Amapola Gallery in Old Town

Last week, I was strolling the central plaza in Old Town Albuquerque when I decided to visit the Amapola Gallery on the top floor of the historic Romero House. This cooperative gallery of more than 40 local artists houses an eclectic collection of contemporary art and crafts including basketry, clay, egg art, fabric arts, glass, gourds, jewelry, macrame, paintings, photography, tin work, weaving/wearable art and wood. The who’s who list of featured artists include Robert LeBlanc, Lynda Burch, Helen Bamert, Bruce Gilbert, Mabel Culpepper, Jeanette Easley, Vera Russell, Allen Lowery, Brenda Bowman, K.D. Fullerton, Neal Drago and Gloria Casale to name just a few. Its artists interpret the modern southwest while being mindful of the area’s rich cultural heritage and its natural beauty. 

I spoke with Allen Lowery who is a contemporary artist working primarily with watercolor and acrylic media. A native of the Southwest, Lowery draws much of his inspiration from nature. His subjects usually range from representational to lyrical abstractions. Lowery’s paintings, featured in this article review, demonstrate a multi-dimensional element and a lure toward abstractism similar to Picasso. Lowery’s work has been exhibited in many invitational shows and private collections.

The Amapola Gallery has a gallery opening and reception for its featured artists of the month on the first Sunday of every month. The next opening is scheduled for Sunday, January 8, 2012. For more information on the gallery operations and membership application, visit the gallery website at www.amapolagallery.com.

Amapola Gallery, Old Town - Plaza Don Luis, 205 Romero NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104, 505.242.4311, Open daily, 9 am- 5 pm.

Weems Galleries & Framing

You may think now that the Weems International Artfest is over there’s not much happening at these art galleries. Weems galleries continue to be well stocked with high-quality original artwork. The cross section of styles and types of art include wall art, glass, pottery, jewelry, sculpture, prints, mixed media, funky, and animals. Along with the gallery’s philosophy that variety is paramount, pricing accommodates a wide range of buyers. 

Weems galleries is offering a 20% off holiday special on Jon Oakes special shapes glass December 7th - 9th only. In addition, this Saturday, December 10th is Day of Demos. Watercolorists, Dan Stouffer and Carol Carpenter, will be demonstrating their techniques at the Louisiana location. This event will run from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, featuring new work, including many small “Stocking Stouffers” and “Christmas Carols.”

Mary Ann Weems, owner of Weems Galleries and Framing, has created a theme for each of the monthly art shows for the 2012 season. This idea of themes has attracted a large selection of artists which should make next year’s art shows worthwhile for everyone. Below is the schedule for 2012:

JANUARY

Black & White Show  (Opens January 21st)

Kathy Glidden • Mary Beth Goforth • Margaret Letzkus • Mary Ann Weems 

Lynn Hartenberger • Dan Stouffer • Paul Murray • Dana Pomroy • Kirby Roll

FEBRUARY

Rio Grande, Bosque, Sandias Show

Kathy Glidden • Dan Stouffer • Paul Murray • Kirby Roll

David Drummond • Doug Naquin • Kandy Tate • Tina Lambert

MARCH

Fun, Funky, Fantastic Show

Margaret Letzkus • Dan Stouffer • John Gibson

Dana Pomroy • Mary Ann Weems • Kandy Tate • Nancy Young

APRIL

Flowers & Still Life Show

Kathy Glidden • Michelle Chrisman • Margaret Letzkus • Doug Naquin 

Lynn Hartenberger • Dan Stouffer • Paul Murray • Kandy Tate

MAY

Water Show

Kathy Glidden • Lynn Hartenberger • Dan Stouffer • Doug Naquin 

Paul Murray  • David Drummond • Mary Ann Weems • Kirby Roll

JUNE

Animals Show

Kathy Glidden • Mary Beth Goforth • Margaret Letzkus • Kandy Tate • Tina Lambert • Paul Murray • Dana Pomroy • David Drummond • Nancy Young • Mary Ann Weems 

JULY

Abstract Show

Michelle Chrisman • Margaret Letzkus • Dana Pomroy • Allen Young 

Lynn Hartenberger • Mary Ann Weems • Tina Lambert • Nancy Young

$285 SHOW 

Dan Stouffer • Nancy & Allen Young • Kathy Glidden

AUGUST

Color Show

Michelle Chrisman • Margaret Letzkus • Nancy Young • Allen Young

Lynn Hartenberger • Mary Ann Weems • Dana Pomroy • Doug Naquin
• Kandy Tate

SEPTEMBER

People(Realism or Otherwise) Show

Michelle Chrisman • Margaret Letzkus • JK Drummond • Nancy Young

Lynn Hartenberger • Mary Ann Weems • Dana Pomroy • Doug Naquin
• Kandy Tate

Weems Galleries & Framing - www.weemsgallery.com

Louisiana Plaza, 7200-D Montgomery NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, 505.293.6133

Old Town - Plaza Don Luis, 303 Romero NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104, 505.764.0302

The Old Schoolhouse Gallery

The Old Schoolhouse Gallery is currently hosting the New Mexico Colored Pencil Association annual show in its back alcove gallery through the end of November. Don’t miss this opportunity to see exceptionally beautiful work by some of New Mexico’s finest colored pencil artists including new work from Melinda Beavers, Rex Barron, Audrey Minard, Les Lamkin and Betty Lehnus. I was fortunate enough to visit this show mid month when many of the drawings were still available for sale. I couldn’t resist adding the dramatic piece titled, “Oh, Really?” to my collection of art at home. Take a look for yourself to see why this drawing in particular stood out among the rest.

The main gallery is currently featuring an eclectic blend of acrylic, egg tempera, fused glass, watercolor and oil pastel by well-recognized artist V. Adair Peterson and recent Local Treasure honoree Lois Bradley. V. Adair Peterson alternates between two passions: Egg Tempera and Fused Glass. As different as these two media are, both reflect her love of composition and design as well as her focus on scientific methodology as demonstrated in her painting below. Adair is founder of the Rio Grande Artist Association.

Lois was recently celebrated as being "A Local Treasure" by the city of Albuquerque. Her most recent series, Quilted Landscapes, explores the connection between family and landscape in deeply saturated oil pastel and mixed media. Besides being a fine artist and graphic illustrator, Lois is responsible for most of the marketing efforts and the website for the Old Schoolhouse Gallery.

The Old Schoolhouse Gallery, 12504 North Hwy.14, Sandia Park, NM  505.281.1250 ~ http://www.theoldschoolhousegallery.com 

Nob Hill Art Gallery

Last Friday, I attended the first Friday's Artscrawl reception at the Nob Hill Art Gallery located in the Northeast Heights district. The featured artists of the month were husband and wife, Jerry and Tricia Love. As you may already know from my previous article reviews, I have been an art student under Tricia’s direction at the New Mexico Art League and have followed her work for some time now. However, Friday’s reception was the first time that I had viewed Jerry Love’s artwork. 

Jerry likes to tell stories with pencil, pen and ink, and scratchboard drawings. His audience can relate to his subjects, whether a western scene with cowboys and horses, rodeo events, trains, or Civil War reenactments. Jerry’s focus on Southwestern Art, so vividly depicted in his paintings and drawings, can be seen in “Baby’s Day Out” featured below. Jerry is currently a board member at the New Mexico Art League.

Tricia Love’s watercolor paintings produce a translucent effect allowing her subjects to appear real and tangible as demonstrated in “The Marble Collection” seen below. Her detailed drawings and colorful still life watercolors have been juried into more than 100 show and exhibitions, where she has won numerous awards. Many of Tricia’s drawings and paintings are also available as limited edition prints. Tricia is a member of the National League of American Pen Women and a Signature Member of the New Mexico Watercolor Society.

The Nob Hill Art Gallery is cooperative artist owned and operated gallery featuring 26 New Mexico artists including Vera Russell, Tim Gifford, Malinda Menke, Dahl Delu and Richard Gabriel, many of whom have been selected to display their works in exhibitions such as Masterworks, Encantada! and The New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair. The gallery includes a wide spectrum of painting styles from traditional to contemporary. In addition, visitors will see straw mosaics, jewelry, photography, ceramics and bronze sculpture. The Nob Hill Art Gallery is an active member of the Albuquerque Art Business Association, participating monthly in the First and Third Friday ArtsCrawls.

