http://www.blueraingallery.com The Blog from Blue Rain Gallery en-us http://www.blueraingallery.com/rss PHP webmaster@blueraingallery.com http://blueraingallery.com/blog/mateo_romero_and_hyrum_joe/ Friday‘s opening for painters Hyrum Joe and Mateo Romero promises some exciting new twists from these acclaimed artists. Hyrum Joe is expanding his repertoire of sharply detailed, figurative portraits in oil and charcoal to include watercolors, which lend the work more transparency. It signals a new approach to his traditional subject matter, which explores Native American life in the mid 1800s through the mid 1900s, a time of cultural upheaval and an evolving redefinition of Native identity. Whatever his medium, he brings forth a strong sense of place and an immediacy that transcends history. Mateo Romero, for his part, is also defying linear time by returning to his earlier exploration of social and political challenges faced by both native and non-native Americans. Using oils instead of his usual mixed media, he‘s creating new narratives for familiar story lines. The resulting social critiques are trenchant and sharply observed, but compassionate. As Mateo says, "I‘m trying to shake things up a bit and create something that‘s new and old at the same time." He seems to be striking a receptive chord—he was named this year‘s poster artist for Indian Market by SWAIA, a much-coveted honor. Thu, 1 May 2008 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 33 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/visions_in_glass_ii_a_gala_event/ Most art openings these days are all about the social side of art, with the work itself often relegated to the role of supporting player rather than main event. Not so at the unveiling of Tammy Garcia and Preston Singletary‘s latest collaboration that took place earlier this month at Blue Rain Gallery. Attendees huddled three-deep at the display cases, emitting appreciate gasps and exclaiming over the innovative, intricate, groundbreaking work on view. Tammy‘s design prowess coupled Preston‘s glass-blowing and sculpting skills made for another exciting pairing of talent and vision—these two just keep getting better! We look forward to more from them, both individually and in collaboration. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 32 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/the_making_of_visions_in_glass/ Mon, 4 Feb 2008 05:00:01 -0700 blueraingallery - 31 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/blue_rain_features_new_artist_david_bradley/ February 1, 2008 Blue Rain Gallery is excited and honored to represent the uniquely wonderful paintings of award winning Chippewa artist David Bradley. David Bradley‘s paintings are beautifully composed pictorial compositions with a narrative, folk approach often containing whimsical, humorous and/or social commentary themes. Two masterfully composed paintings received at the gallery are examples of Bradley‘s fun and humorous side. Sleeping Indian is a take off from Henri Rousseau‘s 1897 modern masterpiece titled Sleeping Gypsy. While his other painting- Georgia O‘Keeffe/Whistler‘s Mother is a paradoxical interpretation of James Whistler‘s famous painting Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist‘s Mother (colloquial name: Whistler‘s Mother). You can view both of these fantastic paintings currently shown on our website. Blue Rain Gallery will feature major new works by Mr. Bradley during our 2008 Indian Market event. David Bradley is also this year‘s poster artist for the upcoming 50th Annual Heard Museum Fair and Market. An enrolled member of the Minnesota Chippewa tribe, Bradley received an Associate of Fine Arts degree from the Institute of American Indian Art as well a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the College of Santa Fe in 1980. Peter Stoessel Executive Director, Blue Rain Gallery View works by David Bradley by clicking here. Fri, 1 Feb 2008 05:00:01 -0700 blueraingallery - 30 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/11th_annual_artfeast_edible_art_tour/ What are you craving? The 11th annual ARTfeast Edible Art Tour is bringing together two of Santa Fe‘s most revered treasures, great food and fine art. Blue Rain Gallery and the Piñon Grill are one of 30 possible Santa Fe gallery and restaurant combinations to take part in this delicious event sure to ravish the senses. Walk or come by shuttle to eat, drink, and see Blue Rain Gallery‘s revered stable of artists and innovative artwork including, but not limited to: Tammy Garcia‘s unique glass and bronze sculptures; Tony Abeyta‘s eye-catching paintings; Preston Singletary‘s Tlingit-inspired glass forms; and Les Namingha‘s modern, mosaic-style vessels. Mark your day planners for Friday February 22nd—a date you do not want to miss! THREE hours of sumptuous treats and extraordinary artwork…What more could you ask for? For additional information regarding ticket purchase for the Edible Art Tour, visit Artfeast‘s website at www.artfeast.com Wed, 30 Jan 2008 05:00:01 -0700 