Extraordinary things often come in small packages. And many of these can be found at this year’s Holiday Small Works Show at Manitou Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The show gathers a large collection of works from both returning and emerging artists in a variety of mediums that celebrate the intimate scale.
Both new and seasoned collectors alike are invited to find new additions beginning with an opening reception on Friday, November 27, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Maia Chávez Larkin, Amiguito, oil and ink on canvas, 14 x 11 in.
Returning artist Michael Baum says smaller pieces offer benefits for both the artists and collectors. “It’s a great way to explore a range of subjects and approaches without being tied to one image for a long time,” he says. “Ideally, original art should be within the reach of all, and small works provide a step in that direction.”
This is the first year artist Lorenzo Chavez will participate in the show, bringing both oil and pastel paintings that celebrate his home in New Mexico. “I find great beauty, soul and spirit in this landscape,” he says. “There is something about the Southwest that sings in me both of the life and the country that demands to be expressed in my painting.”
Michael Baum, Twilight at the Bend, oil, 12 x 12 in.
Chavez often creates plein air works and says the smaller canvas size allows him to explore a greater variety of moods in the landscape before him. The artist finds the same connection in his chosen mediums as he does in his subjects. “The tactile surface quality reminds me of the textures of the landscape of the high desert,” he says. “The first time I felt a pastel stick in my hands, its gritty quality reminded me of…the feeling of touching the dry soil in my hands.”
Second-time contributor Maia Chávez Larkin brings her distinctive oil and ink paintings, which have gained a large following since last year’s show and her recent solo show with the gallery. While she often focuses on images of cowboy life, Chávez Larkin uses the smaller scale and quicker process to explore new subjects including burros, bison and polo pieces.
Roseta Santiago, Pueblo Serenade, oil, 12 x 12 in.
“New Mexico is so unique; the light, the scent of sage and piñon and mesquite smoke, the towering clouds in a turquoise sky, the pale gold sand between your fingers…there’s nothing else in this world like it,” she says. “I always try to draw on those feelings, that part of the world when I’m working on pieces for Manitou.”
The artist says she does not change her approach to the piece, despite the smaller size. Instead, each line of ink must be finer and more intentional. Coming from an illustration background, her unique style has presented challenges while also achieving a treatment of mediums unique to the subject matter. “It’s unusual, but it works for me as I’m able to achieve that look of illustration but with the translucence and depth of color and longevity that oil affords,” Chavez-Larkin says.
Lorenzo Chavez, San Jose de la Garcia, oil, 12 x 16 in.
Gallery regular Roseta Santiago returns with a piece titled Pueblo Serenade, which honors the prayers and blessings of Native culture. “I paint portraits of the people and lifestyles I encounter on my journey here in the Southwest,” she says. “Generally, these are the hardworking men and women behind the scenes here in New Mexico who add the real flavor of the Southwest.”
The show hangs through December 31 and includes sculptures, jewelry and mixed media works alongside more traditional paintings. —
Manitou Galleries 123 W. Palace Avenue » Santa Fe, NM, 87501 » (505) 986-0440 » www.manitougalleries.com
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