The Art Avenue is the avenue to challenge what have become the routine, the norm, and the traditional within Arts, Culture, and Urbanism around the border
The Art Avenue Magazine invites all photographers to celebrate this photographic technique by submitting artwork for our upcoming 2nd anniversary issue. This issue will run in conjunction with the exhibition: El Paso through the Pinhole as a celebration for pinhole photography day (April 26).
The Art Avenue Magazine is a local art and culture publication that challenges what has become the routine, the norm, and the traditional within arts, culture, and urbanism around the border region. The Art Avenue Magazine presents an innovative approach to architecture, design, performing and visual arts, and cultural issues.
We are accepting entries from January 23 to February 13 Entry Deadline: Friday, February 13, 2015 Exhibition date will be announced on February 21st.
Artist’s work will be judged by a panel for the opportunity to be featured in the 2nd anniversary issue of The Art Avenue Magazine. Winner artist will have a feature section in the March/April issue of The Art Avenue Magazine. Along with a feature section in the exhibition: El Paso through the Pinhole (tentative title).
Artists are encouraged to create a pinhole camera and capture El Paso. Artists must submit 3 pictures, 2 pinhole images portraying El Paso and a picture documenting the camera used. Only images and cameras created within the last year and this year will be considered. Both images and camera will be considered as a whole project. No Digital pinhole photographs. Images should be printed and delivered in a sealed envelope with:
Name of photographer Name of the images Description of the pinhole camera with an photograph A short artist statement (200 words) Contact information.
To the following address:
The Art Avenue Gallery 518 W. San Antonio St. Suite F El Paso TX, 79901
Fee must be paid in full and in person in order for applications to be accepted. We accept cash, credit card and checks. For any questions please email us at info@theartave.com with subject “Pinhole”
Photo credit: “Matchbook Pinhole Fountain” by Chris Keeney.
The Art Avenue would like to thank everyone who shared in our Posada last night with our featured artists Wayne Hilton and Francisco Lascurain. There’s still time to do your last minute shopping tomorrow at The Art Avenue Gallery and pop-up at 518 W. San Antonio Suite F. Join us from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
One of the most important cultures of the pre-Columbian America was the Inca, whose center was situated in Cusco, Peru. On my travels through South America, getting to know, in person, this culture was a must, so we drove our Volkswagen from Ecuador to Peru and immediately started experiencing a completely unique culture.
Even though the Imperial Age is far gone, nowadays 70% of Peru‘s population are descendants of the Incas and a vast part of their traditions have been preserved by the indigenous communities that inhabit all along the country, whose lives have changed very little since the time of the Inca Empire.
When you are near the Andean mountain range it is easy to spot women wearing their traditional clothing, handmade by themselves. These clothes play a very important role in Andean communities since they are distinctive signs of their history, who they are and where they come from. Besides that, their styling also helps them go through their daily duties: wrapping their babies on their backs or carrying their purchases the same way.
I wanted to know more about the beautiful textiles they wore: colorful handmade pieces, perfect for the low temperatures of the Andean mountain range. To get to know the history and process of these wearable pieces of art I decided to go to Cusco and visit a few towns in the Sacred Valley: Rumira Sondormayo, Ollantaytambo and Chaullacocha, where men work mainly with agriculture and women with textiles.
In my search I met Dana Blair, a young American woman who is working in Cusco and the Sacred Valley area with an association called Threads of Peru.
This non-profit organization is making efforts to empower indigenous Andean women whose textiles they purchase at a fair price. Then they offer these products to a global market online. By doing this they are not only helping to sell a traditional good, but also providing an income to the weavers.
The importance of the Peruvian handcrafted textiles relies on the ancient tradition it is preserving, as well as the sustainability of the families providing the service. To make these textiles attractive to international buyers, the designs had to overcome some modifications.
That is what Threads of Peru called marketing projects, which aim is to help weavers to fusion some of the world’s modern-fashion tendencies with the ancient Inca designs they produce. That way, a very traditional Peruvian piece becomes sellable to a global market.
Threads of Peru started in a classroom at NSCAD University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 2008. The project was created by a class of Interdisciplinary Design students taught by Adam Foster Collins. According to the Threads of Peru website, Collins’ goal was to teach his students that design “is a social process, whose greatest strength lies in drawing out the collective strengths of people working collaboratively across boundaries of culture and discipline.” This class had to reach out to the world and find a place where their skills would help other people. The answer was the Andean weavers in Peru. Ariana Svenson, an Australian woman working in these communities-with sustainable tourism: a project that connects tourists directly with the Andean families-in an agency called APUS Peru, helped these students to make the project a reality.
