Santa Fe, NM
Hueys Fine Art, August 18-September 1
Rock Newcomb, Prehistoric Classic Mimbres, acrylic, 12 x 33.
This story was featured in the August 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art August 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
Sculptor Ed Natiya and painter Rock Newcomb share a passion for the past. Their evocative and historically accurate works are on display at Hueys Fine Art this month in a show timed to coincide with Santa Fe’s 96th annual Indian Market. The show opens with an artists’ reception on Friday, August 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. and runs through September 1.
Gallery owner Keith Huey says that Natiya’s attention to detail is what draws viewers into his works. “His historical likeness and references are spot-on,” Huey says. “He researches the stories to truly capture the emotion of the subject matter.” Natiya’s storytelling sculptures range from extremely accurate historical renderings to pieces that focus on the spiritual elements of Native American mythology. Those stories and people have been ingrained in him since he was a child—his mother is Navajo and made pottery as Natiya grew up, sparking his desire to learn more about Native American history. “It’s only natural for my curiosity to come out the way it does through my art,” he says. “The tactile nature of clay is what I love. I think it gives you the most direct interpretation.”
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- Ed Natiya, The Gift of Music, bronze, h54.
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- Ed Natiya, The Peace Maker, bronze, h21.
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- Rock Newcomb, Santo Domingo, acrylic, 30 x 20.
Natiya has participated in Indian Market for the past two years, taking first place in the bronze sculpture division and first place overall in sculpture. He’s excited to focus on work solely for the gallery this year, bringing three small clay pieces and two clay monuments in addition to his previous bronze works. “It’s always been a highlight for me to have works in progress for collectors to see,” Natiya says. “We get to explain the process of bronze casting and help educate people about the process.”
Complementary to Natiya’s passion for Native American culture and history, Arizona-based painter Newcomb depicts Native American artifacts scoured from the collections of museums and universities around the nation. His wife, Cody, hunts down the collections and the pair works together to carefully photograph the pieces before Rock begins painting. “The most difficult part is locating the subject matter,” Newcomb says of Cody’s effort to find the ancient pieces. “None of these pots are made up. They’re all well-researched.”
Newcomb’s hyperrealistic and detailed paintings closely resemble the texture and quality of the pottery because he paints on ultra-absorbent Claybord. “I get the same look on my paintings as the pots because I can age the surface the same way the pots aged,” Newcomb says.
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- Rock Newcomb, Ancient Salado Creations, acrylic, 19 x 30.
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- Rock Newcomb, Sanctuary, acrylic, 20 x 16.
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- Ed Natiya, The Spoils of War, bronze, h84.
That desire for accurate portrayals of Native American culture is evident in both artists’ work. “I think Rock loves the same history that I do,” Natiya says. “His love shows through his work just like my passions show through sculpture. You can’t fake that.” —Katie Askew
contact information
505.820.6063
www.hueysfineart.com
This story was featured in the August 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art August 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
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