Works from Jeanelle McCall, Jennifer McCall, and Mattie Wesoloski

Opens August 4

The Museum of East Texas is thrilled to announce the opening of our newest show: "Intertwined: Three Generations of Expression." This exhibit weaves together the works of three generations of a remarkable family of creators: Jeanelle McCall, Jennifer McCall, and Mattie Wesoloski. Viewers will be treated to a variety of mediums and products including fabric art, oil pastels, charcoal, acrylic on canvas, sculpture, and more. We even have a "guess the artist" collage section in the gallery to see if visitors can identify the various styles of these three outstanding artists.

"Jeanelle McCall, creator of award-winning narrative art, has transitioned mediums over time---from graphics to fiber to paint. She continues to explore new techniques to tell her rich stories.

Her work has been juried in prestigious quilting and art shows and exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, China, and Australia. 

With art spanning from 70’s to the present, McCall’s works firmly establish her as an Expressionist artist—one for whom the emotional takes precedent over the physical.

'I am fascinated with rendering the spiritual. Color and texture are what I feel, what I use to express myself,' she said.

She resides in Lufkin, Texas with her husband and her beloved dachshund who makes occasional appearances in her art."

Jennifer McCall "grew up in Lufkin, Texas, and is a 1993 graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) where she earned her B.B.A. in Accounting before starting her professional career at KPMG, LLC as a CPA in Orange County California.   She is currently the Director of Treasury and Student Business Services at SFASU where she enjoys working in the Finance Division of her Alma Mater.

As the only child of an artist, Jennifer was surrounded by art and an enchanting perspective throughout childhood, yet rebelled and went the complete opposite direction with her education and career goals in order to find autonomy and individualism.  It wasn’t until she became a mother that she started to explore mark making again with her young daughter and son in order to provide them with the same enchanting experience her own mother provided.   There was little spare time for personal art exploration; however, she loved living vicariously through her children’s imaginations and creations.

When her daughter left for art school, Jennifer started experimenting with tiny 4” x 4” paintings as a way to manage the emotions of the empty nest phase of life. She found a deep passion for capturing special moments in a loose style that blurs the lines between memories and reality. The real butterflies for her occur when she can capture the emotion of a moment with hints of body language and use of color. She paints what she feels and not what she sees. In the last 6 years, Jennifer has painted over 500 commissioned pieces and has moved into larger formats and new mediums.  As the ebbs and flows of life allow, Jennifer continues her exploration of artistic expression while balancing a rewarding career in finance.  

Her most accomplished and treasured role is that of daughter, mother, wife, and friend."   

Mattie Wesoloski "Matteson grew up in Lufkin, Texas, and spent her first years of her life in Orange County, California. She is a 2021 graduate of Southwestern University who earned a B.F.A. in Studio Art and minors in psychology and art history. This year she switched careers to combine her two biggest passions: art and learning. She became an art educator in January, 2024, and is entering her second semester teaching Art 1 and Painting at Lufkin High School. 

With her mother and grandmother, she was exposed to the world of art from a very young age. As early as she could hold a crayon, she was compelled to create, and her family supported her art journey by creating alongside her. Art, specifically painting and drawing, acted as a form of communication when she was young. After a pre-college program at Rhode Island School of Design, she knew art would remain a constant in her life and communication. 

She believes mark-making exposes what often hides beneath words. When creating, she focuses on the process. She sees each artwork as an opportunity to explore color and expand in artistic potential."