Gallery co-owners Max Boyd Harrison and Michael Kubis have imbued the historic West 19th St. Art Deco Heights Theatre with a passion for local artists. Get a glimpse of Bede Van Dyke's atmospheric landscapes and Joyce Harlow's paleolithic-esque works in wood and metal, or host your own arty event in the cavernous gallery. Leased by fellow gallerist Gus Kopriva, the gallery features a gigantic sculpture of popcorn at its entrance in tribute to the building's past.

More than a gallery for contemporary art, this is a leafy compound with a sleek modern exhibition space, open gardens landscaped with native trees and fauna and a restored 20th-century cottage. Home to internationally recognized talents such as Robert Wilson and Jennifer Bartlett, as well as emerging artists, the gallery is where hometown maverick William Betts first rocked the art world with his now-famous stripe paintings. The innovative sculptures of Texans Darryl Lauster and Dean Ruck may also be found on the gallery floor.

Ceramics is the name of the game at 18 Hands, where the owners have culled experience from the ClayHouston Festival and Empty Bowls Project, and capitalized on the dearth of clay art venues in Houston. The gallery describes its aesthetic as ranging from decorative, sculptural and figurative to fanciful and functional. Check out the 18 Hands' First Saturday Openings to mingle with the potters and their followers.

Designed to showcase a wide range of contemporary art currents, G Gallery embraces all forms of visual art from local, national and international fronts. Gallerists Raymond V. Burnette, Beverley Gilbert and Wayne Gilbert don't make compromises in their dynamic exhibitions that focus on inventive multimedia installations and juried paintings.

At only 400 square feet, Redbud is one of the smallest galleries in Texas, and exhibitions are entirely visible through the generous store front curtain windows. The media featured is all-encompassing (prints, sculpture, ceramics, photography, drawings, paintings and installations), and one of the main draws at Saturday night openings is Lisa Kopriva's homemade cookies — a neighborly touch that is decidedly Heights.