DECEMBER 2008 ONLINE EDITORIALS
Art Trek: The Collective Art Gallery Brings New Mexico Flavor to
Fort Collins
By Maggie Kunze
A few years ago I visited Taos, New Mexico and absolutely fell in love with the city. I felt like I was “home.” Everything about the town appealed to me: The colors, the people, the food – everything I saw resonated deep within my soul. I had been to Santa Fe before, and I did enjoy visiting there, but I felt that there was such a huge difference between the haves & have-nots. I saw a lot of extremely wealthy folks and a lot of extremely poor and not much in between. Taos felt like my favorite shoes: laid back, easy going and very artsy. It feels like there is a casualness among the locals, like an old hippie hangout. My favorite picture that I took was the front parking lot of an old saloon whose patrons included a beat-up pickup truck next to a Harley next to a horse saddled up! That is my kind of place! I truly think that Taos is a place where this eclectic artist could retire and be as happy as a frog! There is such a great art community there, and I’m sure there is room for another flaky artist!
Ed Sandoval is one of the artists that I met while in Taos, and he is a prime example of the interesting characters that make Taos what it is. One of the most renowned, and popular contemporary artists in northern New Mexico, Ed is often seen riding his Arabian horse, El Patron, to breakfast. The locals just smile, because that is who Ed Sandoval is, a warm accessible man with a heart as big as the landscapes that he paints.
My friend Jim Benest, who owns The Collective Art Gallery in downtown Fort Collins (109 S. College Ave.), has a passion for Taos too. He recently invited six new artists into the gallery who bring a new dimension and demonstrate his bias toward the Taos experience. Ed Sandoval’s work can now be seen at The Collective. Ed’s paintings are absolute explosions of colors. His roots in New Mexico are as true and deep as the colors on his canvasses. Each painting evolves with a shimmering red undercoat that establishes the energy for what is to come. While at his studio in Taos, I got to see many different paintings in different stages. It was fascinating to see the finished product that came from the red background. His subject matter often portrays the past life and customs that are the grounding force of the Southwest.
“I seem to find inspiration in the old life of New Mexico. The expression of my work follows the road of rhythmical expressionism with a bold and energetic style. I’m not concerned with painting realism. What’s important to me is the expression, mood and movement in my paintings,” says Ed.
I love the image of the old man that Ed uses in a lot of his paintings. It has become a very recognizable icon, and many people feel a kindred connection to the shadowy character. Ed calls him “El Vigito” – the old man. The old man is based on a character that Ed saw 25 years ago during the filming of Robert Redford’s “Milagro Beanfield War” movie. The character was a sheriff living in a small village in New Mexico called “Truchas.” Ed started sketching this man, and his paintings started flying out of galleries, as people really seemed to identify with the old guy. Find out more about Ed at www.decoloresgallery.com
If you haven’t been to The Collective Art Gallery, you need to! Jim has really done a fabulous job of bringing together some of the best regional and national artists in an intimate gallery setting. There is great diversity and truly something for everyone’s taste. Check out works by Carol Schinkel, Kate Dardine, Shelley Hearn, Barbara Moore, Marcy Silverstein, Dottie Boscamp, Jim Benest and many more very talented artists.
It really is a fun, eclectic show and as I’ve said before: buy art this Holiday season! It is a gift that really does keep on giving. I love to receive a gift of art that someone takes the time to pick out for me, and it’s a great way to keep the money here locally and support artists in their own community.
The Collective is having a photography show and book signing for artist Dwight Lutsey on Dec. 4 from 6-9pm. RSVP is required – and First Friday Gallery Walk is Dec. 5 from 5-9pm. Gallery Walk is open to the public – check out the many great galleries Downtown!
www.fortcollinsarts.org
And last but not least: Don’t forget about all the wonderful art shows and sales around town (see Scene Arts Calendar). You will find some of the best art and craft gifts around for everyone on your list and you will meet some really talented, nice people too. Your ART TREK mission is to get out and support local artists!