Artist Reception Talon Cress

Talon Cress is an artist and freelance graphic designer based in Odessa, Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Texas Permian Basin, where he earned dual bachelor’s degrees in art and organismal biology. Talon has worked across a range of media, including graphite, charcoal, pen & ink, acrylic paint, printmaking, and ceramic sculpture.

His practice has been shaped over a long spanning connection to art and a passion for observing and depicting the natural world, particularly the beauty, scale, and individuality of landscapes that offered a sense of grounding during the 2020 pandemic. It was during his time at UTPB that he developed a distinct voice, using his work as a means of personal and conceptual exploration.

His work focuses on two central themes, freedom and constraint. A deep appreciation for nature and the boundless possibility it represents as well as the forces that shape and limit human experience, including injury, employment, religion and mortality. Through this contrast, Talon explores transformation, identity, and the individual’s role within a broader, ever-changing world.