Artist Spotlight

Jeff’s funny Instagram stories came on my radar long before he came to 1st Saturday in 2023. Jeff has turned his obsession with “doodling” into an artform and that in itself makes a great story. Sit back for the rest, Jeff has a fascinating and inspiring backstory!

One could call Jeff Lung’s art figurative abstract art but he often just calls it “doodle art.” “I love to doodle! So I’ve made it my thing!” ~ Jeff Lung

• Link
• Instagram
• Facebook

Tell us about yourself outside of the art world.

I am a self-taught artist interested in figurative abstract expression and obsessive doodling. All my life I have been obsessed with filling empty spaces with shapes, and my doodle-scribbled notebooks collected over the years document this quest. I find great satisfaction in finding relationships among forms and expressing them through emotion. In my free time, I enjoys being outdoors: running, hiking and cycling. I also love comic books and live stand-up comedy. Born and raised in Quincy, Illinois, since leaving home at 18 years old I have lived in big cities like Madrid, Beijing, Los Angeles and Chicago. Now I’m a Texan. Texan for life.

How did your art journey begin?

Initially it was a coping mechanism for dealing with the chaos of my early childhood. I found that drawing and doodling helped me escape from the drama that was otherwise holding me down.

What are you doing with your art right now?

I continue to experiment by combining my deep interest in traditional portraiture and figure drawing alongside my incessant need to be doodling all the time. In doing so, I also explore themes that are at the forefront of my mind: dynamic movement, faith, love, hope, peace, calm.

Do you have big plans/goals for the future? 

Heck yes! I plan to see the world through my art and subsequent messaging. I’ve overcome a lot of adversity in my life and I want to share that triumph while also helping others get through trials of their own.

Find Jeff Lung

Ardest Gallery (The Woodlands), The Madeley Gallery (Conroe Art League, Conroe, TX), Festivals IE Woodlands Waterway, Bayou City, Deep Ellum Community Arts Fair, Sugar Land Arts Festival

What guidance would you offer to a budding or novice artist?

Ask questions, of course, but realize too that we are all an experiment of one. What works for one person may not work for you. I ask a lot of questions and pick a lot of brains and then filter that through my own journey and experience to get the most out of it.

If you didn’t work in your medium, what would you choose?

Probably something similar like gouache.

Tell us a surprising thing or story about yourself!

I have a lot of interesting life experiences. I speak fluent Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. I lived in China for four years. I also did some dumb stuff and got arrested and sent to prison at 24 years old for selling Ecstasy. I served 26 months in prison and while incarcerated started my first successful entrepreneurial endeavor by drawing portraits for my fellow inmates in graphite. I became known as the portrait guy in the joint and made a good living (for being locked up that is). I got out in 2007 and never went back to my stupid days. 

I was also a competitive boxer with 13 fights, winning the 2015 Chicago Golden Gloves in the Masters Division lightweight class. I have run hundreds of races: half marathons, marathons, ultramarathons. My crowning achievements are a 3:03 PR in the 2012 Chicago Marathon. I ran the Boston Marathon twice (2013, 2014). I also ran the coveted and highly selective Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run in 2017. While I still do run often, I also enjoy riding my bike for short and long distances.

Jeff Lung at another finish line!

Jeff Lung Completes the 100 Mile Endurance Run

Jeff Lung wins the Chicago Golden Gloves Championship of 2015

Tim landed at the market in June 2012 and I remember him telling me he’d left his job in TV to work his photography biz full-time. From day one he raised the bar for both photographers and other artists. Tim’s professionalism and easy going manner stand out in the crowd. Enjoy his story!

• Link
• Instagram
• Facebook

Tell us about yourself outside of the art world.

I grew up in Oklahoma and have been living in the Houston area for 18 years. I’ve also been married for 18 years and we have three kids, 4, 6, and 8. I love Jesus, metal detecting, pc gaming, and most recently have gotten into 3D design and 3D-printing parts for various projects I’ve got going on, one of which is a motion cockpit seat for use in a virtual reality flight simulator, which I built from the ground up. I’ve also been an amateur visual astronomer for a few years and am currently working on completing the Messier and Herschel deep-sky-object certifications.

How did your art journey begin?

I’ve enjoyed drawing since Junior High and took nature and landscape painting lessons in high school. I chose a Minolta SLR as my high school graduation gift and did some shooting with it. Not much artistic though, mostly of friends, vacations, and such. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a Geography degree, I decided to do something completely different and went back to school at Rose State, a small community college near Oklahoma City, and graduated 18 months later with an Associates in Television Broadcast. My curriculum was focused on shooting and editing video for news stories, although it encompassed many aspects of the television broadcast industry.

