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'Layers of color and light': Millicent Rogers Museum to host the Pastel Society of New Mexico's 32nd national exhibition
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Arainbow of enchanted colors awaits visitors who gaze at a bevy of landscapes, snowscapes, still lifes and portraits in Taos.
The Millicent Rogers Museum is hosting the Pastel Society of New Mexico鈥檚 32nd national pastel exhibition from Saturday, March 30, through June 2.
This year鈥檚 show drew 255 entries, up from 190 of last year. Judges chose over 60 works to hang in the museum. Numerous cash and sponsorship awards totaling more than $10,000 awaits the winners.
'Layers of color and light': Millicent Rogers Museum to host the Pastel Society of New Mexico's 32nd national exhibition
Juanita Nelson, who lives near Aztec, travels the state to capture landscapes, animals and portraits.
A home birth midwife, she became an artist eight years ago after taking a single pastel class.
鈥淚 took a class from a friend and it was like somebody flipped on a switch in my brain,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 think (pastels) are very flexible in that I can work in layers of color and light.鈥�
鈥淎biqui煤 Winter鈥� grew from one of her trips.
Its snowy cliffs climb like stepping stones into a New Mexico blue sky.
鈥淭hat just caught my eye,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was wanting to do a piece that captured that depth of field.
鈥淭hat area of Abiqui煤 at Ghost Ranch 鈥� everybody paints the same thing,鈥� Nelson continued. 鈥淚 wanted to do something reflective of that area but that was different.
鈥淚鈥檓 obsessed,鈥� Nelson added. 鈥淚鈥檝e been catching babies for 45 years but what I really want to do is stay home and paint.鈥�
Placitas resident John DeSpain began working in pastels just four years ago. A former graphic artist, he has always worked in pastels.
鈥淚 think because it鈥檚 a combination of drawing and painting, but you get that immediate color,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s I learn more, it is really a flexible medium. You can do abstract, illustration, portraiture. I鈥檝e always felt it鈥檚 never gotten its due; it鈥檚 the younger brother of oil painting.鈥�
DeSpain takes a photo-realist view of landscapes and still lifes. His piece 鈥淪anguine鈥� offers a close-up view of a richly-colored blanket flower.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 from a rest area near Salt Lake City,鈥� he said.
Rio Rancho鈥檚 Gail Sacharczuk gave an expressionist take on Arizona鈥檚 Wukoki Pueblo, an abandoned structure near Flagstaff. The pueblo was occupied between 1100 and 1200 C.E.
Bold slashes of color add drama to the rocky building rising from a sandstone pedestal.
鈥淚鈥檓 not a hyperrealist,鈥� Sacharczuk said. 鈥淚鈥檓 about dramatic use of color and expression.
鈥淭here was utter and complete silence; there were no birds. You could feel the spirituality of their presence.鈥�
Sacharczuk moved here from the Philadelphia area, where she worked in fashion design. She took a pastel class when she moved here.
鈥淚 just fell in love,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll the colors are like peacocks; they鈥檙e fixed. You can layer them. It was a natural fit for me.鈥�
The show marks the first time Sacharczuk has been accepted.
鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 over the moon. I feel very honored; the level of talent is unbelievable.鈥�
