member pricing discount code!
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The Houston Writers Guild is a volunteer-run, nonprofit organization working to create a community of writers of all skill levels. Together we strive to improve our writing craft and help each other build successful careers through education, collaborative marketing efforts, and camaraderie.
The Guild offers a myriad of programs for both published and unpublished writers. It creates opportunities to build careers through networking, as well as, opportunities for author book sales throughout the Greater Houston area and neighboring communities. The Guild is also a place for hobbyist authors to enjoy writing in a relaxed and fun environment.
Critique Group
Writer's Room - several offerings
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Inprint envisions Houston, Texas as a city where the literary arts are a defining resource. Thousands of Houstonians, recognizing the value and impact of the written word, join in Inprint programs to write, read, and support the literary arts. The community is enriched by some of the nation’s top emerging writers, who study at the University of Houston Creative Writing Program and teach at Inprint and various local community centers, schools, and universities.
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- Non-fiction/In-Person 2526-201
- Fiction/In-Person 2526-210
- Fiction/In-Person 2526-202
- Fiction/Online 2526-207
- Nonfiction/In-Person 2526-205
- Fiction/Online 2526-209
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Click here for more workshops and classes.
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Grackle and Grackle hosts creative writing classes taught by talented writers who love to teach. We work with all ages of writers.
We host weekend workshops for retreats geared toward specific kinds of writing, therapy, or outcomes; and weekly workshops in institutional or hospital settings.
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The WRITER'S LEAGUE of TEXAS (WLT) is the largest literary arts organization in Texas, a statewide nonprofit offering programs and services to writers at all stages of their writing careers, from just getting started to publication and beyond.
Founded in 1981, the organization’s mission is to provide a forum for information, support, and sharing among writers; to help writers improve their craft and understand the business of publishing; to promote the interests of writers from diverse cultural, economic, sexual identity and orientation, ethnic, and religious backgrounds; and to elevate the art and enterprise of writing, including supporting and growing the Texas literary community at large.
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WOW! is a global magazine designed to support women's creativity, energy, blood, sweat, and tears throughout all stages of the writing process. We envision Wow! being a favorite watering hole for professionals, the up-and-coming, and the recipients of our labors--the avid readers.
Our concept is unique, as it fills in the missing gap between writing websites and women's magazines. We are dedicated to raising the overall standards within the writing community, and devote an active profile within writing industry associations, organizations and websites.
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- EKPHRASTIC POETRY: Exploring Visual Art by Women Live Zoom Workshops with Lorette C. Luzajic
- CHICKEN SOUP ESSAYS: Write & Receive Personal Feedback with Kandace Chapple
- NO MATTER HOW BUSY YOU ARE, YOU CAN STILL FIND TIME TO WRITE! by Kelly L. Stone
- WHEN LIFE FISSURES: Writing About Grief in Fragments by Chelsey Clammer
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- Explore Four Japanese Poets: Inspiration from International Poets with Veronica Golos
- YA 4U: Young Adult Writing with Gume Laurel
- Short and to the Point: Writing Microfiction with Lyzette Wanzer
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The International Women’s Writing Guild (IWWG) is dedicated to building a worldwide community where storytelling connects, inspires, and uplifts voices across cultures. We celebrate the richness of diverse traditions, histories, and perspectives, recognizing that every writer contributes to the shared human experience.
All IWWG workshops are listed in ET (Eastern Time).
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TWO SYLVIAS PRESS is an independent press located in the Seattle area. We publish poetry, memoir, essays, books on the craft of writing, and creativity tools, such as The Poet Tarot, The Daily Poet, Everything is Writable, PR for Poets, Demystifying the Manuscript, and the bestselling resource for poets, The Weekly Muse.
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* Collaboration Catalogs Available! *
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You can purchase copies of the REFLECTION catalog from the 2022 Collaboration for $5.
Stop by Studio 320 at Silver Street Studios to purchase additional copies of either catalog. Silver Street Studios is located in the Main Yard of Sawyer Yards. Call ahead at 713-851-0134 to ensure that she’ll be in the studio when you arrive.
(We are sold out of ENTANGLED catalogs!)
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Remember to check the WiVLA Calendar for exciting events, such as field trips, studio visits, workshops, and other fun activities.
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Save the Date(s)
- WiVLA Book Club: Last Saturdays of the month
- October Member Meeting - Martha Serpas Oct 21, 2025
- LUMENessence Opening Reception with Melody Locke's Photography, Thu Oct 2, 2025, 5pm - 7pm at the Cloister Gallery
- November Member Meeting - Literary Readings: Resilience theme, Nov 18, 2025
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WiVLA Needs Your Expertise
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Do you have special skills, talents or knowledge to share with other WiVLA members? Now is a good time to volunteer ~
- Serve on a committee
- Speak at a monthly meeting
- Lead a workshop.
- Be creative
Don't be shy. We have a lot to learn from each other.
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We'd love to celebrate your good news. If you are interested in sharing, please send your items to newsletter@wivla.org. The deadline for inclusion in the next month's newsletter is the 20th. Thank you.
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