Show Preview | Holiday Block Party - Southwest Art Magazine

Santa Fe, NM
Canyon Road, December 15

Barry McCuan, Casita in the Valley, oil, 16 x 20.

This story was featured in the December 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art December 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.

With the holiday season fast approaching, the search for unique, personal gifts begins in earnest. This year, the galleries on the 400 block of Canyon Road in Santa Fe, NM, hope to give visitors the opportunity to find that special gift and to spread their love of fine art to their community and beyond. The Canyon Road 400 Holiday Block Party brings together six galleries for a festive night of art. The party is held on Friday, December 15, from 3 to 7 p.m.

: Elizabeth Hahn, Dances With Chickens III, acrylic, 12 x 12.

: Rod Hubble, Winter Chamisa, oil, 12 x 12.

: John Axton, Spanish Trails, oil, 20 x 30.

That evening, Ventana Fine Art, Mark White Fine Art, Canyon Road Contemporary, Pippin Contemporary, Wiford Gallery, and Sage Creek Gallery open their doors for art enthusiasts to browse a wide array of works that are priced below $1,000. Nancy Ouimet, owner of Canyon Road Contemporary, says the group wanted to host an event to connect with the community and provide enthusiasts an opportunity to purchase art at a reasonable price point. Artists present demonstrations throughout the evening in painting, sculpture, and glass, with those works also up for sale. Artists participating in the event include Gina Rossi, Cody Hooper, Elizabeth Hahn, Doug Gillis, Rebecca Tobey, Matthew Higginbotham, and Suzanne Donazetti.

: Dick Evans, Coming Light, acrylic, 12 x 12.

: Doug Gillis, 639, glass, 20 x 20.

: Guilloume, Entrega Total, bronze, 7 x 6 x 6.

Many of the works are small in size and aren’t displayed in the gallery on a regular basis, says Aleta Pippin, owner of Pippin Contemporary. Many artists may also create brand-new work specifically for the event. Pippin, who is an abstract artist, brings a few works to the event that she calls “palette paintings.” “I would create them out of whatever paint was leftover on my palette after a larger painting,” she says. “It was fun for me to do because it caused me to focus more due to the limitations of the paint.”

“We wanted to create a unique, festive shopping experience that helps bring this work into the eye of the public in an otherwise slow season for the industry,” Ouimet says. The group hopes to make the event an annual celebration of the giving season in the future. —Mackenzie McCreary

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505.983.0433