Santa Fe, NM
Pippin Contemporary, May 24-June 6
This story was featured in the May 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art May 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
Painter Rebecca Haines presents a new body of work this month in her solo show, titled Animystic, at Pippin Contemporary. The show opens on Wednesday, May 24, with an artist’s reception on Friday, May 26, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Animystic shows the familiar hallmarks of Haines’ work, featuring various animals set against colorful backgrounds dotted with simple line patterns. In the finished product, viewers can see evidence of the artist’s process—places where she has scraped away elements and added new ones. Andrea Wexler, director of the gallery, says that when visitors first step into the room that showcases Haines’ work, “people stop in their tracks.”
Haines only recently became a full-time painter after leaving her job as a gallery operator. She says the ability to focus solely on her art has allowed her to produce more paintings of higher quality and has allowed more evolution in her style. “I’m taking more risks in the way the imagery is depicted,” Haines says. “Things are a little more abstract, and the defining edges of the animals are getting looser.”
Although she grew up surrounded by nature in rural Wyoming, Haines didn’t begin to paint animals until later in life, when she discovered their unique status in different cultures, such as Native American mythology. “Their philosophy around animals is such that they treat them like guides and not lesser than humans,” she says. “There’s something magical and primal, and they seem to be more connected because they don’t have all that human static that we make ourselves.”
For Haines, painting allows her to disconnect from the drama of reality and keeps her grounded. At its heart, her work represents an attempt to cut through that static of everyday life to reach the spiritual balance of the animal kingdom. “All that back and forth in the process to share that connection with others is what really affects people when they come in,” Wexler says. “You’re drawn into this calmer, spiritual world, which is comforting, and it’s rare that an artist can take you on that journey.” —Mackenzie McCreary
contact information
505.795.7476
www.pippincontemporary.com
This story was featured in the May 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art May 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
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