Several years ago, we purchased a lovely landscape by Sally Michel Avery. Its characteristically vibrant and engaging colors and whimsical tone ignited an ongoing interest in her style. Throughout the last few years, we have also focused much of our attention on 20th Century female artists. Realizing the trove of talent that was overlooked in those masculine dominated years, we strove to highlight women through our gallery acquisitions and our exhibitions. As a part of that focus, we acquired more works by Sally Michel Avery and her daughter March Avery. Entranced by their stunning colors and endearing subjects, we gradually amassed a lovely little collection of works by these two artists. 

Aware that the Museum of Modern Art in Fort Worth was doing a major retrospective of Milton Avery’s work, we seized the moment to have this exhibition of the gallery’s collection. Milton Avery was an iconic and influential figure among 20th Century American modernist painters, and his innovations as a colorist were unparalleled. However, Milton’s contributions were not made entirely independently. Sally Michel was a young art student in the 1920s when she met Milton Avery. They often painted together and developed their unique style in tandem; a style which March would continue developing in her own career as an artist. “The Avery Style” has become a term used by art historians and professionals to describe the unique voice that all three members of the Avery family brought to the art world. Their style focuses on color, and they abandoned the creation of dimension that characterizes more traditional painting styles in favor of allowing the juxtaposition of unique color combinations to play a central role in their compositions. 

Our hope is that this exhibition, in conjunction with the stunning Milton Avery exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Fort Worth, will create a cultural synergy in West Texas — allowing art lovers a more insightful window into the Avery family. In presenting Avery: A Family Legacy, we wish to celebrate the impact that this family had on subsequent generations of artists, emphasize the role that the women in the Avery family played, and to revel in the beauty of the art that the Avery family has created.

FEATURING WORKS BY:

Milton Clark Avery

Sally Michel Avery

March Avery‍