Unlike my time at OU, I felt like I’d finally found something that felt natural to me. I worked at a few different places for a year and a half, but finally landed a great job at KPRC, the NBC affiliate in Houston, as a production operator. This mostly involved running robotic cameras in the studio (a first for me), switching graphics, and floor directing. After three years, I got the itch to learn more about IT and I picked up a massive book and started studying for the CompTIA A+ certification just to see where that would lead me. I happened to ask my boss if our IT director needed an assistant, and within a week, I was the new IT assistant and had moved from production to engineering.

I loved my new position and learned so much over the next three years. Most of my work was waiting for something to break (printers were the most common in case you were wondering) so I had plenty of down time. I spent this time scratching yet a new itch, photography. Yes, I’d dabbled a bit before, but I really wanted to learn how to make a great photograph consistently. I read books, and used my downtime to read photography forums, searching for the common denominators between great photographs. I found a used Canon DSLR system on Craigslist and spent the next few years learning photography as a serious hobby.

A few years later, I sold my first few photographs at the Sugar Land Farmer’s Market in July 2012. A year later, I made the difficult decision to leave KPRC and set out on my own as a professional fine art landscape photographer.

Where are you now with your art?

I’m currently focused on photographing the “Great American West” with my Fujifilm medium format camera system. My most recent expedition was through Olympic and Mt Rainier National Parks in Washington. I’m releasing these photographs each month in my email newsletter.

Do you have big plans/goals for the future? 

Right now, I just seem to be taking it one day at a time. The kids are a handful and that’s where most of my energy is spent it seems. It’s a real treat when I manage to get away to photograph for a week. Once the kids are older and better at taking care of themselves, I hope to be able to take photography trips more often.

Starting this fall, all three kids will be in school so I’m considering doing some local landscape/cityscape work during the daytime. This would most likely be a monochrome collection of images.

Tell us what’s next and where to find you.

I’ll be at First Saturday Arts Market on March 2nd, Bayou City Arts Fest on March 23rd-24th, Sugar Land Arts Fest on April 27th-28th, and Cottonwood Arts Fest (Richardson, TX) on May 4th-5th.

What guidance would you offer to a budding or novice artist?

Read, listen, learn. Try new things. Don’t get stuck in the rut of doing the same things. Maybe you’re doing something the best way possible, but you’ll still learn something new by doing it differently.

Tell us that one crazy story about yourself!

I’ve scuba’d with sharks on several occasions, but the most memorable time was in the Bahamas, off Nassau. This was specifically a “shark dive” and when I stepped off the boat and dropped into the water, I have to admit I felt very vulnerable when I looked around through the clearing bubbles to see I was surrounded by circling gray sharks with black, soul-less eyes. That was quite an experience and I’d definitely do it again.

Above: “Playing my Native American Flute for the horses. I purchased this flute from an artist near my booth at a San Antonio art festival. I loved the sound so much, I had to have one. I brought it along with me on this trip through Arizona and Utah, and actually played it while watching the sun set over the Grand Canyon!”

Sharks! “Diving with sharks in the Bahamas, off the coast of Nassau. There were dozens more like this one all around us.”

Lilibeth is a fantastic artist using oils as her medium. She’s been a great advocate for artists, planning and hosting events, workshops and open studios. She’s also an alternative & holistic health service practitioner helping people balance & rejuvenate their health. There’s a great story below about this photo!

• Link
• Instagram
• Facebook

Tell us about yourself outside of the art world.

I was born in Mexico but have been here most of my life. I’ve always been creative exploring mediums and genres from painting to fashion and architectural design. My artwork focuses primarily on portraiture and landscapes. I am open to various art ventures because it gives me the opportunity to grow in abilities and depth.

I set painting aside while my boys were little to keep toxics away but got back in as they got older and wiser with colored pencils and acrylics. That’s why I started using water soluble oils because I liked the medium but not the solvents. And the paintings started selling. I had just finished my second degree and working full-time when I realized that, being a mother to boot, I could find the time to go to school, then I could find the time to paint.

How did your art journey begin?

My grandparents and parents were all artistic, from architecture, to drawing, painting, fashion, music, writing and crafts, I was exposed to these influences with the understanding that as a creative, anything was possible. Crayons and pencils were my first tools.

Professionally, my art business experience began with the First Saturday Arts Market. I learned the setup of a booth, from packing to setting up; working with art patrons; and preparing for the next market. This preparation gave me the experience to consider traveling to other markets, an artist co-op, and my own studio.

