Behind-the-scenes gallery photos at Pippin Contemporary

Dad called me the “Why girl”. At the age of two I continually asked him why? Why this? Why that? It seemed like everything I saw or felt was fair game. Dad was very patient!

As is the case with most children, I was so excited about the world, I wanted to know everything. I wanted to explore everything. I was also intrigued with what I perceived to be “the beyond”. We lived above a store in Battle Creek, Michigan when I was 3 to 4 years old. My bed was in the corner and when I sat on the bed in that corner, I could hear muted sounds, like voices, so that was my favorite place to sit and listen. As a child, I found this so intriguing – positive I was hearing other-worldly sounds. You guessed it, my bed was probably over a ventilation shaft and the voices were those from the store below. However, I prefer my child’s fantasy; it’s much more interesting.

I’ve always been one to push the envelope. In high school, I could hardly wait to get out and begin living my life. I took classes during summer school every year and toward the end of the first semester of my senior year, I went to the office and asked how many credits I had and how many were necessary to graduate. I had enough credits and told the counselor that I wouldn’t be returning for the last semester. Then I went home and told my parents I was finished. Dad said, “get a job.” I realize my parents’ approach isn’t acceptable today, but in the 60’s things were different or my parents were…not sure which. I just knew that I wanted change.

Since the death of my husband in 2017, I’ve been in another phase of self-exploration and expansion. I have been blessed with a full and exciting life and could continue happily in Santa Fe. However, Austin is calling and I realize it’s time for me to push the envelope again. To that end, I’ve rented an apartment and once there will locate studio space and continue producing passionately energetic, colorful abstract paintings. Of course, I’ll keep my home in beautiful Santa Fe and continue to enjoy its amazing weather and culturally rich environment.

I’m so excited about this new adventure and will keep you posted.

New Work from Aleta’s Personal Collection
Passion by Aleta Pippin, oil on canvas, 40″ x 40″, Collection of the Artist
Not Finished Until I’m Done by Aleta Pippin, acrylic on 2 panels, 3″ x 54″ x 2″ and acrylic on yupo paper affixed to 3 panels, 4″ x 60″ x 2″ – Collection of the Artist
New Work – Available
Momentum is an abstract painting created by Aleta Pippin Santa Fe contemporary painter
Momentum by Aleta Pippin, acrylic on panel, 44″ x 44″ x 2″

Aleta Pippin is constantly evolving her creative practice. Over the course of her career the Santa Fe artist has poured, brushed and scraped; she’s worked with oil, acrylic and mixed media as well as canvas, aluminum and panel surfaces. Pippin is even known to incorporate digital and new media components into her paintings. “I continue to experiment which is key for my creative muse,” she says. “New ideas are continually born, some finding their way into new work.” Unchanging in Pippin’s process, however, is her commitment to color and the emotional effect it can have on the human psyche. “Color is my driving force,” she states.

Dreamland III by Aleta Pippin

While impressions from Pippin’s early life would become a key inspiration for her artistic career, she didn’t begin painting until 1992 upon moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Influenced by Santa Fe’s creative culture, she began taking classes and experimenting with various media and painting styles until honing in on acrylic and oils. In 2003 Pippin fully committed herself to her art, which she considered to be her third career after building a business and raising a family. “My passion for painting became realized when it bloomed into a full-time career,” Pippin explains. “I improved my technique and found my voice – becoming an abstract painter.”

Trip Through the Cosmos by Aleta Pippin

Pippin’s July exhibition, “Here We Go Round in Circles,” is indicative of her commitment to creative exploration as well as her early and ongoing passion for painting in oils – the medium she always returns to even when continuously exploring other avenues. Her love of color, as always, is consistent throughout the exhibition. Her spontaneous nature and personal life impressions also remain constant across this body of work. “I do not plan the images,” she explains. “They are intuitive interactions created by life experience, accessing my broader knowledge. The impressions of my childhood environment express themselves in my paintings. They show up as color, freedom and energetic movement.”

Aglow I by Aleta Pippin

Pippin’s return to oil – her original inspiration for pursuing a career as an artist – is represented in pieces like “Joy Spreads,” “Carried by the Wind” and “Summertime, Sunrise.” Circular paintings such as “Trip Through the Cosmos” illustrate Pippin’s current explorations painting in the round. For these pieces, Pippin uses a variety of tools including her hands or a spinner to move paint across the panel. The panels are painted with colored resin, which incorporates acrylic or oil paint, and are often embellished with copper leaf or gold leaf details. “Resin is an interesting medium,” says the artist and gallery owner. “It accentuates the surface yet is a visual block to the viewer. In a way it says come closer, but not too close.”

