About Libbie
Biography
Libbie Masterson was born to a family of 7 in the late 60’s, in Houston, Texas. Growing up with 4 brothers and a dislike for ballet class gave her a mind of her own and she set her sights on being an artist. She studied several different media in school, finally achieving a degree in Glass Sculpture from CCAC, Oakland, and then set out to see the world. A fascination with light has played a prevalent theme in her study of landscapes, taking her to far reaches of Scandinavia, Antarctica, Africa, Iceland, Alaska, Japan, and much of Western Europe. For her works in stage design, in glass, and in photography, Masterson has received large scale commissions from The HGOco of the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Symphony, and Southwest Airlines and completed large installations for the Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, and in Houston’s Hermann Park. She is the recipient of an Artist Individual Grant from the City of Houston, and a Brown Foundation Fellowship for a residency at the Dora Maar House, in Southern France. In 2021 She earned an MFA in photography from Savannah College of Art and Design. She is represented by KoslovLarsen in Houston, where she lives with her family, and twins Peter and Mariquita. She is setting up a new studio, so stay tuned for details!
Resume
Education
Savannah College of Art and Design. MFA, Photography.
California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA. B.F.A. in Glass/Sculpture.
Exhibitions / Productions / Installations
Amazing Place West — Commission by Studio Red Architects for Chapel window.
Inland/Outward Koslov Larsen Gallery (formerly FotoRelevance), Houston.
Twilight. Nancy Littlejohn Fine Art, Houston.
Family Portrait. Nancy Littlejohn Fine Art, Houston.
Rest(less) Savannah College of Art and Design / Atlanta Celebrates Photography. Group virtual exhibition curated by Michael James O’Brien.
Spectrum — The Jung Center, Houston. Glass installation and performance with ROCO, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra Collaborative.
Buffalo Bayou, glass mosaic in 6 parts, Wortham Building, Houston.
Spectrum. Catherine Couturier Gallery, Houston.
Ethereal Sky. Glass Mosaic installed at Hobby Airport International Terminal. Commissioned by Southwest Airlines. 7’ x 36’.
City Scenes, together with Film-maker Ford Gunter. Video performance commissioned by the Houston Symphony.
Delicate Catherine Couturier Gallery.
Water’s Edge (Mizugiwa) Catherine Couturier Gallery. (Photographic Exhibition)
The Memory Stone, opera scenic design commissioned by HGOco, Houston.
Illuminated Lily Pond, Hermann Park Houston. Temporary site specific installation.
Canopy, Photographic mural for the exterior 2 Houston Center Building, downtown Houston, commissioned by Lauren Rottet Design Studio and CBRE.
Houston Center for Photography Membership Exhibition, Anne Wilkes Tucker, MFAH, juror.
NUIT Wade Wilson Gallery, Houston. (Photographic Exhibition)
“Claudel,” Ballet Scenic design for Dominic Walsh Dance Theater.
Fact Fiction and Interpretation. Glassell School of Art. Juried by Clint Willour, Curator, Galveston Arts Center.
Assistance League of Houston Celebrates Texas Art, Heather Pesanti, curator Albright-Knox Museum of Art in Buffalo, New York, juror.
Professional Women Photographers’ 35th Anniversary, Second Prize for the NATURE Category.
Texas National 2011. The Cole Art Center, Nacogdoches, TX. James Drake, juror.
Texas Positivism, Miami, Florida.
Amazing Place, Houston. Commission of glass mosaic window for Chapel, with Masterson Design.
SKY. Wade Wilson Gallery, Houston.
Texas National 2010. The Cole Art Center, Nacogdoches, TX. Judy Pfaff, juror.
Assistance League of Houston Celebrates Texas Art. John Zarobell, SFMOMA, juror.
Still Installation for Houston Arts Alliance with a grant from the City of Houston. Space 125 Gallery.
Texas National 2009. The Cole Art Center, Nacogdoches, Texas. Mel Chin, Juror.
Assistance League of Houston Celebrates Texas Art. Shelley R. Langdale, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Juror.
Snow. Perspectives 161, Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, curated by Valerie Cassel-Oliver.
“Mozart Trilogy” Scenic Design for Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre.
YEAR07 London Art Fair with AR Contemporary, Milan.
Ís, Barbara Davis Gallery, Houston, Texas.
The Big Show Lawndale Art Center, Houston, Texas.
The Big Show Lawndale Art Center.
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. Installation of photographic wall.
