Home ยป Scott Palmer

Tag: Scott Palmer

Cool new art!

Cool new art at the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Show.
One of Scott Palmer’s engaging pieces, a painting on copper. But the copper is so much more than the “canvas.”

 

How often do you find cool new art? In the case of Albuquerque’s Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festivals, three times each year if you choose. I usually hit up two of them, but the show held annually on Thanksgiving weekend is by far the best. Last week was no exception. Not only did I “re-connect” with some of the art I discovered in 2015 and ’16, but I found new stuff! (Okay, new for me; just go with it.) I simply must share it with you. Of course.

 

One of the first “very cool new art” booths I came across, Copper Phoenix Studio, belonged to artist Scott Palmer. Make sure you check out his website which says:

“…a unique combination of solid copper, impressionistic painting style, natural patinas and flame painting to form hand โ€“ crafted one of a kind works of art… With Copper as his canvas; Palmer reignites his passion for impressionistic works of art. โ€œCopper can simply be the background that provides luminescence to a painting or it can play a major role in the actual work.โ€

Cool new art at the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival.
And like many artists who are looking to offer lower priced, introductory pieces to would-be customers — most of us rug hookers who sell have made rug mugs, right? — Palmer came up with these babies. I believe that he told me they are actually prints of his pieces under Plexi-glass. Very nice!
Cool new art at the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival.
This one had more of a sheen. The colors are so “en fuego” and so very exciting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I mosied away from Palmer’s booth, I came across…wire animals! Gary Chaffin of ArtWire Graphics sculpts his creatures with wire!

“The experimental use of negative space has been the focus of my sculptures. Each of my three-dimensional designs are spontaneous impressions. I begin with a loose image in my mind. Then as I develop the idea in wire, the finished design takes on its own personality. There are no patterns or drawings beforehand. Each complex design is created totally freehand, sometimes from a continuous wire. My only tools are a pair of pliers and cutters.”

I love how he begins with a “loose image” in his mind and that the designs take on their own personalities. Raise your hand, hookers, if you understand that perfectly. (I’m not sure if, in my case, that’s always for the good. ๐Ÿ™‚ )

Cool new arts at the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival
This being New Mexico, Chaffin’s roadrunner drew me into the booth first. So cool!
Cool new art at the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival.
A deep sea anglerfish! You know, the one that tried to eat Nemo and Ellen Degeneres Dory. How much fun is that?

 

 

I don’t have too much info on the next artist, but I was overwhelmed with his work, especially on this chest. The graphics got me – love that kind of work. I mean, you could make a matching rug from his design easy-peasy. And then store any leftover wool or t-shirts or whatever in it.

Cool new art at the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival.
The chest was carved and painted by Tim Lockwood of Hand Crafted Wood Works out of Utah. If you’re interested in his work, comment, and I’ll give you his contact info.

So, I didn’t actually get to meet the next artist; her husband was manning the booth. And I warn you ahead of time, I an a tile-maniac. Love tiles! Have several in my house. Some in drawers because I don’t have enough room for all of them, and I do like to display other media. The artist is Debora Duran-Geiger of Tucan Tiles. If I eavesdropped correctly, she lives and works in both Santa Fe and Boquete, Panama. That latter bit really showed in her hummingbird art, not that I got a good pic of it. ๐Ÿ™ But I got the ones you see here!

According to a card her husband gave me:

“…All designs are created by Debora Duran-Geiger using Cuerda Seca technique (wax resist linework). Each tile is individually hand painted using opaque and translucent glazes. Other techniques utilized…are: Slip trailing, Sgraffiato, and Majolica. Tiles are fired in an electric kiln to…1840 degrees. …They make fabulous trivets or may be inset directly into walls.”

Cool new art at Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival.
I am NOT putting a hot pot on these tiles!
Cool new art from the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival.
You know I had to include this chick. Happy Day of the Dead!
Cool new art at the RIo Grande Arts and Crafts Festival/
The colors! Yes, again. Color is a BIG THING with me. And you must admit that this would make a fabulous rug design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the spirit of reuse and recycling, I have to share this artist’s work. Came across her just before I left the show. Meg Harper‘s COLOR-FILLED animal portraits grabbed me. That she paints them on old signs, discarded cabinet doors, and tin roofs took me over the top. (Me who prefers to hook with old t-shirts and bed-sheets and such.)

Uh huh, another road runner. He’s just a little more filled-in than Gary Chaffin’s above!

Lastly, I present to you a gorgeous rug by Nancy Pierce of Artisan on the cul-de-sac. Like me, Nancy is a newish member of the Adobe Wool Arts Guild who moved to New Mexico within the last couple of years. I spied this rug in a promotional email from the Rio Grande Festival and asked her if I photograph and share it.

Cool new art at the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival.
I love everything about this rug by Nancy Pierce. The colors, the geometrics in the background, the sculpting. Wish my lighting was better, but I’m sure you get the idea.

I suppose that you’ve indulged me enough. One of the big reasons I actually get dressed and leave my house the day after Thanksgiving for this show is that it leaves me with a desire to go home and to make my own art. INSPIRATION is the word. I hope that you’re feeling some after seeing the pics here.

Tynan will be back next week with “What’s on the frame.” Frankly, there’s absolutely nothing on it. I haven’t hooked a loop since the Santa Fe Fiber Festival the weekend before Thanksgiving. It’s unusual for me, but everyone needs to take a break even from the things they love to do. Besides it let me pick up my crochet hook again. For the first time since last winter. It takes so much more concentration to make sure that those rows are straight! You have no idea how many I pulled out last night as I tried to multitask to “Stranger Things.” (Tom hates it when I ask him to rewind because I missed something important doing needlework.) But Tomorrow the guild starts a three-day retreat. It’s back to the frame for me, to the piece I started in May when Cheryl Bollenbach was here teaching again. Bet it’ll look familiar when I finally show it off.

Have a great week. Get those Christmas trees up!

Share