Sunday, October 7, 2012

Abstract NM Gallery Talk by Andrew Connors, Curator of Art, Albuquerque Museum




Andrew Connors, Curator of Art, Albuquerque Museum gave an interactive analysis and insight in his daunting process of selecting each amazing work shown at the Abstract NM show in the Matrix Fine Art Gallery.  Connors talk was one unique introspection in his process of dealing with the task of mentally selecting, cataloging, and curating such a show, which was wonderfully unique to those who attended.  Most jurors or curators don't readily conduct such an interactive talk, but Connors spoke with us and amongst us while explaining his thoughts and process, while asking the artists who attended how they made, and thought of their work.  The talk gave an insight into the curator's mind that is not often seen.  It was a refreshing experience to say the least.


- Meredith Chapman, Artist

Friday, September 28, 2012

First Abstract New Mexico juried show




Matrix Fine Art is proud to present its first juried show of anything abstract! Our juror, Andrew Connors, who had the impossible task of choosing the best 27 pieces out of several hundred submissions, expressed a high opinion of the works he reviewed. The resulting show does not necessarily answer those questions about abstract art, but it is colorful, provocative, and proves once again that New Mexico is full of extremely talented contemporary artists. The opening night was a success with several artists in attendance.


Ward Russell
Roger Green


Natalie Hardcastle

Diane Alire

People had a wonderful time at the event. They even got to vote on their favorite piece of the show. 
 

 Let the voting begin!

 Regina Held, Director, announcing the people's choice award.
And the award goes too.... Yesenia Perez-Gonzalez! Her first photograph in a show, ever! Congratulations!
"Transition" by Yesenia Perez-Gonzalez


    
Thank you to all the volunteers and to Jeff Simpson for the photographs!

Friday, August 24, 2012

Laura Wacha publishes book!

Matrix Fine Art's Laura Wacha, publishes a young adult book! Congratulations!!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Sarah Hartshorne, Quiet Beauty





Sarah Hartshorne’s paintings in the Matrix gallery bring the beauty of nature indoors. Surrounded by her crisp oil paintings of serene water lilies, sunflowers and wooded trails, viewers forget that they are indoors. 

 
The large scale of her work and vividness of her imagery caused viewers to pour over the paintings, looking for brushstrokes, trying to figure out just how she does it. Her work explores the play of light and shadow, and brings her subjects alive with color. Viewers enjoyed talking with Hartshorne about her painting techniques, her use of color, and the imagery that she works from.


Thank you to all the volunteers, to those who came to the show, and to Jeff Simpson, photographer.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Sally Condon is in this upcoming group show!


LIQUID CURRENCY 2012
sponsored by La Montañita Co-op


Thursday, June 28, 6-8pm

ART OPENING RECEPTION

spend it like water

SOUTH BROADWAY CULTURAL CENTER

15 artists  with music • bonnie bluhm
poetry • cathy arellano . tani arness . marilyn stablein

www.cabq.gov/south-broadway-cultural-center/news

Opening Reception for Image New Mexico


Regina Held, Director of  Matrix Fine Art

Carol Mell with her work

Uwe Schroetar with Trinity, selected for a Juror's Choice Award by Andrew Connors

Robert Esposito with Grey Beyond the Tenacious which won Second Place as well as the People's Choice Award

Regina announcing the winners


Audrey Connolly receiving her prize



Audrey Connolly with Las Trampas Neighborhood Watch which one Third Place

Robert Katz, a member of Matrix Fine Art

John Gilbert with his work

Emilie Sommers with her work
Image New Mexico 2012

This year the annual juried photo exposition and competition featuring local photographers at Matrix Fine Art culminated in a spectacular opening event.  A grand total of eight awards were given by the panel of judges, Fernando Delgado, photographer/artist; Andrew Connors, Curator of Art, Albuquerque Museum; LeRoy Perea, curator, Annual New Mexico Photographic Art Show, InSight Women’s Photography Exhibit;  and Bob Laetare, director, The Artistic Image (alternate).  First Place was given to David Kelton for his piece, Ice Storm, while second and third went to Robert Esposito for Grey Beyond the Tenacious, and Audrey Connolly for Las Trampas Neighborhood Watch, respectively.  Mr. Esposito’s work was also honored with the People’s Choice Award.  Each Juror was also able to celebrate their individual favorites through the Juror’s Choice Award, with both Mr. Perea and Mr. Laetare selecting David Kelton’s Water Drop, Mr. Connors choosing Uwe Schroetar’s Trinity, and Mr. Delgado choosing Mary Hobbs’ Untitled #7 from “Just Before Sleep”.  The final award, Best of Show, was given to John Palmer for Pipes of Pan.

