“The Proposal”

“You could say I’ve been an artist all my life,” says Laurel Peterson Gregory. It’s true, though she might not have called herself that for a while. She was a mechanic, a master electrician and a building official before becoming a sculptor. For Laurel, one art lead to another.

 Laurel attended Humboldt State University in Northern California for Industrial Arts and worked for years in that field before taking an interest in art in 1993. She started studying classical figurative sculpture and experimenting with different mediums and styles, and by 1994 was showing her work professionally.

The sculptor’s first works were varied in medium and subject matter. She experimented with figurative bronze reliefs, raku-fired ceramic wall fountains, mixed media works in ceramic and copper, and abstract ceramic-and-steel sculptures. The common thread was their impeccable quality, a result of the skills she’d gained from her past jobs.

“Poodle Twist”

Nowadays, the artist has turned most of her focus on a rather adorable subject: animals. From her home in the foothills of Colorado’s Front Range, she sculpts abstracted bronze creatures that dance on their hind legs. Bears bump, poodles twist and bulls engage in a “Wall Street Waltz”.

“I minimalize reality, stripping away non-essentials to reach the essence of whatever it is I’m sculpting,” Laurel says. “Although my form is now highly stylized, I still rely on the fundamentals.”

Laurel’s process is classical in its devotion to the idealized figure. She approaches each piece as an engineer would, creating hundreds of photographs and sketches of the animals before casting them into dynamic motion. These creatures might be performing impossible feats, but their bodies look elegant and their dances effortless.

It’s a task that could only be accomplished by an artist of all trades.

You can see more work by Laurel Peterson Gregory here, and learn more about her on our Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest pages.

A sculptor deals directly with the elements, from clay to precious metals to the fire that gives them form, and her finished work will eternally interact with them. When winter’s chill creeps up Canyon Road, familiar sculptures are transformed by sequins of frost or snowy white coats.

The art in our sculpture garden may seem at rest in the cool air, but the sculptors in our stable are hardly hibernating. For our “Holiday Aglow” show, they’ve wielded the elements to imbue a frigid season with the holiday warmth we feel in our hearts.

Chris Turri

Story Totem Moon Guide – Chris Turri

New Mexico artist Chris Turri uses the motifs of Native cultures to help keep their legends alive. The storyteller creates totems and masks, revealing a way of life that is closely tied to nature in symbolism and material.

“I love to work with metal,” says Chris. “I like how it changes with the seasons, how it gets better with age and weather.”

Chris uses patinas on steel and copper to mirror nature’s brilliance, giving abstracted faces and figures the rusty red tone of New Mexico clay or the bright glow of a turquoise stone. He’s sure to spin resilient color into his works, even in the dead of winter.

Suzanne Donazetti

Ocean Star- Suzanne Donazetti

Suzanne Donazetti lives in Maryland, but her art plays out on a considerably bumpier landscape. After dabbling in many mediums, she developed a unique process of painting and weaving copper and has been constructing billowing, distorted grids ever since. Though they look like the stuff of dreams, these abstract color landscapes are inspired by real-world observation.

“My vision is to communicate with color, through the refractive lens of weaving, brief moments of light in the natural environment,” Suzanne says.

The sculptor always amazes with her rose-colored, kaleidoscopic glasses. Can you imagine her dazzling interpretation of a winter flurry?

Josiane Childers and Justin West

Spectrum VI- Childers-West

Josiane Childers and Justin West are a husband and wife team who combined their mediums and created something inseparable. She’s a painter and he’s a metalworker with a fascination for old cars and trucks.

The duo’s steel and plexiglass works skirt the line between sculpture and painting. Abstract color fields bend outward from the wall, forcing the viewer to move about the gallery in order to catch every angle. It’s a dynamic experience that echoes their philosophy about their materials.

Justin is inspired by steel’s strength and versatility, and the fact that each piece was “forged of fire from the center of the earth.” If you come to the reception, make sure to linger in the glow of Josiane and Justin’s works, prepared in our planet’s core and finished at their family hearthside.

Laurel Peterson Gregory

Lindy Lo – Laurel Peterson Gregory

Laurel Peterson Gregory is a sculptor with a very lively process. She starts by carefully studying a particular dance and matching it with a favorite animal, sketching out beautifully symmetrical movements that are enhanced by her subjects’ angular bodies. Bulls waltz, beagles “bump”, a pair of scotties engages in a graceful ballet lift and a horse jumps for joy. Laurel captures these moments in bronze and colors them with rich patinas.

Though Laurel focuses mostly on fauna in her work, the flora that surrounds her is just as important to her creative process. She tends ten large gardens that encircle her home outside Denver, which is a full-time job in itself. While she might be harvesting the very last of her fall crop, there’s no end to this artist’s inspiration.

