Local muralist unveils new works
By Cati Demme February 15, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Art Opening David Leonardo Sat, Feb 16, 5–8pm Generator Gallery Fábrica la Aurora

David Leonardo, author of four well-known public murals, is exhibiting his current works on canvas at the Generator Gallery. Leonardo, who studied muralism with greats Arnold Belkin and “Vlady” Kibalchic, has created and assisted in a total of 13 murals, two in Nicaragua. His four murals here in San Miguel are in three different sites and interpret four different themes. His first mural in San Miguel, entitled “Ignacio Allende and the History of Mexico,” greets visitors in the grand courtyard of the Instituto Allende. His second mural, the largest to date is “Quetzalcoatl, el Sol Eterno” (Quetzalcoatl, the Eeternal Sun) in the Sala Quetzal of the Biblioteca Pública. An illuminating and informative DVD, by filmmaker Dora Guzmán, is available at the Public Library, in Spanish, English and French. His third and fourth murals, entitled “Las Bellas Artes” (“The Fine Arts”) and “Filosofia y Arte” (“Philosophy and Art”) are found in the main office and entry way to the Instituto Allende.

Leonardo’s new exhibit is entitled “Hikuli Neixa—New Works.” Hikuli Neixa (pronounced “hikuli neira”) is a Huichol Indian phrase referring to the celebration of the Peyote god ceremony. Leonardo has always been concerned with the preservation of Mexican indigenous cultures.

Two and a half years ago, he was invited by an anthropologist to participate in a Peyote ritual in the Huichol community of Las Latas, Jalisco; that had a profound effect on his life-view and art work. That powerful and magical initiation has now inspired this vivid and expressive series, which celebrates the rich Huichol tradition, which remains very much alive today.

In addition to the main show in Generator Gallery, a collection of smaller works representing Leonardo’s other series will be on exhibit in the historic Generator Room. These include examples from the series “Estudios para Mural,” “Fantasía,” “Mítos Romanticos,” “Mascaras Prehispánicos,” “Iconos,” “Músicos,” and “Las Madonas.”

The exhibit runs February 16 to February 28, the opening is Saturday, February 16, 5–8pm. The following day, Sunday, February 17, the artist will give a “Gallery Talk” at the Generator at 11am, which is sponsored by Las Mañanitas coffee of San Miguel.

Cati Demme is the owner and director of Generator Gallery. She has her master’s degree in studio art education from New York University.

The frenzied and the contemplative
By Lisa Simms and Keith Keller

Art Opening Divergent Directions Tue, Feb 19, 5pm Estudio 46 Zacateros 46

The group exhibition “Divergent Directions” will feature new paintings by Keith Keller—some of which are abstracts and completely different from anything he has ever shown in San Miguel—and a diverse collection of jewelry by Lisa Simms, Hedy Parks and Rene Courtney.

Keith spoke about his painting process, our exhibition and life in general: “When painting I am in one of two possible states of mind. One I can best describe as frenzied, the other as contemplative. There seems no middle ground. When in the frenzied mode, large areas of darks and light are quickly blocked in, globs of paint are squeezed from tube to palette. In the final stage, large areas are rapidly glazed, wiped back and glazed again.

“The other state of mind is contemplative. It consists of sitting and staring at what has been done. This process does not always involve problem solving. Sometimes it is just staring. It also occurs in the presence of finished paintings or paintings I just think are finished. You can find photos of artists engaged in the staring exercise in many art magazines. Some editors think a photo of the artist, legs crossed, staring profoundly at his painting is preferable to a photo of the artist’s work. On occasion this is understandable.

“For the group exhibit, I will show seven small abstracts painted at the end of the day with mostly left-over paint. I also will show a large canvas that is perhaps surreal or maybe magic realism. And I will show three large figurative paintings; they were all at one time both frenzied and contemplative, depending.

"Lisa Simms, the gallery owner, will be showing her wearable sculpture pieces that tell stories. Now people who know Lisa well might think she would lean toward the frenzied. Not so. Take a look at her ‘Asian Summer’ piece that won first prize at the San Miguel Jewelry Design Competition. It has lily pads, lotuses, fish and a woman in a meditative trance.

Very contemplative to create, as well as to look at. Of course, she also will be showing two versions of ‘Ancient Bird Spirit’: one is very large and has snakes slithering all the way past the belly button of the wearer, the other is smaller, more ornate and in Lisa’s words “way weirder.” Frenzied? Maybe. Contemplative? Maybe not.”