19th and 20th Century Landscapes Meredith Long Gallery.
Journeys, Meredith Long Gallery.
Norwegian Landscapes, Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle, WA.
New Horizons. Meredith Long Gallery.
The American Landscape Today. Meredith Long Gallery.
in Kind – a solo exhibition at the Bubba Mavis Gallery, Seattle, WA.
Meredith Long Gallery group winter exhibitions.
Many More, Solo installation, California College of Arts.
Bachelor of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, C.C.A.C.
Awards / Residencies
Wildcatting in the Arts, awarded by River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Houston.
Star of Design Award, Design Center of Houston.
Professional Women Photographers’ 35th Anniversary, Second Prize NATURE Category.
Brown Foundation Fellowship. Residency at the Dora Maar House, Menerbes, France.
Houston Arts Alliance. Individual Artist Grant.
The Big Show Lawndale Arts Center. Second Place. Curator Dominic Molon, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Juror.
Engagements
Speaker, TEDx Woodlands, TX.
Artist Eye Lecture Series, Menil Collection, Houston. Guest Speaker.
Curatorial Projects
Science: Photography’s Influence on Science and Medicine. Houston Center for Photography.
Unusual Garden, Houston Center for Photography.
Magical Realism in Photography, Houston Center for Photography.
Collections
Southwest Airlines, Houston.
City of Houston, Houston Airport System.
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
AT&T, Dallas, Texas.
Tudor-Pickering, Houston.
CBRE, Houston.
Amazing Place, Houston.
Publications
Texas Artists Today. By Catherine Anspon. Marquand Books.
HIWI, Houston It’s Worth It, published by ttweak LLC.
Bibliography
“In the Lens: Libbie Masterson’s Old Masters,” Paper City, December.
“Glass and Sound Pods,” Catherine Anspon, Paper City Magazine. March.
“SHOW UP: Libbie Masterson,” Arts and Culture Texas, Sabine Casparie. March 20.
“Libbie Masterson – Artist and Creator,” High Drive TV. Amber Ambrose, Business Makers, Houston. March. View interview
“New Glass Mosaics by Libbie Masterson Document Travels with Color and Light,” Susan Tommaney, Houston Press. September 21.
“Critic’s Picks: Houston,” art Ltd. Donna Tennant. Sept/Oct.
“Art at the Airport: New Hobby international terminal gets a boost with contemporary works.” Clifford Pugh. Culture Map. October.
“Houston imagery to meld with symphony concert,” Steven Brown, Houston Chronicle. October.
“Houstonians Are Using Crowdfunding.” Houston Matters, Houston Public Media, 88.7 FM. April.
The Rest of the Best: Houston’s Top 10 Photographers. Olivia Flores Alvarez. Houston Press. January 9.
“Libbie Masterson: Water’s Edge (Mizugiwa),” Front Row Program, KUHF, Houston Public Radio. August 13.
“Water, Water Everywhere,” by Meredith Deliso, Houston Press. June 19.
“Lilies in Hermann Park glow in full Bloom,” Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle. April.
“Editorial: Features,” Donna Tennant, Visual Art Source.
“100 Creatives 2012: Libbie J. Masterson, Artist, Curator and Creator,” Houston Press. Olivia Flores Alvarez.
“Libbie Masterson: Nuit.” Interview program, KUHF, Houston Public Radio. March.
“Libbie Masterson: Storms Under Plexiglass,” Afrodet, The Loop Scoop. May.
“Night and Day with Libbie Masterson.” Stacey Holzer, Visualseen. Fall.
“SKY” Front Row. Interview program on KUHF, Houston Public Radio. April.
“For Art’s Sake,” Lance Walker, Houston 002. December.
“Revelry Report,” Interview, KTRU 91.7 Houston. December.
“Perspectives 162: Snow.” Front Row. Interview program on KUHF, 88.7 FM Houston. July.
“Revelry Report.” Interview, KTRU 91.7 Houston. July.
“ArtGirls,” Catherine Anspon, Paper City, Houston. March.
“Arms and the men,” Dance Review, Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle. Feb 9.
Sean Carroll, “Ís,” Houston Press. June.
Elaina J. Martin, “Ice Age,” Brilliant Magazine, Texas. May.
Sharon Lorenzo, “Great Minds Think Alike,” In-Town Magazine, Houston. February.
Ceelite. Case study published to Industry websites.
Professional Positions
Curator, Houston Center for Photography.
Designer and Glass Fabricator, Mariquita Masterson Design, Houston.