What are you doing with your art right now?

I am happy with my art path. I’ve fulfilled my technical objectives thus far and express myself freely with my characteristic style.

Do you have big plans/goals for the future? 

I would like to see an original Andre in 1 of 50,000 homes in the U.S. and many reproductions in between.

Where else do you show your art?

The easel awaits always. It’s my best friend. In the meantime, my work can be found on my website and I share news and happenings on Facebook and Instagram.

• Link
• Instagram
• Facebook

What guidance would you offer to a budding or novice artist?

Master your tools, build an inventory, and get your feet wet at the First Saturday Arts Market to understand the business skills. After that, the sky’s the limit.

Bonus Question! Anything wild and crazy that would raise eyebrows?

I ran away with the circus! 

We are standing in front of the big circus tent. When we moved to Texas from California we were looking for a place to raise our blended family. Once we arrived se stoped to rest at a hotel. We had two vehicles with a trailer each. I was driving the main vehicle with the top trailer. It was stolen overnight. It included my then husband’s work tools. With no means to work, no clothes, no treasured possessions, the options were few and far between. Then a call came in to the hotel room. A job for each of us, a place to live, an opportunity to travel with the kids. It sounded too good to be true. When my husband hung up and explained the offer I said, “Why not?” So we ran away with the circus!

Monique has been a regular at the market for years. Her upbeat positivity and caring nature have made her a popular friend to both artists & customers.

• Link
• Instagram

Tell us about yourself outside of the art world.

I’m from East Asia originally, been in Houston for 24 years. This is my second career – my first was in intelligence, covering sub-Saharan Africa and Francophone countries worldwide. I still provide briefings here and there, but this career is much more fun! I’m earning a Master’s in Liberal Studies at Rice University. My husband is a really smart, talented finance professor at Rice’s business school. Our son is a freshman at Tulane University, learning lots and having a ball. Two dogs, three fish, and we love dog-sitting!

How did your art journey begin?

I always made funny or pretty doodads out of found objects, and I always liked art exhibits. My hometown, Tokyo, has a plethora of museums showcasing just about everything, and as a kid, I could take the train anywhere and explore all of them. In my teens, I learned about various tools and possibilities from a great teacher and fellow students. I started making jewelry to sell and never stopped. I do small multimedia art projects as well.

Matisse necklace by Monique Weston

Vietnamese postage stamp earrings by Monique Weston

Where are you now with your art?

Happy to be selling art via social media, an online store, and various shows. My favorite is First Saturday Arts Market.

Do you have big plans/goals for the future?

Nope, I just want to take classes and learn about techniques and possibilities.

Tell us what’s next and where to find you.

I’ll be at First Saturday Arts Market, at 540 W. 19th St. in Houston’s Heights, on Feb. 3 and March 2, 2024. You can also find links to my work at www.moniqueweston.com. The best selection of my work is on Instagram, at moniquewestonart.

What guidance would you offer to a budding or novice artist?

Learn outside of the expected courses. Combine all your disciplines and knowledge as you go, and then you’ll have authentic work that will let you keep growing.

The Yankee Woodturner
Ron Martel’s hobby of woodturning quickly took up a significant portion of both his and his wife’s home square footage. That’s when Ron decided to allow us the opportunity to take his amazing creations to our homes. Ron also said he’s a dog lover, graphic designer, avid target shooter (he makes his own ammo), drummer, step-dad & grandpa!

• Link
• Instagram

Originally published in market manager Mitch Cohen‘s column Art Valet in THE LEADER

When Ron Martel first introduced himself to me a couple of years ago, he was scoping out my market. He said as much, as he looked around. I remember Martel peppering me with questions as he gave the market a side eye. That first meeting makes me laugh now, having gotten to know him the past 2 years, and his dry sense of humor.

Martel’s art medium is wood and he calls his company The Yankee Woodturner. When he set up his black canopied tent emblazoned with the very famous canon with the words “Come and Take It” underneath, I knew then I liked him.

What’s your background?

“I’m a retired police officer from New London, CT, I met my future wife at Dunkin’ Donuts (of course),” Martel said. “We moved to Kingwood, TX., where we could buy a bigger house in a nicer neighborhood. We traded snow shoveling for hurricanes.”

How did your art journey begin?

“I started woodturning as a hobby after my wife got me a lathe for Christmas in 2019,” Martel said. “After filling every tabletop, countertop and desktop (including the laundry room) with my projects, she put her foot down and said I had to get rid of stuff before I made anything else. So I started selling at markets.”

