The Eclectika

Coming up in May, ‘Earth Speaks’ a solo exhibition by Rachel Rector presented in collaboration with AFPA Gallery (Orlando, FL). The opening reception will be held Saturday, May 16 from 6-10pm. The Eclectika is located at 711 N. Britain Rd. Irving, Texas, 75061.  ABOUT THE SHOW  From AFPA Gallery: In "Earth Speaks," Rachel Rector embraces a slow, elemental approach to image-making, using cameraless photography and historical processes to create works in direct collaboration with nature. Sunlight, water, and organic materials leave their trace, resulting in images that feel both intimate and ephemeral. This exhibition centers on collaboration rather than control. Rector relinquishes authorship to the elements, allowing nature to imprint and shape each surface—creating works that are at once fragile and enduring, evoking memory rather than documentation. By blending photography with poetry, collage, and textile elements, Rector expands the medium into a tactile, sensory experience, inviting viewers to pause and reconsider their connection to the natural world. We are especially grateful to Lauren Allen and The Eclectika Gallery for this meaningful collaboration. ABOUT THE ARTIST Rachel Rector is a fine art film photographer whose work utilizes experimental film, cameraless photography, and historical printmaking techniques to evoke the ethereal, daydream quality of a nostalgic moment in nature. She often adds poetry, collage, and textile elements to her hand-printed photographs to convey the sentiment of the natural space. Her images have been published in Polaroid, Huffington Post, Lomography, Love Watts, Fault Magazine, Something Curated, Structured Mag and displayed in galleries throughout the U.S. Rachel has developed educational workshops believing that teaching 18th century processes like cyanotypes and anthotypes captivate students' senses and encourages them to become more engaged with their environment. She is currently enjoying living in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

We are excited to announce the selected artists for the upcoming exhibition ‘Ether/Light’ with juror Lauren E. Allen! ‘Ether / Light’ is a photography exhibition dedicated to historical, alternative and traditional photographic processes and their exploration of light, time and materiality. The opening reception will be held on May 16 from 6 to 10pm in conjunction with the opening of ‘Earth Speaks’. The Eclectika is located at 711 N. Britain Rd. Irving, TX.  SELECTED ARTISTS: Æ Escalante, Ailyn Lazaro, Cameron Flores, Jordan Funk, K.R. Hallberg, Kaleb Shields, Kim Wasson Eagan, Kylie Henk, Laidric Stevenson, Lauren Grega, Mary Aufforth, Rebecca Jinyoung Park, Selene Bianka, Sophie Knox @_83_photography @selene.bs.art @hellhound_halo @filmspence @photographyisadeadmedium Khenkphotography @_lauren_grega._ @Bykalebshields @camerons.darkroom @soknox.art @spac3bean @rebeccajinyoungpark @kimwassoneagan @jordan_nicole_funk Graphic provided courtesy of Rebecca Brand

CALLING ALL DFW ARTISTS  The Eclectika is excited to announce our new initiative, The Eclektive! The Eclektive is a co-op collective program seeking members to participate in a 10 month tenure beginning in our Fall 2026 season. Members will be given a solo project space show, group show opportunities, member created zines, and more! Get hands-on experience with gallery operations and community building. Applications will be open to practicing artists in any visual medium over the age of 18 that reside in North Texas. The Eclektive is free to apply to and, if selected, member dues are PWYC to remove financial barriers. Applications will open May 18 through July 10. Full details available on our website and linktree.

A big thanks to everyone who came out to our cyanotype workshop with instructor Alex Khraish! Here are some photos from the event.

A big thanks to everyone who came out to the opening of 'Earth Speaks' and 'Ether/Light' last night! Here are some photos from the evening.

OPENING TONIGHT 'Earth Speaks', a solo show by Rachel Rector presented in collaboration with AFPA Gallery and 'Ether/Light' with juror Lauren E. Allen opens tonight Saturday, May 16from 6-10pm. These are the final shows for the Spring 2026 season! Some light refreshments will be provided, BYOB is permitted. Parking is ample but carpooling is encouraged due to expected high attendance. The Eclectika is located at 711 N. Britain Rd Irving TX.

A preview of our final shows for the Spring 2026 season, 'Earth Speaks' a solo show by Rachel Rector presented in collaboration with AFPA Gallery and 'Ether/Light' with juror Lauren E. Allen. Opening reception will be held Saturday, May 16 from 6-10pm. The Eclectika is located at 711 N. Britain Rd Irving TX.

Our space is expanding! In case you missed it, we received two moveable walls courtesy of UD. A huge thanks to Breanne Schwarz for arranging the logistics of acquiring and transporting them to the space, and a big thanks to Jack Hein, Jason Thing, and Shannon West for their assistance with moving them. These walls will allow us to create an additional gallery space, giving us the ability to host three shows at once as well as include more work in our full gallery open calls.

A first glimpse into Earth Speaks — an exhibition by Rachel Rector. Working with cameraless photography and historical processes, Rector invites nature itself to become a collaborator. Sunlight, water, and organic materials leave their traces across each surface, forming images that feel at once intimate and fleeting. Here, authorship softens. Control gives way to process. What remains are works that carry the quiet weight of memory—fragile, yet enduring. Blending photography with poetry, collage, and textile elements, Earth Speaks unfolds as a tactile, sensory experience—one that asks us to slow down and listen more closely to the natural world. We’re deeply grateful to Lauren Allen and The Eclectika Gallery for this meaningful collaboration. A small preview, with more to come. Open Reception: May 16th, 2026, 6pm - 10pm 711 N Britain Rd, Irving TX @theeclectika @thereisnothere @leallen_art

A big thanks to everyone who came out to the opening of 'Wear Well' by Calvin Yuan. Here are some photos from the event and show.

OPENING TONIGHT  Calvin Yuan's MFA thesis exhibition ‘Wear Well’ opens tonight Thursday, April 23 from 5:30 to 7:30pm! Light refreshments will be provided, BYOB is allowed. The Eclectika is located at 711 N. Britain Rd Irving TX 75061.  Calvin Yuan is DFW based metalsmithing artist creating wearables that mixes metals with LEGO. He draws inspiration from architecture and the forms of LEGO itself to create jewelry pieces that blend high class jewelry with the joyfulness of LEGO. Yuan currently teaches at the University of North Texas. Yuan is now focusing on more ways to challenge the idea of LEGO of not being just a toy but something more valuable.

A preview of the upcoming MFA Thesis exhibition ‘Wear Well’ by Calvin Yuan! Calvin Yuan is DFW based metalsmithing artist creating wearables that mixes metals with LEGO. He draws inspiration from architecture and the forms of LEGO itself to create jewelry pieces that blend high class jewelry with the joyfulness of LEGO. Yuan currently teaches at the University of North Texas. Yuan is now focusing on more ways to challenge the idea of LEGO of not being just a toy but something more valuable. The reception for ‘Wear Well’ will be held Thursday, April 23 from 5:30 to 7:30, followed by the oral defense on Friday, April 24 from 3-4pm. The Eclectika is located at 711 N Britain Rd Irving TX 75061.