What we're up to

JANUARY – Visit to the studios of Betsy Kuhn and Joseph Riggs – Corrales

Visit to Betsy Kuhn’s and Joseph Rigg’s studios

From Betsy: “I have a lifelong love of the arts, and, having retired from a career as a counselor and family therapist, I am now making art full-time. My work reflects my love of nature and, in particular, the alluring landscape of northern New Mexico. Many of my paintings begin with time in the field, sketching, and hiking to feel close and connected to my subjects. The strong influences in my work include Richard Diebenkorn, Henri Matisse, Georgia O’Keefe, and a favorite Taos artist, Alyce Franks. In 2012, I was resident at the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation Artist Residency program in Taos, New Mexico. This experience allowed the incredible privilege of painting and drawing for three months during the fall of 2012. Later, I was a resident at the CAMAC artist residency program in Marne-sur-Seine, France in 2015. In 2019, I wrote, illustrated and published, A Counting of Crows, which has won five national awards.”

From Joseph: “My artwork takes a contemporary look at the American West, using some of the principles of the Impressionists and Post impressionists. It is Southwest Modernism. My journey as an artist has taken a multitude of paths. After 40 years as a criminal defense attorney in New Mexico, I began a new life and a new career as an artist. I had always painted, and much of my earlier artistic career focused on rodeos and rodeo cowboys.”

“Most recently, my spiritual influences have led me deeper into abstraction. Focusing on the line, the color, the shape, the overall impression and the ultimate image has pushed me toward complete abstraction. No longer do I try to copy or paint an object. I don’t want to make a picture of something. Color is no longer just for coloring. Color becomes part of the form itself. Line is no longer the guide to painting a shape. Line becomes part of the form itself. Color and line create the shape and dimension. I want the painting to be defined by the viewer’s imagination. I want the viewer to find his/her imagination in my form, color and shape.”

WEBSITES: Betsy Kuhn - www.betsykuhnfineart.com | Joseph Riggs - josephriggsfineart.com

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FEBRUARY – Scottsdale / Phoenix CAS Art Lover’s Tour – Arizona

CAS Art Lover’s Four-Day Tour in Scottsdale / Phoenix, Arizona

Get ready for a captivating Valentine’s weekend immersed in art and culture! The Contemporary Art Society of New Mexico invites you to join fellow art enthusiast members for an exclusive four-day tour of the vibrant Scottsdale and Phoenix art scenes. Sign up is now closed.

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MARCH – To be determined

Stay tuned for information about an exciting CAS event in March.