Posts Tagged ‘paintings’



Beyond the Measure: Artist Alexandra Eldridge

Posted Saturday December 11 2010 by in Art
5 comments

You Must Go By the Way You Know Not, 24x24

I own a piece of Alexandra Eldridge.  A piece of her art, yes, but a piece of the artist as well. It doesn’t entitle me to anything; I can’t hawk it on eBay or take it to dinner. It’s not a byproduct of purchase; it’s available to anyone: to every art tourist who ever tipped her head back to drink in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and was called back to the world by an aching neck. It comes through giving oneself over to the full-court appreciation of a work of art and its creator. And it elevates the value of an artwork from a dollar figure to priceless.

I met Alexandra through my position at a Canyon Road Gallery.  I came to know her through interviewing her in the course of writing publicity for an upcoming show. As we talked in her studio, surrounded by her paintings, drawings, books, quotes and other objects of inspiration, I began to shift from an analytical appreciation of her skills or the surface beauty of her paintings to a relationship with them.  To be honest, when I stepped into her studio that afternoon, I thought her work was too comely for my taste. But then I saw MY painting, with a quote by Carl Jung feathered across its width: Passion that goes beyond the measure of love aims at the mystery of becoming whole.”

That, in a nutshell, is Alexandra.

In work and life, Alexandra goes beyond the measure to find her whole. Although this deeply trained daughter of two artist/writers is perfectly capable of pulling a fast trick on canvas or paper, that’s not her way.  Earlier life experiences, including her years in a community based on the principles of William Blake, have driven her to embrace art as a spiritual discipline, requiring attention, “devotion, a connection to silence and the unknown and the possibilities of visionary experience.”

Alexandra’s work is feminine, lovely, delicate–but it is not pretty.  Every painted piece holds underlayers of process in its depths. Every plump rabbit, voluptuous egg, house, tree, cup or swing is part of a complex iconic vocabulary whose sum offers a wordless challenge to respect what D.H. Lawrence termed “the struggling, battered thing which any human soul is.”

Passion That Goes Beyond, 24" x 24"

I bought that piece, although it was a mighty financial stretch, because it was an intersection of understandings.  It explained Alexandra; it explained me.  It explained that moment in my life.  It was beautiful, with its luminous blues and demanding blacks, and contained that quote which, like every line of Jung’s I’ve ever read, I wasn’t quite sure I grasped, but which stretched me in the grasping.

To learn more about Alexandra’s life and views, read the complete interview by artist Predrag Pajdic. Or, watch the video footage taken by Joshua Maes during our recent studio visit. Alexandra’s work can be viewed locally at Nuart Gallery, on Canyon Road, and Victoria Price Art & Design in Pacheco Park.

LocalMotion: Northern New Mexico’s November Art & Studio Tours

Posted Friday November 5 2010 by in Art, Cultural & Community Events
1 comment

Painted fish swim across a ceramic celandon sea.  The spout has a jaunty arc and the clever lid has recessed wells for easy grasping.  It’s a marvelous teapot, bought over 25 years ago: a happy reminder of the rich vein of artistic talent that lies along and near the High Road from Santa Fe to Taos.  The teapot’s creator is ceramicist Nausika Richardson, founder of the annual Dixon Studio Tour.

Nausika Richardson, Square Ceramic Bowl

For 29 years, on the first full weekend of November, the artists, artisans and farmers of Dixon have been hosting one of the oldest and best known of New Mexico’s studio tours.  Locals and tourists alike flock annually to this tiny pastoral town, seated at the confluence of the Embudo River and the Rio Grande.  Dixon is rich in historic tradition, creative culture and easy charm, worth a visit for its physical beauty alone. The studio tour is an amiable opportunity to savor the town’s appeal, support local talents and get a jump on holiday shopping where the purchase process is itself a gift.

