Ten artists based in New Mexico talk about their work
RICHARD ALAN NICHOLS
Richard Alan Nichols, Finally Home, oil, 30 x 40.
Where do you live and work? For almost three decades now, I have had the privilege of creating in the incredible Taos art colony. And for over a decade, I have been working in a historic studio located on the grounds of the Ernest L. Blumenschein Home & Museum. Blumenschein was one of the founding members of the Taos Society of Artists.
How would you describe your style? I would say that I’m an abstract realist.
Where did you study art? I studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago from 1981 to 1985. But as I believe Michelangelo said, when he was 87 years young, “I’m still learning.”
What is your proudest art accomplishment? I am most proud of those fleeting moments when I comprehend what my teachers were explaining to me and I’m applying it.
When you’re not creating art, what else do you enjoy doing? Spending time with my wife Debbie, my daughter Kayla, and my son Ricky—each of them teach me how to be a better husband, father, and human being. They keep me centered and humble.
What galleries represent your work? Parsons Gallery of the West, Taos, NM; Concetta D. Gallery, Albuquerque, NM; Dakkya Galleries, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos, NM.
SOMERS RANDOLPH
Somers Randolph, Untitled, alabaster, L14.
Where do you live and work? I have lived in Santa Fe, NM, since 1997.
What are your favorite subjects to sculpt? For 40 years I’ve been refining a vocabulary of shapes by carving them from solid rock.
How would you describe your style? I try not to assign much verbiage to my carvings. I prefer to let the work speak for itself. The spirals, knots, and woven curves resonate on a subconscious level.
Where did you study art? I attended the Corcoran School of the Arts and later got a degree in art history. But one can study art anywhere—art surrounds you, if you notice it.
What is your proudest art accomplishment? My works are in major collections and museums worldwide, but that is not a major source of my pride. I do, however, take pride in my persistence. I’ve been fortunate all along that people want what I like to carve. I still get to spend my time making shapes. What could be better?
When you’re not creating art, what else do you enjoy doing? I enjoy my dogs and my friends.
What galleries represent your work? www.somersrandolph.com.
LYNN MCLAIN
Lynn McLain, Monument Surprise, watercolor, 16 x 30.
Where do you live and work? I live and work in the mountain community of Tres Ritos, NM, which is located in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains 25 miles east of Taos.
What are your favorite subjects to paint? I enjoy trying to capture the beauty of the landscape that God has created.
How would you describe your style? I consider my work creative realism.
Where did you study art? I cannot say that I studied art. I did study architecture at Texas Tech University. God blessed me with the artistic tools and the will to paint, so I paint.
What is your proudest art accomplishment? My proudest moments in art happen when I see the advancements of my workshop students. The accomplishments in art that I am most proud of are receiving the Dolphin Fellowship from the American Watercolor Society and receiving Best of Show from the National Watercolor Society.
When you’re not creating art, what else do you enjoy doing? I enjoy spending time with my wife and family. I also enjoy traveling the Southwest searching for subject matter, which involves visiting many of our national parks.
What galleries represent your work? Sage Fine Art Gallery, Taos, NM; Acosta-Strong Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM; www.lynnmclain.com.
CARRIE QUADE
Carrie Quade, She Said, bronze, 9 x 22 x 9.
Where do you live and work? My home and studio in Santa Fe, NM, provides views in all directions and skies that give me constant entertainment.
What are your favorite subjects to paint and sculpt? I love painting the very dramatic cloud formations that I see almost daily. My sculpture work has been centered around my interest in and love of animals. Architectural pieces and public artworks have been my focus for the last few years.
How would you describe your style? My style is ever-changing and is currently moving into bas-relief, interactive works that I create with computer sculpture programs.
Where did you study art? At the University of Delaware and in ongoing workshops.
What is your proudest art accomplishment? It is always the next piece I plan to do.
When you’re not creating art, what else do you enjoy doing? I think artists are always creating, whether it be in gardening, home decor, or crafts. My studio is set up for many different disciplines, so I’m always creating something! I enjoy gardening and have completed many hand-sewn quilts.
What galleries represent your work? New Masters Gallery, Carmel, CA; www.quadesculptures.com.
KRYSTEEN WASZAK
Krysteen Waszak, Embudo Valley on a Lazy Autumn Day, oil, 30 x 48.
Where do you live and work? I live in Albuquerque, NM, and keep a studio in Taos. But I’m a plein-air painter, so the outdoors is my main studio.
What are your favorite subjects to paint? The ever-changing landscape, seasons, light, and bucolic way of life in the Southwest are my favorite subjects.
How would you describe your style? I’m a contemporary plein-air painter and a colorist. I work large for an outdoor painter, which gives me the opportunity to interpret the landscape with a loose and intuitive style.
Where did you study art? My grandfather owned an advertising and illustration firm, so I saw and absorbed excellent art and drawing from both my father and grandfather. For many years I painted, carved, and decorated Southwest-style folk-art furniture. And I attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA.
What is your proudest art accomplishment? My proudest accomplishment is my lifelong career as an artist. It’s my big creative picture that I am working on called life.
When you’re not creating art, what else do you enjoy doing? I enjoy skiing, swimming, hiking, horses, trailer camping, travel, the ocean, my family, my dog Jax, and food.
What galleries represent your work? www.krysteenwaszak.com.
POLLY JACKSON
Polly Jackson, The Road Home, acrylic, 36 x 60.
Where do you live and work? I live in downtown Albuquerque, and my studio is in my home.
