Manitou Galleries, Santa Fe, NM
May 7-28
Sally Maxwell, Sun Dog, Moon Dog Triptych, scratchboard/Claybord, 30 x 30 (center panel), 16 x 16 (side panels).
Walking through the doors of Manitou Galleries this month, visitors may feel as if they’ve entered an enchanted forest in a classic children’s storybook or a colorful contemporary woodland, where the artful depiction of animals hints at timeless morals applicable to our human condition. The gallery’s new exhibition, titled Fairy Tales, invites both artists and viewers to consider the curious nature of animals in our lives and celebrate their connection to our heritage and ancestral stories.
“Every year we present a show with some sort of animal theme, and they are among our most popular exhibitions,” says the gallery’s associate director, Cyndi Hall. “So many people have personal relationships and memories with animals—they’re just so endearing and easy to love. This year we decided to ask a group of artists to depict stories of animals in their own lives, describing the memories they evoke and what those memories mean to them.”
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- Stefan Savides, Wren’s Day, bronze, 11 x 8 x 5.
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- Jennifer O’Cualain, The Balancing Act, oil, 60 x 48.
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- Stefan Savides, Tails of Spring, bronze, 17 x 11 x 7.
Each artist in the show— Jeremy Bradshaw, Bryan Haynes, Colt Idol, Sharon Markwardt, Sally Maxwell, Jennifer O’Cualain, Stefan Savides, and Debra Sindt—took a different approach in interpreting this prompt, bringing to bear their individual styles as well as some unexpected creative twists. From traditional illustrations to delicate sculptures to humorous interpretations, viewers have a wide range of artwork to explore in the exhibition.
In a nod to Aesop’s Fables, the artists were also invited to contribute a short piece of prose to accompany their works. Stefan Savides, a sculptor from Oregon, shared this about his bronze titled TAILS OF SPRING: “Once upon a time in the faraway lands of Texas and Oklahoma, there was this magical bird that was dearly loved by all the inhabitants. The local people would wait throughout the long winter, looking to see the return of this damsel with its fairylike wings and whimsical tail, to mark the coming of spring. When she arrives, all is well again.”
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- Jeremy Bradshaw, Winter Blues, bronze, 7 x 10 x 5.
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- Colt Idol, Out and About, oil, 24 x 32.
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- Sharon Markwardt, Goofy Asses, oil, 18 x 24.
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- Jeremy Bradshaw, Cheeky Lil’ Bugger, bronze, 10 x 8 x 9.
That description takes on deeper meaning this spring in particular, as signs of post-pandemic life and social connection once again begin to bloom. Indeed, an uplifting mood was certainly one goal of the Manitou team when envisioning the Fairy Tales show. “Art can be many things, and we take art seriously here,” Hall says. “But art can also be fun. We have all been through such a difficult year. During conversations over the last several months, we noticed clients saying they don’t want to look at paintings with turmoil or pain or suffering. In that spirit, another goal of Fairy Tales was to lighten the mood and bring a smile to people’s faces.”
The show’s opening reception takes place at the gallery’s Palace Avenue location in downtown Santa Fe on Friday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Approximately 25 works are on view and for sale by visiting or contacting the gallery. –Allison Malafronte
contact information
505.986.0440
www.manitougalleries.com
This story appeared in the May 2021 issue of Southwest Art magazine.