The process working with these women has been long and difficult, and as Svenson said when we met, “It has been much time of hard work, of which the result is not yet clear. But I am sure that the lives of these children are going to change once we change the life of their mothers.”
When visiting Rumira, one of the communities working with the association, I learned how important weaving is for women all through their lives. It plays an important role in their daily duties as young girls, and later, becomes quite relevant for every important event in their lives since they wear their family history in their clothing. But this beautiful and rich tradition is not helping feed their children and that is the reason why many families have had to leave their communities and try to make a living in overpopulated cities in Peru, where most of the time they face discrimination and exploitation.
Rumira is a prime example of a small Andean village: few families living under very poor conditions, a harsh weather at any altitude—many of them more than 4,000 meters above sea level. Children find it hard to attend to school because of the long distances and even the weather, same happens with medical attention; also in most cases children don’t receive appropriate nutrition.
The textiles weaved in Rumira have been modified by designers, making of them something contemporary and traditional at the same time. The result is a handmade cloth that maintains the Inca weaving tradition, and also offers a very wearable piece for the modern market.
Threads of Peru and the women of the Sacred Valley work every day to improve the lives of the Andean communities. There is no doubt that a change has been made, but the way to go is still long. As for those who would like to contribute don’t doubt visiting the website of this organization (www.threadsofperu.com), you might find the perfect pieces for your autumn and winter wardrobe; and most important, don’t forget what’s behind those beautiful pieces of cloth.
In recognition of UTEP’s role in educating thousands of Mexican students and as a gift of friendship for the University’s Centennial, the Mexican people recently presented UTEP with an original piece by renowned sculptor Sebastián.
Sculptor Sebastián (far left) poses in front of his newest work, which was installed in front of the Fox Fine Arts Building on Sept. 10. Joining him are (from left to right) UTEP President Diana Natalicio, Ambassador of Mexico to the United States Eduardo Medina Mora and Jacob Prado, consul general of Mexico in El Paso. Photo by JR Hernandez
Despite roasting afternoon heat, a crowd of several hundred spectators—including politicos from both sides of the border, high school and college students, academics and local artists—gathered enthusiastically in front of UTEP’s Fox Fine Arts Building for the piece’s dedication on Sept. 10. Excitement rose when the sculptor arrived and began rotating his massive spherical creation in order to demonstrate its interactive and ever-changing qualities.
The ceremony was opened by Jacob Prado, consul general of Mexico in El Paso, who recognized the leaders in attendance including Juárez Mayor Enrique Serrano, U.S. Consul General in Juárez Ian Brownlee, Texas State Senator José Rodríguez, judicial dignitaries, members of El Paso City Council and Ambassador of Mexico to the United States Eduardo Medina Mora.
Medina Mora made the official presentation of the sculpture, speaking on behalf of the Mexican people in stating that it was a unique opportunity for the country to demonstrate its gratitude to UTEP for contributing to greater cooperation in an increasingly globalized world.
Prado then introduced Sebastián, who gave a hands-on demonstration of his new work’s textures including the two X shapes that stand for the letters in the names Texas and Mexico as well as the Nahuatl character expressing the transmission of ideas and dialogue for which the sculpture is named.
The design of “Esfera Cuantica Tlahtolli” also symbolizes the historical bonds between Mexico and UTEP, which began with the inclusion of a Mexican student in UTEP’s first-ever graduating class more than 90 years ago up through today with the university enrolling more Mexican students than any other in the United States.
Sebastián explained his process of conceiving the sculpture as a work that would join the area’s ancient roots with its modern goals while expressing his own personal connection to the locale (he lived in Juárez during his youth while his family lived in El Paso). “Hence, I know the region and I love the region,” he said. “And I leave this work here with much affection for El Paso.”
UTEP President Diana Natalicio pointed out the particularly special meaning that the new sculpture had for the university. “We value deeply the many ways that we are united as a community: strong familial ties, a strong heritage, a common commitment to higher education and social mobility as well as a belief that there are no boundaries to our shared hopes and dreams for the future,” she said.
“As good neighbors standing side by side, we will continue to work together to improve the lives of people in our locations, our hemisphere and the world,” Natalicio continued. “And as we do, Sebastián’s sculpture will be a cherished source of pleasure and pride for future generations, inspiring contemplation of ideals such as friendship, communication, partnership, diversity, opportunity, access and excellence.”
By Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek Photographs by Victoria G. Molinar Design by Julia Zamponi
A technical craftician and an artisan—Alejandro Lomeli uses his hands in various trades in order to make a living.
The Art Avenue had the opportunity to speak with Lomeli where we learned how one local historian had a big impact on him as a small child in elementary school and how that impression can be seen in his artwork.
