Glasstire

Brandon Zech speaks with Glasstire founder Rainey Knudson about what led her to create the publication in 2001, the early years of Glasstire, and the projects she has undertaken since leaving the organization. “In the early days, most galleries did not have a website, a lot of them didn't even have email, and they would physically mail me transparency slides and/or postcards. I would scan the slides and scan the postcards on a flatbed scanner to get a tiny crummy JPG image that we would use for an event listing.” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2026/01/10/art-dirt-talking-with-glasstire-founder-rainey-knudson/ If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Brandon Zech and Jessica Fuentes look back on the year in Texas art, from the removal of Sally Mann's photographs from the Fort Worth Modern to art fairs that debuted in Texas and major leadership changes at institutions across the state. "It struck me how different not only the process of selecting [Alma Allen as the U.S. representative for the Venice Biennale] was but also how different their artwork is, compared to what else has been shown on the national stage in recent years. It's not a dig at the artist in any way, but it feels more in line with an overall blandness and [support for] artwork that doesn't necessarily push talking points or boundaries or that investigates or looks closely at culture and society..." See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/12/26/art-dirt-2025-year-in-review/ If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donatio

William Sarradet and Nicholas Frank discuss some of their favorite books they read in 2025, including literature on American history, craft, films, and more. "I had been reading a lot of postcolonial nonfiction and got a bit bogged down in that, emotionally... so I thought I should read some fiction, but most of what I found ended up being the kind of heavyweight postcolonial content I had been trying to turn away from. I think it's good for us in this moment to really think about our history and how culture processes the present moment with a historical lens." See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/12/14/art-dirt-talking-about-glasstires-favorite-books-of-2025/ If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Jessica Fuentes and Nicholas Frank discuss the art of writing obituaries for Glasstire and the generational shifts we are witnessing as young leaders step into new roles across Texas. “Rainy Knudson, the founder of Glasstire, told me, ‘I think that when we lose somebody in an art community, it's just a passage to the next generation. In the larger sense, the more of these you experience, the more you really see the continuum over generations; and how each of us plays our role during some section of that continuum.’” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/11/28/art-dirt-obituaries-and-generational-shifts If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Jessica Fuentes, William Sarradet, and Nicholas Frank discuss their recent visit to the Rio Grande Valley, including stops in Laredo, San Ygnacio, McAllen, Harlingen, and Brownsville. “One of the things that often marks our time in the Valley — and similar regions — is that the communities there are so tightly knit and welcoming. Every time we go to the Panhandle, to East Texas, to West Texas, to the Valley, we are met with these really beautiful, intimate moments where people are open and willing to share.” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/11/16/art-dirt-a-visit-to-the-rgv/ If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

William Sarradet speaks with Mallory Prucha, Associate Professor of Costume Design at Texas Tech University, about garment design, textiles, and teaching in the Texas Panhandle. “Right now the American theater is trying to figure out what it's doing, but in the process…we’re seeing experimentation. Oftentimes, I’ll expand my students' horizons to think about things like working at Meow Wolf, that’s very theatrically adjacent… or you can think about experiential design… within these times of identity uncertainty of an industry, there is the opportunity to push the limits and boundaries.” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/11/02/art-dirt-talking-costume-design-collaboration-with-mallory-prucha If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Jessica Fuentes and Nicholas Frank discuss art on view in Marfa during Chinati Weekend and some of the people and places that make up the region's art scene. “Marfa is a small town, and the people who make that space home end up being a close-knit group of people... when you make a choice to live in a small town, you are also embracing a different lifestyle, something that is truly rooted in community... That’s one of the reasons I enjoy going to Chinati Weekend… every time I go, it's like coming back to an extended family.” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/10/18/art-dirt-chinati-weekend-2025 If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Brandon Zech, Jessica Fuentes, and Nicholas Frank discuss takeaways from the Art Papers Art Writing + Publishing Symposium and issues in the field of arts writing. “We focus on the larger impact of the field of art criticism whenever an art critic gets cuts from their post but the reality of the situation is that one person is able to impact not just an artistic community but an arts-interested public in such a significant way that it's kind of absurd.... The real world impact of journalism, or of losing just a single critic or arts writing position, is weirdly a part of the conversation that gets left out a lot of the time.” Related readings link: https://glasstire.com/2025/10/03/art-dirt-reflecting-on-the-art-papers-symposium This podcast is supported in part by The Texas Tribune Festival, which is bringing together inspiring thinkers, leaders, and innovators to discuss the issues that matter to you. Discover the ideas and actions shaping our state and leave ready to turn your boldest ideas into reality