For one resident’s view of community life, check out the memoirs of Stanley G. Crawford– A Garlic Testament: Seasons on a Small Farm in New Mexico, and Mayordomo: Chronicle of an Acequia in Northern New Mexico. (Crawford’s books and garlic arrangements will be on sale during the tour.) Grab lunch or an early dinner at acclaimed restaurant Embudo Station off Highway 68 between Dixon and Velarde. (T: 505.852.4707.) Dixon is located about 50 miles northeast of Santa Fe, 25 miles southwest of Taos. For map, schedule and artist info, visit the tour’s website or follow Dixon Studio Tour on Facebook.

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In downtown Santa Fe, independent artist Mark Frossard moves his Cafe Tour to The Station Cafe in the Railyard District.  The exhibition, entitled “Pit Stops,” features 5 brand new paintings and several never-before-displayed older works, centered on the theme of transportation, relocation and expansion. Frossard shares his keen observation of human quirks and vulnerabilities with a cartoonist’s economy of line. In his subtle humor and depth of insight, he reminds me  a trace of author and illustrator James Thurber.  Opening reception takes place Friday, November 5th, from 5:00 – 7:00pm. The Station Cafe is located near the Santa Fe Train Depot at 530 S. Guadalupe. If you can’t make the opening, go back for breakfast.  The espresso drinks, made with illy coffee, are top-notch.

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Next weekend, November 13-14th, head out to Eldorado for annual Fall Show put on by The Eldorado Arts and Crafts Association. And be sure not to miss the 12th annual Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival (see Art + Green on the Santa Fe Creative Scene.)

For more information on November Art Openings and Events in and around Santa Fe, consult the Calendar at Santa Fe Convention and Visitor’s Bureau’s excellent website or check out the offerings at the Santa Fe Gallery Association.

Real estate agents Malissa Kullberg and Joshua Maes, AKA Changing Gallery, use their listings, where appropriate, to showcase the art, photography, sculpture and other creations of emerging and independent talents. Artists receive 100% of the proceeds from any sale. For up-to-date market info and full access to the MLS, visit: Santa Fe Real Estate Downtown.

From the Ashes of Santa Fe’s Café Phénix…

Posted Friday March 26 2010 by in Art, Local Events
2 comments

Six Months in Santa Fe: Art by Ryan Helean

Most beings spring from other individuals; but there is a certain kind which reproduces itself. The Assyrians call it the Phoenix. –Ovid

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled over an exchange on Facebook that dug into my mind like a splinter and stewed there, coalescing ideas until it pushed itself back to the surface.

“Thank You again, Santa Fe, for proving to be the hypocritical liittle provincial backwater that you are. Another great business may leave this town, a business that is trying to support “community” and you turn its nose at it because it won’t play into your pathetic alcoholic addictions and pretentious ideas about what a restaurant “should” be. Its becoming more and more clear that I need to get out of here.”

The venue in question was Café Phénix; the author of the post, Steve Brisk, a musician who’d been playing at the Cafe on Thursdays and was preparing for a big show on the 25th of this month. Sample Steve’s work as AudioBuddha at Soundcloud.

Café Phénix was a mighty little downtown dining spot that was muscling its way up to become an institution. More than just a restaurant, it was a community light.  It hit all the right notes: family owned and operated; an economic and social grounding to Santa Fe’s eclectic triangle district; a community space for local musicians, artists and even filmmakers to show their work.  Where possible, it used fresh, organic and local ingredients. And the food and coffee were good. The NY Times, the Albuquerque Journal, Pasatiempo and NM Gastronome blessed it with positive reviews.  Yet it closed in six months, dashing spirits and dreams.

Why it happened, I don’t know.  The backstory is someone else’s to tell.  What hooked me was that bitter eulogy which held perennial frustrations about being an artist, musician or entrepreneur in Santa Fe to the light.

Mike Tait Tafoya, a fellow musician and friend weighed in:

“Steve you should let go of what your preconcieved notions of what you think Santa Fe should be or how businesses should be supported by others.All you can do is help support it yourself and do what you can. I think you would be hard pressed to find a town this size that is so diverse culturally,politically,spiritualy etc. Bithching to Santa Feans on Fb, not gonna help anything!

Mike continues: “…I don’t argue the fact that people don’t always follow through here, trust me I know. But as artists,musicians or small business owners you have to take into account the risk and ease of your dream not being fulfilled.There are so many musicians,artists, cafes etc. in Santa Fe that it’s extremely hard to capture your audience or patrons.The ratio to these compared to the population here has got to be out of whack for sure. I’ll also say it’s rarely the “good” places or people that survive Santa Fe.”

So, is it the artist or entrepreneur’s responsibility to rise from the ashes of his or her own failed bids for recognition and self renew, or the community’s responsibility to nurture its creatives? I touched indirectly on this topic in an earlier post, Thriving Arts = Thriving Cities

My past two years promoting independent and emerging artists through Changing Gallery have given me a bit of empathy and insight into the struggle of independents to find adequate acknowledgment and support. One reason is the “out-of-whack” ratio of producers to consumers.  In the late 80′s, the Harper’s Index put the chances of a Santa Fe resident being a “healer” of some kind at 1 in 52. Today, I’d put the chance of a Santa Fe resident being an active or aspiring creative at about 1 in 10. There are a whole lot of people vying for each other’s money and attention.

It’s sad when a good venue goes down or a creative contributor leaves town.  Especially in music.  We need more good music. But I don’t buy that “If Fanta Se can’t grow and evolve, it will die!” in the words of one voice. That “out-of-whack” ratio also means there are a lot of sympathetic souls, a lot of locals who value creative endeavor.

Rants and losses can drain our life force or pique us to action. Here’s hoping that the death of Cafe Phenix will incite us to remember that while artists, musicians and visionary entrepreneurs must do all they can to self-sustain, some simply cannot survive without external breath. If you’ve been thinking about checking out a new artist, musical gig, or event, do it.  You never know whether the coin of your attention may make the difference between someone giving up or giving it one more try.

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Tonight, Friday March 26th, Mark Frossard is unveiling a mural at Studio Nia, 851 West San Mateo  Opening reception for Mark and four other artists, 5-7 PM.

Also opening tonight at the Jay Etkin Gallery, Camino della Familia, #3103, behind Warehouse 21, is a solo show of new oil-on-aluminum paintings by  David Solomon, the force behind BANG! Gallery.

And at the Santa Fe Complex : The Art and Science of Systems Biology a two-day event that “celebrates the grand tradition of the visualization of research—powerful statements made not through words, but through visuals such as DaVinci’s diagrams or Rosalind Franklin’s x-rays.” Event begins Friday at 4:30 with a reception and  public lecture, for which registration is FREE but required.  Continues Saturday with workshops for kids and an exhibition of pieces that won the NSF-sponsored 2009 International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge, closing with a second lecture on Saturday night.

Catch Ryan Helean’s exhibition of vibrant oil and acrylic paintings, still up at Java Joe’s on Rodeo Road through April 8th.

Thriving Arts = Thriving Cities: Towards a Santa Fe + Albuquerque Arts Link

Posted Friday January 22 2010 by in Art, Art Galleries
5 comments

Egg Painting 4 by Halle Treanor

Great cities are defined by great art.  We acknowledge the fact, profit from the spirit, but don’t necessarily involve ourselves with feeding our city’s vital arts character. Blessedly, in New Mexico, many do.

Last week, I took part in #abqtalk: a Twitter Talk show moderated by William C. Reichard, multi-talented communications pro and author of the blog Technoagita.  Although the concept of any number of people simultaneously tweeting on a target topic sounds like a recipe for mayhem, it works.  Reichard invites newcomers, thanks departers, adds missed links and repeats tweets to cohere and clarify the flow.  Last week’s subject was the arts in Albuquerque; the “panel” three of the Duke City’s arts organizations: Popejoy, a performing arts venue seating 1985 patrons bringing in touring acts to New Mexico, Chroma Studios, “an art center with studios, gallery, performance space where creatives can work, play, show and perform their ideas” and The Harwood, “a community art center that focuses on promoting education and visibility for artists, would be and could be artists.”

Participants acknowledged the impact of the recession and their role in keeping interest alive. “When money is tight, said @ACiepielaBFT, sometimes people forget what a difference the arts can make in their life. In the words of @TheHarwood “to build the arts audience in abq, we also need to inspire it – show people how creativity & art are relevant.”

Some tweets spoke of perennial roadblocks–ego, snobbery and inadequate funding among them.  What surprised me was to hear of the difficulty that these established, and fairly high-profile venues face in getting the word out.

Several organizations decried the lack of “a centralized email calendar”and lamented that with “so much going on we don’t always make the cut on [published] calendars.”  One participant noted that Albuquerque arts venues also must acknowledge how they are perceived outside the state: locals know we are an arts locale, nationally, people think Santa Fe.”

I sense an opportunity.

My focus, here and with Changing Gallery, is to promote the arts, businesses, events and people of downtown Santa Fe.  I am particularly committed to promoting independent and emerging artists who operate outside of the gallery system.  The blog is one place where you can find out about the activities, news, culture and players of the Alt/Indie/Emerging Arts Scene.  I intend my work to be complementary to, not opposed to, the efforts of local galleries who cannot fund, represent or support every creative that crosses their paths.

According to a survey by the nonprofit group Americans for the Arts, over the last ten years the number of arts organizations increased rapidly at the same time that the percentage of people attending arts events declined.  Too many hands are reaching out for pieces of a dwindling pie.  The good news is that there are many people motivated to preserve a vigorous arts presence.  The challenge: how do we work together to create strength for all?

I do not have immediate, definitive answers but I offer what I have: my brain, my heart, my snippet of time, and my blog.

North/Central New Mexico, let’s start with the longed for centralized calendar. We can use this informational meeting place to build a sturdy bridge between Santa Fe and Albuquerque: two vibrant arts communities whose proximity and complementarity are an open conduit for cooperative effort. Santa Fe: if you’ve never been to an ArtsCrawl, make an effort.  Check out the offerings at Chroma Studios and The Harwood Art Center.  Take a look at the full spectrum of activities provided by Popejoy Hall.  And Albuquerque, don’t dismiss Santa Fe as snobby.  Every been to a performance by WiseFoolNewMexico?

“Every thriving city I can think of has a visible, supported, and bustling art scene,” said @TheHarwood last week on Twitter.  Let’s be that thriving Twin City.

I look forward to your commentary and shared energy.

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THIS WEEK ON THE SANTA FE/ALBUQUERQUE ALT/EMERGING/INDIE CREATIVE SCENE

Chace Haynes’ show People, People! is still up at High Mayhem at 2811 Siler Lane in Santa Fe.  Chace plans to be at the studio this Saturday and Sunday, from 1-4.  Call him at: 505.670.6115 to confirm or arrange an appointment.

Check out the appealing abstract paintings on Halle Treanor’s Art Page We met Halle at an open house at our listings at 111 East Santa Fe Ave.  Her blog includes a link to Halle’s site on Fine Art America which features more photography than painting.

Albuquerque based FractionMag is a photography site of distinction.  Great people driving great work by emerging and independent photo talents.

Mark Frossard has the first of a new series on his website plus a new edition of his blog Duck Hunt Reviews Check them out.

Red Cell and Patricia Sautoff continue their admirable work at The End of Being : a guide to difficult and unusual art, music, film, people and ideas.

Jenna Gerbach’s still pumping out her humble brilliance at MyHungryEye

Finally, take a look at a sensitive, piercing collection of photos by KayLynn Deveney chronicling the daily life of a Welsh man by the name of Albert Hastings.  Photographer Kaylynn Deveney happens to be William C. Reichard’s wife, but my endorsement is spontaneous and unsolicited. This is simple, powerful stuff.

Emerging artist Phillip Vigil lands new home at downtown Santa Fe Gallery

Posted Wednesday October 21 2009 by in Art, Art Galleries, Santa Fe Downtown
2 comments

philpaintingPhillip Vigil swept into our lives last Spring via Facebook. Focused and prolific, Phillip has been a one-man band of production and promotion, furiously churning out work all the while gathering its audience.  Less than a year later–three years since he began his career in earnest, he has scored the big score: a new home in a downtown gallery smack on Santa Fe’s historic Plaza. And what a nice home it is, with tall ceilings, wood floors, and a bounty of fine creative work, from paintings, to sculpture to jewelry, rugs, pottery and more: a good nest for a fourth generation artist whose childhood home walls were lined with family generated art.

Self-taught, but not uneducated, Phillip has studied the words and works of numerous artists before him. His pieces are riffs spun of many influences: twenty century modernists, admired contemporaries, current events–personal and public–and his own internal instincts and ideas. But although he’s long been an artist in heart and mind, it wasn’t until he began to believe himself that his career gained traction.

“No one really took me seriously….I had to believe before everyone would.”  Then, like the eponymous protagonist of Billy Elliot–a character Phillip calls a “true inspiration”–Phillip faced down all doubts with his dance: a fury of pastels, charcoal, paint and collage.  With mind, heart and muscle, Phillip has earned his place in the Santa Fe Art Scene.

If you’re in Santa Fe, step over to Shiprock Gallery, AKA Shiprock Trading Post, and check out Phillip’s new work. You’ll enjoy the venue and a chance to witness the arc of a strong and generous talent.DSC00739

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UPDATE:

On August 14th, 2010, from 6-8:30 PM, head over to Shiprock Gallery, on the Plaza for an Opening Exhibition of Phillip Vigil’s work.  Look for experiments and vectors of future directions.

Real estate agents Malissa Kullberg and Joshua Maes, AKA Changing Gallery, use their listings, where appropriate, to showcase the art, photography, sculpture and other creations of emerging and independent talents. Artists receive 100% of the proceeds from any sale. For up-to-date market info and full access to the MLS, visit: Santa Fe Real Estate Downtown.

See and Be Scene

Posted Monday June 15 2009 by in Art, Art Galleries, Local Events
1 comment
Untitled Mural--Todd Scalise

‘The Armageddon Super Meal’ or ‘Google Boogle’, 9ft. x 12ft., enamel on canvas, 2009–Todd Scalise

A little over a year ago, my business partner and I held our first art opening at our listing at 123 West Santa Fe Avenue.  We knew a few artists without gallery representation in Santa Fe; I’d been the co-director of a contemporary art gallery in Santa Fe; we had open walls and a killer location–made sense.  We decided to give 100% of the proceeds of any sale to the artists themselves: a gift through which we have gained immeasurably.

Since our first show, we have held three more events, showcased the work of 17 artists in total, and are proud to report a total of seven sales.  Over 100 people have seen the listings who might not otherwise have known they existed.  And we’ve met scores of terrific, creative talents.

Take Mark Frossard, a painter who stopped by to see  Phillip Vigil’s drawings and will be featured in our upcoming show.  Mark’s soothing southwestern palette and cartoon-like representations  belie their emotional power.

Or Keiko Ohnuma, also in the upcoming show, who described her style as “elevated kitch” and said that  she was finding that she was even less well-understood here than in Honolulu.  I confess I was a bit taken aback when I opened the first jpeg.  But it didn’t take long to decide that was exactly why we should give her a venue.  Not every piece needs to challenge the viewer, but challenge is definitely an important aspect of art.

