HOUSTON, TX.- The second annual Houston Fine Art Fair will assemble leading galleries from across the United States, Latin America and Europe Sept. 14 -16, 2012 at Houston’s Reliant Center. More than 65 galleries, representing approximately 10 countries and 24 cities, have established the Houston Fine Art Fair (HFAF) as the largest in the Southwest Region.

World-renowned collectors, curators and art patrons, from the experienced to the novice, will experience an exciting and diverse array of paintings, drawings, print editions, installations, sculpture, and photography.

“This year’s show will reflect Houston as a top flight art market,” says Melissa Grobmyer, President of MKG Art Management and HFAF Show Advisor.

Galleries from throughout the world will exhibit at HFAF and come from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Cuba, England, México, Switzerland, and Venezuela. In the United States, look for galleries representing Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Coral Gables, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Santa Fe and Scottsdale.

Stellar contemporary galleries, with a large contingent from Texas, California, and New York, include the prominent Flowers Gallery, Holly Johnson Gallery, Kopeikin Gallery, Margaret Thatcher Projects, Pavel Zoubok Gallery, Schroeder Romero & Shredder, Tomlinson Kong Contemporary, Talley Dunn Gallery, Von Lintel Gallery, and Western Project. Younger generation galleries presenting cutting-edge work include David Shelton Gallery, Galerie Kashya Hildebrand, Luis de Jesus, La Casona Art Gallery, Mission Project and Vicky David Gallery.

In keeping with last year, HFAF will host a strong Latin influence with art galleries Antena Estudio, Beatriz Esguerra Arte, Concorsio de Arte, Drexel Galeria, Galeria Alfredo Ginocchio, Gonzalez y Gonzalez, La Casona, Pan American Art Projects, Patricia Conde Galeria, Salar Galeria de Arte and Toca Galeria.

The spotlight on Houston, the nation’s third largest art market, will showcase esteemed local galleries Anya Tish Gallery, Art Palace, Barbara Davis Gallery, Darke Gallery, Devin Borden Gallery, Gallery Sonja Roesch, Hiram Butler Gallery, Hooks Esptein Galleries, John Cleary Gallery, koelsch gallery, McClain Gallery, McMurtrey Gallery, Peel, Sicardi Gallery and Wade Wilson Art.

This year’s gallery applications were all reviewed and approved or declined by selection committee.

New additions to this year’s fair include HFAF Fahrenheit, HFAF Focus, HFAF Foto, the MFAH Core Factor exhibition, and HFAF ARTWEEK.

HFAF Fahrenheit features galleries that are younger than 5 years old. Fairgoers will have the opportunity to explore and discover these trendy, new, hot galleries that are re-defining the cutting edge of contemporary art, including Art Palace, Pristine Gallery, and Toca Galeria. HFAF Focus presents a group of galleries showcasing a single artist’s work. Galleries featuring works by one artist include Antena Estudio, Arevalo Gallery, Collage Habana, Devin Borden Gallery, Darke Gallery, Dillon Gallery, koelsch gallery, David Shelton, Sicardi Gallery and Susan Eley.

HFAF Foto presents the best in contemporary and classical photography giving more perspective to the artist’s vision and message. Galleries showing their fine art photography include Kopeikin Gallery, Patricia Conde Gallery and John Cleary Gallery.

Another exciting addition to the fair is MFAH Core Factor, an exhibition curated by collectors and benefactors Brad Bucher and Victoria Lightman. The special show will highlight the works of several graduates from The Core Program of the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. This program, one of the country’s most respected artist-in-residency programs in the country, produces graduates whose works are shown at major galleries and museums throughout the world. Core alumni in the MFAH Core Factor include William Cordova, Todd Hebert, Leslie Hewitt, Julie Mehretu and Aaron Parazette.

The 2012 HFAF ARTWEEK will be held September 9th-16th. Fair patrons will have the opportunity to become better acquainted with Houston’s burgeoning art scene. Created for both art loving locals and out-of-town visitors, this action-packed week includes private tours, parties, receptions, events and exhibitions.

“This year, we focus on Texas, both its artists and collectors, as the generator for our amazing arts culture. The panels, events, and programming highlight Houston’s unique, sophisticated perspective in the international art market. HFAF will reflect the vitality and diversity of our city, state, and region,” says Grobmyer.

The Houston Fine Art Fair continues to build audiences in the southern United States through their vibrant cultural partnership program. This year’s partners include AIA Houston, The Architecture Center Houston, Art League Houston, Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa, Asia Society, The Association of Professional Art Advisors, Bayou Bend Collection & Gardens, Big Medium, Blaffer Art Museum, The Blanton Museum of Art, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, City Arts Center, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center For The Arts, Dallas Art Dealers Association, DiverseWorks, Fluent~Collaborative, Fotofest, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Galveston Arts Center, Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston Center for Photography, Houston Cinema Arts Society, Houston Downtown Alliance, Houston Museum District, Lawndale Art Center, The McNay Art Museum, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Nasher Sculpture Center, New Orleans Photo Alliance, Oklahoma Museum of Art, The Old Jail Art Center, Orange Show Center for Visionary Arts, The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts, Philebrook Museum of Art, Rice Gallery, Santa Fe Art Institute, Spring Street Studios, Station Museum of Contemporary Art, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts, Via Colori, and Winter Street Studios.

Sponsors for the 2012 Houston Fine Art Fair include Chartis Insurance; Fayez Sarofim; HEB-Charles Butt; Rottet Studios; Tootsies; Toyota/Lexus.

The fair will kick off Thursday evening September 13th with a VIP Preview Party from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. and Opening Reception from 7:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., benefitting The Core Program of the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The program awards one-year residencies to exceptional highly motivated visual artists and critical writers who have not yet developed professional careers. The eight current and four new fellows will have their work shown at the fair, with all sale proceeds going directly to the individual fellows.

Trenton Doyle Hancock will receive the HFAF Artist of the Year award. Hancock is a 2002 graduate of The Core Residency Program at the MFAH Glassell School of Art. He was featured in the 2000 and 2002 Whitney Biennial exhibitions and is one of the youngest artists ever to participate in this prestigious survey. He is represented by Dallas’ Talley Dunn Gallery and New York’s James Cohan Gallery and was featured in PBS’ Art21.

Regular hours for the Houston Fine Art Fair are Friday, Sept. 14th and Saturday, Sept. 15th from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 16th from 11a.m. until 6 p.m. For easy access to the fair, visitors can ride the MetroRail directly to Reliant Center. Self and valet parking are also provided. Tickets range from $25 to $125 per person. Students receive 20% off ticket prices with valid student ID.

All fair tickets include access to an on-site program of panel discussions on thought-provoking art-market topics featuring invited curators, critics and collectors.