Originally from Monterey, California, TAA learned that this father of two children is a sheet metal installer by day yet artist in life. He reveals how his traits range from the talent his hands have when dipping a paint brush into acrylic and gently applying it onto a scantily clothed female form and canvas’ to the extreme opposite of his 12 year rugged yet technical craft as a sheet metal worker.
Painting on a canvas appears to be easier than painting on a human form with different shapes and curves of various sizes, what prompted you to try your hand at live art?
As an artist, I always want to push myself and not be so one dimensional so I accepted a challenge when a friend suggested I try live art.
Iconic buildings in the Borderplex inspire each of your pieces in this issue. Can you explain why you chose that genre?
I’ve been painting historic El Paso themes. I was first introduced into local history when historian and book writer Leon Metz went to my elementary school to talk to us. I think historical buildings were something different and unexpected to paint on a model, so I went for it. I thought these particular images fit well on my body canvas.
Do you find it sensual when you take paint and a brush to a body rather than a canvas?
Yes I do, but those feelings go away as soon as I start painting and concentrating on the task at hand.
Are there any emotions knowing that what you paint on a body will soon be washed away or is that part of the “job”?
It’s just a job. I don’t get attached to them. I’m good with the photographic evidence of my work.
Have you taken note to who is receptive to your work—your followers?
I’ve noticed people of all different ages and backgrounds interested in my historic El Paso work. You work with your hands as an artist—but for a living you use them as a sheet metal worker/HVAC installer. Do you see that trade as an art in itself?
Not really—hanging commercial duct is a trade in itself. But I do want to incorporate sheet metal, wood, tile work and other materials into my work in the future. I don’t want to be known as just a painter and I am looking to always push my artwork to the next level.
What is most perplexing within the art world?
It’s most challenging to find the time to paint and be inspired after working nine hours in a physically demanding job and driving back home to El Paso from Las Cruces.
What is your opinion on the art scene in the region?
I’m just really excited for El Paso’s growing art scene. I feel very fortunate to have a small part in it and I look forward to continue creating and taking on bigger projects.
Connect with Alejandro Lomeli on Facebook at LomelliniArt
by Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek Illustrated by Ashley Medina Photographs provided by The El Paso Symphony Orchestra
Growing musical youth programs, one instrument at a time. That’s one of the goals of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra’s Tocando—a program designed to keep students off the streets by instilling a sense of leadership and discipline.
Hart Elementary in Central El Paso is the first school to collaborate with the EPSO and offers 66 students after school activities designed to provide musical and creative experiences. The program is held every Monday through Thursday from 3:15 p.m. – 6 p.m. and through the course of four days, it provides two to four hours in academic work and six to eight hours for music education.
“We are not looking to produce super star musicians or prodigies—though it would be nice—we simply want to give them skills to become successful and productive adults,” said Andy Moran, El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestra music director and EPSO assistant conductor.
Teachers of Tocando say the students gain confidence the longer they participate in the program. “It’s amazing to see how the students improve and then to watch the subsequent improvements made in the entire family are as a result…students are exposed to art in other mediums. There have been collaborations with the (El Paso Museum of Art)art museum to show how music relates to the other art,” said Mary Jane Maus, musicianship-teaching artist.
The participating students are in the 2nd through the 5th grade and can choose to learn on a violin, cello, flute, trombone, clarinet or trumpet. Instruments are provided to the children in the beginning of the year and they are allowed to take them home as long as they continue in Tocando. Instructors like to see the progress of the students by orchestrating a student performance each month. The hope is that once the children successfully complete Tocando and have acquired the necessary musical skills, they will join the El Paso Youth Symphony.
This fall the event was held in the Upper Valley in El Paso’s Westside with a Napa Valley-inspired event with simple yet gourmet food and local beer and wine. Supporters were able to raise approximately $12,000 through ticket and auctions sales.
Tocando is made possible in part, by funding through the IGNITE Initiative of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation whose goal is to improve a range of health outcomes by engaging disconnected youth in high-quality programs during out of school hours.
By Adair Margo Pictures courtesy of the Tom Lea Institute
Luciano Cheles, Art Historian, University of Poitiers, France; and Smithsonian Senior Fellow 2006-2007
In 2003 as he was looking through art books in Poitiers, France where he teaches Italian Renaissance Art History, Luciano Cheles came across a book on WPA-era (1930s) Texas murals. He looked through it once—then flipped through it again, pausing on the pages where Tom Lea’s work was printed. There were giant figures of Comanche warriors, horses, Spanish conquistadors, vaqueros and Anglo settlers on the walls of public buildings across the state, telling the different histories of places named Seymour, Dallas, Odessa and El Paso.
