Beyond the Brush brings together artists, gallerists, and collectors for a conversation about the realities of building a sustainable career in today's art market. The panel will be moderated by Seba Suber of Southern Polymath, LLC.

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The Light We Carry (curated by Tempest Williams) extends that conversation from professional practice into personal and cultural foundation. Through painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, film and installation, the exhibition considers how Black identity is shaped by memory, motherhood and the ongoing process of becoming. At its center is the Black mother, understood not only as a biological role but as a cultural force present in ancestral tradition, community care and the preservation of stories across generations. The exhibition serves as the capstone project of the 2026 Anderson Center Artist-in-Residence program and features artists Brynne Henry, Starling Thomas, Tillanye Stewart, Arnea Williams and Tempest Williams, representing the 2026 residency cohort.

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“Strong arts communities don’t happen by accident; they are built through intentional partnerships that invest in artists at every stage of their careers,” said Michelle L. Bonton, founder and executive director of The Anderson Center for the Arts. “Presenting Beyond the Brush alongside The Light We Carry allows us to hold both sides of an artist’s life in the same room: the practical work of building a career and the personal and cultural inheritance that sustains it.”

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The event is pay-what-you-can and open to the public and will welcome artists, collectors, curators, arts professionals, Untitled Art Houston attendees, and members of the Houston community.

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Program Information:

Beyond the Brush: How Black Artists Build Sustainable Careers

Panel discussion w/ Moderator:  Seba Suber, Southern Polymath, LLC

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The Light We Carry: Black Memory, Motherhood, and Becoming Companion

Exhibition Presented by: The Anderson Center for the Arts w/ Tempest Williams, Curator

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Opening reception and panel discussion: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, 6:30–9:00 p.m.

On view: Oct. 1–31, 2026, during Untitled Art Houston

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