Joan Wich & Co. Gallery: In Memory

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Joan Wich & Co. Gallery was located at 4411 Montrose Boulevard Houston, Texas 77006. Joan Wich Gallery was founded in 1998. After the death of Joan Wich in 2009, the gallery eventually closed. Content is from the site's 2006-2008 pages.

 

In Memory of noted Houston patron of the arts, Joan Wich.

2005 -2008 Exhibitions

 

 

2009

Joan Wich, Houston Iconoclast  Mourned

JOAN HOHLT WICH, died on Saturday, December 12, 2009 after a brief illness. Born November 28, 1934, Joan was a native Houstonian, a rarity, and by choosing to stay in Houston she made it richer and more diverse through her contributions in politics and the arts.

Joan was a member of the second graduating class of St. John's School in Houston in 1951 and she graduated from Mount Vernon College for Women (now George Washington University) in Washington D.C., where she was president of the student body. Joan graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in political science. She was an active member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority. During college she developed a lifelong passion and advocacy for liberal Democratic causes. After graduation, she worked in the office of then Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson.

Joan returned to Texas and in 1962 married Roger Wich of Muskogee, Oklahoma. Roger died on April 25, 2008. Their generosity and vision lives on through the Joan Hohlt and J. Roger Wich Foundation.

Joan and Roger lived in Austin and Corpus Christi, but finally settled in Houston where they made many lifelong friends. They often spent leisurely weekends at the Old River Ranch near Brenham fishing with their nephews and enjoying fried chicken dinners with their friends.

Joan did social work for Neighborhood Centers and worked as a secretary for Leon Jaworski of Fulbright & Jaworski. Private and reserved, Joan quietly supported many causes including Emily's List, Annie's List and Planned Parenthood. With her sister Betty, she served on the Board of Directors for Project Row Houses in Houston's Third Ward where together they sponsored the Young Mother's Day Care Program. Her enjoyment and support of the arts, especially the Orange Show and the avante-garde Catastrophic Theatre, culminated in the opening of the Joan Wich Gallery in 1998.

The gallery is a showcase of emerging and established artists and a sometime salon for new urban ideas and discussions.

Joan founded the Wich Scholarship Fund in Art to support student artists from the University of Houston. Gracious and intelligent, Joan will also be remembered as an iconoclastic fashionista and for her strong sense of mischief and fun.

She is survived by her sister Betty Hohlt Pecore and brother Richard Bozman Hohlt, nieces and nephews Richard Randal Hohlt, Mary Kaye Walrod, Barbara Ann Hohlt, Daniel Arthur Pecore, Douglas Wilkin Pecore and John William Pecore, and many grand nieces and nephews.

Joan is also survived by her long time assistant, Paul Brockman, and dear friend, Dawn Fudge; together the three shared the fun and adventure, the challenges and sorrows of the last ten years.

She also leaves behind her longtime close friend of 39 years, Sandra Lowery, with whom she shared many special moments in her life.

The family will receive friends for a celebration of Joan's life on Thursday, December 17, 2009 from six until eight o'clock in the evening at the Bradshaw-Carter Home, 1734 West Alabama Street, Houston, TX.The family requests that in lieu of flowers contributions in Joan's memory be directed to Planned Parenthood, 3601 Fannin, Houston, TX 77004, (713-522-3976); Project Row Houses, 2521 Holman St., Houston, TX 77004, (713-526-7662); or Boys and Girls Club of Washington County, P.O. Box 1952, Brenham, TX 77834, (979-277-9383). 

 

My side:
It was sad when the Joan Wich & Co. Gallery closed. I moved to Houston in late 2007 from Colorado. I brought all my cold weather clothing including super warm North Face fleece jackets which obviously I wouldn't need. I thought my move would be temporary and I was planning to return to the Colorado mountains. I never did, although I do take ski vacations and the North Face fleece jackets come in handy then. I still buy Northface clothing. Their tops, tanks, and shorts made from ultralight, breathable singlet with moisture-wicking FlashDry™ fibers are perfect for outdoor activities. But their jackets, nope. There are still several galleries at 4411 Montrose Boulevard Houston, Texas 77006. I visit them every couple of months with friends. Two of my favorites are Barbara Davis Gallery and the Anya Tish Gallery, which has been around since 1998. I still miss the Joan Wich & Co. Gallery.

 

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