By Amy Kuhre, SFR Intern
Just in time for the weekend, Santa Fe galleries are giving you tons of reasons to leave the toasty comfort of your abode to check out what's new in the realm of visual art. From the earth-friendly offerings of Matilda Essig to the classic cartoons of Roz Chast, Santa Fe's best have something for everyone.
A Group Exhibition From Three Gallery Artists:
Matilda Essig, Don Kirby, Stephen Strom
Reception
5-7 pm Friday, Nov.13
2-4 pm Saturday, Nov. 14
Free
Verve Gallery of Photography
219 E. Marcy Street
982-9111
A landscape of deep browns and burnt oranges full of hills speckled with tarnished greens barely begins to conjure the images of these three artist's collective works. The three-artist exhibition features Matilda Essig, Don Kirby and Stephen Strom, and each has a perspective of similar proportions with their visual documentation of the West's fertile and barren plains.
Santa Fean photographer
immortalizes the resilience of earth's most precious edible ecosystem in his new book,
Grasslands
. A four-year project,
Grasslands
is an homage to the land that spans the Great Plains of Nebraska to the hillsides in Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Kirby lives and works in New Mexico and uses his latest photo project not only as a chance to capture the scenic brilliance of the West but also, map the remnants of cultures that called the wide expanses home.
More than a man of pictures,
's notoriety stems in part from his work as an astronomer although his work with photography spans more than thirty years. However, this cosmic background lends richness in depth to many of his desert depictions. Furthermore, his attention to detail captures the integral relationship between water and topography and how the course cut by rains renders the smooth surfaces of desert scenery. Strom presents his book,
Earth Forms
, a compilation of his photographic work across US deserts.
Fine artist
brings the details of native grasslands into sharp focus. Trained in art and agriculture, Essig combines the two for an in-depth study of the balance between humanity and its natural world. After years of working with paint and watercolor, the plight of the current environmental shift struck a chord with Essig and inspired her to make nature the center of attention reinforcing the message that animal and plant life are more than accessories to a landscape.
Essig presents a lecture to coincide with her part of the exhibition on Friday Nov. 13, from 4-5 pm. On Saturday, Nov. 14, Don Kirby and Stephen Strom will both be on hand to sign copies of their books and present their photos from 2-4 pm.
Roz Chast
Reception
5-7 pm
Friday, Nov. 13
Gerald Peters Gallery
1011 Paseo de Peralta
954-5714
Ah,
. Loved for its status as a good read and place to find new (if unrecognized) talent as well as seasoned masters, it has also assumed the bulk of lesson plans for courses at liberal arts institutions. But many like to read it for the cartoons. Lucky for all of us toon buffs, The New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast makes her freshman debut in Santa Fe this weekend. Cartoons in The New Yorker
range from bizarre but amusing to downright confounding, and Chast is sure to evoke every possible reaction with her show. The
hosts 30 original works by the artist, who will sign copies from a selection of her books.
Diverse Propositions: The Best of Zane Bennett
Reception
3-5 pm
Saturday, Nov. 14
Free
Zane Bennett Contemporary Art
435 S. Guadalupe St.
982-8111
The end of the year is quickly approaching and though we've heard the swan song of some local galleries, a bonanza of art in is the works for Zane Bennett gallery with pieces that transcend all genres. From
s blurred voyeurism of New York streets to the lightning-struck aluminum art of Andreas Nottebohm, Zane Bennett prepares a feast for the eyes and temptation for the wallet for those truly inspired when it comes to unique gift giving. Overall, the artists featured are some of the favorites from
in the past. However, cameos from artists including masters Francis Bacon,
and James Harvard are all part of the exhibition as well.
Diverse Propositions
promises to show off the best of recent shows here in town and with so much to see and experience, this exhibition is sure to have something that appeals to even the most snooty art critic.
The Brookover Gallery Grand Opening
Reception
5-8 pm
Saturday, Nov. 14
Free
The Brookover Gallery
725 Canyon Road
988-8913
As evidenced by his other gallery in Jackson Hole,
is quite an accomplished photographer. His work ranges from veiled depictions of deserted terrain in the West, to the technicolor dreamworlds of Japan. A traveler by heart, most often his best work comes from unassuming moments like when the skies above the Rockies shift their cloud formations creating the framework for an exceptional panorama. But whatever the subject matter may be, Brookover has amassed quite a collection of prints and finds a haven for his hard work right off our beloved Canyon Road.
Highlights from his work include pieces from his platinum/palladium collection, which is Brookover's rendition of the classic technique used since 1873. The artist also features photographs taken in Japan when he was overseas studying acupuncture. Brookover went back behind the lens after finding great inspiration through his travels in the East. After his many successes thus far, it's safe to say David Brookover's photography will be an exciting and unique edition to the arts on Canyon Road.
Myths
Through Feb. 28, 2010
Embudo Station Gallery and Coffee House
1101 Hwy. 68, Embudo
505-852-4707
Santa Fe's favorite singer shows her artistic side with a collection of paintings,
Myths
. Margarita Cordero—better known as Nacha Mendez—creates paintings as vibrant as her voice. An accomplished painter, sculptor and performer, Cordero lives and works in Galisteo, drawing inspiration from her travels. Be sure to catch her latest exhibition,
Myths
and see the other side of one of Northern New Mexico's exceptional talents.
