February Visual Arts
Artistic Theme: The Earth Has Music for Those Who Listen
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February Artists’ Virtual Art Show is now available for your viewing pleasure.
All artist images are copyright protected and may not be duplicated or shared without express consent of
the artist. Click on images below to view artist’s image triptych and learn more about the artist.
M. Jane Gilbreath has been exploring color and texture through an ever
changing palette of materials in the creation of unique jewelry and fiber
arts for over 40 years as Calliope Design. Her first weavings were
potholders done at age 8 when she also first discovered knitting and
sewing. Weaving began in earnest in 1978 when she acquired her first
loom (there are now three). Inspiring visits to the Tucson Gem and
Mineral Show next led to jewelry making — combining her fascination
with the exploration of nature’s surprising creations with a distinctive,
often playful, human imagination. A member of the Tucson Handweavers
and Spinners Guild since 1978, Jane’s constantly evolving and expanding
creative work has been delighting audiences at guild events and Open
Studio Tours over the many years since. Jane may be contacted via email:
CalliopeDesign@gmail.com
“We live within ever-changing swirls of color and texture. The most
outstanding and outrageous examples are found in nature - fibers,
stones, metals. These materials inspire the creation of functional and
whimsical objects that enhance our lives. The challenge and reward for
me is to combine these materials to make objects that are well-crafted
and appealing. Each must be something that wants to be touched;
something that when seen, worn or used will lift the spirit and bring a
smile.”
Preston Photography is the collaborative work of Roger Preston and the
late Roxanne Bebee Blatz. They met in 1976 as students at the University
of Missouri-Columbia and married in December of 1978. They lived in
Kansas City, Missouri, New York City, and Albuquerque before moving to
Placitas in 2004. Roger has worked as a commercial photographer in
NYC which offers many kinds of subjects/experiences. While working in
many of these genres he did mostly product and architectural
photography. Roxanne worked in structural engineering. New Mexico’s
beauty adds well to the national and international subjects of their
images.
Roger says, “I’ve always liked working with wide angle lenses, seeking a
near-far relationship that tells a story. However, zoom lenses nowadays
make transitioning from wide to long quick and easy. So, my approach
has changed in recent years. What attracts me is subjects of beauty,
humor, incongruity, intrigue, and those that are thought provoking. I like
seeing and capturing abstract images. Lately, wildlife—especially
cranes—as well as night-scape and astro-photography have been a current
interest. Each have a season. So, planning and getting out there during
that season is essential.”
In 2013, Placitas photographer Mary Lee Dereske began to offer her
work online. Thanks to this modern “gallery,” Dereske’s work has sold
throughout the United States and overseas. She has produced several
photo books, including “Trees Are My Muse," which was featured in the
Sandoval Signpost and in the Albuquerque Journal arts section. Dereske
believes it is important to hone her craft. She has completed college
level photography classes and continues with annual professional
workshops. Please visit her website to see more of her photography:
www.maryleedereske.com
Mary says, “If you ask me what three words describe my photography,
they would be Nature, Travel, Life — all capitalized. They are where I
find my inspiration, my subjects, my thoughts. Translating the feelings of
a 3D world into a flat two dimensional image is difficult. I continue
trying, what else can I say? For the Placitas Artist Series show I am
showing a selection of New Mexico images.”
mdereske@comcast.net
maryleedereske.com (Prints/gifts also available at maryleephoto.com)
Karl Hofmann taught humanities and art at universities around the
country. In 1976 he found himself in Placitas in a community of artists.
He taught at Sandia Prep for 19 years and worked on his craft of pottery.
He thinks of his pots as New Mexico landscapes in clay and hopes that,
like the mesas, they will last in their beauty and usefulness. Since retiring
from teaching, Karl has had time to explore other interests. He has
attended printmaking and pastel workshops.
Karl says,”My work is based on personal experiences. I am 'process
oriented', reveling in the material itself, like when a lump of clay evolves
into a shape or the various blocks of a linocut come together to produce
an image or the layers of pastel merge into landscape.” I am now using
my years of creating glazes with depth and a painterly effect to create
linocut prints and pastels.”
Katherine Christie Wilson lived all her life in Maine until moving to New
Mexico in 2008. She graduated from Colby College and later majored in
painting at the Portland School of Art (now Maine College of Art). She
received her Masters Degree in counseling from the University of Maine.
She began her art career working in oils and watercolors, and, during the
1980’s created silkscreen prints, posters and cards. In the 1990’s she
worked for BekArts, painting custom designs on ceramic tile. Her
paintings and serigraphs have been featured in many solo and group
shows New Mexico. She has been represented by several galleries and
showrooms in New Mexico, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and New
Jersey.
Katherine says, “Since retiring from a career in education and counseling,
I have focused primarily on oil painting and watercolors. I am is fascinated
by light and shadow, color, and texture. I am drawn to the atmosphere and
geology of New Mexico and to the softer, greener landscapes of Maine,
where I spend the summer. My landscape paintings highlight my love of
the outdoors. I work from my own photos and, if the weather permits, I
like to paint ‘en plein air’ or on location.”
kwildesigns@gmail.com