Then there’s Todd Scalise: painter, designer, textile artist, muralist, and more whom we met, again, through artist and social media’s man-about-town, Phillip Vigil.  Todd has terrific ideas for public art in Santa Fe and is looking for a wall to paint.  Driven by the look of his latest piece, and excited by the possibilities, we are working to find him a wall.

Todd graces every visitor to his studio with the opportunity to select a drawing to take home.  Four of us stood over a pile of drawings like a pack of kids eyeing the Halloween basket. With art, you don’t just acquire a pretty or interesting thing; you connect with the creator.  As artist and gallery owner, Anthony Corso recently shared on his FB Wall,

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Buy a piece of art, and get a side of soul.

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As I’ve said elsewhere, I’m not entirely sure what I am doing, but I am absolutely positive it’s the right thing to do.  Santa Fe ranks among the top three art markets in the country with over 300 galleries that enjoy enviable walk-in traffic.  Yet there are holes in the Santa Fe art scene.  With rents so high, gallery owners are often forced to choose art that will sell and sell for the highest price over showcasing a emerging talent or mid-career artist in flux.  Many a fine painter, sculptor or photographer lacks a regular venue. I’ve also heard artists and art brokers alike complaining about the lack of dynamism, risk and interplay on the local scene.  Yet the talent is there as Meow Wolf, the former Bang Gallery, and scads of individual creatives attest.

As a REALTOR involved in the sale and purchase of homes, I feel a duty to support and enrich my community, indeed, to do my part to build the healthiest, happiest most economically and socially vibrant community I can. Showcasing art is one way I choose to do it.  Some may see these realms as unmixable.  But I look for common ground. Artists want an audience for their art. People selling property similarly want people to come see it. Putting art into homes puts a simultaneous spotlight on both.

On June 26th, take the opportunity to see and be seen at one of the hottest, new, whatever-it-is-art events in the city: Changing Gallery’s latest show at the Bella Donna– our listings and ad hoc galleries at 111 East Santa Fe Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Alt gallery  PennBrick will be beaming its brilliance from a garage a block away. Bundobeats will be spinning the tunes.

Are you an artist looking for a place to show?  Introduce yourself.  No promises, but let’s connect.  Are you a homeowner wanting to list and find a novel way to get buyers to see your home in a market chock-a-block with listings?  Let us put our experience to work for you.  Or are you new to town, interested in unearthing the richness Santa Fe has to offer? Stop by the Bella Donna, give us a little time and attention. The return on your investment might surprise you.

Malissa Kullberg and Joshua Maes, AKA Changing Gallery, use their real estate listings, where appropriate, to showcase the work of emerging and independent artists.  Their current location is the Bella Donna, nine beautifully restored condominiums located on East Santa Fe Avenue, just one block from the State Capitol. Check out our website at SantaFeDowntownRealEstate.com

“Generations”–New Exhibit at SF Community Convention Center

Posted Sunday January 11 2009 by in Art, Art Galleries, Local Events
1 comment

Once, as I purchased a writing book by a fellow named Peter Elbow, the literary savant at the till told me that such a name showed the author hailed from a family of writers (elbow?)  Names have, at times, pointed to the family profession: thus, Coopers were barrel makers; Schiavo, slaves. In the show, Generations, which opened this past Friday at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, names are no indication of professional aptitude or family affiliation, but the theory that creative talent is an abiding and binding family tradition is at the exhibit’s heart.

Participants ranged from well-known (the late Alan Houser) to the emerging, and worked in a vast variety of media, including photography, sculpture, jewelry, oil, straw applique, and more.  Opening the field to such variety gave the show dimension and provided for interesting juxtapositions. Standouts included a contemporary, mixed media piece by Seth Anderson (Lines 08-201), an edgy urban photograph by Sam Haozous (Industrial Landscape, #3); an oil by Hal West with the patina and feel of a 17th Century Dutch Landscape Painting, unique, modern jewelry by David Gaussoin, and an award-winning Trastero by Spanish Market artist Victor Archuleta.

The show runs from January 9th through March 6th.  Check it out.

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