Angels of Tranquility - Richard Pankratz

Born with the soul of an artist, Richard Pankratz took a winding path to the life of a full-time artist. After graduating art school, he found, as all young artists do, that he needed to make money. When he accepted a job teaching high school art he didn’t think it would mean giving up his craft. But eleven years later he found himself still in the classroom and longing for the time to devote to his creative pursuits.

With the rise of the crafts movement in the 1970s, he saw an opportunity to return to his first love — art. Formally trained in painting, printmaking, and jewelry design, he took up the medium of clay and began experimenting with pottery and ceramics.

Now thirty years later, Richard has fulfilled his dream of being a working artist, and his work has expanded and grown through the years. He now works in wood and metal as well as pottery and ceramics, though he admits that clay is the medium he is most drawn to.

“In all the years I’ve been working as an artist, I have always been most enamored by the magic of clay—drawn to it as though it is part of my being,” he says. “If I push on clay it will conform to the pressure of my hand and record the imprint of my will. When subjected to fire, it becomes permanent and will survive long after I am gone.”

While he may love the malleable nature of clay, he also excelled in the metals. His series of bronze angels reveal his love for working in the metals and his expert ability to manipulate the medium.

Stop by our sculpture garden to see Richard’s angels in person. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the gardens, they come alive, revealing the unique depth of vision he infuses into each of his creations.

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!

Richard Pankratz grew up in the Flint Hills of rural Kansas and heard his life’s calling while still a young boy. Without the resources available, he had to wait until after high school to begin formal training at the Kansas City Art Institute, 100 miles and a world away from his home. To please his parents, Richard took the “safe” path and taught art at high schools in Kansas and Colorado for 11 years.

"Aerial Ecstasy" by Richard Pankratz

But the call to create would not go away. Trained in painting, printmaking, and the creation and design of jewelry, Richard chose ceramics as his medium for his return to producing artist. Thanks to the explosion of the crafts movement in the 70′s, he was able to prosper with original pottery creations that afforded him the opportunity to leave teaching. Now 30 years later, Richard has evolved. He now includes wood and metal in his decorative vessel and furniture pieces. Today, he remains fascinated by the combination of bronze and porcelain. Richard works out of his own commercial studio in Colorado with his sculptural creations available for viewing and purchase at Waxlander Gallery and Sculpture Garden in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

"Mother Earth" by Richard Pankratz

Artist Statement

In all the years I’ve been working as an artist, I have always been most enamored by the magic of clay – drawn to it as though it is part of my being. Its working characteristics depend upon two specific qualities: which mother rock it was decomposed from and what the creative forces of Nature did with it once is was harvested from its source. If I push on clay it will conform to the pressure of my hand and record the imprint of my will. When subjected to fire, it becomes permanent and will survive long after I am gone. My artistic spirit still finds room for a second great love: bronze: the material that elevated humanity out of the Stone Age. Where clay has weaknesses, bronze has strengths and vice versa. Bronze allows my expression to explore forms that could not be supported and survive as clay alone, yet needs the spontaneity and plasticity of clay to realize its full potential.

"Waiting for the Bus" by Richard Pankratz

And it is not just the physical characteristics of these two materials that are in perfect harmony for me: they share aesthetic and spiritual qualities as well. Color is added to both through the use of oxides, carbonates, and nitrates of various metals yielding a wide and dynamic pallet of rich and subtle color variations on both ceramic glazes and bronze patinas. I deliberately choose glaze combinations, techniques, and kiln firing procedures that do not necessarily produce the same result. What arises is like a child: unique, somewhat unpredictable, and irreproducible with a universal vibration of its own that has never been before and never will be again. At first, I tried to circumvent this procedure by mixing known quantities of glazes into one application. After all, science should ultimately win out over art, right? The result is always disappointing. To reduce the complex layering of glazes infused with spirit and vision into one generic recipe is to rob it of its life, its potential, and its reason for being. The same is true for patinas on bronze. The same is true for life itself: to deny one’s self of the uniqueness of art in favor of mass-produced decorator items is to rob the soul of incalculable riches.

"Finally Off Leash" by Richard Pankratz

Sculptor, Richard Pankratz, has made it important to remind the viewers of his sculptures to enjoy the present.

As humans, we are capable of existing fully in the present, living and enjoying life. Unfortunately, we often don’t. Sometimes we live in the past with the excess baggage of past experiences predetermining or limiting our responses to the present. Likewise, sometimes we exist over focused on the future. Someday we will have more time; someday we will have more money; someday, life won’t be quite as hectic, etc. Then, we promise ourselves, we will take that dream vacation, or spend more quality time with loved ones, or study painting, or do whatever it is that will nurture a long almost forgotten desire deep within our soul. We spend our lives “waiting for the bus” that will take us to better days. On Deck was created to be a reminder to keep life in balance. The past no longer exists and the future has yet to be created. All we really have is the present, new and fresh and ours to experience moment by moment.

View all of Richard Pankratz’s sculptures at waxlander.com and remind yourself to live and enjoy the present!