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In 2019, sa国际传媒官网网页入口 photographer Allen Morrison was desperately searching for a golden New Mexico field of sunflowers.

He found it near Loveland, Colorado, during a family trip.

鈥淭here was this massive sunflower field,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 stayed there for sunset.鈥�

Aesthetic support: 'The Architecture of Beauty: Works by Prominent New Mexico Artists' helps those battling cancer

His road trip produced 鈥淏efore the Storm,鈥� one of 360 works of art displayed in 鈥淭he Architecture of Beauty: Works by Prominent New Mexico Artists鈥� at Gallery with a Cause. Located inside the New Mexico Cancer Center, gallery organizers donate 40% of each sale toward the center鈥檚 foundation to support patients鈥� nonmedical needs during their illness and recovery. This year, 16 artists added their work to the show in a variety of materials ranging from photography to sculpture.

Morrison came to photography after a 2014 layoff from a corporate human resources job.

鈥淚t led me to a second career in photography,鈥� he said.

When his wife won a trip to the Gal谩pagos Islands, he drove to Costco and bought a camera.

鈥淎t that first shutter, I was like this is what I鈥檓 going to do for the rest of my life,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was the most dramatic thing that ever happened to me.鈥�

He shot 鈥淏efore the Storm鈥� low, beginning with the sunflowers, then focusing up on the cloud-filled sky.

This marks Morrison鈥檚 first showing at Gallery with a Cause.

鈥淚 just think it鈥檚 an amazing cause,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y brother-in-law lives with us and he鈥檚 been living with pancreatic cancer for seven years.鈥�

Today, Morrison owns Land of Enchantment Photography in Old Town.

El Prado resident Alexandra Kurtz was studying to become a graphic designer at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design when she took an elective pottery class.

鈥淚 ended up doing the next three years in ceramics,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love the feel of clay and the focus required.鈥�

Today she sells her work at a Taos art gallery and at fine crafts shows.

Kurtz creates three-dimensional tiles filled with natural flora and fauna, as well as birds, plants and insects.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e always giving up a little to the kiln gods,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t does require a little letting go of the results. If I鈥檓 doing little details, it might dry by the time I get back, so I can鈥檛 walk away.鈥�

鈥淐utleaf Coneflower鈥� emerged from a meadow of yellow coneflowers near the Taos Ski Valley.

鈥淢ost of my work is based on what I see,鈥� Kurtz said. 鈥淚 take pictures of them. There鈥檚 a trail here toward the ski valley where there are a lot of coneflowers. They get at least three feet tall. They seem to be very attractive to bees and butterflies.鈥�

Kurtz grew up in Ontario, Canada, and Vermont. She moved to Taos鈥檚 beckoning mountains to become a ski bum.

鈥淚 had no idea what a creative community there is here,鈥� she said.

The show is not Kurtz鈥檚 first time at Gallery with a Cause.

鈥淗aving spent time in hospitals by myself and with other people, the opportunity to have something to look at in the waiting room is good,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 like that it helps raise funds for people who are going through stuff.鈥