Venturing Into The Night House — Houston Artist Embraces What Happens In The Witching Hour At The Woodlands’ New Show

Houston artist Ellen H. Ray feels nighttime amplifies feelings and emotions. As a night owl, she finds it energizing. This inspiration shines through in her new solo show dubbed “Night House” at Ardest Gallery in The Woodlands, which runs through October 19.

The exhibit includes Ray’s mood board, which serves as her starting point for the art exhbition. It includes early sketches, snippets and even snail shells.

“This is what I do in my studio,” Ray tells PaperCity The Woodlands. “I start putting things up. As I start making work, some pieces come down while others go up. I make connections. Julie Verville, the (Ardest) Gallery owner, kindly let me include this because I get attached to the beginning and the whole process of putting a show together.”

The Transformative Power of Night

For Ray, the nighttime holds intense significance.

“My husband and I have visited Taos, New Mexico almost every year of our marriage,” Ray says. “We usually go for a week at a time. But last July, I spent the whole month in a cabin in the mountains, mostly by myself. My family joined me at the beginning and the end, but in the middle, I was alone. The night experience there was really intense.”

“I’ve always felt like the night experience brings increased energy. I’m a night owl, so I’m up really late. At the art supply store in Taos, I bought low-grade paper and did a sketch. That’s where the show began.”

This intense nighttime experience in Taos not only inspired the initial sketch for the show, but also reflects Ray’s enduring pursuit of a career in art. In fact, art has always been a career goal for Ray.  

“I am the youngest of six children, and one of my older sisters was a working artist when I was a child,” Ray notes. “From an early age, I knew that art could be a job. She drew for newspapers and created ads for Neiman Marcus and Dillard’s.”

Ray put her artistic plans on hold to raise a family, but never strayed far from art. She ran an art business for 20 years in North Texas. In 2015, after moving to Houston, she attended the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts. In 2019, she completed a month-long residency in Germany, where she also put on a show.

The Essence of Home in Ray’s Art

The house motif in Ellen Ray’s art comes from a very personal and relatable place.

“After the difficult experience of selling my parents’ home following their passing, houses started making their way into my artwork,” Ray says. “They were detailed houses. I live in The Heights, where the houses are bold. I had a lot of references to draw from. Eventually I started simplifying it to this iconic shape of a home.” 

Ray felt the simple shape of a house was more relatable for people and allowed each viewer to bring their own sense of home to the work.

From painting and drawing homes, Ray’s next move was to 3D art.

“The next step was to make these dimensional houses,” Ray says. “This is the first time I’ve done a night feel of the house. They have become such a source of joy for me. Normally they’re brightly colored in.”

“Everybody has a sense of home. It’s really tightly connected to our sense of self.”

Ray also created paper stars. As a way of giving back, she donates 100 percent of the proceeds from paper star sales to Mosaics of Mercy. Mosaics is a local resource that helps families navigate the complex mental health and addiction recovery system. The stars are original drawings on mulberry paper, collaged onto paperboard and measure eight inches from point to point.

While Ardest Gallery provides the ideal setting for the solo show, those unable to attend Ray’s exhibition in person can still view it online.

Ardest Gallery is located at 25200 Grogan’s Park Drive in The Woodlands. Regular gallery hours run 10 am to 2 pm Wednesdays through Fridays and 10 am. to 4 pm on Saturdays. For more information, go here.