Swiss-born Hedy Parks, the epitome of contemplative, describes herself as “trying to be a modern jeweler.” She starts her pieces working with what she calls “graphic stones” which she combines with geometric forms reminiscent of her architecture background to create everything from bracelets to necklaces. For this exhibition, she will show new pieces from her “Circle Series,” plus some of her more organic pieces for spring.

New York jeweler Rene Courtney is showing pieces from her silver and pearls collection. Nothing frenzied here, just the simple beauty of classic fresh water pearls combined with metal to create feminine and elegant pieces definitely worth contemplating.

Although we are four artists all going in different directions, working in different states of mind to create, you need only head south down Zacateros to have a glass of wine on us and make your own decision.

Keith Keller is a painter, teacher and inn-keeper and local “huge personality” who has lived in San Miguel for 20 years. Lisa Simms has almost 14 years in San Miguel.

Solange Galazzo’s object paintings
By Laurence Debecque-Michel

Art Opening  Solange Galazzo Fri, Feb 22, 7–9pm Ana Julia Aguado Gallery Plaza Principal 18, 2nd floor

In her current exhibition, “des nuits et des nuits…,” Solange Galazzo focuses on the border interactions between night and day, between the rectilinear urban spaces and the indeterminate space of nature. Although the telluric elements are approached in a less overt manner than in her previous work, their presence continues to exert their influence in her paintings.

Her new subject, the metropolis at night-time, derives its mystery through its representation of an overflow of nature. The uncertain atmosphere of night, broken by the points of light from city windows, is condensed between the vertical urban space and the dark and impenetrable sea.

Solange Galazzo emphasizes the contrast between two universes, not with the intention of opposing them, but rather with the purpose of catching the moment of fusion and osmosis.

This need to express the circulation of energy induces the artist to engage in what is now a decisive stage: object-painting. She integrates found objects or materials that are characterized by their energetic or tactile value. Thus the space of the canvas offers the viewer a sensation that is both more complete and forceful. Her use of materials, most of which are tiny organic traces from seashores, provides almost endless possibilities. One painting incorporates fragments of tree roots, dried marine animal bones, shells, feathers, snake skins, lotus leaves, small diode filaments, wire-mesh, a round piece of plastic shimmering with the opalescence of moonlight, tissue paper fluttering in the air or over sea foam, small light bulbs and marble powder.

But for all that, Solange Galazzo does not relinquish paint. She does not rely solely on the art of assemblage, nor does she view the use of materials as an end in itself. Rather these added elements are included solely to enhance the intensity of her painting, to materialize the most forceful sensation of it and to prolong its expressiveness and to confer a poetic depiction for which strangeness vies with lyricism, and myth rivals with enigma.

Solange Galazzo lives and works in Paris, France. Her work has been exhibited since 1984 throughout the world, including Taiwan, Germany, Japan and Mexico. She graduated from the Ecole Normale Supérieure d’Arts Plastiques Paris.

Laurence Debecque-Michel is an art historian and a critic of art, member of the IACA (International Association of the Critic of Art). She is an editor for the magazine Ligeia, Dossiers sur l’art.

Be shocked, be moved, be inspired
By Mira Silverman

Art Opening Nina Wisniewski Fri, Feb 15, 6–8pm Molinos de Viento Mesones 79

In a world where sex is so often exploited, commercialized and overused in superficial and flashy ways, Nina Wisniewski, in her series of works “An Exchange of Power” reconnects us with the beauty, grace, and power of the most intimate moments between people. Nina states that the way sex is portrayed in the media is frequently “fantasy,” that most young people these days often have a distorted idea of what the real thing is: “Real intimacy is not airbrushed or a blow-up doll.” And throughout history sexuality and eroticism have been stigmatized as a way of controlling personal expression and power, out of fear of true creativity, freedom and transcendence. We, as sexual beings, need to embrace the vital, essential and spiritual nature of the sexual experience. According to the artist there is a male part in all women and a female part in all men, and the physical sharing of intimacy and ecstasy can help us grow as human beings, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Though this is the first showing of these works here in San Miguel, this series was shown this past October at the Santa Rosa Museum in Puebla, one of the city’s oldest museums and home to the largest collection of talavera in Mexico. Although many people voiced hesitation at Nina’s decision to show these pieces in such a conservative city, the response to the work was overwhelmingly positive. Many people came up to her after the opening of the exhibit to thank her, expressing that not only did they feel that they got to know personally the artist through her work, but also that the work helped them reconnect to parts of themselves.