Brandon Zech, William Sarradet, and Nicholas Frank share insights and reflections from the inaugural Houston edition of the Untitled Art fair. “We are proud of Houston, but it can be kind of a hard place to visit. I was impressed by Untitled's programming in the way that the fair was trying to act as a host for people both in the city and for people coming from out of town.” Related readings: https://glasstire.com/2025/09/20/art-dirt-reporting-from-untitled-art-houston If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Jessica Fuentes speaks with artist and gallerist Nancy Douthey about tarot as storytelling, visual art, and creative future building. ”Looking at the complexity of those cards was like looking at a painting and creating a story... Working with the interior story that I had for it could be a mirror or a reflection, helping me move through my own pain.” Related readings link: https://glasstire.com/2025/09/06/art-dirt-talking-about-the-artistry-of-tarot-with-nancy-douthey If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Brandon Zech, William Sarradet, and Nicholas Frank answer Glasstire readers' questions about pricing art, working with galleries, and exhibiting in alternative spaces. “Showing up to everything you can is the first step… talk to the galleries who show work that you like, ask them questions about their program, and learn what they’re interested in. It’s really about continuous engagement with people and building relationships, which doesn’t happen over night. But, the more you focus on it, the more you start to see those results.” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/08/23/art-dirt-pricing-your-art-gallery-representation-alternative-spaces/ If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

William Sarradet talks with Dallas-based fashion designer Ashley Lee about fashion, textile works, and how to approach craft schools across Texas. "The lines between art, design, and crafts get quite blurry these days. I tend to think of fashion more as a design form. It can be a craft — there are definitely elements of craft in it — but overall, I view it more as a design form." See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/08/09/art-dirt-talking-garments-fashion-craft-schools-with-ashley-lee This podcast is supported in part by The Texas Tribune Festival, which is bringing together inspiring thinkers, leaders, and innovators to discuss the issues that matter to you. Dive into unforgettable conversations spanning education, the economy, healthcare, energy, technology, public safety, culture, the arts and more. TribFest gives you an up-close look at how big ideas take shape, and how they affect your life. You’ll connect with fellow Texans, engage directly with experts and leaders, and leave inspir

Jessica Fuentes speaks with Glasstire's recently appointed News Editor Nicholas Frank about growing up in Milwaukee, his artistic practice, and his writing career. “I felt right at home here... [Milwaukee and San Antonio are both] cities where the major redevelopments in the city are based on old German breweries. Both cities hinge their downtown redevelopment on the River Walk... they are both located 77 miles from the state capitol... so that determines cultural things.” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/07/27/art-dirt-getting-to-know-nicholas-frank This week’s podcast is sponsored in part by the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. Cool down from the summer heat with CAMH's newest exhibition, "Tomashi Jackson: Across the Universe." This mid-career survey of the Houston-born artist brings together nearly a decade of work across disciplines, spanning textiles, paper, archival images, and more. Colliding histories intersect with color theory in the vibrant and multifaceted pieces that scru

William Sarradet speaks with Jhonny Langer, a paint conservator and object restoration artist living in Galveston, about the history of the city and paint conservation on the Gulf Coast. “I’m starting to step back and look at what I’ve done over a period of time and realize that it is interesting. Before it was just a job, and now it is fascinating.” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/07/11/art-dirt-paint-conservation-on-the-texas-coast If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: glasstire.com/donate