Here We Go Round in Circles I by Aleta Pippin

Other mixed media pieces in the show are created using this process including “Fracture II” and “Through the Portal.” Here We Go Round in Circles opens with an artist reception on Friday, July 6th from 5-7pm. Click here to preview Pippin’s work in the online exhibition catalog.

 

Pippin Contemporary is moving to 409 Canyon Road

Preparations at our new gallery home at 409 Canyon Road are well underway and near completion. We’re highly anticipating our big move in a few weeks, and we know you’re looking forward to seeing the fresh new look of the former Tom Ross Gallery. Landscaping and outdoor sculpture is coming soon, but for now here is a sneak peek of what’s been going on inside…

You may have seen some of these photos on our Instagram profile,
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Pippin Contemporary is moving to 409 Canyon Road

Pippin Contemporary 409 Canyon Road

Pippin Contemporary 409 Canyon Road

Pippin Contemporary 409 Canyon Road

409 Canyon Road Pippin Contemporary

409 Canyon Road Pippin Contemporary

409 Canyon Road Pippin Contemporary

409 Canyon Road Pippin Contemporary

409 Canyon Road Pippin Contemporary

Don’t forget to RSVP for our Grand Opening & Fifth Anniversary Celebration on Memorial Day weekend. Call the gallery at 505-795-7476 or email pippincontemporary@gmail.com and let us know you’ll be there!

Art openings, summer days, artists studios, and more…enjoy this week in photos and follow us on Instagram @PippinContemporary for more Pippin Pics.

The Art and Soul of Color at Pippin Contemporary

Santa Fe’s Summer of Color is off to a great start! The Art and Soul of Color opened last Friday evening at the gallery with a great reception for Suzanne Wallace Mears and Stephanie Paige. Come experience this ethereal exhibition of light and color through July 1st.

Pippin Contemporary courtyard

The view from our front porch on a beautiful Santa Fe summer day.

Michael Ethridge studio

Michael Monroe Ethridge’s art studio in Naples, Florida. Michael has been busy in this creative space preparing for his show, The Art of Emotion, opening next weekend! Don’t miss the reception on July 3rd, 5-7pm, and see Michael paint in front of the gallery for the duration of the exhibit.

Last night was ARTsmart’s Edible Art Tour on Canyon Road. Twenty-five galleries hosted Santa Fe’s top restaurants for a delicious and spirited evening of art and hors d’oeuvres. We had a great night at Pippin Contemporary with Chef Ahmed Obo from Jambo Cafe and African drum and dance group Agalu. All ticket proceeds for this event went towards arts education in local public schools – thanks for your support!

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This week at Pippin Contemporary we watched artists paint on Canyon Road, hung new art in the gallery, and visited with our friends from American Art Collector Magazine. Check out our week in photos and follow us on Instagram @PippinContemporary for more behind-the-scenes Pippin Pics!

Cody Hooper Art at Pippin Contemporary

Cody Hooper paid us a visit on Saturday with these stunning paintings full of energy and light. We hung six new pieces in the gallery – visitors keep commenting on their depth, saying that peering into his panels is like entering another world.
Canyon Road Passport Quick Draw

Local artists lined the street on Canyon Road for the Passport to the Arts Quick Draw, where they created beautiful works of art in a short time frame. The paintings were then sold at a live auction benefiting the Santa Fe Public Schools Music Education Program.

Mode by Troy Pillow at Pippin Contemporary

New sculpture! ‘Mode’ by Troy Pillow is a contemporary stainless steel piece with kinetic elements.

American Art Collector Party

Gallery Director Ashley Wilson and Marketing Director Kelly Skeen at the Art Collector Magazine party at the beautiful La Posada. Always a great event with the Santa Fe art community..and with great hosts!

Greg Reiche at Pippin Contemporary

Greg Reiche brought several new Bloom sculptures in preparation for his upcoming show, “Into the Wind,” opening next Friday. More new pieces are on the way – and big things will be happening to our courtyard! Don’t miss the opening reception, Friday, May 22nd, 5-7pm.

A public sculpture dedication, new paintings, and excitement for our upcoming show this month..Check out our week in photos and follow us on Instagram for more Pippin Pics @PippinContemporary.

Aleta Pippin art at Pippin Contemporary

Aleta Pippin brought in several new paintings from her studio that we hung in the gallery. This piece is called Celebrate Color, a 60″ x 36″ oil/canvas. Come visit the gallery to see Aleta’s other new pieces!