Nina’s paintings come from her most personal experiences, from her strong intuition and as inspirations from her spiritual work. She has been painting since she was a child, everything from landscapes to figures to abstracts, and holds a BFA and MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in California. She has been teaching art for over 30 years and is the founder of Art in the Park, free art classes every Saturday in Parque Juárez for the children of San Miguel. She is also an active member of the Molinos de Viento artists’ collective, where the exhibition will be held.

Nina’s exhibition is accompanied by the erotic sculpture of Jose Antonio Vasquez Gomez. His beautiful wood sculptures incorporate erotic elements as complex statements on life, love, politics and spirit. 

For the opening night of the show, we are honored to be joined by the Gilberto Gonzalez jazz trio, featuring Gilberto Gonzalez, Julian Arcos and Miguel Favero, as well as special guest Natalie Braux who will be playing later that same evening at the “Encuentro Nacional de Jazz” at Teatro Ángela Peralta.

In honor of the month of love and friendship, we offer you a glimpse into one of the most human, most creative and most powerful experiences humans can have. Be shocked, be moved, be inspired, be there.

Mira Silverman is a jeweler, artist, writer, and anthropologist. She is one of the co-founders of the Molinos de Viento artists collective.

Three decades of artistic excellence
By Beverly Russell

Retrospective Exhibition Illumined Solitude Nina F. Martino Whitfield Gallery San Francisco 18 Feb 15–Mar 15 By Appointment Phone 150-0094

Nina Martino’s current retrospective exhibition at the Whitfield Gallery, in centro, shows 20 works which demonstrate her flexibility of painterly style as an urban artist. Diego Rivera’s early efforts were influenced by the Impressionists, but later on the murals for which he is best known took on a dramatic and powerfully realistic character. In her use of materials, Martino has evolved from traditional oils on canvas, to a plexiglass foundation using Japanese oil paints which she says create a more luminescent feeling in the composition. And for the last five years, no painting is complete without her adored Mexican hairless dog Elotli, an elegant animal descended from the Aztec era.

Martino’s Italian family encompasses 14 painters, including her mother Eva, father Giovanni, and several uncles and aunts.

 “My sister Babette and I are the second generation of painters,” she explained. Her brother pursues a creative path in photography. To acknowledge the family’s gifts to the arts, all the Martinos were given a group show at Bella Artes in 2003.

Martino is known to collectors such as the Austin Coal Company in Ohio and Grupo Modelo (the Corona company) in Mexico. C.J. Austin commissioned a painting of the Jardín in San Miguel. A Grupo Modelo owner requested a painting of Calle Sollano, where he has a residence. “People like to buy paintings of places they are familiar with,” commented Martino when we met in her home and studio at the Malanquin Golf Club. “They prefer the street scenes to having their own house painted.”

Unlike some of the other artists in San Miguel, Martino will not be found at an easel on the cobbled calles. She prefers to paint and make sketches and photographs from her car, and then return to the peace and tranquility of her studio to complete the picture.

She admits San Miguel has changed a lot since she first came here. “Then I knew everyone who owned a car, they numbered about 20 people. But I like change, though I must admit the current traffic situation is a bit of a problem.” And change, she reflected, is something she relishes in her own painting. “I feel I am moving into a surrealist mood. I get an enormous amount of satisfaction painting in San Miguel. I like the light and what I see in this light.”

Beverly Russell is author of several books on design and the arts. She has written articles for numerous publications including The New York Times.

From Manhattan to San Miguel
By Janice Zimolzak

Art Opening
Trees Paper Trees
Sat, Feb 23, 5–8pm
Terry Ann Tomlinson Gallery
Terraplén 29

Few things are more accessible, more useful, more disposable, or more practical than paper. For artist Terry Ann Tomlinson, paper has yet another distinctive feature: “It allows me to explore new ways of expressing my emotional life. The fragility and temporary qualities of paper are constant reminders of these aspects within ourselves.”

