A Journal for Classic Western Art
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December 2014
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WHAT'S GOING ON
Seasons Greetings to you, our friends and col- leagues near and far. With the coming of the holidays, we offer our best wishes for joyous celebrations, filled with good cheer along with family and friends. And we remember Mark Zaplin, who passed away in September, after a valiant, five-year course of treatment for cancer. He and Richard built their gallery business together over the past thirty years, and we are pleased to acknowledge that his vision and spirit continue at Zaplin Lampert Gallery. Nonetheless, we miss him.
With the change of season, we are presenting a look at how two significant artists, E. Martin Hennings and Sheldon Parsons, approached the New Mexico landscape cloaked in winter snow. Our featured new acquisitions reflect a diversity of works from important western artists such as W. R. Leigh and Henry Farny, as well as artists associated with Taos and Santa Fe, Emil Bisttram, Theodore Van Soelen, and Fremont Ellis. Being the Christmas season, we wanted to be sure to provide our readers with some information about the holiday observances at the nearby Pueblos, new museum news, as well as a sampling of events and museum exhibits in Santa Fe.
And as always, please remember to "like us" on Facebook, and be sure to stop by and visit us in the gallery whenever you are in Santa Fe.
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| CONTACT US |
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651 Canyon Road
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
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EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY
Winter in Northern New Mexico
People unfamiliar with New Mexico are often surprised to learn that the region
experiences a cold winter. In fact, they often think of the Southwest as a place of perpetual sunshine and warmth. But that is not the case, particularly in northern New Mexico, where the weather is similar to that of Colorado, known for the beauty of its snow-laden mountains and outstanding skiing.
Many Anglo artists who ventured to Santa Fe and Taos in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were simply visitors and later, part-time summer residents. But, beginning with artist Bert Geer Phillips, who moved permanently to Taos in 1898, a number of artists soon began to make this small village their year-round home. Nestled at the foot of the majestic Taos Mountain, rising to an elevation of over 12,500 feet, winter in northern New Mexico is indeed cold and long-lasting.
Ernest Martin Hennings, a member of the Taos Society of Artists, moved to Taos from Chicago in 1921. Known for his stunning depictions of riders on horseback through aspen forests or a chamisa-covered plain, Hennings was not deterred by the cold and snow of the winter months. He was fond of his new surroundings in every season. In his "Taos Landscape" below, Hennings beautifully captures the slant of the winter sun over the snow covered plain, the look of the winter clouds, while punctuating the scene with the textures and colors of the yellow chamisa, deep red bushes, and even some intriguingly mysterious footsteps in the snow.
E. Martin Hennings (1886-1956)
14 x 14 inches
Oil on canvas on board
Signed lower right
As for Santa Fe, Carlos Vierra was the first Anglo artist to settle there in 1904, while Gerald Cassidy and Sheldon Parsons were not far behind. Parsons had been a well-known portrait artist in New York City, but after developing tuberculosis in 1913, he closed his studio and headed for the sunnier, drier, and high altitude climate of Santa Fe. In his new home, once he was able, Parsons took to exploring the region. Being outdoors was good medicine for him all-around, and he came to love and to paint a wide variety of landscape scenes in the surrounding area. He reveled in their ever-evolving appearances. We feature the seasonal changes of northern New Mexico as depicted in the work of Sheldon Parsons for our online exhibition. His sense of the light on his large-scale subjects was continually stimulated by the variations, both subtle and strong, of every new season. And his affection for his chosen subjects is obvious by the beauty that he brings out in each of them.
Sheldon Parsons (1866-1943) Winter StreamOil on board
6 x 9 inches
Signed lower right
To see more paintings by Sheldon Parsons,
please visit our online exhibition below.
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NEW ACQUISITIONS
William Robinson Leigh (1866-1955)
Bull Dogging
Oil on canvas
28 x 22 inches
Signed and dated lower left, 1945
William Robinson Leigh (1866-1955)
Hopi Pottery Merchant
Oil on canvas
24 x 18 1/4 inches
Signed and dated lower left
1941
Maynard Dixon (1875-1946)
Hopi Kiva Ceremonial
Mixed media on paper
12 x 14 1/2 inches
Signed lower right
c. 1899
Henry Farny (1847-1916)
Apache
Watercolor and gouache
5 5/8 x 4 1/8 inches
Signed and dated lower right
1900
Theodore Van Soelen (1890-1964)
Beans for Supper
Oil on masonite
30 x 40 inches
Signed and dated lower left
1948
Fremont Ellis (1897-1985)
The Road to Abiquiu
Oil on canvas
30 x 40 inches
Signed lower left
Emil Bisttram (1895-1976)
Indian Baby
Oil on canvas
20 x 16 inches
Signed and dated lower right
1938
Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952)
Oasis in the Badlands
Goldtone photograph
11 x 14 inches
Signed lower right
To view more of our new acquisitions, click here.
