Blank Slate.

Soccer Stars Are Artists, Too.

Welcome to Blank Slate, our weekly rundown of the happenings in the art world of Dallas, which, as it happens, does exist. Need to seem super intellectual and deep on that first date? Want to rub elbows with the popular gallery directors around town? Or maybe you just genuinely enjoy following the local art scene? Whatever the reason, this is your stop for quick and dirty art news.

Listen: After last weekend — let's call it the summer blow-out for the arts — you probably already hit your art quota for a spell.

If hitting an art quota was a thing, which it isn't.

Still, given the scope of all that went down these past few days — the Dallas Museum of Art Summer block party, the Matsuri! blowout at Kimbell and the Oak Cliff Film Festival all filling your light receptacles with tons of varied goodness — you likely did see a lot of art, and it's OK if you're suffering a sort of big-event hangover.

But, yes, things are a little bit slower in the North Texas art world this week. This doesn't mean, however, that there aren't things to know about and see out there — there's plenty.

And, interestingly, the most eye-catching art news this week doesn't come from one of the large museums in town, but rather from the beloved Deep Ellum space Kettle Art Gallery, which just announced an upcoming exhibit with a little extra star power.

Oh, and it manages to capitalize off of the soccer craze sweeping the nation for the next few weeks, too.

The exhibit features the works of Brek Shea, the former FC Dallas winger and current Stoker City footballer. Turns out, in addition to being a two-time Major League Soccer All-Star, Shea has also been cultivating his artistic abilities. Some people just have it all. The show is being thrown in conjunction with Shea's own Left Foot Studio, and it benefits the Cancer Support Community of North Texas. So, really, there's no good reason not to stop by and check out the abstract acrylics of Shea — and maybe even mingle with the man himself. The show goes from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 3, and $10 will get you in the door.

We also have some news for our artist readers: A recently renamed competition — formerly The Catholic Foundation Plaza Artists Competition and now known as A Year on the Plaza — gives muralists a chance to have work put up on display in One Arts Plaza for a whole damn year. The wall up for grabs is 28 feet long by 9 feet wide, too. Want a chance at adorning it with your inner monologue? Submit an original work measuring 28 inches long by 9 and 2/3 inches tall, a resume and a cover letter to the address given here. If you win, your piece will be photographed and printed on the wall. The deadline to submit comes on August 28 at 3 p.m.

And, hey, here's some breaking dance (note: not break dancing) news: Ballet Concerto will be putting on its annual summer concert series all weekend long out in Fort Worth. The show will feature several styles of dance, from ballet to flamenco. The best news, though? It’s free to sit on the Trinity Park Pavilion lawn and enjoy the show. So bring your picnic necessities and some classy alcohol (note: tallboys are not a good look at dance recitals) and impress a date with some culture. The show runs Thursday through Sunday, starting at 8:30 each night.

Along with the above, here are some gallery shows to check out this week.

First up, is one we mentioned last week — “Real Print Sh*t,” the Raymond Butler– and Daniel Yanez-curated show that's happening on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Basement Gallery. The show, which is made up entirely of different printmaking techniques, promises live screen-printing, free T-shirts and posters for the first 25 attendees and free screen-printed tacos. Butler assures us: The tacos will be screen-printed with edible things like barbecue sauce and food coloring, so worry not.

Meanwhile, another entirely print-centric affair at a separate gallery is going on the same evening over at Red Arrow Contemporary in the Design District. “Stay Up All Nite” will feature works from members of the Austin-based Industry Wrecking Crew. Stop by at 6 p.m. to catch the opening from these do-it-yourselfers.

Back over at Kettle Art, the closing party for the space's current “Departing the Kingdom of Sensibility” exhibit will have a very dog-friendly appeal. The gallery will open its doors on this night to your (probably) four-legged pooches so they can enjoy the art with you. Yes, dogs appreciate art, too. You can also get some free stuff for your little fur ball, too, as the first 75 attendees get backpacks full of treats. Lucky for you, this one is earlier on Saturday, running from 2 to 6 p.m.

Finally, be sure to stop by Conduit Gallery to round out your weekend as the space celebrate 30 years of being an awesome art hot-spot. The celebration, which comes a two-part exhibit called “Longitude/Latitude,” will hold the opening reception for the first installment on Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. Part Deux will open on August 2 at the same time.

So there you go, Dallas people. Pull yourselves out of the prehistoric tar and become pseudo-cultured individuals. Make me proud.

Cover image via Brek Shea's Instagram. Got a tip for Blank Slate? Email us!