blueraingallery - 29 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/tony_abeyta_video_blog/ Music by Andy Pink Video by Gabriel Mozart Steven Abeyta Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:00:01 -0700 blueraingallery - 28 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/blue_rain_gallery_exhibits_at_the_marin_show/ 24th Annual Marin Show Art of the Americas is on the horizon and the staff at Blue Rain Gallery is raring to go! We bring to you our top artists including, but not limited to, Tammy Garcia, Tony Abeyta, Preston Singletary, Les Namingha and Russell Sanchez.These award-winning artists have a few surprises up their sleeve and we are pleased to bring lots of new and exciting work your way. Tammy Garcia‘s signature deigns and motifs in glass are a true sight to see. Her newest bronze and glassworks are truly innovative and stand to prove Tammy‘s ability to excel in a multitude of media. While ingenuity and fearlessness in trying new things are just a few of Tony‘s characteristics, his distinct style is recognizable in all his work whether it be an abstracted black and white drawing, a vivid New Mexico landscape, or a mixed media piece with materials one could only begin to distinguish from one another. In his one-of-a-kind pots, complex designs and unique shapes demonstrate Les‘ ability to successfully execute whatever he envisions. His fluid and seamless designs attest to his popularity with collectors far and wide. Preston‘s hand-blown and sand-carved glass sculptures are beautiful interpretations of his Tlingit heritage. These sculptures of traditional objects realized in glass changes your experience of them as light interacts individually with each piece. Russell‘s distinct style in his pottery has awarded him much deserved recognition. He has gone beyond traditional techniques passed onto him and created a form of expression all his own incorporating new and innovative designs and materials. The above artists all have in one very precise thing in common; that commonality being that they never fail to exceed your expectations. 24th Annual Marin Show Art of the Americas Saturday, February 23, 10am – 6pm and Sunday, February 24, 11am – 5pm Marin Center and Embassy Suites San Rafael, California See you in the Bay Area! Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:00:01 -0700 blueraingallery - 27 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/tammy_garcia_transition_to_glass/ Known for taking traditional pottery to entire new levels, Tammy Garcia continues to set a standard for Native American Art. Having become proficient- and prolific-in both pottery and bronze sculpture, Garcia soon began to yearn for additional challenges and new forms of expression. "I'm always looking for new ways to create," says Garcia, "even on vacation I'm looking around to see what inspires me." Working in glass has allowed Garcia to embark on an entirely new playing field, taking her work to a level that no pueblo potter has been before. Listen to Tammy speak about her transition from clay to glass and her thoughts on with experimenting with new mediums and forms of expression. Jenny Bird & Michael Mandrell Song: Emerging World CD: Sanctuary Mon, 12 Nov 2007 05:00:01 -0700 blueraingallery - 24 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/exhibits_at_sofa_chicago_-_preston_singletary/ Thu, 27 Sep 2007 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 23 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/sofa_chicago/ Blue Rain Gallery will be exhibiting at the Fourteenth Annual Exposition of Sculpture Objects and Functional Art (SOFA) at Chicago's Navy Pier in November of 2007. SOFA is a contemporary--and increasingly international--art expo which focuses on a variety of media ranging from metal, ceramics and wood to fiber and glass. Five of Blue Rain Gallery's most innovative contemporary Native American artists will be exhibiting the following new artwork: glass and bronze sculpture by Tammy Garcia; bold painted, 3-dimensional assemblage works by Tony Abeyta; inspiring new forms in glass highlighting Tlingit designs by Seattle-based glass artist, Preston Singletary; textural ceramic vessels and forms by Wyandott, Richard Zane Smith; and intricately-painted hand-coiled pottery by Les Namingha. Exposition dates for SOFA CHICAGO 2007 are Friday, November 2nd - Sunday, November 4th with an opening night preview Thursday, November 1st. This will be the first SOFA exposition that Blue Rain Gallery has taken part in, and it would be great to see some familiar faces in the "Windy City"! Mon, 3 Sep 2007 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 22 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/gallery_expansion/ Blue Rain Gallery expands its Santa Fe location by adding an additional 4,800 square feet of display space. The new addition features 12 foot high ceilings, track lighting and a beautiful Brazilian slate tile floor. The new area allows ample room for viewing large sculptures which creates a museum like quality to the space. Wed, 29 