Where are you now with your art?

“I’m expanding from the standard bowls, vases & urns to include wall hangings, clocks, lovebirds/bird baths, and other mixed media art.”

What’s next and where to find you.

“I’m a regular participant at 1st Saturday Arts Market and The Market at Sawyer Yards,” Martel said. “I occasionally sell at The Kingwood Farmers Market, just to stay close to my roots. My website offers a “here’s what I do” view. The pieces there don’t reflect my current inventory, nor can one buy from me online. My Instagram shows my current work. People can and have contacted me there to buy recently posted items.”

What guidance would you offer to a budding or novice artist?

“Find your own voice,” Martel said. “Be open to new influences, but don’t copy them. Incorporate them into who you are as an artist. If you don’t need the money, congratulations! You can make art for the sake of art. Otherwise, you’ll have to find what prospective customers want. I straddle that fence – I make most of my pieces with art as the objective. These pieces take a while to sell, because they don’t speak to everyone, but eventually that person comes along that just has to have it. I’ve also started making household items that people can actually use. They appeal to a wide range of customers, and are good sellers.”

Anything wild and crazy that would raise eyebrows?

“I was a competitive bodybuilder on the local circuit (Northeast US) from 1976-1984,” Martel said. “In 1979, I attended the Mr. Olympia contest in Columbus, OH as a spectator. My hero, Robby Robinson, came in 4th place. At a diner after the show, I was complaining to a friend how I thought Robby got ripped off. A guy in the next booth agreed, and said he was good friends with Robby. I thought he was BSing me, but I just kept nodding my head as if I believed him. My friend and I eventually left the diner, starting to walk back to the hotel, when we heard a voice yelling toward us from behind. Suspecting a drunken fool, we kept walking. The guy following us was the “friend” from the diner. He said he had just gotten hold of Robby on the phone, and was heading over to his hotel room, and asked if I’d like to go. Suspecting a trap, I kicked his ass and took his wallet. Just kidding. He took us to Robby’s room, where we spent the most memorable 90 minutes of my life shooting the breeze with my bodybuilding idol and his wife.”

• Link
• Instagram

Caroline joined First Saturday Arts Market when it was about 6 years old. She took a break to be a Mom and returned just a few years ago. She’s currently working on new exciting projects as she continues to explore her creative side.

• Link
• Instagram

Tell us about yourself outside of the art world.

I’m a mom of two (ages 11 and 8). I was born in Alexandria, Egypt, raised in California, and moved to Texas in 2007 after marrying my husband. We met in San Diego at a church conference. I currently live in the Northwest area of Houston. I’ve been making art since age ten, and I have a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy and Art Therapy. I love the ocean and being outside, exploring new places. I love to read, and I’m involved in my church, helping out with the kids’ camps there.

How did your art journey begin?

My grandfather was an oil painter, and we had his oil paintings all over the house I grew up in, and my aunt also followed in his footsteps. There were a lot of pre-Raphael renditions all over the place. I was always drawn to it. In high school, my art teacher told me to join the honors watercolor club, and I also got recognized for an art show at that time, so I was hooked. I majored in art in college, but it was part of a double major with psychology because I come from an immigrant family who didn’t believe that a career in art was real.

Where are you now with your art?

I ask myself that every day lol. It’s my passion and my dream, so I’m always working on it, both in my studio, applying to calls, etc. My last few things have been getting juried into the Art Car Museum “Blue” show. In 2022, one of my paintings was acquired by The Woodlands High School Art Trust. I finished the Artist Inc. program in 2023. I got some great commissions completed this past summer of 2023.

Do you have big plans/goals for the future?

I want to connect with interior designers and work more closely with them and do some more commission work. I want to find other avenues, walls to put my work on as well. I’m open.

What guidance would you offer to a budding or novice artist?

Take yourself and your art seriously because it’s important work. Don’t give up on it, no matter the resistance you might get from the outside world or your own family. Keep honing your skills, continue to learn, and always have a ‘beginner’s mind’ so it stays fresh and fun. Your vision and your work are unique because it’s made by you. Don’t worry that “it’s been done before” because it’s never been done before by you.

Bonus Question! Anything wild and crazy that would raise eyebrows?

I’ve hiked Mount Sinai (Moses’ mountain) on foot and by camel! I saw the most amazing night sky! I also hiked Yosemite, which was one of the most amazing experiences in my life.

One weird fact

I love Tom Waits. Took awhile for this Egyptian to acquire that taste in music! lol