Art dealer David Shelton, who represents Texas regional artists, was feeling good Friday about moving his gallery from San Antonio to Houston four months ago. "I like the energy and the progressive art world here," he said.

That vibe - along with a playfully relaxed sensibility - was evident Friday afternoon at the second annual Texas Contemporary Art Fair, where Shelton was among about 70 dealers and a slew of local nonprofits exhibiting work at the George R. Brown Convention Center. "It's an extraordinary art fair," he said.

Curator and photography collector Clint Willour concurred. "This is the best art fair that has been in Houston in the last two years," Willour said, a not-so-vague reference to last month's Houston Fine Art Fair as well as the inaugural outings of both fairs last year.

Willour had just led a group of 24 visitors through a tour focused on the fair's many photo-based works. "The quality across the board is excellent," he said, "and because many of the artists are young there's art that's relatively affordable."

Shoppers found most works ranging from about $300 to more than $2 million, with many in the low thousands. At the Rice University Gallery booth, bargain hunters like ARTnews deputy editor Barbara MacAdam and Houston dealer and artist Wayne Gilbert were snapping up Jane Miller's small paintings of clocks for $20, which the artist was signing on the spot.

Texas Gallery owner Fredericka Hunter and San Francisco's Catharine Clark were among the happy dealers who sold art quickly at Thursday's crowded opening night party, where the mood was playfully relaxed. The big hit that night seemed to be the opportunity to hold live baby alligators at Glasstire's Gulf Coast "shack," an installation by Houston artist Bill Davenport.

 

molly.glentzer@chron.com