In Andrea Vargas’ upcoming show at King Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the title Moments, Memories and Reflections nods to the quieter instances she experiences during her adventures as a plein air and landscape painter.
“This theme is calling on nostalgia—we’re talking about memories and moments, and that also implies that something is fleeting. Without a doubt, I keep coming back to certain places because they are inspiring. However, right now, with the climate of our nation, it does seem real that not all things will last forever,” says Vargas. “I’ve been to a field of flowers or a field of cactus only to return later and they’re gone. It’s blissful when you’re in a place of beauty, when you’re by a natural river, when you get to bear witness to something that was there and then is gone—clouds don’t last forever.”
High Noon Over the Chama River, oil on canvas, 40 x 28 in.
While part of her exhibition is devoted to the landscapes she keeps returning to, other paintings show her venturing beyond Santa Fe to explore more of the West. Her piece Reflections at Mount Moran marks this new chapter, depicting the iconic Wyoming peak on one of her largest canvases in the show.
“The mountain itself looks like it was made by giants—it looks like it was made by artistic giants, who had a contemporary style about them,” says Vargas. There’s a vertical black strip that’s diabase rock and it doesn’t look natural. Looking at it, it’s awe inspiring in a way that, of course, I want to both capture it, but I also want to just state claims to the fact that it’s real.”
Desert Meditation, oil on canvas, 44 x 24 in.
Vargas captures Mount Moran and the other landscapes in her show with a vibrant intensity and her signature mix of bold and tight brushstrokes and texture created by a palette knife. She paints to let the viewer feel how she felt in the moment—awe inspired and grateful to bear witness to the acts of nature.
“Not everyone always gets to have those moments with these spectacular mountains or these rivers, but I’m able to share it,” she says. “I mean, I’m able to create portals and windows for people to have that experience.”
Collectors will find other works of Vargas’ including Desert Meditation,that offer up moments of quiet and asks viewers to contemplate on the many ways a landscape can change.
Reflections at Mount Moran, oil on canvas 48 x 60 in.
“I do have affection for particular places, like the Chama River and journeys to that gate, to both Taos and Abiquiu—signature places with signature beauty,” says Vargas. “But what’s exciting is when we also then realize that the United States is a phenomenal country, and I think right now, I’m probably exposing the fact that I’m expanding and traveling more and I’m excited about traveling more and bringing these other topographies into the gallery space.”
Join Vargas at King Galleries as she shares the next chapter in her landscape painting from July 24 to August 1, with an opening reception on July 31. —
King Galleries 130 Lincoln Avenue, Suite D » Santa Fe, NM 87501 » (480) 440-3912 » www.kinggalleries.com
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