Gallery News

“Out of This Earth” Exhibition features new works by Hank Saxe in his first solo show since last years exhibit at the Harwood
Artist’s love of science and nature combine to test the limits of the ceramic medium

David Anthony Fine Art is now exhibiting works of ceramic sculpture by Hank Saxe. “These pieces highlight Hank’s virtuosity,” says DAFA owner David Mapes. “They exemplify the skills Hank has shared with other artists, and allow visitors to the gallery to experience his work on a more intimate scale than his architectural sculptures.” In Saxe’s work there is an ambiguity where the viewer never knows exactly what they are looking at; is it landscape, raw geometry, a sculpted object or a natural geologic feature?

Says Jack Smith, a longtime Taos artist, “If I had to choose one word for Hank’s recent sculpture I would have to say “laconic” comes first to mind. They are concise works which share a subtext of sophisticated humor from the cartoon modern era of the 50’s, which informed the evolution of modern style, yet they plumb the depth of sacred landscape from the Mogollon Rim to the Rio Grande rift in the great Southwest. It is an exquisite marriage of the lineage of ancient natural forms, informed and torqued into modernity by way of a quite brilliant, clever mind and his command of alchemy.”

Hank Saxe is an artist whose style and mastery of ceramic art is recognizable to collectors because they have seen signs of it before. Hank Saxe has long been the technical and mechanical genius behind the works of sculptors like Jim Wagner, Lynda Benglis and Lee Mullican. From Tucson to Taos, Las Vegas to Oklahoma City, people experience his architectural and sculptural installations on a daily basis in the public realm. In Taos, Hank’s work graces the entrance to the UNM Klauer campus.

Saxe’s fascination with “earth forms” is evident especially in the works that will be on display at DAFA this spring. In sculpting these pieces Saxe has endeavored to “take the advice of the clay”, allowing each piece to become an expression of the land that so inspires him. With his use of found clay and minerals from the local environment Saxe has combined his knowledge of geology and mineralogy with his observations of how the earth shapes itself, in order to create these remarkable ceramic expressions.

Hank Saxe’s work will be featured at DAFA beginning with an opening reception on Saturday, May 10th from 4 to 6 pm.

David Anthony Fine Art, (DAFA), located at 132 Kit Carson Road in Taos, New Mexico, presents the most innovative artworks from Taos and around the world, considering all genres, mediums and artists, in an environment that is accessible and welcoming to all.

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Save the Date

Schedule of Events at David Anthony Fine Art

Out of This Earth
Ceramic Sculptures by Hank Saxe
May 10 – 29, 2014
Artist Reception: 4pm – 6pm, Saturday, May 10

Spring Experiment
New Works by Seamus Mills and J Matt Thomas
May 31 – June 29, 2014
Artist Reception: 4pm – 6pm, Saturday, May 31

Cantos de Taos Quartet
Performance at David Anthony Fine Art Gallery on Friday, June 13 at 6pm
This event is in partnership with Taos Opera Institute (TOI).

Larry Bell
Larry Bell’s first Taos exhibit in over 15 years.
“Orange Juice and Teeth – Memories of 9/11”
July 5 – September 21, 2014
Artist Reception: 4pm – 6pm, Saturday, July 5

Taos Art Glass Invitational
DAFA will be hosting the fifth Invitational sponsored by the Taos Institute for Glass Arts.
October 11, 2014. Collector’s pre-show October 10, times to be announced.

This April it is DAFA’s honor to feature renown Taos artist John Farnsworth.

Best known for his stunning paintings of horses, Farnsworth’s talent as a painter is profound. He is a master watercolorist, but excels in mediums from oils to pastels. Farnsworth has painted many different subjects, from Native Americans and horses, to landscapes and O’Keefe style still life.

Kachinas though, have long been a subject that fascinated Farnsworth. He says, “It is primarily this sense of life, of otherness, of enhanced possibilities, I believe, that attracts me.” This month, DAFA proudly displays a collection of his small (6″x6″) Kachina oils.

This month at DAFA experience John Farnsworth’s Kachinas, as well as our always varied exhibits of work from artists of all styles and mediums, from photography to glass. Come in and explore all the exhibits at David Anthony Fine Art at 132 A Kit Carson Rd., Taos.

The Taos Institute for Glass Arts announces its Call for Artists for the 2014 Taos Art Glass Invitational, an international biennial exhibition occurring this year from October 11 through November 9, 2014, with a private collector preview on October 10, 2014. Deadline for the call is May 1, 2014.

The Invitational includes both featured master artists who exhibit excellence in their medium internationally and are invited directly by the TIGA board, as well as artists invited through a jury process. Artists working in glass or glass combined with other media from around the globe are encouraged to submit an application.

All juried selections for the Taos Art Glass Invitational will be chosen through this Call for Artists application process. For the first time in 2014, the Art Glass Invitational is featuring four categories in which an artist may compete:
• Wall Works
• Sculpture
• Wearable Works
• Functional Works

Artists from each of these categories will be selected to exhibit. For detailed specifications and to submit an entry for consideration, please visit the Taos Institute for Glass Arts website.

The jurors for the 2014 Taos Art Glass Invitational are Herb Babcock, Chairman of the Art Glass Program at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, and Tina Oldknow, Curator of Modern Glass at the Corning Museum of Art in Corning, New York, and Stephanie Grilli, freelance writer, art historian and Curator of Artscribe.net Mr. Babcock received his BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art and his MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Ms. Oldknow holds a BA in Art History from the University of California, Los Angeles and an MA in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. A trustee of the American Craft Council from 2003-2009, she presently serves on the advisory board of North Lands Creative Glass, Caithness, Scotland, and she is member of the International Council of Pilchuck Glass School. Ms. Grilli graduated summa cum laude from University of Pittsburg and received her PhD from Yale University.

Numerous artists who represent excellence in glass internationally have been invited to exhibit their work, including Herb Babcock (USA), Hiroshi Yamano (Japan), Paul Stankard (USA), Martin Janecky (Czech Republic), and Paul Schwieder (USA).

“Glass is the new medium in the world of contemporary art. It is cutting edge and involves both science and art. Its luminosity and translucence is compelling and offers a world of unexplored territory for the artist. These qualities also make glass exciting for the collector” said Delinda Vanne Brightyn, the president of the board of the Taos Institute of Glass Arts and founder of the Taos Art Glass Invitational.

Invited and juried art will be exhibited in galleries throughout Taos and all artists and galleries will be featured in a brochure that will include “The Walking On Glass Tour,” a self-guided experience of the town-wide Taos Art Glass Invitational.

For more information on the 2014 Taos Art Glass Invitational Call for Artists, visit the website. Or, click here to join the mailing list for 2014 Taos Art Glass Invitational travel, educational and event offerings.

The Taos Institute for Glass Arts (TIGA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2009 by local artists to expand the understanding of and appreciation for the Contemporary Glass Art Movement. Throughout the year TIGA offers educational programs such as classes, workshops, lectures and demonstrations. Every other year TIGA sponsors the Taos Art Glass Invitational, an international juried exhibition and related special events that showcase the best from renowned and emerging artists, serving and integrating the needs of the artists, collectors, gallery owners and community.