The show is a marvelous combination of images ranging from abstract to figurative and landscape.  It will be on view through July 28th.  We hope you are able to witness this triumph of New Mexico’s most talented photographers!

Saturday, May 19, 2012

The light is quite illuminating

There are stop-and-think shows, funny shows, interesting shows, some overwrought silly shows and hat-in-hand, well-meaning shows.

Sally Condon’s 19-piece “In Broad Sunlight” is a drop-dead-gorgeous show, filled with beautifully crafted oil and wax paintings, at Matrix Fine Art. Her radiant paintings magically light up the walls while offering viewers intimate narrative vignettes about life in Condon’s backyard garden universe.

I have mixed feelings about her latest work. In visual tactility and sheer juiciness it falls somewhere between the six Rembrandts that my father visited on rainy Sundays at the Baltimore Museum of Art and those vanilla ice cream bars on a stick wrapped in frozen orange sherbet that were my favorite childhood indulgence.




If you go
WHAT: “In Broad Sunlight,” 19 oil and wax paintings by Sally Condon
WHEN: Through June 9
WHERE: Matrix Fine Art, 3812 E. Central
HOW MUCH: Free. Call 268-8952


In “Blue Note” Condon juxtaposes a creamy orange across the right-hand two-thirds of the vertically divided composition against a pale gray area punctuated with a turquoise oval on the lower left. Two circular forms within rectangles on the right are textured with grid patterns.

The only darks in the composition run along the vertical divide between the orange and gray areas. The effect of the dark blue, red, green and pale yellow vertical stripes of color is to draw the eye away from the large areas to focus on what becomes a rift between the two large planes.

In all of Condon’s paintings the details are where the secrets hide. Most of us think of classical Greek sculpture in terms of pure white marble or limestone. In reality Greek sculpture was originally painted in garish bright colors that were softened and muted into normal flesh tones and hair colors when bathed in unrelenting Mediterranean sunlight.

Condon is unafraid of sunlight and purposefully allows it to burn away many of her forms. The remaining islands of structure are the survivors of the searing solar beacon.

In “Lemon Afternoon” Condon offers small rectilinear sections made up of dark color and collage elements that float in a pale lemon yellow void. The beauty of these details is their clear wax overlays that keep them level with the painted surface.

Condon uses a brayer to apply layers of color to avoid the distraction of brush strokes. Her technique is similar to the application of ink on a printing plate.

By building each layer upon the next, she achieves an inner luminosity that captures and rebroadcasts ambient light.

Condon reveals a sense of humor in “Peek,” a vertical composition of blues and pale yellow that is enhanced with a vertical dark area out of which peeks a flower with white petals that seems to be shy.

The painting is filled with etched lines and highly detailed elements that offer depth and richness to the whole. “Peek” is a stunning piece that includes a bit of scumbled brushwork.

Another vertically composed picture is “Keeping Up” featuring pink, red, white and green areas floating in pale yellow. At one time we were all the little kid who was assumed to not be able to keep up with the bigger kids.

Though Condon may not have had that kind of keeping up in mind, her lovely pictorial evokes the idea.

Her collage materials include leaves, flowers, bits of cloth and photographs all blended into her compositions under layers of beeswax. Condon is a gardener and beekeeper. Her materials, ideas and stories fall readily to hand. Each painting is infused with sunlight, Condon’s love for nature and a modicum of magic.
http://www.abqjournal.com/main/2012/05/13/living/arts/the-light-is-quite-illuminating.html

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Text Me

Matthew Lutz’s solo show “Text Me” was a huge leap from the botanical paintings he was doing. His technique and skill show through in this new body work that is influenced by modern technology and street graffiti. Inspired by today’s youth and contemporary events, the work examines our society, our relationships, and how we use technology to fabricate meaning.

“Text Me” received a review of the show which can be found at: http://passionateforart.blogspot.com/2012/03/text-me-paintings-by-matthew-lutz.html
                                             Tornado, Oil on Canvas, 30 x 40"
                                     
Clients and Pamela DiMauro, Gallery Assistant
                                               Regina Held, Director and Pamela Di Mauro, Gallery Assistant
                                            Clients and Matthew Lutz's wife, Alexandra

                                              More work by Laura Wacha