An array of dots and dashes of color that spell CVAD in Morse Code
Tuesday, September 2, 2025

Two images of fences, one by Lopez, the other by Macellaio."Louver Suite: Las Vegas 2" 2025, by Ana M. Lopez, copper, vitreous enamel, retroreflective glass beads, 8 x 14 x 0.5 inches. "Fences and Posts" 2019, by Natalie Macellaio, nickel, silver, concrete, 7 x 24 x 1 inches.

"Overlooked:" Lopez and Macellaio Recast the Invisible Infrastructure of Daily Life

Ana M. Lopez is in a 3/4 view and smiling. She wears glasses and a denim shirt.
Ana M. Lopez, M.F.A., professor, Metalsmithing and Jewelry in Studio Art.
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Moudy Art Gallery at Texas Christian University will present Overlooked, an exhibition featuring works by metalsmith and scholar Ana M. Lopez and artist-educator Natalie Macellaio. The exhibition dates are Sept. 18–Oct. 16, 2025, with an opening reception on Sept. 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. and artist talks at 5:15 p.m.
 
In "Overlooked," Lopez and Macellaio bring attention to the peripheral and often-ignored elements of the built environment — materials and forms so ordinary they fade into the background. From construction barriers to rooftop ductwork, both artists transform the functional into the contemplative, highlighting the hidden aesthetics of infrastructure.
 
Natalie is facing forward and smiling. She has shoulder-length dark hair and wears a dark top.
Natalie Macellaio, 2005, M.F.A. alum, professor of art, Dallas College.
Lopez reflects on the aesthetics and environmental implications of industrial air conditioning systems. Through enameled metal garnitures and vent sculptures, she merges decorative arts traditions with the realities of climate control, provoking questions about comfort, class and atmospheric intervention.
 
Macellaio reinterprets the transitional chaos of construction sites, turning safety structures into jewelry and sculptural installations. Her works, hand-fabricated in metal and concrete, evoke the poetics of chain-link fences, signposts, and rebar — objects that mark the margins of daily experience.
 
Together, their works reframe overlooked objects as sites of curiosity, critique and cultural significance.
 

About the Artists

Lopez is an internationally exhibited metalsmith, educator, and decorative arts scholar whose research and studio practice explore the intersections of craft, history, and material culture. She is the author of "Metalworking Through History: An Encyclopedia" and has been a Maker-Creator Fellow at the Winterthur Museum. Follow Lopez on Instagram @anamlopezartist.
 
Macellaio, a 2005 UNT CVAD M.F.A. graduate, is a professor of art at Dallas College, the Dallas County community college system. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including "The Mother Load," a collaborative project exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art and at the Hannah MacLure Centre in Dundee, Scotland. She also co-exhibited with Lopez in 2023 at the National Ornamental Metals Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. Follow Macellaio on Instagram @nmacellaio.
 

Visiting the Exhibition

The Moudy Gallery is located on the Texas Christian University campus at 2805 S. University Dr., Fort Worth, Texas. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., and Saturday, 1–4 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
 
For more details, visit The Art Galleries at TCU website, email theartgalleries@tcu.edu, or call 817-257-2588.