AWA Show Results
Utah artist Julie Rogers won Best of Show and People’s Choice awards at December’s American Women Artists (AWA) Juried Competition at Texas Art Gallery in Dallas. Her winning piece trabajar depicts a woman working, with lively brush strokes and a muted palette. Second-place honors went to New Mexico painter Wendy Higgins for her mexican chair and Colorado sculptor Diane D. Mason for her japanese bantam rooster, while Cathryn Jenkins, Jan Mapes, Kim Casebeer, Leah Waichulis, and V. Vaughan received Awards of Recognition. In the competition among master signature members, Linda Glover Gooch earned the top award, and Joni Falk was the People’s Choice winner. In other news, painter Karen Vance and sculptor Cynthia Rigden have recently joined AWA as master signature members.
Painted Pony at Auction
A 2-foot-tall, bonded-marble sculpture of a horse painted by Hopi artist Buddy Tubinaghtewa recently sold at auction for $25,000. Commissioned by the Arizona-based Trail of Painted Ponies in association with the Midwest Chapter of the Young President’s Organization, the piece is titled mooti’y ma, or “go along first, in front of leading the way,” and covered with traditional Hopi designs featuring corn, eagle feathers, bear paws, and more. Proceeds from the auction, which was held at the Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale, AZ, benefit nonprofit organizations, especially the Hopi Educational Endowment Foundation, which is dedicated to educating and enriching the lives of young Hopi students in Arizona. “It is our pleasure to continue our commitment to philanthropy and the promotion of great art and artists,” said Rod Barker, president of the Trail of Painted Ponies. “This is a perfect example of how artists can partner with exceptional business people to do good things for deserving organizations.”
In Memoriam
Santa Fe artist Gene Tobey died in January at age 60 following a lengthy illness. Known for the stylized animal sculptures he created with his wife, Rebecca, Tobey began his career as a potter, sculptor, and art professor in Wyoming and Oregon in the 1970s. In 1985, he moved to Santa Fe, married Rebecca, and began collaborating with her on large, colorful ceramic pieces. Later, their artistic focus turned to bronzes with innovative patinas, and their recent work ranges from miniature animals to monumental bronzes such as the 15-foot-tall bear at Baylor University Law School in Waco, TX.
Out & About
Studio Gallery 27 has opened in Steamboat Springs, CO. The gallery represents artists from around the country…. Harold T. Holden’s bronze monarch at rest was dedicated at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City, OK, in November…. Luciane Antiques and Fine Art Gallery celebrated its grand opening in San Antonio, TX, in October, with a show of Sir Anthony Hopkins’ collection of ink-on-paper abstract landscapes…. Arizona sculptor Curt Mattson won the President’s Award for his bronze two old pros at the American Artists Professional League show in New York in November.
Warrior Day
The Santa Fe City Council recently honored Della Warrior, the outgoing president of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, NM, declaring November 30 “President Della Warrior Day.” Recognized for her significant contributions to the community as well as the advancement of American Indian arts and culture, Warrior ran the IAIA for the past 12 years. During her term, she battled budget cuts, expanded programs, and opened a new campus. A member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma, Warrior stepped down from her post in January but will remain on the school’s board as a consultant.
Dixon Tribute
Look for the release of a documentary film on the art and life of renowned artist Maynard Dixon [1875-1946] this fall, as Los Angeles-based Cloud World, LLC is currently in post-production on Maynard Dixon: Heart of an Artist. The film will highlight images of Dixon’s paintings, murals, and drawings, along with insightful interviews with family, friends, scholars, and other members of the art community. For more information, visit www.maynarddixondoc.com.
Featured in March 2006