Posts

The combination of painted line, ethereal color movement, vivid patterning and sculptural luminosity will blend together for a bold and dynamic visual display in “Emotional Expressions in Color,” opening July 7th from 5-7pm at the gallery. This group exhibition will highlight the work of sculptor Suzanne Wallace Mears alongside painters Stephanie Paige, Liz Barber and Elizabeth Hahn. The painters in the show compliment each other’s aesthetic; Stephanie Paige’s horizontal hues ground us in a meditative color experience while Liz Barber’s bursts of floating forms excite our psyche. Elizabeth Hahn brings us back to reality with her figurative work, which also continues to immerse us in vibrant displays of color but with whimsical patterning.

Paige’s symmetrical compositions typically lend themselves to square and rectangular picture planes, however for this exhibition the artist has produced circular shaped paintings with a similar aesthetic. In “Be True” and “Luna’s Ocean,” variations of a single color tone blend together and are balanced around a contrasting line of pigment. Pleasing for our eye and mind, Paige’s pigment and plaster paintings are representative of awe-inspiring moments found within the natural world.

Barber is similarly inspired by nature and its seasonal rhythms. The Georgia artist favors the springtime when waves of color and intriguing shapes begin to emerge from the environment. Barber’s excitement for the season shows in her work; many of her paintings are named for the spring season’s cool rain, soft light and sweet song. “I typically focus on botanical elements,” says Barber of her work. “Buds popping out on tree limbs, flower petals emerging, grass pushing through the ground…this is the inspiration for this body of work.”

Hahn has a more representational and POP art approach when it comes to portraying her experience with nature. The Santa Fe artist inserts curtailed figures into her snapshot compositions of juxtaposed patterns and bright colors. Most of her work is focused around feet and their intimate interaction with the environment; blue high heels dance across wood floors while patterned cowboy boots traverse a desert environment. “Walking has always been my exercise, my therapy and where all my ideas for art come to me,” explains the artist of her preferred subject matter. Hahn’s body of work is a joyful reminder of life’s simple pleasures and wondrous views, while acting as a welcomed contrast to the otherwise abstract aesthetic of the exhibition.

Are You Late for a 10:30 Class by Elizabeth Hahn at Pippin Contemporary

Are You Late for a 10:30 Class?, Elizabeth Hahn, 30×30″ acrylic

Join us for the opening reception of this exuberant exhibition on Friday, July 7th from 5-7pm at the gallery.

Rebecca Haines, Paint OutThis weekend is the Canyon Road Paint & Sculpt Out, a lively event where artists demonstrate their creative process along historic Canyon Road. Artists bring paint, clay, fire, glass, easels and more to this event, and give visitors an interactive art experience as they involve onlookers with their process. Autumn is a beautiful time of year in Santa Fe with sunny blue skies and crisp mountain air, providing a brilliant backdrop for the event.

Alongside the visual artists, music students from Santa Fe public schools will perform from 1-3pm, and a parade of all 500 performers will take place at noon. Choirs, string ensembles, bands and more will participate in what is a highly anticipated event for the students.

This year at Pippin Contemporary, Cody Hooper, Gina Rossi, and Rebecca Haines will participate in the Paint & Sculpt Out. Watch Cody’s light-infused abstracts take form through his layering and blending process; see Gina’s cloud and mountainscapes evoke the magic of a Santa Fe sunset; and witness the soft personalities of wild animals come to life in Rebecca’s contemporary wildlife paintings.

Cody Hooper, Paint Out

Gina Rossi, Paint Out

Join us on Friday evening 5-7pm to kick off the weekend with Aleta Pippin’s exhibition, For the Love of Color. The vibration of color in Aleta’s new work will energize your evening and lift your spirits as you experience the freedom and passion imbued in each piece.

Aleta Pippin, Santa Fe abstract painterThis October, an explosion of color will enliven the gallery with Aleta Pippin’s exhibition For the Love of Color. The show will run from October 12th through October 26th, with an opening reception on Friday, October 14th, kicking off the weekend of the Canyon Road Paint & Sculpt Out.

For this exhibition, Pippin is exploring new imagery within abstraction using both acrylics and oils. Vivid color continues to be central to her artistic expression with painting palettes that vary from soft mingling hues to strong contrasting colors. Swirling movement and flames of soft color rise up the canvas in Radiance, a 60×36” oil painting, while energizing motion and layers of striking hues vibrate against each other in Color Burst, a 36×36” oil on canvas.

Pippin’s intuitive painting style allows her to freely express her personal visions through abstract art. “My goal with every painting is to impart an internal expression that flows freely through me,” says Pippin. “It’s basically a narrative inspired by the paint.”

Color Burst by Santa Fe artist Aleta PippinColor Burst by Aleta Pippin

Pippin is also revisiting pouring the paint, a technique she explored many years ago in her career. Feeling drawn to the free flowing movement of the paint and the ambiguity of the outcome, Pippin is now approaching the process with a broader skill set and renewed vision. New poured pieces will be on display for the exhibition including Magenta Pour,  48 x 48”, oil. Pippin says of this piece:

“In 2003 through 2005 I used the process of pouring the color. I liked the large splashes and serendipitous events occurring through the use of this process. All of those paintings were done using acrylics; I’d never tried it with oils. So in revisiting the technique, I decided to do some of the paintings using oils. I loved what happened. The color melded together differently than acrylics. I plan on continuing to fine-tune this process.”

Magenta Pour by Aleta Pippin, Santa Fe artistMagenta Pour by Aleta Pippin

Read Aleta Pippin: For the Love of Color full press release and browse the exhibition catalog. You can also view new inventory on Pippin’s artist page. We look forward to seeing you at the opening reception on October 14th, 5-7pm.

renoir-ball-at-the-moulin-galette-2

Join Pippin Contemporary for ARTfeast

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

“Holiday Flair” by Aleta Pippin

It’s not uncommon to hear visitors compare Santa Fe to a village in Europe, especially in the quiet of winter. We’re a town with a central square, charming architectural unity and a friendly personality. For a few hours this Friday though, the streets of our little hamlet will host a scene more befitting of the City of Lights. The Edible Art Tour (EAT) is Santa Fe’s own moveable feast, and Pippin Contemporary is preparing to bring on the metropolitan glitz.

EAT is the most popular event of ARTfeast weekend, a fundraiser for local nonprofit ARTsmart. The organization, founded in 1993, aims to connect Santa Fe’s strong art community with Santa Fe public schools. Through 2012, ARTsmart had distributed over $1,000,000 for outreach efforts, endowment funds and art supply donations to schools.

For this year’s EAT, Pippin Contemporary and 34 other galleries around Santa Fe have teamed up with stellar local restaurants for a night of fine dining and art watching. Pippin is hosting award winning African themed restaurant Jambo Cafe, and we’ll be pairing their bold flavors with bright canvases and glowing sculptures from all of our stellar artists.

Just make sure to pause for a moment and relish our offerings. A moveable feast is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace!