Artisans of the Southwest Gallery & Wine Room announces its 2nd Annual Community Art Show (CAS), February 20-March 13, in the gallery located at 175 Pagosa & 2nd Street, Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Original in concept by artists working in any medium may enter. Several artists at Artisans of the Southwest shall judge the upcoming Community Art Show, including Wen Saunders, Carol Schneider, and Guy Schmickle. Local professional artist Linda Echterhoff will also judge the show. Artisans of the Southwest Gallery & Wine Room is the concept of gallery director, Wen Saunders.
The gallery opened last year and hosts up to twenty artists.
Here are some notes about this year's judges:
Linda Echterhoff
Linda was born in Houston, Texas, and raised in The City of Bellaire, Texas. As a youngster, art, nature and play were her passions, and they still are to this day. The art seed, the creative kernel was planted in her mind at a very young age. Surprisingly, but not uncommonly, her practical German upbringing led to earning advanced degrees, not in fine art, but in chemical engineering from Rice University and an MBA from Houston Baptist University. Continued...
Art was a strong interest and love, but instead Linda sought financial security and pursued her need to improve the world using her math and science skills.
While pursuing a 27-year career in the natural gas monetization industry, Linda met and married her husband, Lal. They studied art together for five years at The Glassell School of Art, the teaching wing of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. At the time, their art studies focus was drawing, 3-dimensional design and sculpture. In 2005, Linda and Lal retired from corporate America, where she most recently worked as Project Engineering Manager for KBR. They moved to Pagosa Springs to pursue our full-time art careers. Over the past two years, she has enjoyed serving the Pagosa Springs arts community and its artists as President of the Pagosa Springs Arts Council and as a key team member and champion of the ‘Mural on Main Project’ and Pagosa Mountain Hospital ‘Tree Carving Project’.
Wen Saunders
Wendy (Wen) Saunders brings a wealth of art and business savvy to Artisans of the Southwest. For over thirty years she has traveled throughout the country documenting life’s events. Operating marketing, graphic design, photography, web site, and fine art business in three states, with dual offices in diverse communities, her photographs have been exhibited in galleries throughout the country and have appeared in American Cowboy Magazine and Western Horseman magazines. Tamron, has published her images in their lens manufacturing catalogs and brochures.
 Her expertise in web site design and development, graphic design, marketing, and photography adds a tremendous asset the Artisans of the Southwest. Her previous clients include Fort Lewis College Theatre, Tamron Industries (leading lens manufacturer), Hasselblad USA (medium format camera), Pagosa Quality Fishing Project, Western Dairy Council, and a host of artists and businesses in Pagosa Springs, Denver, and Boulder, Colorado. She photographs both film and digital images, including rodeo, western, and street rod shows. Saunders has also served on the board of the Pagosa Art Council.
“After 30 years, I am proud of my evolution into a full circle and back to my BFA in Art (Communication Arts & Design, Virginia Commonwealth University). I have an opportunity to sell not only my art, but offer an opportunity to sell other artisan’s art. Artisans of the Southwest goes beyond the typical traditional art gallery; it’s a place to gather with friends, enjoy a glass of wine, meet artisans, see artisans perform their craft, and purchase fine art! It is an interactive gallery and art experience”, says Saunders.
Carol Schneider
For Carol Schneider, inspiration for her jewelry is everywhere she looks, as shown in her necklace,
Honoring the Ancients V. The piece consists of Anasazi pottery shard, copper wire, macklite, copper beads, glass beads, and Sedona red rock beads. Continued...
“I actually just finished the piece four days ago”, says Schneider. “It is brand new and was really a fun piece to work on as it took on a life of its own.” Honoring the Ancients is a series of jewelry pieces created to commemorate the artistry of the Anasazi potters. Each piece is truly one of a kind, as the pottery piece is over 1,000 years old. Schneider received the pottery pieces as gifts from private land owners.
“In Honoring the Ancients, I am incorporating the 'ancients' work into mine to continue the life and enjoyment of these tiny pieces”, says Schneider. Schneider was school superintendent at Rock Point School located on a Navajo reservation in Arizona. You will admire the Native American influence in her jewelry. Schneider relocated to Pagosa Springs, Colorado from Arizona to pursue art and joined Artisans of the Southwest Gallery & Wine Tasting Room in June. “There is nothing like hanging out with artists you admire and getting advice on every level, including just how to handle yourself as a professional artist”, says Schneider. Schneider is also Pagosa Arts Council president.
Guy Schmickle
Arriving from Minnesota, Schmickle found a new land filled with inspiration: the American Southwest. With his wife Tami, he settled in the small community of Bayfield, Colorado soaking up breath taking scenery at the doorstep of the San Juan Mountains. He joined Artisans of the Southwest Gallery last April. Capturing the qualities of light, texture, combined with sky and air, Schmickle captures the essence of the landscape through digital photography. He ensures a scene is optimally captured in the camera and works to bring subtle nuances of the image in the digital darkroom. Continued...
His images depict the rigidity and strength of the mountains and rock formations, as well as the serenity of a moving body of water. Many of his landscapes are published regularly in Inside Outside magazine. He has always been at home in the computer world, stepping down from a lengthy career in software engineering to pursue a dream. This makes more sense knowing he personally custom prints his images. By printing his images, he controls the color management of each image created by digital darkroom techniques creating a vibrant metamorphosis of color and dimension in his photographs.
“I have an earnest desire to give voice to the land through my images”, states Schmickle.
Show Artwork Entry Deadline
Artists may drop off their art on Saturday, February 13 or Monday, February 15 at Artisans of the Southwest Gallery, located at 175 Pagosa Street in Aspen Grove Plaza (in the Farrago’s Building). Entry forms may be picked-up prior to entry at the gallery daily, 1-6pm (closed Sunday & Wednesday) or online at their web site, www.artisansofthesouthwest.com. Artists Artisans of the Southwest Gallery will award three prizes for the Community Art Show. Peoples Choice ($100 award),is selected by patrons during the show opening night and visiting the gallery through March 1 (and announced March 2).
Best of Show Professional Artist and Best Newby (amateur artist) will be selected and judged by Artisans of the Southwest Gallery artisans. The Best Newby award is presented to a non-professional artist. The professional CAS is a juried entry show, the amateur CAS is a non-juried entry show. |