Waxlander’s “Holiday Aglow” show features new work from all of Waxlander’s artists. Come explore dynamic sculpture and painted winter wonderlands starting November 20. The artists’ reception is Friday, November 23 from 5-7 pm.

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

Tuxedo Hop - Laurel Peterson Gregory

“Nothing makes me happier than seeing someone smile and laugh with my work,” says Laurel Peterson Gregory. And her whimsical pieces of dancing creatures cast in bronze never fail to bring a smile or a laugh or a giggle to the surface.

“I want my pieces to lift the viewer and take them to a better place for a timeless moment,” she says.

A classically trained sculptor, Laurel has twice served as the director of the board for the La Scuola Classical Sculpture School. A love for figurative expression and for the freedom she finds in impressionistic interpretation inspire her creations.

Laurel’s exceptional ability to work with bronze has been honed in a variety of ways throughout her life. She earned a degree in Industrial Arts from Humboldt State University in Northern California, after which she took on a variety of jobs, including master electrician, building official, and finally sculptor.

Pause for Reflection - Laurel Peterson Gregory

Her uncommon ability to observe and capture motion in clean lines is the hallmark of her work. Her process always begins with careful observation of motion. After hundreds of sketches, she has honed in on a particular position that articulates the essence a movement. The animal she chooses to represent the movement is also carefully selected for its lines and ability to convey an emotion.

Laurel is also intimately involved in achieving the rich patinas her work is known for. She carefully applies multiple layers of chemicals and oxides to each piece. The range of effects she is able to pull from each piece is simply astounding.

Stop in at the gallery the next time you need to smile. Laurel’s pieces will never fail to bring levity to your day.

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

Estrella del Norte Vineyards are located off of the High Road to Taos (NM 503) about 7/10th of a mile.  15 minutes north of Santa Fe, this vineyard has breathtaking views, beautiful 150 year old trees and abundant gardens.

Chris Turri's Sculptures Welcome You!

"Awe of the Inland Waterway" by Richard Pankratz

"Koi Meets Girl" by John Maisano!

"Beautiful Vineyard Grounds"

"Bump" by Laurel Peterson-Gregory

Wines, wines, wines…

Finger Lakes International Wine Competition Trio

$97.00 or $82.45 for Wine Club Members (Mention Waxlander Gallery to receive the Wine Club Member price!)

Ships for an additional $22.00

Estrella Del Norte Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009

Estate grown Pinot Noir grapes, great harvest, over 100 cases made. Light bodied with bright raspberry & soft tannins. Finishes smooth with a touch of earth.

Suggested pairing: Nuts & smoked cheese or Chicken with light sauced pastas.

Estrella Del Norte Vineyard Founders Blend

This full bodied Bordeaux style red wine is blended with Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and New Mexico grown Cabernet Franc.  A lush and heavy red blend with raspberry, blackberry, spices & chocolate. Named “Founders Blend” because of the estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and the limited supply. Less than 30 cases available.

Suggested pairing: A nice steak with a rich sauce.

Estrella Del Norte Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Like a starry Northern New Mexico evening, this wine is rich with deep currants and brilliant notes of black cherry, spicy clove and oak. Enjoy with a fine dinner and special someone. Elegante y Sabroso!

Suggested pairing: Roast Pork Loin.

Finger Lakes International Wine Competition Results

We entered 3 wines in the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition and took 3 medals:  The first was a Gold for our estate grown 2009 Pinot Noir; Silver for our Founders Blend, blended with our estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon; and 3rd a Bronze for our 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Finger Lakes International Wine Competition had wines from 19 countries, all 50 United States and 6 Canadian Provinces and is one of the biggest International Wine Competitions. For the second straight year, the 11th annual Finger Lakes International Wine Competition set a record for the number of entries. At the Rochester Plaza Hotel, a record-breaking 3,259 wines from 788 wineries competed for gold medals.

For more information visit http://www.estrelladelnortevineyards.com!

Estrella Del Norte Vineyard

Estrella Del Norte Vineyard is in Nambe, just 15 minutes north of Santa Fe. Owners Richard and Eileen Reinders welcome visitors to sample their outstanding wines in their tasting room.  Have an upcoming event? The vineyard is a wonderful venue that can be booked for wedddings, wine dinners, corporate picnics and dinners, and holiday parties. It can be a do-it-yourself event, or the vineyard’s event planner partners can see to every detail. Attend the wine festival coming this summer, 2011!

Snow in the Vineyard!

Coming Soon: Waxlander Gallery and Sculpture Garden has teamed up with Estrella Del Norte Vineyards to bring a  beautiful sculpture stroll through the vineyard. Including Waxlander sculptors John Maisano, Laurel Peterson Gregory, Chris Turri, and Richard Pankratz… more artists to come!