Greg Reiche Public Sculpture

We spent Earth Day in Los Alamos for the grand opening of the new Nature Center where Greg Reiche’s sculpture was dedicated. The rain runoff from the roof cascades onto the stone, then goes into a reservoir that waters surrounding plants, while kinetic glass above it changes with light and air movement. A stunning sculpture and a beautiful Earth Day dedication ceremony. Watch this video of Greg sharing his inspiration for the piece.

Greg Reiche Blog

Greg Reiche’s Los Alamos sculpture was a site-specific commission, something that Greg does often for private and public clients. As part of our Contemporary Collector blog series, we talked to Greg about creating site-specific sculpture and how the commission process works. Read about it here.

Desert Rain by Cody Hooper at Pippin Contemporary

We love Cody Hooper’s artistic depiction of the “Desert Rain” we had this week. We’ve been sharing some paintings on Instagram from our artists that aren’t always hanging in the gallery or not yet added to the website..follow us @PippinContemporary for more “first look” opportunities.

Pippin Contemporary in Santa Fe New Mexico

We’re ready for Santa Fe summer – less than three weeks until our first show and then the Summer of Color begins! We’re extending our hours on Friday evenings and preparing for summer exhibitions, so check our events page for a full exhibition schedule.

This week at the gallery we’ve been rearranging sculpture, sending art to Australia, visiting local artist studios, and more. Check out our week in photos and follow us on Instagram @PippinContemporary for more behind-the-scenes gallery photos and previews of new work.

Tony Griffith Gallery Photo at Pippin Contemporary

A family visiting from Australia stopped to take a closer look at Tony Griffith’s resin paintings. They fell in love with the beautiful orange diptych and we sent it to Sydney! View more of Tony’s work.

Aleta Pippin's Santa Fe Studio

“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” – Pablo Picasso.
We paid a visit to the place where inspiration finds Aleta Pippin hard at work on a daily basis. Vibrant color and energetic paint splatters means new work is coming soon! Learn more about her Santa Fe studio space.

Pippin Contemporary at 200 Canyon Road

A sunny spring day inspired us to do some rearranging in our courtyard. Troy Pillow’s Re-Emergence moves with the wind in front of the gallery. More work from Troy is coming soon!

Detail of Allegro by Michael Monroe Ethridge at Pippin Contemporary

Did you know that Saturday, April 11th was Slow Art Day? Museum and gallery visitors around the world were encouraged to slow down and take a longer look at an intriguing work of art. After taking a closer look at Michael Monroe Ethridge’s Allegrowe noticed vivid color and texture we’d never seen before.

Pose by Troy Pillow in a Collector's Home

“We both fell in love with the clean lines of the sculpture, but when we got home we struggled with where we would place it to showcase it’s beauty. I think we found the perfect place, as you can see…”
Remember the sale of Troy Pillow’s Pose in the last edition of Pippin Pics? It has made two Colorado collectors very happy and looks beautiful in their home. If you have photos of Pippin Contemporary art displayed in your home or office, we’d love to see them! Send us your Pippin Pics at pippincontemporary@gmail.com.

This week at Pippin Contemporary has been full of sunny spring days, sales, and new sculpture. Check out our week in photos, and find us on Instagram at @PippinContemporary to follow our Santa Fe gallery life on Canyon Road!

Photo Apr 01, 9 13 32 AMStephanie Paige sent us some great photos from her California studio – here she works hard on a piece from her new Zen Garden Series, using actual leaves pressed into the plaster. We’ll be showing her Zen Garden paintings this June at the gallery.

Photo Apr 03, 12 43 15 PMAre you familiar with Greg Reiche’s Bloom sculptures? He’s now added a new dimension to the kinetic glass style with a three-panel screen, the only one of it’s kind. Come check it out in the gallery, it’s been bringing in colorful light from outside as well as a few Canyon Road window shoppers..

Photo Mar 22, 12 59 43 PMSpring has sprung in Santa Fe! Beautiful blooms against adobe and turquoise architecture make Canyon Road an even more enjoyable experience for our out of town visitors (and locals too, of course).

Photo Mar 26, 11 59 26 AMArt close up! This detail of Stephanie Paige’s “Love” shows the cracking textural details created with dry weather and plaster. Not only does nature inspire Stephanie’s work, it dictates the physical outcome of every piece.

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 presetSOLD! “Pose” by Troy Pillow went home with a Colorado couple who fell in love with the fluid sleek sculpture. It was a beautiful day to enjoy outdoor art on Canyon Road.

Photo Mar 31, 12 53 53 PMNew sculpture is coming – Greg Reiche came by the gallery to plan a new piece for the courtyard. He said this one was going to blow everyone away..we can’t wait for the installment!

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We received several new sculptures from Guilloume including this wall relief, “Family Growth.”