Texas As Art

The Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens is pleased to present “Texas as Art 2021,” an exhibition featuring the works of Rebecca Dodge, Suzi Davidoff, and Liz Culp. The exhibition will run from September 9, 2023, to January 27, 2024.  

Rebecca Dodge's artworks focus on the natural eco-regions of West Texas and the role of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in managing, conserving, and restoring these areas. By using visible and infrared wavelengths of light from the Landsat satellite, Dodge creates false color imagery that enhances the beauty of Texas landscapes. Her art pieces are intended to inspire viewers to understand the importance of managing our resources and exploring the land we live on. 

Suzi Davidoff's pieces explore the beauty of Earth's ecoregions, while Liz Culp's art provides complementary ground-based perspective views of the Trans-Pecos landscape. Together, these artworks invite visitors to explore the complexity and beauty of West Texas landscapes and their relationship with the environment. Dodge's grant, received from Texas View and its parent organization AmericaView in July 2020, allowed her to download the satellite images and produce prints on canvas and paper prints of the imagery from the enhanced digital files. All the ecoregion information in her works is sourced from the Texas Wildlife and Parks Department, making the exhibition both informative and engaging for scientists and residents alike. 

An Emeritus Assistant Professor of Geosciences from Midwestern State University, Rebecca L. Dodge has applied satellite imagery to study earthquakes, explore for oil and minerals globally, and monitor environmental change on six continents.  In her academic career she has trained faculty, students, and teachers to do the same.  She began developing digital art based on Landsat satellite imagery, in support of science education and outreach, just three years ago.  With profits from the sale of her art, she supports scholarships and grants for university students and faculty who monitor the Earth from space.

 Rebecca L. Dodge, profesora adjunta emérita de geociencias de la Universidad Estatal del Medio-oeste (Midwestern State University), ha utilizado imágenes satelitales para estudiar terremotos, explorar en busca de petróleo y minerales a nivel mundial y monitorear el cambio ambiental en seis continentes. En su carrera académica ha capacitado a profesores, estudiantes y maestros para que también lo puedan realizar. Hace apenas tres años comenzó a desarrollar arte digital basado en imágenes satelitales Landsat, en apoyo de la educación científica y la divulgación. Con las ganancias de la venta de su arte, apoya becas y subvenciones para estudiantes universitarios y profesores que monitorean la Tierra desde el espacio.

Liz Bartlett Culp comes from a family of artists.  Liz took art classes starting at age 12 and continued off and on through high school and while raising two children.  Painting was a spare time pursuit during her 30-year career as a Petroleum Geologist.  Since retiring in 2020, Liz has been painting full time.  Geology combines multiple sciences and requires creativity, so the transition was an easy one.  Liz has worked in watercolor, pastels, and acrylics, with her current focus on oils. She loves to paint flowers and land- and skyscapes, especially of the Big Bend area and the Davis Mountains of Texas.  

 Liz Bartlett Culp proviene de una familia de artistas. Liz tomó clases de arte a partir de los 12 años y continuó de vez en cuando hasta la escuela secundaria y mientras criaba a dos hijos. La pintura fue una actividad de tiempo libre durante su carrera de 30 años como geóloga petrolera. Desde que se jubiló en 2020, Liz ha estado pintando a tiempo completo. La geología combina múltiples ciencias y requiere creatividad, por lo que la transición fue fácil. Liz ha trabajado con acuarelas, pasteles y acrílico, y su enfoque actual es el óleo. Le encanta pintar flores y paisajes terrestres y celestes, especialmente del área de Big Bend y las montañas Davis de Texas.

Suzi Davidoff is an artist based in the Chihuahuan desert of West Texas, creating drawings, prints, and collaborative installations that explore themes of structure, sustainability, and perception of the natural world.  Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the United States. Recent solo exhibitions include VANISHING AVIANS, Flatbed Press, Austin,TX,  SIMPLIFIED WORLD, Rubin Center for the Visual Arts, El Paso, TX  and FIELD NOTES, Octavia Gallery, New Orleans, LA.  Selected permanent collections include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts and El Paso Museum of Art. Suzi was a member of the faculty in the Department of Art at UTEP for many years.

Suzi Davidoff es una artista que vive en el desierto de Chihuahua en el oeste de Texas y crea dibujos, grabados e instalaciones colaborativas que exploran temas de estructura, sustentabilidad y percepción del mundo natural. Su trabajo ha sido exhibido en galerías y museos de los Estados Unidos. Exposiciones individuales recientes incluyen: AVIONES QUE SE DESVANECEN, Flatbed Press, Austin, TX, MUNDO SIMPLIFICADO, Rubin Center for the Visual Arts, El Paso, TX y NOTAS DE CAMPO Octavia Gallery, New Orleans, LA. Las colecciones permanentes seleccionadas incluyen el Museo Metropolitano de Arte, el Museo Nacional de Mujeres en las Artes y el Museo de Arte de El Paso. Suzi fue miembro de la facultad en el Departamento de Arte de UTEP durante muchos años.