Aug 2007 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 21 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/tony_abeyta:_in_my_studio:_video/ "I never want to be labeled ’predictable‘," said Abeyta. "I want to challenge myself and surprise the viewer, deviating from previous years‘ works. I thrive on the unexpected and believe people will find some of that in this show." --Tony Abeyta The Drawing Show: August 3 - 11 Artist Reception: Friday, August 3, 5:30 pm black and white drawings The Painting Show: August 17 - 19, Blue Rain Indian Market Artist Reception: Friday, August 17, 5:00 pm paintings and assemblages Mon, 30 Jul 2007 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 20 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/spanish_market_video/ Spanish Market is upon us! Witness one of the fastest growing stars among New Mexico painters, Jim Vogel as he explains his creative process. Then, mark your calendars for a visit to Blue Rain Gallery, July 20 at 5:30 pm, Santa Fe. Take this opportunity to ask Jim detailed questions about the piece you want to add to your art collection. Fri, 22 Jun 2007 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 19 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/deborah_rael-buckley_video_blog/ Deborah Rael-Buckley creates life-size chair and figure ceramic sculptures layered with meaning and rich symbolism. Each stoneware piece is coil built without the benefit of forms or armature. The sculptures feature branches, bones, ropes, writing, and symbols intertwined to create negative spaces and a play of light and shadow. The elements coalesce into commentary about culture, religion, and family. Mon, 4 Jun 2007 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 18 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/star_liana_york_-_video_blog_part_2/ In part two, Star Liana York, in her studio, visits with Tammy Garcia. Behold the dynamics of these two artists as they unveil their new bronze collaboration piece "Chaco". Listen while Tammy Garcia explains how this unique sculpture is a true collaboration. Wed, 23 May 2007 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 17 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/star_liana_york_-_video_blog_part_1/ In our most recent Video Blog, Star Liana York speaks about her artistic vision and inspiration. This exquisite sculptor describes her creative endeavors to a handful of guests. Spend a few moments and take a peak at the artistic world of Star Liana York. Enjoy! Thu, 3 May 2007 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 16 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/randall_lagro_video/ Watch and listen to this new video as Randall LaGro discusses his methods, techniques, and materials in creating his intuitive paintings and monotypes. Discover Randall‘s personal thoughts regarding a shift in mindset toward his new paintings. Randall LaGro will exhibit a new body of his unique and masterful artworks on June 1st through the 15th in our Santa Fe gallery location. Fri, 20 Apr 2007 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 15 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/video_blog_2/ Thank you for celebrating 15 years of Innovative Art with Blue Rain Gallery! We would like to thank our clients for taking the time to visit us in Taos and for making Blue Rain Gallery your first stop to purchase art. View the Vlog to witness the wonderful artists and their studios we visited during our celebration. Here‘s to the next 15 years of BRG! Jenny Bird & Michael Mandrell Song: Emerging World CD: Sanctuary Mon, 9 Apr 2007 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 14 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/video_blog_1/ The greatly anticipated 15th Anniversary Celebration of Blue Rain Gallery is almost upon us. Take a moment to listen to Leroy describe this exciting event. Make your reservation for the studio tours today! This is a wonderful chance to witness the inspiring environments which wonderful works of art are born. Meet and visit with your favorite artist at our reception Friday evening, March 23. Mon, 12 Mar 2007 05:00:01 -0700 blueraingallery - 13 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/holiday_excitement/ About this time every year, anticipation has become the tradition at Blue Rain Gallery. All of the staff, including myself, awaits the announcement that new work has arrived. Someone yells from downstairs "Jim just brought in his new pieces!" Then there is a shuffle of chairs and the sound of wood creaking as we all congregate to behold the marvelous creations. For Randall LaGro and Victor Goler‘s work it is the same. It is like Christmas at the gallery the whole month as the work pours in for our winter show. We all sit around choosing our favorites, pointing out the subtleties and hidden figures in Randy‘s work, or the facial expression on one of Jim‘s figures that seems so familiar. We all have a spot picked out in our home for a piece by Victor on our mantel. We all enjoy