New Mexico painter and sculptor each portray life in the West through gestural portrayals and graceful lines
SANTA FE, N.M.: December 3, 2015; Sorrel Sky Gallery will host Essential Visions: Work by John Farnsworth and Michael Tatom, presenting paintings and sculpture by the renowned New Mexico artists. The show opens on Friday, March 4 with a reception for the artists from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the downtown Santa Fe gallery. The show continues through March 31.
The West has provided inspiration to painter John Farnsworth and sculptor Michael Tatom for decades. For Essential Visions, each artist will presents small works ranging in themes from wild days to wild cats: Farnsworth’s gestural oil paintings offer portrayals of life in the West and Tatom’s bronze sculptures present elegant, stylized animal forms. Each artist imbues his work with the essential information for the viewer to ‘see’ the world through the artist’s eyes.
For John Farnsworth, the West and its icons have been a source of inspiration for over 40 years. Referring to his painting, Riders on the Range, Farnsworth offered, “Before I wanted to be an artist, I wanted to be a cowboy, free roaming, self reliant, a maverick.” This small painting captures the sense of freedom often associated with cowboys. Using only the primary colors of red, yellow and blue and some white hues to create his oil paintings, Farnsworth captures all the nuance and subtlety of tone in even the simplest subject.
Michael Tatom was well-known as a master goldsmith before developing a reputation as a wildlife sculptor. His bronze works incorporate graceful curves and elegant lines that capture an animal’s shape and the magic of its movement. Tatom offered, “The main focus of my work is to translate into bronze the essence of the animal, to capture some movement or instinct and present it in a simple stylized form.” His cast bronze sculptures are each finished with individualized patinas, creating dramatic effects on each sculpture.
Sorrel Sky Gallery owner, Shanan Campbell Wells, said, “John’s intimate paintings and Michael’s sleek sculptures perfectly complement each other – they are simply stunning together in the gallery.”
Sorrel Sky Gallery’s fresh approach to Western art presents a select collection of contemporary and traditional fine art and jewelry for the discerning collector. Sorrel Sky Gallery was founded in Durango, CO in 2002 and opened its Santa Fe, NM location in 2014. It represents over 75 painters, sculptors and jewelers including bronze artist Star Liana York, painter Billy Schenck, and Ben Nighthorse, among others.