What are your favorite subjects to paint? Landscapes, flowers, and figurative work. I’m inspired by anything that’s a little unusual—an odd angle, a powerful sky, a surprise. I love to paint familiar places I’ve been to and loved. New Mexico landscapes have all of these attributes.
How would you describe your style? Contemporary impressionism.
Where did you study art? I attended Trinity University, University of Arizona, College of Santa Fe, and University of New Mexico, where I earned a degree in studio art. I’ve been painting for 45 years.
What other artists have influenced your work? Alice Neel and Claude Monet. Wayne Thiebaud and John Singer Sargent. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Richard Diebenkorn.
What is your proudest art accomplishment? I have a painting in the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, NM. It is part of the Capitol Art Foundation, on permanent exhibition.
When you’re not creating art, what else do you enjoy doing? Teaching drawing and painting through University of New Mexico’s continuing education program. I enjoy seeing the progress in students who genuinely want to learn.
What galleries represent your work? www.pollyjackson.com.
RICHARD PRATHER
Richard Prather, Diablo Canyon, oil, 30 x 40.
Where do you live and work? In the wonderful town of Placitas, NM.
What are your favorite subjects to paint? First and foremost it’s the light and how it interacts with the rocks, soil, and plants found in the canyons, mesas, and arroyos of New Mexico.
How would you describe your style? It’s somewhere between representational and impressionistic. I’m always seeking to subdue or eliminate redundant detail and keep only that which is essential for conveying what I’m trying say.
Where did you study art? I’m largely self-taught, and there have been countless people over 50-plus years who have helped, taught, and mentored me.
What is your proudest art accomplishment? Earning my Signature Membership and winning several Awards of Excellence in the Oil Painters of America was great. But the most humbling experience is every time someone is moved enough by my work to spend their hard-earned cash on it. That’s the ultimate compliment.
When you’re not creating art, what else do you enjoy doing? Spending time with my wife and our dog Coty and enjoying life in New Mexico.
What galleries represent your work? Masterpiece Gallery Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM; Karen Wray Fine Art, Los Alamos, NM; Marta Stafford Fine Art, Marble Falls, TX; www.richardprather.com.
CONNIE FALK
Connie Falk, Piedra Lisa, oil, 11 x 14.
Where do you live and work? In Placitas, NM, a small community full of artists in the northern foothills of the Sandia Mountains.
What are your favorite subjects to paint? I paint a lot of landscapes, both plein-air and in the studio, and I also have a series of geometric designs I created on the computer.
How would you describe your style? Evolving and eclectic. I am always experimenting. My favorite paintings are those that push beyond realistic colors but somehow still work.
Where did you study art? I started taking introductory drawing and painting classes nine years prior to my 2013 retirement. My formal art training involved classes and independent study with Craig Cully at New Mexico State University.
What is your proudest art accomplishment? I was honored to have my work juried into the Albuquerque Museum’s ArtsThrive show last year and to have been invited to participate twice in the New Mexico Cancer Center Show.
When you’re not creating art, what else do you enjoy doing? During the pandemic I was hiking in the Sandias several times a week, which has led to lots of paintings! Now that restrictions are reduced, I am back at the gym doing yoga and lifting weights.
What galleries represent your work? www.cfalk.artspan.com.
GARY BYRD
Gary Byrd, Cowboy and Indian, oil, 30 x 40.
Where do you live and work? Sandia Park, NM, which is in the mountains about 45 miles south of Santa Fe.
What are you favorite subjects to paint? Cowboys, Native Americans, horses, and cattle.
How would you describe your style? I call it impressionistic realism. I like to depict subjects realistically, but with a freedom that lets you know it is a work of art.
Where did you study art? I’ve spent a lot of time in western museums closely observing the art there. And I have taken several workshops and private classes.
What is your proudest art accomplishment? Having fellow artists comment favorably about my work and want to trade a work of mine for one of theirs. Of course, having collectors purchase my paintings is the affirmation (both mental and financial) one always needs.
When you’re not creating art, what else do you enjoy doing? I like traveling with my wife and photography. We also enjoy hiking and wrangling our three high-energy dogs. And we are looking forward to having fun with our new granddaughter.
What galleries represent your work? This past year I have been a guest artist in shows at Manitou Galleries in Santa Fe and Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale. My website is www.garybyrdfineart.com.
CARLA FORREST
Carla Forrest, Spectral Journey, acrylic, 24 x 24.
Where do you live and work? I have lived in Albuquerque for over 27 years. My art studio is in Albuquerque’s historic Old Town.
What are your favorite subjects to paint? New Mexico is a painter’s paradise—sky, land, wild rivers, mountains, and desert flora—and the greatest inspiration for both my plein-air and objective abstract work.
How would you describe your style? I paint the “new West” in a colorist palette and neo-impressionistic style inspired by direct observation of nature and life.
Where did you study art? I earned a bachelor’s degree in studio art from State University of New York and a master’s degree in teaching visual arts from Rochester Institute of Technology.
What is your proudest art accomplishment? As the first elected president of the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, I expanded the fledgling group into an internationally recognized organization dedicated to promoting plein-air painting and raising awareness about conservation in New Mexico.
When you’re not creating art, what else do you enjoy doing? My parallel career is a vibrant practice as a board-certified executive and leadership coach.
What galleries represent your work? Carla Forrest Fine Art Studio & Gallery, Albuquerque, NM; Weyrich Gallery, Albuquerque, NM; New Mexico Art League, Albuquerque, NM; www.carlaforrest.com.
This story appeared in the August/September 2021 issue of Southwest Art magazine.