Visual Arts: Representing the West
A free public reception is Thursday, September 18 from 5-7:00p.m.
Representing the West: September 18- October 25
The West will come to life through vibrant colors in the works of artists with regional to national prominence in this year’s Representing the West Art Exhibition and Sale at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center. Held September 18 through October 25, 2008, this show will once again feature works from some of the best painters in the Western United States.
Now in its sixth year, Representing the West is a national invitational exhibition of traditional representational art in a realist tradition. The work depicts the western American genre highlighting the diversity of the land and its people.
NOW ON DISPLAY
East Meets West: August 23 through November 1
“I wanted my children to have the best combination: American circumstances and Chinese character. How could I know these things do not mix?”— From The Joy Luck Club, a New York Times Bestselling Novel by Amy Tan.
The visual arts curatorial team has juxtaposed well-loved pieces, with quotes like this, from the King Collection of Western Art and pieces from the Gene Kloss Collection. The exhibit makes a visual statement for the universality of being human as it addresses myriad themes: mother-daughter relationships, migration, cultural crossroads, and the power of stories.
These themes are universal and exemplify the unity of humanity all over the world despite differences in cultural practices, religion and lifestyles. Join The Big Read: All Pueblo Reads in experiencing the unity of western art through the eastern thoughts expressed in Amy Tan’s thoughtful novel.
Mile High National Pastel Society: August 16 through October 25
This juried national exhibition features pastel artists from the Front Range and beyond with artists living in 11 states. Organized in 1994 with 280 members through the Western U.S., the Mile High National Pastel Society’s mission is to encourage artists of all levels with an interest in pastel painting.
Gary Huber won the Best in Show award presented by the Mile High National Pastel Society for his piece, Winter Morning Barns. Huber’s art explores the strong natural design of the landscape. He works from photographs and from studies done on location, relying as much on his memory and emotional connection to the subject as on the photos. He feels that landscape painting is a way to become closer to the places he loves while sharing those places with others.
Huber claims, “A painting is a reflection of the artist's emotional response to a subject. If an artist paints what he loves and a viewer responds, a connection will be made through the painting between artist and viewer.”
Lorie Merfeld-Batson won the first place award for Traditional and Susan McKelvy won the first place title for Contemporary/Abstract.
Randy Wix: August 30 through November 8
Randy Wix's paintings are bold, abstract and large scale. Their texture and presence are vibrant and will catch the eye of any viewer. He creates art that appears simple but upon closer scrutiny is quite complex, depicting emotions rather than objects.
His art is the result of studying the rebellious painters who appeared in the mid-1940s and experimenting with different mediums and styles. “I had always longed for an original painting to style to call my own” Wix said. Quite by accident while refinishing an antique, he noticed the top of the work space—what the strippers, solvents, and stains had created. As he experimented with more non-traditional art materials such as spackles, grouts and adhesives, his unique style emerged. “In my paintings, there are no rules or guidelines when it comes to the creative process,” Wix said.
Steve Chinn Photography: August 30- November 8
Colorado artist Steve Chinn creates beautiful landscapes and portraits through his photography. Chinn studied commercial art, graphic design, printing, textile design and computer graphics and realized that he was interested in the pursuit of visual communication. He didn’t, however, expect photography to be the medium for his creative outlet. For the past 18 years, Chinn has traveled throughout the US, Asia, Australia and New Zealand documenting his travels through photography.
Chinn’s inspiration is his father, a successful photographer in Pueblo for over 50 years. “My father believed that the success of a photograph was dependent upon the lighting and composition, not the latest equipment with all the ‘bells and whistles” said Chinn.
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