Jerry and Tricia Love’s artwork will hang during the month of November at the Nob Hill Art Gallery, 7400 Montgomery NE, Suite #19, Albuquerque, NM 505.268.9969

Truth or Consequences

I recently took a road trip with a friend to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico in search of fine art, good wine and authentic New Mexican food. We parked our car at the North end of Broadway Avenue near the entrance to Ralph Edwards ranch and began our afternoon with a tour of the Rio Bravo Fine Art gallery. This large two-story gallery houses the work of many fine artists including Harold Joe Waldrum, Delmas Howe, Nolan Winkler, R. Wm. Winkler, Dave Barnett, Eduardo Alicea and William Bertum.

After viewing H. Joe Waldrum's collection of Polaroid SX-70 monoprints at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History earlier in the year, I was curious to view his sketches and paintings of the Spanish churches in northern New Mexico. On the second floor of the gallery, I found a selection of Waldrum's artwork beautifully lit and displayed. For Waldrum, the churches represented the physical and spiritual reality of the people of New Mexico. In 1982, Waldrum wrote: "The people of this area have focused their collective thought on their churches. As an artist, it is my job to distill that focus until it communicates."  

We continued our stroll down Broadway Avenue until we reached the Welty Art Gallery. My friend being a horse fan was drawn to Welty's many paintings of horses featured in the display windows. Much to our surprise, the artist herself greeted us as we entered her gallery. Here we discovered over 400 original paintings by Mary J. Welty, featuring many styles, media and sizes, from impressionism to realism. The depth of her artwork was mesmerizing, with a strong focus again on horses. At the rear of the gallery, we stumbled upon her collection of duck paintings. Welty is also a Federal Duck Stamp competitor and her art has traveled with the Top 25 Tour twice. Also, at the back of her gallery is Scoops Ice Cream Parlor where visitors can sit back and take in each of Welty's competitive entries while enjoying an ice cream cone.

Rio Bravo Fine Art Gallery, 110 North Broadway Avenue, T or C, NM 87901

(575) 894-0572, http://www.riobravofineart.net/

Welty Art Gallery, 424 Broadway Avenue, T or C, NM 87901

(575) 894-0095, www.flickr.com/photos/weltyart

Fall Treasures

A visit to The Old Schoolhouse Gallery is always a delightful experience. Sharon Marks, gallery owner, has assembled a Fall Treasures show from artists that include Lois Bradley, Casey Pendergast, Tricia Love, Lesley Long, Cheryl Kabala, David Schneider and two new artists, Gene Case and George Howard Hayes III. I've been a fan of Casey’s ceramic art for some time. His clay pieces are influenced by both organic themes and industrial design. Tricia Love is also a favorite of mine with her realistic watercolor paintings and limited edition pen and ink prints. I recently purchased two of her classic pieces, “Milk Cans” and “Tailgate Chilis," for my guest room at home. 

It was the artwork of Gene Case that caught my eye today. Her multi-media, wall sculptures are made of reclaimed metal, ribbons, twistie-ties, book marks, and jewelry pieces, meticulously woven together and mounted on polished wood frames. The artwork is beautiful. Only upon closer inspection do the materials used look familiar to the viewer. Also, noteworthy is the work of George Howard Hayes III (nicknamed Hauie, which often appears on his artwork). Each of Hauie’s paintings feature vivid colors and subtle nuances; all carefully crafted with precise attention to detail. Hauie’s broad range of paintings include everything from Abstract, Fantasy, Flower, Myth to Nature and Portraits. He has a handful of visually pleasing art on view at the gallery but to fully understand the breath of his work you must visit his website at www.hauieart.com.

Fall Treasures will hang during the month of October at The Old Schoolhouse Gallery, 12504 North Hwy.14, Sandia Park, NM ~ 505.281.1250

Hispanic Traditional Arts of New Mexico

I usually make a visit to The Albuquerque Museum once every three months to view the newest exhibit. Last Sunday, I took in the Hispanic Traditional Arts of New Mexico show and was pleasantly surprise at the quality and intricacies of the art work. Hispanic artists, some going back four hundred years, have contributed their religious image-making, weaving, colcha embroidery, furniture making, silverwork, straw applique and tinwork to this extensive exhibit.

The subjects involved in santero art are the Catholic saints. Santeros can be either retablos (flat paintings), reredos (altar screens) or bultos (three-dimensional carved figures). An exquisite example of the bulto is Horacio Valdez’s, “Our Lady of Talpa,” of carved and painted wood. It stands 28 1/2 inches tall and was gifted to Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce in 1982. Another impressive example is Ricardo T. Lopez’s, “Tree of Life,” of carved Aspen and Juniper and completed in 1980. I was particularly fascinated with this piece as the artist cleverly disguises the birds wings as leaves on the tree.

