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The world of art is almost as broad as the
breathtaking New Mexico skies. At New Mexico
Creates we strive to make a difference both in the
lives of the artists with whom we work and with you, to
help you make your surroundings even more
splendid. This week we meet four talented artists
whose work will help you daily to find that beauty in
your life.
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Cia Friedrich
The work of creating art glass pieces has inherent
challenges. Since one is working with materials at
over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, results are hard to
predict. As Santa Fe artist Cia Friedrich says, "It's a
hit and miss process, every piece changes; it isn't
always consistent."
One consistency in Friedrich's work is the quality
and striking results, as in this glass seashell. To
achieve the iris-gold finish in this piece, Friedrich
used a white tin in powder form, which is applied
when the piece is at 1,500 degrees. Happily, this
piece is a beautiful example of the process gone right
and now it can have a new home with you
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Aleta Ford Baker
Years working in jewelry design in Santa Fe gave
Aleta Ford Baker an appreciation for gems. As she
says, "I really like faceted gems. I decided I wanted to
go through the GIA (Gemological Institute of America)
training and then got my diamond grading certificate,
but that is about as far as I went." Early in her career
she also studied bead weaving, in fact she says, "I
consider myself a bead weaving artist rather than a
silversmith."
Luckily for us, she has combined her love of beautiful
stones, eye for beadwork and great ability in
sculptural silverwork into jewelry that we feature
through New Mexico Creates, such as this lovely
Cluster of Gems necklace.
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Susan Orchant
Albuquerque resident Sue Orchant's lusciously
painted scarves are the result of years of studying
illustration and painting, which led to the medium of
silk painting nine years ago. She studied many
techniques of silk painting; these have resulted in the
intense colors and design elements found in her
work, such as this Sunflower
scarf. As with most artistic creation, Sue
doesn't always know where her projects will lead
when she starts, but as she
says, "Somehow I know that it will all make sense
when completed. It is a constant learning process
about myself as well as the materials and subject
matter I choose."
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Joan Brink |
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The basketry of Joan Brink reflects many influences
and techniques, yet has a distinctive, stunning artistry.
She
began in the Nantucket Lightship basket tradition, and
has since dedicated decades to studying form and
artwork. Joan puts this cumulative knowledge into
every piece, whether it is a cylindrical basket as in this
vase-like piece,
which as she says, "Is a
large 'canvas' upon which I can display a design. At
the same time it is very spare and modern in terms of
its form."
Brink's oval baskets incorporate pottery shapes,
as she has found inspiration in southwestern pottery.
She usually uses the four colors associated with
traditional baskets: black, white, red and natural and
often uses the "plain weave" technique in the
Nantucket tradition, but adds her touch with the use of
dyed elements, as in this basket, entitled
Summer
Solstice, where she uses an atypical yellow
orange in the design.
Brink has woven raven designs
into this basket, because, as she says, "I wanted to
suggest night sky below and day sky above; the birds
represent the sky." Summer Solstice is topped
with an elegant jet Raven fetish by Zuni carver Calvert
Bowanie.
See More Baskets by Joan Brink
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