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Long-cherished around the Christmas holiday period are the traditional annual dances held at the Pueblos of the Rio Grande region. Each Pueblo celebrates the observances with distinctive dances that have been a part of their cultural expression for centuries. Visitors are generally welcome to attend, but it is advisable to call in advance to check on specific dates and times for the dances. Here is a sample of some of this year's observances:
December 24 - Christmas Eve
Old Acoma Pueblo: Luminarias light the path from the Scenic View Point to the Sky City. (888) 759-2489
Taos Pueblo: Sundown Procession with bonfires. (575) 758-1028
Tesuque Pueblo: Dances after Midnight Mass. (505) 983-2667
Nambe Pueblo: Buffalo Dances after Mass. (505) 455-2036
San Felipe Pueblo: Dances after Midnight Mass. (505) 867-3381
Ohkay Owingeh: Spanish Dance drama Los Matachines and Pine Torch
Procession. (505) 852-4400
December 25- Christmas Day
Taos Pueblo: Dances to be announced (Deer or Los Matachines). (575) 758-1028
Tesuque Pueblo: various dances. (505) 983-2667
San Ildefonso Pueblo: Christmas Celebration, Matachines Dances. (505) 455-3549
Laguna Village: 10 a.m. Mass followed by the Harvest Dance. (505) 552-6654
Picuris Pueblo: Christmas Celebration, Matachines Dances. (575) 587-2419
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"Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West"
Zaplin Lampert Gallery is pleased to be a part of the inaugural exhibition at Scottsdale's brand-new Museum of the West, scheduled to open in January of 2015. Working with historical artwork from a single collection, the late Mark Zaplin, Richard Lampert, and Stacia Lewandowski are the curators for the exhibit. Stacia Lewandowski created the exhibit's text materials and the 116-page catalogue, COURAGE & CROSSROADS: A Visual Journey Through the Early American West. If you are in Scottsdale in the coming months, please visit the museum which features a wide variety of western art - from contemporary to historical - and extraordinary western cultural objects. It is centrally located in downtown Scottsdale at 3830 N. Marshall Way. www.scottsdalemuseumwest.org |
TAOS ARTISTS FEATURED IN FLORIDA
Kenneth M. Adams (1897-1966)
Portrait of Taos Woman
Charcoal
10 1/4 x 7 3/4 inches
Signed lower right
If you are avoiding New Mexico's winter weather, but are in the mood for some western art, you can now get your dose of sunshine and art in one trip to Orlando, Florida. The Mennello Museum of American Art is currently featuring two significant exhibits: "The Taos Society of Artists" and "George Catlin's American Buffalo."
The works of George Catlin represent some of the earliest depictions of Native American life in the American West. Created during and after his trips into the newly opened Far West during the 1830s, Catlin's work today is relatively rare. This exhibit is a collaborative effort between the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and with the exhibit showing at the Mennello, it offers even more viewers a unique opportunity.
The "Taos Society of Artists" was curated by the Mennello's executive director, Frank Holt. Following an exhibit of the Santa Fe Art Colony the museum hosted last year, this exhibit will certainly continue to spread appreciation for the works of these cherished artists of the Southwest. Zaplin Lampert Gallery is pleased to be represented in the exhibit with a drawing by Kenneth Adams, shown above, as well as two paintings. Both exhibits close January 4th, 2015. |
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ONLINE EXHIBITION
Through the Seasons with Sheldon Parsons
Sheldon Parsons (1866-1943)
Nambe, N.M.
Oil on board
24 x 20 inches
Signed lower left
Sheldon Parsons (1866-1943)
Prehistoric Cliff Dwellings, Puye
Oil on board
9 x 12 inches
Signed lower right
Sheldon Parsons (1866-1943)
Spring in Santa Fe
Oil on board
9 x 12 inches
Signed and dated lower left, "April 17, 1917"
Sheldon Parsons (1866-1943) Fall Colors, Santa Fe Oil on board 9 x 12 inches Signed lower left To see more of the exhibit, click here. |
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NEW MEXICO EXHIBITS & EVENTS
SANTA FE
New Mexico History Museum
"Gustave Baumann and Friends: Artist Cards from Holidays Past"
Through March 29, 2015
The wit and charm of Gus Baumann is on display in this fanciful and personal exhibit. Drawn primarily from the donation of more than 400 cards made by the Ann Baumann Trust in 2012, the exhibit shows examples of the artist's hand-made cards that he sent to friends, as well as cards received from friends, many with humorous vignettes or messages. Other artist cards include those by B.J. O. Nordfeldt, John Sloan, Olive Rush and Will Shuster. Of special interest in the exhibit is a series of short spoken recordings of stories from the Baumann family. It is wonderful to be able to hear Gus himself, and his daughter Ann, telling a variety of delightful stories.
GLOW: Winter Lights in the Garden
Santa Fe Botanical Garden
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through January 3, 2015
And also the week between Christmas and New Years Day
5 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Fridays
5 to 9 p.m. Saturdays
It's an opportunity to see the new botanical garden in its winter guise - a visual wonderland with fanciful illumination and treats for the whole family.
O'Keeffe Museum
"Georgia O'Keeffe: Ghost Ranch Views"
Through March 22, 2015
This exhibit is a showcase for some of Georgia O'Keeffe's most iconic landscapes, works dating from the 1930s and '40s that she painted in the immediate area of Ghost Ranch. In 1934, she made her first visit to the ranch, fifty miles north of Santa Fe in an area . . . to continue, click here.
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"Gustave Baumann and Friends:
Artist Cards from Holidays Past"
Jean Moss and Thomas Leech
Museum of New Mexico Press
This book was released in conjunction with the exhibit on display now at the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe. The co-curators of the exhibit are also the co-authors of the book: Jean Moss and Thomas Leech, a print-maker himself, and curator of the press at the New Mexico History Museum.
Featuring a delightful collection of images of hand-made cards and hand-written notes, the exhibit and book were made possible after the museum received a treasure trove of Baumann's holiday greeting cards that add a personal element to the artist's legacy in Santa Fe. Along with Baumann's signature cards made from his own woodcut prints, there are cards from other artists made from lithographs, drawings, paintings, and hand colored etchings.
These works show a kind of boundless creative energy among the artists, in addition to the spirit of play, making a strong case for personal, hand-crafted expression in our present digital age.
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We miss you.
Mark Robert Zaplin
November 3, 1952 - September 17, 2014
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Thank you for joining us.
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