Aleta Pippin, Santa Fe abstract artist at Pippin ContemporaryAleta Pippin’s solo exhibition, “Landscapes of the Mind” opens on Friday, July 5th with a new body of work that represents subconscious emotion in response to nature and physical environments. For Pippin, it’s the clear light, deep blue skies, long views and majestic mountains of the desert – from her childhood memories in Southern California to her adult life in Santa Fe – that stir her passion, influence her emotions and fuel her paintings.

In her latest work, Aleta Pippin describes the landscapes of her life with warm color, rugged texture and abstract mark making – an artist’s emotional impression of breath-taking sunsets, impressive mountains and desert flora. In addition to outward environments, Aleta Pippin’s exhibition paintings also symbolize internal landscapes as bursts of movement and variations of color relate to personal growth, influential relationships or followed dreams. In this way, Aleta Pippin aims to connect with the viewer on an emotional level while reflecting on her own journey.

“The title of my exhibition is a metaphor for each of our life journeys, decisions made, dreams won and lost, love, health, joy – life. As such, the paintings will no doubt be interpreted by each viewer’s perception, choices, decisions, and overview of their own life.”

Below, Aleta Pippin provides insights behind her new paintings for “Landscapes of the Mind” in how they relate to the energy, color and emotional impact of nature.

The Portal by Aleta Pippin at Pippin ContemporaryThrough The Portal, oil on panel, 60″ x 24″

“The colors in this painting can be found in the rich blue of desert skies, rose and pinks of sunsets and blooming cacti, yellow represents the vibrant warm sun that heats the environment. One can imagine diving through the portal (light pink moving into the yellow almost in the middle of the painting) and swimming around in the rich color, enjoying the texture, searching behind the forms, so much to observe in this painting.”

 

Intertwined by Aleta Pippin at Pippin ContemporaryIntertwined, oil on panel, 48″ x 48″

“This painting moves away from my very abstracted work by giving you well-defined forms resembling flowers. I kept the major portion of the pallet in purples and grays purposely to draw your attention to the light magenta emanating from behind the flowers, with an alizarin yellow, and teal and red pops of color.”

Movement in Color by Aleta Pippin at Pippin ContemporaryMovement in Color, oil on canvas, 36″ x 60″

“To me, this painting is purely abstract – it’s all about color and energy. I blossom in a more arid climate and this painting represents that energy. The colors are the rich hues of the desert and the movement of strong wind whipping bushes and palm fronds about.”

Click here to view more paintings by Aleta Pippin

Artists Aleta Pippin, Jami Tobey, Jeffrey Beauchamp and Gina Rossi will present contemporary visions of the landscape in their upcoming group exhibition, Inspired Views, opening Friday, September 8th, 5-7pm. The artists offer modern interpretations of typically traditional subject matter through their own distinct styles, which are guided by an emotional, visceral response to nature. This week, we’re highlighting the work of Aleta Pippin and Jami Tobey, two painters whose work is fueled by the versatility of their materials, the emotional resonance of color, and their dramatic desert surroundings.

Aleta Pippin fully abandons the classical techniques of landscape painting in favor of abstraction. Pippin’s current environment in Santa Fe as well as memories of her childhood in southern California has instilled in her an awe-inspiring view of the desert. The artist recalls the desert’s ever-changing light as she explored the San Jacinto foothills as a young girl, with rose-colored skies descending over craggy mountain ranges. Light and color are Pippin’s driving sources of inspiration; these elements along with a fluid and intuitive painting process allow Pippin to reveal her personal relationship with the landscape, which is one of freedom and adventure.

The Journey by Aleta Pippin at Pippin Contemporary

The Journey is a 54×18” atmospheric oil painting that Pippin has created for Inspired Views. Pippin says of this painting: “I like the color and light in this piece. When I was a child the idea of climbing the first hill to see what’s there was an inspiration for hiking. This painting feels like if you climb the foothills and continue on, you’ll eventually reach the furthest pinnacle. It’s also a metaphor for life’s adventures and challenges as we (hopefully) become wiser as a result of those opportunities.”

The same environments that permeate Pippin’s canvases also come through in Tobey’s work. The stylized landscape painter grew up in Santa Fe and currently lives in southern California, where broad skies and billowing clouds dominate the artist’s views and compositions. Color also plays an important role as “it sets the tone and decides the atmosphere” of each piece. Mountains and mesas adorned with metallic ink are blanketed with a celestial glow as clouds swirl through vivid hues above, guiding our attention skyward.

“Sonic Desert” is a new mixed media piece in the show that pays homage to New Mexico and its spectacular skies. Tobey says of this painting: “Sonic Desert has an element of collage, which I’m really interested in right now. I love paper and its versatility, especially how it can add to the story of the painting. I love the crispness of the story of this painting, with the big New Mexico skies and rolling landscapes. I come from the perspective that the real landscape is in skies, and I like bringing that feature into my work.”

View the Inspired Views group exhibition catalog here and be sure to browse more new paintings by Aleta Pippin and Jami Tobey on our website.