our little fantasy for a few minutes until reality slowly creeps back in, and all we are left to imagine is the new home to which those pieces will go. What matters to us is that for those few moments the works feel like they are ours. It never ceases to amaze any of us how involved we all feel; how attached we are to both the artist and their artwork. Like a family- we are all personally invested in this business. That is what makes working at Blue Rain Gallery so special; sharing that excitement and our traditions with you. This holiday season let us remember those feelings of excitement, those feelings of joy and happiness. It is those feelings that make this time of year special for all of us. From our family to yours; Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Fri, 8 Dec 2006 05:00:01 -0700 blueraingallery - 12 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/kevin_a._short:_setting_the_scene/ It‘s that time again for another blog and this week I‘d like to introduce you to an artist you may or may not know. Kevin A. Short resides in sunny California, but spent the majority of his younger life in New Mexico. Through his work he shares his interpretation of the land and the space that the Southwest embodies. He creates landscape art that is complex yet seemingly simple. When up close to one of his paintings the multifaceted composition of thick paint across the canvas becomes blurred into a sea of color. However, once you take a few steps back, the beauty of the light, color, and immense scene take shape. The colors are of rich reds and browns and the images are of the vast setting of New Mexico and the Southwest. On October 6th, 2006 we will be receiving 20 pieces of Short‘s prolific work. Using oil on canvas to create his textured scenes, Short is one of the few landscape artists we feature at Blue Rain Gallery and we are excited to display his new work. Leroy Brown Fri, 29 Sep 2006 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 11 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/a_collectibility_comparison_on_randall_lagro/ As I touched on in an earlier blog, collectibility of an artist is based on a few factors. I gave some suggestions to collecting and would like to relate a couple of these suggestions to a relevant artist as an example. Last week I wrote of Randall LaGro and his work. In comparison to my suggestions he is a perfect fit. This of course is subject to one‘s personal opinion. I will base my comparisons on the knowledge I have of Randall LaGro and of those I know who collect his work. One of my suggestions was to find a work that was innovative. Innovative implies something unique and different. Randall LaGro creates just that. He creates works that are not abstract or based in realism, but are a hybrid of both. He creates a mixture of landscape and portrait art while adding outside elements such as lace in collage form. Another suggestion of mine was to look for work that is well executed and refined. Throughout LaGro‘s career as an artist he has become more aware of his art and has fine-tuned his work. His pieces are well thought out and a piece is not considered finished until it contains all the elements he expects it to. His pieces contain figures and images that are meant to be there. Each piece looks and feels complete. We will be showing the work that Randall LaGro has completed over the last 6 months in Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, NM from September 15th thru October 1st. Come meet the artist and get a glimpse of who he is and what he feels about the work. Leroy Brown Thu, 14 Sep 2006 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 10 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/randall_lagro:_the_poetic_realist/ To effectively combine the abstract with realism one may look to artist Randall LaGro. LaGro, who has resided in Taos for the last sixteen years, creates a hybrid of the two, allowing his art to reach a broader audience. His unique mix of landscape and portrait art in one adds diversity to the art world and in turn makes his work highly desirable. His paintings come to life whether his focal image is in the forefront or camouflaged by his creative use of color or collage. He asks the viewer to interpret the painting him/herself, while decisively placing allegorical, mythological, and archetypal figures throughout his works. He allows each piece to speak for itself. Collectors of Randall LaGro pieces will be brought into a world where paintings become poetic works and not just brush strokes on a canvas. Coincidentally, it was poetry that confirmed his desire to pursue art. "Letters to a Young Poet" by Rainer Maria Rilke has inspired him predominantly. Although LaGro is never quite sure what will happen next when he is painting, he is aware of the creative process and lets it take him where it wants to. The works are unique to him and therefore each is one of a kind. Early in his career he resisted the printmaking process, but soon taught himself printmaking and the monotype method