Tomlinson creates unique images and sculpture from handmade paper she produces from the inner bark of trees, leaves and other plants. In a recent body of work, “Trees Paper Trees,” she emphasizes her strong connection to the cycle of life and her ability to allow her work to follow its own natural path toward the creation of newness.

It is common for artists to utilize color to evoke emotion, but Tomlinson’s work, primarily in shades of white, abstracted in imagery and minimal in content as well as color, is able to simultaneously excite and calm the viewer. This dichotomy is most evident in “Snowdays,” a repetition of 20 separate snow scenes that collectively create a spectacular large-scale landscape.

Using a Japanese papermaking technique called Nagashizuki with abaca pulp, she creates translucent paper appearing so thin and fragile that it might disintegrate at one’s touch, yet so strong that it is difficult to tear. Combining encaustics with handmade paper, Tomlinson creates captivating ethereal images. In some pieces, such as “Before Night Falls,” light boxes further enhance the translucency and beauty of the paper.

The true “artist” is one who is able to see the world from a unique perspective and recognize the opportunities that are presented to reach that vision.

It was in adulthood that Tomlinson first began to “see” and then spent 20 years abstracting from that ability and discovering the medium to best express her emotional life to a discerning and perceptive audience.

Tomlinson passed the prestigious Art Student’s League every day on her way to and from her work as a chemist in New York City. One day she entered and registered. The following summer she took a class that the League offered at Woodstock, the art colony made famous by the 1969 rock festival. Compelled by the new course her life was beginning to take and guided by her instincts, she left her job in Manhattan and moved to Woodstock in pursuit of the unknown. She soon became recognized as a talented bronze sculptress.

Escaping to Mexico during the cold northern winters, Tomlinson eventually found her way to San Miguel. Here, the Manhattan experience repeated itself: while working in the sculpture studio at Bellas Artes, she observed a small group of busy women in the studio next door. Inquiring, she learned that they were creating handmade paper. She took her first class there and continued to study a number of specialized papermaking techniques at the Rosendale’s Women’s Studio Workshop in New York.

The art of papermaking became the second life-altering path for Tomlinson. It ran full circle several years ago when she captured our attention with her first show of handmade paper art, “Papeles Transformados” at Bellas Artes. Her next local exhibition was presented at the inauguration of the gallery/studio that she designed. A work of art in itself, the environment imitates the minimalist stark beauty and tranquility of her art. Tomlinson’s work also may be seen every Wednesday from 11am–3 pm and by appointment. A second exhibition of recent work, “Handmade Paper: Messages,” opens at the Generator Gallery March 15.

Janice Zimolzak is a full-time resident of San Miguel. She was the editor, publisher and owner of the popular local arts and culture magazine, Punto de VISTA, from 2003 to 2007.

Instances of surrealistic dreams
By Carlos F. Acuña

Art Opening
Israel Zzpeda
Sun, Feb 17, 12–3pm 
Atenea Gallery
Jesús 2

The constant theme of Israel Zzpeda’s work is the human figure idealized as the center of attention in a world full of symbolism, going back to instances of surrealistic dreams—on some occasions critical, on others playful. It is magical to sublimate the physical and psychological emotions, and in some way the spiritual emotions of human society.

His work is manufactured in oil and sometimes acrylic with a “debugging” technique. Zzpeda alternates sculpture with his painting. Last year he worked on a series of sculptures in real size using the cellulose paper technique with a personal formula and had a huge success at the Dante Gallery in Puerto Vallarta, where he has exhibited since 2004. The most important collectors of his work are from the US, Mexico and Russia.

Zzpeda is originally from Guadalajara. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in visual arts at the University of Guadalajara and studied with Pedro Eufraca in 1986.

After working for 21 years in the fine arts field he won first prize in a national drawing contest in 1993. He also won second place in painting in a Pablo Picasso contest in 1996. In 1999 he won an honorable mention in a mural contest in Puerto Vallarta.

Highlights of his exhibitions since 1993 include the Banco Internacional Pinacoteca in Mexico City, the Los Angeles Art Center and the Light Street Gallery in Baltimore. In Guadalajara, he has shown work at Centro de Arte Moderno, Salón de la Plástica Jaliciense, Instituto Cultural Cabañas and Museo del Periodismo y Las Plásticas Gráficas. He was also part of the Lifestyles 2005 Erotic Art Tour.

The Atenea exhibition will continue through February 21.