Show Preview | Barbara Meikle

Santa Fe, NM
Barbara Meikle Fine Art, May 23-June 23

Barbara Meikle, Color Cadence, oil, 36 x 48.

This story was featured in the May 2014 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art May 2014 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story!

New Mexico artist Barbara Meikle has had two dominant passions in life for as long as she can remember: horses and art. “I was born in Albuquerque and grew up riding horses and loving every minute of it,” Meikle says. When young Meikle wasn’t riding, she could often be found drawing the majestic creatures she loved. It makes sense, then, that she would eventually combine these two passions by pursuing a career as an animal artist. After college, Meikle worked in galleries in Denver, Chicago, and New York City for several years before returning to New Mexico in 1990 to pursue  her dreams full time. She has been painting her heart out ever since, and today she is the proud owner of Barbara Meikle Fine Art in Santa Fe, which displays her own work alongside that of several other artists.

This month, Meikle unveils about 20 new pieces in a solo show titled In the Company of Color, opening with a reception on May 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. It’s a more than suitable title for a show of works by an artist well known for vibrant colors that practically seep from the canvas. “I’ve always loved the Impressionist painters who used shockingly bright colors for their time. I appreciate that, and I want to push it even more, combining traditional subject matter of the West with the use of contemporary colors,” she says, adding that the pieces in this show take the element of color even further than her past works. “Lately I’ve been really pushing color and texture and combining them in different ways, using both thin paint that I let drip and thick paint applied with a palette knife,” she explains.

Another important aspect of Meikle’s work is her involvement with animal rescue groups. “Wild horses are part of our American heritage, and they’re being pushed out of their habitat along with many other animals,” she says. Her hope is that her work will shed some light on this and other animal issues. “I want to express the colorful personality and significance of these amazing creatures,” she says. “It’s great to sell paintings, but it’s even greater to give back to the animals I love to paint.” —Lindsay Mitchell

contact information
505.992.0400
 www.meiklefineart.com

Featured in the May 2014 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art May 2014 print issue or digital download Or subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!