LAB ART Texas in the Dallas Design District will be abuzz on December 10 as visual artist Preston Pannek showcases his newest body of work in “Pieces of Me,” his debut solo show. This one-night-only pop-up exhibit will take place from 7 until 10 p.m. and will be open to the public. Art fans won’t want to miss this.  

Pannek’s collection will feature nearly fifty paintings, ranging from one-foot-by-one-foot to five-foot-by-four-foot and some grouped together to create larger-than-life unified pieces using a mixture of spray paint, latex, acrylic, oil and enamel paint and texturized mud. Pannek, a musician turned artist, was inspired heavily by the abstract impressionist movement and pop art while creating this body of work.

“I put myself into a meditative state pick out one song and play it on repeat, in complete solitude for hours sometimes days,” he explained. “Once I figured out that there are no rules to creating art, I started experimenting and everything just opened up. Now I feel like I can’t stop evolving.”

Within “Pieces of Me,” the Pannek has created three separate series, each exploring new mediums and processes. The first series, inspired by ancient hieroglyphics, symbols, and shapes, remains purposely untitled, leaving the meaning of each piece open for the viewer to discover for themselves.

“I’m not trying to express any single message or feeling of my own. I want to create something that the viewer can project their own thoughts and emotions upon. Asking people about how my work makes them feel is interesting to me,” said Pannek. “This process creates a conversation, enabling me to experience their response and see my work in an entirely different way. By soaking in these stories, I am able to see my work through the viewer’s eye.”

The second series appears almost 3D in its life-like fluidity, drawing the viewer’s eye through the movement of each piece’s unique mixture of spray paint, acrylic, and water. Named rightfully so, “The Water Series” is a collection of pieces inspired by the motion of water in the ocean, underwater natural shapes and fascinating coral polyps beneath the surface. By adding liquid on top of layered spray paint, the fluid nature of each piece fully comes to life.

The third and final series inside “Pieces of Me” was created in black and white, showcasing the artist’s creative use of texturized mud. “The Mineral Series” feels organic and rock-like, an ode to the natural landscapes Pannek longed for as a child growing up in man-made Dallas. incredible weight in its terrain beneath a mixture of spray and oil paints.

Though this is his solo debut, Pannek has high ambitions for his contribution to the art world, aiming to achieve the fame of the greats.

“I want to be remembered. I don’t want to be a blip in history; I want to be a pioneer. My work will probably be my only legacy, and I want it to be a great one,” said Pannek. “[I want] to be the ‘Mount Rushmore’ of abstract artists and to be considered in the same breath as Jackson Pollock and Pablo Picaso. I want to be the next great American artist. If your grandchildren don’t read about me in school, then I have failed.

Although this event is open to the public, you’ll definitely want to RSVP ahead of time.