An issue full of uplifting work
April Moon by Mallory Agerton.
At Southwest Art, we take pride in laboring over the details of each issue. That includes everything from choosing the best images to ensuring that every story is a pleasure to read. As we work to perfect the words, sentences, and paragraphs, there are always a few nuggets that leap right off the page (or rather, the computer screen) and stay with me long after I step away from my desk. It might be a poignant anecdote an artist has shared, an elegantly written description of a painting, or a memorable quote.
This time around, one of those nuggets came from profile artist Mallory Agerton. Speaking about the importance of highlighting the positive in art, Agerton says, “I felt like there wasn’t enough peace and tranquility around, and thought, ‘I’ll try to work on that.’” Something about the simplicity and directness of that last phrase—I’ll try to work on that—really struck me. Indeed, Agerton’s quiet paintings are suffused with a sense of peace.
As I pondered Agerton’s goals, my thoughts naturally turned to our preview of an exhibition called The Heavens Declare! Celebrating the Glory of the Skies. This show at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, TX, brings together paintings by 10 artists that compel us to look up and marvel at the wonder of the sky above us. Admire just a few of the artworks in the show, and the word “uplifting” comes immediately to mind.
In fact, there are a number of stories in this issue that are filled with a sense of hope, color, and joy. For example, the paintings of New Mexico artist Kathleen Frank are a riot of colors—vivid greens, blues, oranges, and yellows, fearlessly deployed and orchestrated to highlight the patterns and textures of the western landscape. “I look for the brilliance and gaiety of life around me,” Frank says. “There is so much joy and adventure to paint in one lifetime.”
And be sure to check out the two-person show set to debut at Ventana Fine Art in Santa Fe this May. It pairs the landscapes of Frank Balaam with the still lifes of Angus, both bursting with vibrant hues. The result of this combination is a joyful visual experience for anyone lucky enough to see it in person.
Taken together, we think these stories are a powerful reminder of the positive impact that great art has on our lives, and we hope you feel the same.
This Editor’s Letter appeared in the April/May 2022 issue of Southwest Art magazine.