for which he is well known. The paintings, themselves, are meant to invite the viewer to wonder and with each addition to a LaGro Collection one may create a series of stories so that the journey may never end. Whether your home has a contemporary décor or a more rustic tone, Randall LaGro's oil and mixed media paintings, and monotypes are innovative and intimate additions to your already personal décor. The look and feel of such works transcends time allowing the viewer to question if the painting is set in the past, present, or future. When viewing piece after piece of his artwork I am pleased to know that there is a wall somewhere that will see the privilege of wearing a LaGro. For further information on the collectibility of his work be sure to come back next week and read the newest blog. We are delighted to present these inspirational and highly collectible works in an opening for Randall LaGro September 15th thru October 1st at Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, NM. Hope to see you there! Leroy Brown Thu, 7 Sep 2006 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 9 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/indian_market_2006/ All I can say about our 2006 Indian Market is- WOW! For six days, I experienced an energy flow of enthusiasm, anticipation and imaginative ideas from our clients, artists and collectors. A rainy week in Santa Fe did not stop thousands of contemporary native art collectors from visiting. Thanks to all of our wonderful collectors- old and new alike- for stopping in at Blue Rain Gallery. Blue Rain Gallery was packed with art aficionados from mid-day Wednesday all the way through 5:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Artist receptions on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights saw the gallery crowded with collectors anxious to see new works by the artists. I‘m always impressed with the collectors patiently hanging around the gallery awaiting the arrival of an artist and their new works. Many of Al Qoyawayma‘s new and innovative polychrome ceramic creations sold before we even had tags on them. This was also true with the arrival of Tony Abeyta‘s paintings on Friday afternoon. And all week, collectors were drawn to all of the four newly unveiled and uniquely different bronze sculptures by Tammy Garcia; two of these new pieces are nearly sold out! The Friday and Saturday bronze patina demonstrations by the Bronzesmith Foundry of Prescott Valley, Arizona were well attended and enlightening for hundreds of people fascinated with bronze sculpture. I think these demonstrations really helped collectors understand and appreciate the artistic patina process involved in creating color on bronze sculpture. A special thanks to Ed Reilly and his awesome team of bronze craftspeople. The highlight for me was Friday morning August 18th. Our preview was to open at 8:00 a.m. with a lottery sale at 10:00 a.m. And by 7:45 a.m., there were over 50 collectors patiently waiting to come in and see the new pottery by Tammy Garcia, Richard Zane Smith and Les Namingha, along with the magnificent hand-made dolls of Jamie Okuma. By 9:30 a.m., there were over 300 people in the gallery, and I was hoping the city Fire Marshall did not stroll by on his daily morning stroll to Starbuck‘s. The lottery began just after 10:00 a.m., and I have never seen so many anxious collectors hoping to have their name drawn. I did have to raise my voice a bit, and want to thank everyone for their patience in working with us; that was a lot of fun. Most of all, I would like to thank all of the artists for their hard work and dedication to their various mediums. These artists work incredibly hard and continue to amaze me with their efforts in combing innovative ideas with meticulous execution. Without them, Blue Rain Gallery would not be what it is today. I always look forward to seeing our clients in the future, so until then- thank you and we hope to see you soon. -Peter Stoessel Thu, 24 Aug 2006 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 8 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/advice_for_collecting_artwork/ Over the years, many art collectors have come to me looking for advice for whom or what to collect. I have always cautiously recommend that collectors first and foremost, collect what inspires them or what will bring joy to their lives. Unfortunately, there are many who assemble work based on the hope that monetary values will increase over time like a good stock or mutual fund. Sometimes collecting artwork is a matter of supply and demand economics or a matter of pure innovation. It may also be a matter of pure refinement and execution. So here are some general suggestions to collecting: 1. Find work that is innovative. 2. Look for work that is well executed or refined. 