{"id":705987,"date":"2026-04-05T06:57:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T06:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/705987\/"},"modified":"2026-04-05T06:57:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T06:57:20","slug":"visual-artist-karen-mahaffys-deluge-examines-last-summers-tragic-texas-floods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/705987\/","title":{"rendered":"Visual artist Karen Mahaffy&#8217;s &#8216;Deluge&#8217; examines last summer&#8217;s tragic Texas floods"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"1000\" data-attachment-id=\"402440\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/arts\/visual-art\/visual-artist-karen-mahaffys-deluge-examines-last-summers-tragic-texas-floods\/attachment\/courtesy-image-_-karen-mahaffy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Courtesy-Image-_-Karen-Mahaffy.jpg?fit=780%2C1000&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"780,1000\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone SE (2nd generation)&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1774480586&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;64&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.016666666666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Courtesy Image _ Karen Mahaffy\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;The exhibition explores tragedy and sentimentality through objects and artifacts left behind in a disaster. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The exhibition explores tragedy and sentimentality through objects and artifacts left behind in a disaster. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Courtesy-Image-_-Karen-Mahaffy.jpg?fit=234%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Courtesy-Image-_-Karen-Mahaffy.jpg?fit=780%2C1000&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Courtesy-Image-_-Karen-Mahaffy.jpg\" alt=\"The exhibition explores tragedy and sentimentality through objects and artifacts left behind in a disaster. \" class=\"wp-image-402440\"  \/>The exhibition explores tragedy and sentimentality through objects and artifacts left behind in a disaster.  Credit: Courtesy Photo \/ Karen Mahaffy<\/p>\n<p>Karen Mahaffy has been making and exhibiting work in San Antonio since her grad student days at UTSA in the mid \u201990s. <\/p>\n<p>Geometric and exacting, early wall-hung pieces suggest a fascination with architecture and design, and how both bleed into one\u2019s consciousness through proximity. Newer works are video-based exercises in subtlety. <\/p>\n<p>Mahaffy\u2019s measured hand creates singular, eerily beautiful explorations of space and place which build an anticipatory tension. In her latest opus, \u201cDeluge,\u201d on display through Sunday, April 26, at The Playhouse Gallery, the artist focuses on real-world events \u2014 the floods which battered central Texas last summer. <\/p>\n<p>She explores tragedy and sentimentality through the objects we hold dear \u2014 the artifacts of lives ruined and lost. <\/p>\n<p>Free, 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 26, and by appointment through April 26, The Playhouse Gallery, 306 Belknap Place, (210) 842-1314, playhouse.gallery.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/sanantonio\/NewsletterSignup\/Page\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Sign Up for SA Current newsletters.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><strong>Follow us:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.news\/TiFMu3wPkRj6PC4xS5L36bg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apple News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWE5oWTNWeWNtVnVkQzVqYjIwb0FBUAE?hl=en-US&amp;gl=US&amp;ceid=US%3Aen\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsbreak.com\/@c\/1599768?s=01\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/SanAntonio_Current\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/sacurrent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sacurrent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook\u00a0<\/a>| <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SAcurrent\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a>\u00a0| Or sign up for our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/feed\/?partner-feed=all\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RSS Feed<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Related Stories<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/arts\/things-to-do\/san-antonio-contemporary-art-month-launches-friday-with-two-shows\/\" rel=\"bookmark nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Contemp.jpg\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"San Antonio Contemporary Art month launches Friday with two shows\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\"   data-attachment-id=\"398473\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/arts\/things-to-do\/san-antonio-contemporary-art-month-launches-friday-with-two-shows\/attachment\/contemp\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Contemp.jpg?fit=999%2C667&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"999,667\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Contemp\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;The Mini Art Museum features small-scale works by dozens of artists.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The Mini Art Museum features small-scale works by dozens of artists.&lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Contemp.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Contemp.jpg?fit=780%2C521&amp;ssl=1\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tOne show at the Contemporary at Blue Star focuses on photos of people brought together while the other features small-scale works by dozens of artists. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/arts\/things-to-do\/exhibition-of-eye-popping-ghanian-movie-posters-coming-to-san-antonio-this-friday\/\" rel=\"bookmark nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Deadly01.jpg\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Exhibition of eye-popping Ghanian movie posters coming to San Antonio this Friday\" 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data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Deadly01.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Deadly01.jpg?fit=780%2C519&amp;ssl=1\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tDeadly Prey Gallery will bring its touring show of the stylized and often bizarre movie ads to Mercury Project in Roosevelt Park. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacurrent.com\/arts\/arts-stories-and-interviews\/san-antonios-luminaria-2026-accepting-applications-from-artists\/\" rel=\"bookmark nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/luminaria_2019_1.webp.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium 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data-image-title=\"luminaria_2019_1\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Luminaria is taking applications to find the 200 or so artists who will display work at its latest installment. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Luminaria is taking applications to find the 200 or so artists who will display work at its latest installment. &lt;\/p&gt;&#10;\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/luminaria_2019_1.webp?fit=300%2C201&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sacurrent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/luminaria_2019_1.webp?fit=780%2C521&amp;ssl=1\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\tThe annual nighttime arts festival is looking for 200 creators to display work at its November installment. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The exhibition explores tragedy and sentimentality through objects and artifacts left behind in a disaster. Credit: Courtesy Photo&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":705988,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5133],"tags":[5229,294516,7202,294517,7203,358,33124,294518,111822,3187,67,586,132,5230,68,2969,16314],"class_list":["post-705987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-antonio","tag-america","tag-karen-mahaffy","tag-san-antonio","tag-san-antonio-art-exhibitions","tag-sanantonio","tag-texas","tag-texas-floods","tag-the-playhouse-gallery","tag-things-to-do-in-san-antonio","tag-tx","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa","tag-visual-art"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116350802296889212","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/705987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=705987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/705987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/705988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=705987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=705987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=705987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}