Sean Michael Chavez’s paintings speak to a time and place that is unique within Western art. His lands are dusty and harsh, the light is intense and it washes out much of the color. Danger hangs in the air even amid his quiet scenes, and his vaquero subjects are framed against the magnificence of the Southwest. It’s rare when an artist creates an entire world, a sandbox where they are free to tell their own stories in their own style. And yet that is exactly what Chavez has done over the last six years.
Duet, oil on canvas, 36 x 24 in. each
The painter, who lives in New Mexico, first showed his work in Santa Fe in 2019. The show was a massive hit, and he’s been back every August to present a new solo show. He will return to Santa Fe on August 7 with Into the Realm, which will feature around 13 new pieces, including several large diptychs. The show will be held at Acosta Strong Fine Art, the gallery that has hosted every one of his solo exhibitions.
Duet, oil on canvas, 36 x 24 in. each
For Into the Realm, Chavez been exploring several new aspects of his work, including the use of diptychs and expanding his color palette, which he calls an exciting development in his studio. “In the past, some of my work was more monochromatic, and yet these are more colorful. I’ve been enjoying twisting it up in the studio, in color, in scale and presentation, which is how the diptychs developed,” the painter says. He points to his new pair of paintings Duet, which are meant to be shown together. “It’s a fresh way for me to present a painting like this. I’m a musician myself, so it was fun to put some music into these pieces. There is a visual pun with the birds in the sky that look like they are on a music staff.”
Rebeldes Look, oil on canvas, 40 x 30 in.
Going back to his use of color, Chavez says he has always embraced a limited palette, but his recent exploration with color has provided him some flexibility to pursue new kinds of paintings. “As artists, I think it is important that we have at least one story to tell. One of my stories is about color. My earlier palettes tended to be minimalist leaning toward a sense of tonalism within my work,” he says. “While I still maintain much of that look, over time I have introduced more and more color. It’s a journey that I want collectors to join in on, and what it says is to expect evolution within my work and to expect the unexpected.”
Across the Divide, oil on canvas, 40 x 60 in.
One of the returning elements within this new batch of paintings is Chavez’s willingness to leave the raw underpainting exposed and unpainted. This is usually paired with visible grid lines and diagonals that reveal how he built his compositions. The effect is not one of incompleteness but of raw and thrilling paint application unbound from classic painting techniques.
Another returning element is the vaquero, the Spanish word for a Mexican cowboy. “Recognizing that it was important for me to paint something that had a relevance to my native roots within the Southwest, I discovered that the vaquero was an obvious subject that I could explore—not only to explore but to educate as well. I found that there was an important storyline missing from museum and gallery walls, and I was in a very good place…[having been] raised in a place such as New Mexico to tell a unique part of that story,” he says. “There is hardly a more recognizable silhouette in the West than the sombrero. Seen over the horizon, specific characters are brought to mind, specific cultural references, occupations as well as a specific period of time. The traditional cowboy hat, while iconic, is far less specific.”
Verde Noche, oil on canvas, 40 x 30 in.
Into the Realm will open August 7 and run through August 21. Collectors are urged to connect with the gallery sooner rather than later—the show has sold out every year. —
Acosta Strong Fine Art 200 Canyon Road » Santa Fe, NM 87501 » (505) 982-2795 » www.acostastrong.com
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