3. Ascertain how many pieces the artist produces a year. 4. Is there integrity in the pricing structure? Many times we are in a position of wondering if what we paid for is really worth it. In collecting art, these four suggestions will help you along the way and will hopefully guide you to a positive experience. Ideally, if you find all of these suggestions in an artist‘s work and career, you can usually find a relatively safe acquisition. Happy hunting! Leroy Brown Wed, 9 Aug 2006 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 7 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/whats_new_for_indian_market/ In our latest wonderful Indian Market brochure we recently launched a "Did You Know?" campaign delivering little known trivia facts that hopefully, made every one thirst for more information on their favorite artists. If you did not receive a brochure, please let us know and we will be more than happy to send you one. Over the next few days, I will try and share a few insightful perspectives and information based on what I feel is exciting and important with regard to our Indian Market shows here at BRG. So what‘s new for Indian Market this year? As usual, we have added a few new vibrant faces to the perennial mix. This year, we are pleased to announce the welcomed arrival of one the biggest names in native sculpture, Orland Joe to BRG‘s Indian Market lineup. This extremely talented artist recently won the Prix de West Purchase Award at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, OK. Another new face is Larry Vasquez, who is regarded as one of the most exciting and gifted jewelers in the region. He produces some of the most beautifully ornate necklaces and rings to ever grace an individual. Larry is a charismatic individual of Mescalero descent, who uses storytelling to inspire all or most of his works. Make some time to stop by and visit with him. You will find that he is a real pleasure to be around. As for more news, I will post another update by Wednesday Aug. 9th as to what I hear a few of the artists are working on. Leroy Brown Mon, 7 Aug 2006 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 6 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/excitement_builds_for_jim_vogel/ At this wonderful time of the year, we often get an extensive number of people coming to the gallery asking for Jim Vogel's colorful and expressive paintings of rural New Mexico folklore, culture and scenery. We are often asked why his paintings sell so quickly, how they can get a hold of one and why he uses the "big hands." Over the last two years, Jim's popularity has increased significantly and he has taken his work to a whole new level of excitement and energy. Last summer, we sent out a brochure with all the vibrant and lively pieces involved in the show, and the response was not only tremendous, it quickly vaulted him to sellout status. Although Jim uses a wonderful variation of vibrant colors, charismatic subject matter, and odd shaped frames, the most common element one will see in Jim's dynamic portrayals is the inclusion of "big hands" on the lively people figures that he envelopes in his paintings. While his depictions are often compared to Thomas Hart Benton, he really wasn't familiar with the Missouri artist's work when he first started with the "big hands" many years ago. He only noticed a slight similarity in the brushstroke technique and folkloric content when it was pointed out to him later on in his career. Jim uses these "big hands" to portray the common everyday working person and the idea that great things in this life come through diligent and hard work. As a youngster growing up in Roswell, Jim fondly remembered the big and worn hands of family members and friends, and their endless pursuit of hard labor. He graciously applies these large hands in his dynamic paintings as a tribute to those wonderful and industrious people. We now get hundreds of inquiries a year for Jim's paintings, each one asking for information and questions on how to obtain a painting from this outstanding "big hands" artist. I am really excited for Jim's new show that starts on July 1 here in Santa Fe. I have seen the plethora of colorful and diverse paintings and they are absolutely fabulous! I know that many of you will fall in love with this unique and incredibly brilliant body of work. Abel Garcia Director Blue Rain Gallery Santa Fe Sat, 10 Jun 2006 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 5 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/blue_rain_gallery_expansion_beyond_indian_art/ Question: Why has Blue Rain Gallery expanded beyond Indian Art? A question I often get asked is "I thought Blue Rain Gallery was a gallery featuring only Native American art; why did the gallery start carrying non-Native American Art?" This is an honest-to-good observational question that I love to engage in. There are many answers to this question. First of all, Blue Rain Gallery was indeed founded as a contemporary Native American art gallery with the intention of offering the finest in contemporary Native American art available on the market today. We honor and affirm our roots by striving to maintain the gallery‘s early concept of who we are and what kind of gallery we want to be. I always look forward to