Traditional Hispanic weaving and embroidery in New Mexico can be traced to the Spanish importation of Churro sheep. This breed is know for its long, straight wool that is perfect for weaving. The wool can be dyed with natural pigments, using indigo for blues, chamisa for yellows, and imported cochineal for reds. A lovely example of this kind of traditional weaving is Teresa Archuleta-Sagel’s blanket, “Desert Diamond Saltillo,” measuring 61 1/2 x 42 3/4 inches and acquired through a museum purchase in 1983. 

Evidence of metalworking in New Mexico can be traced back to the 1830’s. Plateros (silversmiths and goldsmiths) and tinsmiths worked out of family-run talleros (workshops) producing combs, jewelry, candlesticks, crucifixes, and dishes. A modern example of this kind of metalworking is Luis Mojica’s, “Silver Box with Filigree Top,” made of Sterling and fine silver and completed in 2009. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that his silver box has an intricate hinge and locking device. The eye-catching lid is a series of curled metal joined together by an oval centerpiece. 

Hispanic Traditional Arts of New Mexico will hang from September 18, 2011 - January 8, 2012 at The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, 2000 Mountain Road NW ~ Old Town, (505) 243-7255.

Stories in Print ~ Fringe Photography

A visit to The Old Schoolhouse Gallery became a transformative experience. David Schneider’s Fringe Photography is utterly breathtaking. Schneider is a wildlife and nature photographer, focusing on bringing to live each animal and scene his camera sees. All of Schneider’s prints are metallic, amazingly rich and vibrant, with a subtle three dimensional quality.

His most noted work is the Classic Wave, a moving print of one of our hidden treasures, The Wave, located in the very northern part of Arizona. It wasn’t easy for Schneider to photograph The Wave as there are no roads that lead to it. According to Schneider, “to reach it one must walk miles through the unmarked desert, transversing drifting sand, slip rock, and at the end, face a steep climb in sand. Not an easy trek . . . not at all. But one that is more than worth it, as you can see.” 

It was this print in particular that I found most mesmerizing and peaceful. Schneider’s camera so carefully captures the sloping ridges of the drifting sand that to the observer’s eyes it feels as if the sand is moving. At first, I wondered if the scene was a real land formation or if the photographer had manipulated his work to create such a beautiful sight. The print is authentically real and Schneider chronicles his journey to this natural wonder in a story that accompanies his work. 

It isn’t often that I will buy artwork upon a first time viewing. I usually contemplate the art further and try to determine the artist’s message. The work must transcend the traditional limits of the art medium and become a truly unique piece of art. With Schneider’s Classic Wave, I immediately felt drawn to the print as it evokes tranquility and a sense of moving forward with one’s life. 

David Schneider’s Fringe Photography will hang during the month of September at The Old Schoolhouse Gallery, 12504 North Hwy.14, San Antonito, NM

NMAL Art Show

Friday was the opening reception for the Exhibition of Artworks by students and teachers at the New Mexico Art League. The league was very organized and punctual as the reception opened on time to a huge turnout!

Best of all, the artwork looked exceptionally well on the newly renovated walls of the NMAL building. Students were thrilled to exhibit their paintings for the first time in the leagues history. Friends and family drifted into the building to enjoy appetizers and to bring bouquets of flowers to first-time artists. Tricia Love snapped this photograph of me standing by my paintings. What a lovely evening for all!

Zentangle® Gourd

Today I received a beautiful Zentangle gourd from my friend Barbara. In the Spring, I assisted Barbara in teaching a class on Zentangle art to the New Mexico Gourd Society. Well, Barbara wanted to thank me for my time so she gave me one of her gourds that was on exhibit at the Galeria de Corrales. Long story short, Barbara etches Zentangle patterns into gourds as her art medium. Very unusual, but very eye-catching! Take a look at the photo below and tell me what you think.

Passionate for Art

I just finished my watercolor series, "Passionate for Art," last week. With these watercolor paintings, I went over them a second time to smooth out any imperfections and to blend the background better using a combination of red, yellow and blue pigments. These paintings are being matted and framed as I write, however, I was able to snap photos before leaving them at the frame shop. The first one in the series is featured just below this post. The other three can be viewed in the side panel to your right. They will hang on exhibition at the New Mexico Art League from August 19th through September 30th. Enjoy!