Crafting Spaces for Art
Jesse Meráz began studying interior design at UNT not knowing that his choice of college would direct him toward a career in the visual arts. In the early to mid-1990s, the Denton campus had a potent blend of brilliant young students and renowned art professors.
“As I met young artists, I took more interest in the visual arts,” Meráz recalled. “I eventually changed my concentration and pursuit.”
The art department faculty boasted names like Vernon Fisher, John Pomara, and Vincent Falsetta who encouraged Meráz to innovate and push his creative boundaries. The nurturing and inspiring environment accelerated Meráz’s career and output, leading to invitations to group shows and solo shows at Plush Gallery, Ro2 Art Gallery, and the McKinney Avenue Contemporary (The MAC). Meráz cites his work with the MAC’s gallery director Victoria Corcoran as particularly helpful in teaching him professional practices and art installation.
During Meráz’s freshman year in 1993, his classmates formed the Good/Bad Art Collective which Meráz joined and they went on to create over 250 events in Texas and New York City over the next several years.
As exciting as his artistic prospects were, the budding artist was less enthusiastic about Denton’s no-frills cocktail options at the time.
“I’ve always enjoyed classic cocktails,” Meráz said. “When my friends were drinking Jack and Cokes, I would have a classic gin martini. They would tease me and say that I was an old man.”
After two decades as a working artist, Meráz was ready to pursue something different. A career in art, he said, requires continual networking, documenting, creating, and finding spaces to exhibit.
“Sometimes you have a good year, sometimes you have a bad year,” he said. “I was ready to scale it back and focus on the lounge.”
“Colton” 2020, 16”x16” Digital Photograph Anonymous Profile Series
By “lounge,” he means Fort Worth’s Basement Lounge. The longtime craft cocktail lover and artist says he was inspired to open a cocktail lounge by visits to New York City and the opening of The Usual on West Magnolia. Meráz saw an opportunity to present monthly art shows at his bar/art space.
His approach to curating shows hasn’t changed much since those early years. Meráz doesn’t accept solicitations, but he does seek out new artists who have never shown work publicly before and balances those shows with established artists like Carol Ivey and Ariel Davis. William Campbell Contemporary employee and artist Vince Veazey says TBL complements the local art gallery scene.
“Jesse is not just operating one of the best craft cocktail spots in DFW,” Veazey said. “He’s an art guy through and through. He cares deeply about the local art scene. TBL is basically a gallery that serves cocktails.”
Curation is never an afterthought at Basement Lounge shows, which often sell out. Events that feature a rotation of photographs, paintings, watercolors, drawings, and sculptures are planned out a year in advance or more. Meráz makes studio visits to help artists decide which works to show.
Carol Ivey, lauded for her picturesque watercolors, was initially reluctant to show her abstract expressionist style works from the 1980s (possibly thinking they were stylistically dated) before Meráz convinced her otherwise. Recent guest artist Steve Gall had not shown work extensively before his recent run at Basement Lounge.
Local artist and Artspace111 art consultant Ariel Davis said Meráz’ support of local artists is invaluable to the community.
“He is an artist supporting artists,” she said. “The basement lounge serves as a great alternative art show space for independent artists. Jesse has created a welcoming and intimate gathering space where the focus is on good drinks, conversation, and the rotating artwork. Through thoughtful curation of both the artwork and the drink menu, Jesse has nurtured a clientele and following that is excited to come back again and again to experience the basement lounge’s fresh offerings. I know many artists who have had successful solo shows at the basement lounge, including myself. The small space allows for a limited number of works to be shown, resulting in a highly focused showcase of quality work by local artists.”
Meráz said he recently read an article about a cocktail lounge owner who cited a 30/30/40 menu formula that never expires: 30% classics, 30% seasonal, and 40% experimental. The same basic formula that makes for great cocktail menus can also serve galleries to maintain a mixed roster of artists.
“There are movements [in art and trends in classic cocktails] that set the foundation of what is happening now,” Meráz said. “I want to build on that. I often tell new artists that their art deserves to be out there, seen. I want to help the underdogs and champion them while bringing in well-known artists.”