visiting a collector‘s home whether on invitation or making a delivery or installation of a fine art piece. During these visits I often notice a diverse selection of fine art in these magnificent homes all around our country. I began to observe wonderful connections between these different art objects. We also ask a lot of questions in the gallery and we developed the knowledge that many of our Native American art collectors also collect from other genres as well. A goal of the gallery is to provide new and exciting work to our collectors on a consistent basis. During the year 2000 we decided to pursue artists from different backgrounds. We knew that we wanted to focus on local artists from the Southwest; not necessarily with a southwestern style, but more on a fine art level. Our first major, non-Native American artist was Randall LaGro. Not only was Randall non-Native American, but his artwork was not typical of art from the southwest. Why did we take on Randall‘s different work? Simple... we loved it and felt many of our collectors would too. His paintings and techniques are superb and unique. Shortly thereafter we proudly represented Jim Vogel and his wonderful paintings of people and life in Northern New Mexico. From these intial distinctions, we quickly acquired more non-Native American artists: Star Liana York and her beautiful sculptures in a variety of realist forms depicting animals and people; John Berger and his one-of-a-kind beautiful segmented hand turned wood vessels with detailed organic carvings; Kevin Short and his bold impressionistic landscapes and modern Americana subject matter; Rio Grande weaver, Donna Lopez and her modern wool weavings containing color saturations of graphic geometric designs. A year and a half ago we started working with one of Northern New Mexico‘s most well known and respected devotional artists named Gustavo Victor Goler and his magnificent wood carved santos, bultos, and retablos. This year BRG will introduce two new painters; Sean Diediker and Scott Matlin. I have seen works by Tammy Garcia, Tony Abeyta, Jim Vogel, Victor Goler and Preston Singletary all displayed elegantly in one home. A simple cliché states "Art is art", but art is difficult to define. We all like different things; we all see different things in art. The bottom line is, we all relate to a piece of fine art differently and Blue Rain Gallery offers a diverse and unique selection of fine art to collectors from all over the country. Whether created by a Native American artist or non-Native American artist, these art pieces can and do live harmoniously together anywhere. Peter Stoessel Director, Blue Rain Gallery Wed, 26 Apr 2006 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 4 http://blueraingallery.com/blog/welcome_to_brgs_web_blog._/ Welcome to BRG's web blog. What is a blog, one might ask? It is defined as a public web site where users post informal journals of their thoughts, comments, and philosophies, which are updated frequently and normally reflecting the views of the blog's creator. This blog will obviously represent the thoughts and views of Blue Rain Gallery, and at the same time provide a forum for people to respond and share their thoughts or opinions as to the commentary on the blog. We encourage everyone to take a look, and if you would like, feel free to chime in. We are now entering our 14th year as a gallery, and we have seen many changes in how art is marketed and sold. Obviously, the invent and use of the Internet has sped things up and has helped us reach many more people in a rapid way. In the beginning, when a piece of art would come in, we would have to photograph the piece, wait for the development of the film, mail the image and then wait for a response. The entire process took well over a week. Today, once we receive the artwork, we can digitally photograph and e-mail the piece as well as receive a response within minutes. Looking back, I remember having a conversation with a gallery owner and asking him if he had any plans on incorporating the Internet into his business. He quickly dismissed the idea as a passing fad and said, "The Internet will never be able to represent the beauty and quality in art." It wasn't more than a couple of months after this conversation that Tammy and I introduced Blue Rain Gallery as a new business, and within a few months of that opening we launched blueraingallery.com The first site was a shell of what we have today, listing our hours, a mission statement and a few pictures. Though simple and non-interactive, it did set a standard and a new direction for the sale and marketing of contemporary Native American art. As the years passed, and with many constructive criticisms from our clients, our website has what seems to be an always-evolving life of its own. The creation of this blog is certainly adding to the ever evolving and morphic nature of blueraingallery.com As usual, we would encourage your critiques or ideas on how to make this site better. Leroy Brown Thu, 20 Apr 2006 05:00:01 -0600 blueraingallery - 3