See the Creative Process In Action at the Annual Artist Quick Draw During Passport to the Arts

Saturday, May 11th | 11AM-12:30PM

Santa Fe Summer – Bernard Marks

The Passport to the Arts is quickly approaching, and with that comes the artist Quick Draw. One can peruse online photo galleries of their favorite artists any time, but it is a rare and special occasion that one can see an artist in action. We are honored to house one of the Quick Draw tents just outside our gallery door, and we are even more thrilled that Bernard Marks and Paul Cunningham will be creating live under that tent.

What Idealized Reality Will Bernard Marks Create this Saturday?

Bernard describes his work as “idealized reality”. You have the incredible opportunity to see him painting this Saturday right here on Canyon Road. Bernard lives in New Mexico and is inspired by the colors and shapes of the West. About his process he says, “I generally start each painting, whether plein air or in the studio, with a quick thumbnail sketch. Then I do a loose drawing on my support, which may be canvas, gesso board or paper. Once I start painting, I try to work very quickly and intuitively.” Bernard is sure to be working quickly this Saturday at the much-anticipated timed event.

Garden Serenata – Paul Cunningham

Embark on an Otherworldly Journey on Canyon Road with Paul Cunningham

Like Bernard, Paul Cunningham has a reverence toward the West. The many trips he took to the Southwest as a youth prompted him to create a palette of western hues, which contributes to his Contemporary Western repertoire. Paul also has a knack for the abstract, taking the viewer on an otherworldly journey. His hummingbird series is full of rich color and almost tangible motion. Who knows what he’ll be moved to create this Saturday during the Quick Draw – we can’t wait to find out.

 If purchasing a piece off the blog, mention that you found the piece on the blog and get a special discount!

Santa Fe is arguably the most artistic city in the United States, and maintaining that standing takes dedication from the surrounding arts community. Art appreciation and encouragement of the next generation of artisans is something that Waxlander Gallery takes seriously. Therefore it is always with great excitement that we participate in programs that aid in the development of the great artists of the future.

One of the newer events to support the youth of Santa Fe is Passport to the Arts. In its sophomore year, it has already become a treasured occasion with an expanded three-day weekend itinerary of artistic delight. Supporting the students of the Santa Fe Public Schools Music Education Program, it is a treat for the eyes and ears.

While there is plenty to keep visitors engaged, we are looking forward to several events in particular:

Artist Quick Draw

Much like the name implies, the Artist Quick Draw is a timed event. Beginning at 11 AM, participants will have 90 minutes to complete an original work of art, with paintbrushes to cease their strokes promptly at 12:30. The works created will then be auctioned in the afternoon – once the paint has had a chance to dry.

Here at Waxlander Gallery we are pleased to announce that our artists Paul Cunningham and Bernard Marks will be participating. In addition, we are sponsoring two other artists, and all 4 can be seen at Quick Draw Location 3, which happens to be right outside our front door.

Student Musical Performances

As the painters, sculptors and experts in their various media put away their tools, young musicians of Santa Fe will grace us with a performance. We are proud to be hosting one of the student ensembles from the Santa Fe Public Schools Music Education Program as they sing and play for the public from 1-3 PM.

Silent Auction

Waxlander Gallery is also one of the locations where you can bid on valuable items as part of the silent auction that will take place along the road. Check back in before the close of bidding to make sure that you take home the pieces you want. Your participation will help support the Santa Fe Public Schools Music Education program.

All Along the Road

In addition to the events here at Waxlander, there are performances, receptions, auctions, painting and more all along Canyon Road. Many galleries will have special openings and artist receptions on Friday May 10th, and others will have additional ways to support the Santa Fe Public Schools Music Education Program all day Saturday. Finally, many boutiques and galleries will be open on Sunday the 12th at 11 AM so you can take your mom shopping before Mother’s Day brunch.

If all the world’s a stage, then Canyon Road is a particularly lively one. On any given day you’ll see excited collectors on art pilgrimages, gallery directors hanging works behind wide windows, enormous delivery trucks trying to navigate the narrow passage, and that ever-changing cast of sculptures in everyone’s yards.

