Ventana Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM
June 17-July 4
Margaret Nes, Bright Courtyard Shadow, pastel, 18 x 24.
Most of us have been impacted by the pandemic in some way, and pastelist Margaret Nes is no exception. Her solo exhibition at Ventana Fine Art, called Margaret Nes: Returning, is the direct result of her personal experience and exploration over the past two years. “The title, Returning, means, quite literally, returning to revisit certain special places and images that I’ve loved to draw and paint over the years,” Nes reveals. “Because of the coronavirus, I couldn’t explore and discover new places with my artist friends. Being stuck at home had me thinking about favorite places that I knew well and could revisit in my mind and heart.”
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- Margaret Nes, Fire Mountain, pastel, 17 x 24.
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- Margaret Nes, Earth Wall Church, pastel, 25 x 19.
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- Margaret Nes, Summer Red Adobe Walls, pastel, 18 x 15.
As a result, Nes, who has lived in a small community north of Taos, NM, for more than 50 years, took a fresh look at the area’s stark landscape and adobe architecture. The self-taught artist then experimented with “new and different colors and shades to see how that changed the impact and feel of an image,” she says. “I learned a lot and discovered that everything really is new and fresh in each moment, however familiar it might be.”
Nes’ tactile pastel application—she uses her fingers to blend the highly saturated pigment directly onto the painting surface—results in an almost sculptural effect. “I usually start a pastel with a feeling for certain colors and shapes,” says the artist. “Depending on my mood, and often the outside weather or environment, I gravitate toward bright reds and deep shadows or quieter grays. It’s not always a conscious choice, but more intuitive, and even reactive sometimes.” Such is the case for BRIGHT COURTYARD SHADOW, which Nes painted in bright reds and yellows to create a sense of warmth during a frigid cold spell last winter.
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- Margaret Nes, El Chieflo Yellow Sky, pastel, 18 x 24.
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- Margaret Nes, White Wall Archway Green Sky, pastel, 24 x 18.
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- Margaret Nes, Long Dark Ranchos, pastel, 24 x 18.
The outcome of Nes’ creative experimentation is 16-20 new works debuting on Friday, June 17, which includes an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at which the artist is on hand. Nes says, “I hope viewers can take from my paintings some of the wonder, beauty, and mystery that I get from the world, which never ceases to inspire me.” —Beth Williams
contact information
505.983.8815
www.ventanafineart.com
This story appeared in the June/July 2022 issue of Southwest Art magazine.