Summer 2024 photo of OpenMFA organizers by Riley Ansa
From left to right:
Anfrea Garfia, Hilaree Hamblin, Sol Diaz-Peña, Cynthia Jamileth Giron, Lorena Mitchell, Amanda Powers, and Ryan Hollaway
OpenMFA is a grassroots artist collective dedicated to making arts education available to all. We believe in a society where people of all backgrounds are empowered to engage with the arts, which enriches both individual lives and the broader Texas arts community. While OpenMFA has four core organizing members, our network extends far beyond, encompassing a vibrant and supportive community of members. Our initiatives provide a framework for self-directed growth and development, uniting a vibrant network of artists across Texas. Participation is open to all—no membership fees or prerequisites, just a shared commitment to learning and collaboration.
Announcement Graphic by Amanda Powers
Schedule graphic by Amanda Powers and Sol Diaz-Peña
The Absurd Classroom Symposium
May 27 – June 1, 2025 | H-Town
Six days of collective learning, radical joy, and artist expansion—Developed collectively by OpenMFA and led by Sol Diaz-Peña.
Hosted in venues across Houston, including Friends Gallery, Bohemeo’s, Moth HTX, MECA, Art League Houston, and the Orange Show Center for Visionary Arts, this multi-day program invited artists, students, and the public to earn an 𝘼𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘾𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤 𝘼𝙧𝙩 through playful & participatory programs that offer us experimental and new ways to grow as artists and cultural practitioners.
Built as the living counterpart to 𝙄’𝙢 𝙎𝙖𝙩, 𝙏𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 (on view at Blaffer Art Museum during the 2024 Texas Biennial), The Absurd Classroom reimagined creative growth through a lens of absurdism: embracing uncertainty, collaboration, and creativity as tools for inner growth, resistance, and agency.
Week-at-a-Glance*ੈ✩‧₊˚
✩Tues 5/27 | MFA = Mentors For All — Speed mentorship + artist advice, Bohemeo’s
✩Wed 5/28 | The Only Way Out: Collectivism & Art as Resistance — Artist talk, Friends Gallery
✩Thurs 5/29 | Guided Artist Statement & Meditation Workshop — MOTH HTX
✩Fri 5/30 | BYOART Supplies Picnic — Art exchange, MECA
✩Sat 5/31 | Nothing Into Something — Alternative resource strategies, Art League Houston PM
✩Sun 6/1 | Certified Absurd — Certificate Ceremony + Celebration, The Orange Show
This project was generously supported by The Idea Fund.
May 27 – June 1, 2025 | H-Town
Six days of collective learning, radical joy, and artist expansion—Developed collectively by OpenMFA and led by Sol Diaz-Peña.
Hosted in venues across Houston, including Friends Gallery, Bohemeo’s, Moth HTX, MECA, Art League Houston, and the Orange Show Center for Visionary Arts, this multi-day program invited artists, students, and the public to earn an 𝘼𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘾𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤 𝘼𝙧𝙩 through playful & participatory programs that offer us experimental and new ways to grow as artists and cultural practitioners.
Built as the living counterpart to 𝙄’𝙢 𝙎𝙖𝙩, 𝙏𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 (on view at Blaffer Art Museum during the 2024 Texas Biennial), The Absurd Classroom reimagined creative growth through a lens of absurdism: embracing uncertainty, collaboration, and creativity as tools for inner growth, resistance, and agency.
Week-at-a-Glance*ੈ✩‧₊˚
✩Tues 5/27 | MFA = Mentors For All — Speed mentorship + artist advice, Bohemeo’s
✩Wed 5/28 | The Only Way Out: Collectivism & Art as Resistance — Artist talk, Friends Gallery
✩Thurs 5/29 | Guided Artist Statement & Meditation Workshop — MOTH HTX
✩Fri 5/30 | BYOART Supplies Picnic — Art exchange, MECA
✩Sat 5/31 | Nothing Into Something — Alternative resource strategies, Art League Houston PM
✩Sun 6/1 | Certified Absurd — Certificate Ceremony + Celebration, The Orange Show
This project was generously supported by The Idea Fund.
Flier by Sol Diaz-Peña
Flier by Sol Diaz-Peña
Flier by Sol Diaz-Peña
Flier by Lorena Mitchell
Flier by Amanda Powers and Anfrea Garfia
Flier by Sol Diaz-Peña
Fliers for each program
MFA=Mentors for All
The Only Way Out: Collectivism & Art as Resistance
Meditation and Artist Statement Workshop
BYOART Supplies: Pot-luck style art swap
Nothing into Something: Alternative Art Materials workshop
Certified Absurd: Award Ceremony & Celebration. From left to right: Ryan Hollaway, Anfrea Garfia, Lorena M, Cynthia Jamileth Giron, Sol Diaz-Peña
"I'm Sat, Together" sculpture by OpenMFA