On October 20, the plot will thicken considerably. This year’s Historic Canyon Road Paint Out includes a parade, choir concerts, face painting and even a chance to pet a burro. Of course, with more than 100 artists from 25 galleries painting en plein air, the real drama will play out not on our legendary street but on the surfaces of the canvases.

Waxlander’s troupe this year comprises nine of our brilliant artists, four of which you saw in act one of this blog post. Get to know the rest of the ensemble below, and then meet them—and their work—at the Paint Out on Saturday.

Marshall Noice - Deep Evening Sky

MARSHALL NOICE

Marshall was born in North Dakota and lives in Montana, where he’s owned Noice Studio & Gallery for more than 30 years. The artist takes cues from Expressionism and Impressionism to create abstracted landscapes that have a gripping emotional power.

“My work’s greatest pleasure comes when I’m in the thick of battle to let a painting emerge,” he says. “I have my issues. What color next to that? Another line there? Take that out?”

When he’s at work, Marshall often loses himself in the process of “simply painting, watching, concentrating…” When you stop to watch him, be prepared to take the same internal journey.

Patrick Matthews - Above Hyde Park

PATRICK MATTHEWS

If anyone’s ready for the Paint Out, it’s Patrick. The neo-impressionist from Arkansas has wielded his brush along the highways of the United States, France, Spain, Italy and Mexico. Canyon Road? No problem!

Patrick was a successful design architect when he came to a crossroads and decided to go wherever his lifelong passion for the outdoors took him. The transition from shaping a space to painting one seemed natural for him—you can sense his keen awareness of his surroundings in his impeccable landscapes.

“Painting outdoors… my very vision changes and paintings appear on my canvases,” says Patrick. This weekend, you’ll have a chance to look through his eyes.

Tracee Gentry-Matthews - Historic Santa Fe

TRACEE GENTRY MATTHEWS

Tracee is quite accustomed to painting urban locales- she does depictions of city skylines, from Santa Fe to Manhattan. Whether she’s painting adobe or skyscrapers, all of her works have something in common: a bright, joyful color palette.

“I hope the viewer of my works can step inside the paintings and see the sights, feel the changing sky… and simply smile with happiness,” Tracee says. She’ll surely be in her element at the event.

Paul Cunningham - Natural Captivity

PAUL CUNNINGHAM

Paul spent most of his career painting cowboys and the Wild West, but now he spends his time exploring abstract worlds. His traveling companions are curious fish and busy hummingbirds, who often play among his vibrant color fields. Paul is eager to introduce them to you.

Sharon Markwardt - Happy Birthday, Sweet Thing

SHARON MARKWARDT

Animals are also a big part of Sharon’s oeuvre. The Texan artist lived in the Metroplex until 2005, when she moved to the countryside to accommodate her daughter’s horse. Sharon’s own decision to ride had a fateful impact on her art—she likes to joke that her horse “threw her” into Western art.

“I look for the beauty in each of my subjects and strive to leave my viewers in an upbeat mood,” she says. Who wouldn’t smile at works like “Split Decision”?

Come delight in this artistic theatre of sorts and meet nine of Waxlander’s artists from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday, October 20. The parade, featuring several local marching bands, will begin at 12:00 pm at the bottom of Canyon Road headed to the top, and students from the Santa Fe Public Schools Education Program will perform in front of various galleries from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. See our event page for more information.

If purchasing a piece off the blog, mention that you found the piece on the blog and get a special discount!

You could say that to step across the threshold of our gallery is to enter the great outdoors. Many of our artists take nature’s beauty as inspiration, whether they’re in the High Plains of Colorado, the prairie lands of Oklahoma or the Rocky Mountains in our backyard.

On October 20, you’ll have a chance to see nine of Waxlander’s artists in their element at this year’s Historic Canyon Road Paint Out. Learn about the featured artists in our next two blog posts, then take a hike on Canyon Road and meet them en plein air!

ANDREE HUDSON

Andree at the 2011 Paint Out

Andree Hudson paints in her studio near Denver, but her creative process begins outside in the foothills of the Rockies and on the High Plains.