Jessica Fuentes and William Sarradet discuss summer exhibitions that are on view or opening later this season throughout Texas. “A Houston show I was very excited about was the “Tomashi Jackson: Across the Universe“ show that just opened at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. It's a midcareer survey, and it includes several bodies of work by Jackson, and they are all so powerful and compelling.” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/06/29/art-dirt-summer-exhibition-roundup-2 If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Brandon Zech and Jessica Fuentes talk about artistic legacies, including Damien Hirst's posthumous paintings, artists who have launched work into space, and artist foundations. “A lot of artists consider what happens with their body of work — with this momentum they’ve created during their lifetime — after their death. But, historically, people haven’t thought about the continuation of art making after their death. They’ve thought about how their artwork gets cared for in their absence, not how can they continue to have artwork.” This week's podcast is sponsored in part by The National Juneteenth Museum's upcoming inaugural Juneteenth Festival, Freedom Vibes. The event features a conversation with Ambassador Andrew Young, performances by Orchestra Noir, The O'Jays, and the Whispers, and a block party on Saturday, June 21. Festivities for the Fort Worth event are from June 19 to June 22, and the "Declarations of Freedom" visual art exhibition opens on June 12 and runs through July 19. Learn more here: www.fr

William Sarradet speaks with artist, lecturer, and Glasstire contributor Renee Lai about the inaugural Friends Fair and the Affordable Art Fair in Austin. “Every room that I went into, I looked in the bathroom first... I got my impression from each booth by what was going on in the bathroom. The more outrageous or custom or funny the bathroom was, the more it predisposed me to whatever else was in the room.” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/05/31/art-dirt-reporting-on-the-austin-art-fairs If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

Jessica Fuentes speaks with art educator and author Laura Evans about her recently published book, “The Atlas of Art Crime: Thefts, Vandalism, and Forgeries.” “I remember learning about the 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner theft… and then going to visit the museum in grad school and confronting those empty frames, where those works of art were stolen from, was really sobering. Seeing these holes, these gaps, where these artworks were disappeared… it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.” Related Readings: https://glasstire.com/2025/05/18/art-dirt-theft-vandalism-forgeries-talking-with-laura-evans-about-art-crime If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate

William Sarradet speaks with Dallas artist Hava Toobian about the art, culture, and manuscripts they encountered during their recent trip to Ireland. “I didn’t know what to expect in a national contemporary art museum for the Republic of Ireland, and it was beautiful. It was an astute mixture of contemporary mediums and works in a historical building.” See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/05/04/art-dirt-manuscripts-modern-eyes-seeing-dublin-with-hava-toobian This week's podcast is sponsored in part by Aurora Picture Show’s Extremely Shorts Film Festival. Always interesting and eclectic, Extremely Shorts showcases all kinds of adventurous contemporary films, all three minutes or shorter. This year’s program includes 30 films from eight countries. Screenings take place May 30 and 31 at Aurora’s new space on Navigation in Houston's East End, with some participating filmmakers in attendance and receptions featuring music provided by Icehouse Radio! Find more information and tickets here: https

Jessica Fuentes, William Sarradet, and Brandon Zech discuss the trends they found at the 2025 Dallas Art Fair and the Dallas Invitational. "It stuck out to me thematically that there seemed to be a lot of landscapes and interiors — interiors of houses, some still lives. Overall the work felt a little more conservative to me than the Dallas Art Fair normally feels. Dallas is generally the most adventurous buying-wise."  See related readings here: https://glasstire.com/2025/04/20/art-dirt-reporting-on-the-dallas-art-fairs/ If you enjoy Glasstire and would like to support our work, please consider donating. As a nonprofit, all of the money we receive goes back into our coverage of Texas art. You can make a one-time donation or become a sustaining, monthly donor here: https://glasstire.com/donate