Exhibit Showcases Thriving Community

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Nov. 24, 2004, 4:29AM

Exhibit showcases thriving community

Art Crawl lets public see latest in creative concepts, designs

By TOM MANNING

Chronicle Correspondent

More than 100 local artists got a chance to showcase their wares last weekend at the 12th annual Artists Warehouse Art Crawl.

The event offered an opportunity not only for those artists to expose their work to a variety of people, but to make Houstonians aware of the thriving art community in the city's warehouse district.

"This is the third year we've participated and we've been very happy to be involved," said Robert Derr, director of Gallery 3, one of 15 warehouses that featured work by local artists Saturday. "I think this event shows how much the Houston art community is willing to work together to promote all art. In this community, artists are very supportive of one another and that's really healthy.

"You take pride in your own work, but also your compatriots' good work. We've got an enormous variety of artists here who are thriving."

One of the artists featured at Gallery 3 Saturday was Becky Soria, a Bellaire-based painter who moved from Bolivia to Houston in 1980 and left her job as a nurse in the mid-'80s to become a professional artist.

Soria, whose oil, acrylic and mixed-media work is inspired by themes like health and healing, the events of 9/11 and the poetry of her late father, said the Art Crawl is an invaluable event for local artists.

"It's a big deal," Soria said. "It's extremely important for artists because you've got thousands of people coming here seeing things they may not be exposed to the rest of the year.

"You've got a lot of families bringing children who may be being exposed to art for the first time, and that could light a spark."

Soria agreed with Derr's assessment of Houston as a nurturing community for artists.

"Houston embraces you even if you're not a brand name," she said. "This event is an example of that."

The opportunity to expose her 6- and 8-year-old sons to local artists drew Meghan King to Saturday's event.

"I don't think most people know about this area