“I get my energy from the cowboys and the horses out here,” she says.

Andree roams with a camera in hand, taking thousands of pictures that she later uses as inspiration for her acrylics. Back in the studio, she allows memory and emotion to influence her color choices, bringing out the personalities of the big characters and majestic animals she’s come to love.

The artist works hard to delve into contemplative moments in her subjects’ lives, so don’t be surprised if, after a single conversation, it seems like she already knows you.

MATTHEW HIGGINBOTHAM

Ode to the Great Prarie Lands - Matthew Higginbotham

Matthew Higginbotham was the owner of Northwest Pottery and Fine Arts in Spokane, Washington for a number of years before new inspiration struck and he decided to try oil painting. At first he experimented with many subjects, but when he moved to Chimayo, New Mexico in 1995, the wild crept into his oeuvre.

“It just seemed natural for me to want to study the nuances of what I was seeing in the fields and skies,” he says. “The more I painted them, the more I began to understand how they made me feel.”

Matthew has since planted the legs of his easel in some of our nation’s most beautiful landscapes. They’ll land in the soil of our sculpture garden for this year’s Paint Out.

BRUCE KING

Echoes of the Hunt - Bruce King

It’s natural that Bruce King’s paintings would be closely tied to the outdoors—that’s where grew up.

“We were in the woods. It was kind of a hardscrabble existence,” he says of his childhood spent roaming the Oneida Reservation of Wisconsin. Bruce later moved to Chicago and New York, but he never forgot those early years that taught him about his people.

Bruce’s works cast Native American figures into harsh landscapes that are interwoven with ribbons of brilliant color. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with Bruce—his multicolored pallet attests to his personality. He took up improvisational acting in New York, and is sure to get you laughing.

BERNARD MARKS

Marks at the 2011 Paint Out

Like Matthew Higginbotham, Bernard Marks was primarily a figurative painter until New Mexico’s skies filled his eyes. He started painting plein air when he moved to the Southwest in 2003.

Bernard says his painted worlds exist in an “idealized reality.”

“If you compared one of my paintings to the actual scene that inspired it, you would have no trouble making the connection,” he explains. “But I believe you would also recognize what I’ve brought to the scene.”

You can do just that at the Fifth Annual Historic Canyon Road Paint Out on Saturday, October 20th from 10 am to 3 pm. Check back here soon to learn about the five other artists who will be painting in our sculpture garden, and see the Canyon Road Merchant Association’s blog for more information on the event.

 If purchasing a piece off the blog, mention that you found the piece on the blog and get a special discount!

Passport to the Arts kicks of the summer season on Canyon Road this weekend

After months of planning, weeks of delving through the details, and days of anticipation, the first annual Passport to the Arts is finally upon us.

This weekend, Canyon Road will devote itself to a celebration of the arts. From visual mediums to musical melodies, Santa Fe’s famed arts district will come alive with art lovers from all walks of life.

The event will rev up on Friday with special exhibitions and openings at several of the galleries, boutiques and restaurants along the road.

Things will really kick into high gear on Saturday, with a day packed full of events, including live music, a silent auction, and much more.

The fun will start early with a quick draw at 9:30 a.m. Thirty-three artists from galleries all along Canyon Road are participating in the quick draw. Each artist will have 90 minutes to create an original work of art, which will be auctioned off immediately following the event.

We will be hosting one of the three sites for the quick draw in our sculpture garden and are sponsoring five artists in the event, including Barbara Ivey, Cheryl Koen, James Trigg, Andrée Hudson, and Bernard Marks. We will also have several pieces in the silent auction.

Live performances by local student musicians and a free concert by the Tribute Trio will set the musical tone for the day.

Visit www.visitcanyonroad.com for a full schedule of events and more information on Passport to the Arts.

The weekend will come to a close on Sunday with the Historic Santa Fe Foundation’s annual Historic Homes Tour. This year the foundation has chosen to highlight buildings that appeared on the 1912 Kings Map of Canyon Road. The tour will run from 1-4 p.m. Visit www.historicsantafe.org/Tour.htm for more information about the tour.