Cheles found something familiar about Lea’s figures—something about their classicism and the weighty volumes of their forms. The professor recognized a quality in Lea’s scenes that were without turmoil or emotion, but rather intellectual and distilled. For years, Cheles had taught about the artist Piero della Francesca, who was born in Sansepolcro on the border of Umbria and Tuscany in 1415. Though recognized today as one of the greatest masters of the Italian Renaissance, his isolation from artistic centers like Florence and Rome had kept him from being better known. Yes, it was this Piero quality Cheles thought he recognized in Tom Lea, and he set about finding out if he were right.
It wasn’t hard for him to find somebody to ask. With a simple Google search of Tom Lea’s name, he found my e-mail address. When I received his note via my Outlook inbox during the fall of 2003, I’d owned Adair Margo Gallery for 18 years and had represented Tom Lea for 10. It took no time to respond to Luciano’s inquiry: “Is it possible that Tom Lea from El Paso was influenced by the Italian muralist Piero della Francesca?” I knew the answer right away, as I’d recorded Tom Lea’s oral history in 1993. He’d recollected one Saturday morning as we conversed, his first trip to Europe in 1930. Tom’s voice halted with emotion when he shared visiting Arezzo and entering the Church of San Francesco. “There it was,” he said to me, “the pictures I’d been looking for my whole life. We gave a tip to the old sacristano, and he let me touch the bottom of Piero’s work. It was lovely.”
Comparing the two facial expressions of the two images above shows how much Tom Lea was inspired by Piero della Francesca. left: Tom Lea “That 2,000 Yard Stare,” 1944, oil on canvas, 36” X 28”, Life Collection of Art, WWII. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Fort Belvoir, Virginia Right: Piero della Francesca, “Resurrection” (detail), Sansepolcro, Tuscany.
My response to Luciano was clue enough for him to apply for a coveted fellowship to the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. to study Piero della Francesca’s influence on American artists with a special focus on Tom Lea. At the time, I was serving President Bush as chairman of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and arranged for Luciano to see Tom Lea’s “Rio Grande” painting in the Oval Office of the White House once he arrived in D.C. I also invited him to El Paso to speak during Tom Lea Month and was amazed when he juxtaposed the majestic head of Piero’s risen Christ in “The Resurrection”(found in Sansepolcro’s town hall) with to Tom Lea’s portraits of his wife, Sarah, and the shell-shocked marine on Peleliu named “That 2,000 Yard Stare.” There could be no doubt about Tom’s inspiration!
Meeting Luciano Cheles led to my thinking about the time I spent in Florence, Italy as a Vanderbilt coed studying with Syracuse University’s program abroad in 1975. A favorite memory was traveling the Piero della Francesca Trail, tracing his frescoes in Arezzo, Monterchi, San Sepolcro and Urbino. Seeing Piero’s “The Legend of the True Cross,” “Madonna del Parto,” “The Resurrection” and “Flagellation of Christ” had such an impact that, whenever I returned to Italy, I hired a driver to retrace the journey. Each visit was fresh and experiencing Piero della Francesca’s masterful works never grew old.
” Stampede”, Tom Lea, 1940, oil on canvas mural, 5 1⁄2 x 16 feet, Main Post Office, Odessa, Texas
If I drove hours outside of Florence to see Piero’s frescos, why wouldn’t people who love journeys travel throughout Texas, discovering regional histories through Tom Lea’s work, I began to wonder. They could discover the “Pass of the North,” “Stampede,” “Comanches,” “Cabeza de Vaca,” Texas Rangers and R.E.B. Baylor, the founder of Baylor University. They could also learn about the Texas Centennial, the Pacific War, the King Ranch, Operation Desert Storm, and an old horse ranch named Randado. They could even drive beyond Texas, going into Mexico and New Mexico, as well as other U.S. cities like Lee Summit, Missouri, Chicago and Washington, D.C. With the work of the great Tom Lea as a guide, there seemed no end to what could be experienced.
Map: The Tom Lea Trail. This trail spans eleven Texas cities where you can learn about the art of Tom Lea as well as the history and culture of Texas as a whole.
In 2013, Texas Highways and Texas Monthly announced the Tom Lea Trail during October’s Tom Lea Month. This year Luciano Cheles will travel that trail, again comparing Tom Lea’s murals to those of the Italian Renaissance. He’ll visit El Paso, Odessa, Seymour and Austin, making presentations on the schedule below. We invite anyone eager for a journey and opportunities to learn to join us in October.
“Tom Lea and the Italian Renaissance” with Luciano Cheles
Tuesday, October 7 El Paso, TX The University of Texas at El Paso UTEP Library, Blumberg Auditorium, 4 – 6 p.m. Panel Discussion with Dr. Mimi Gladstein, Professor of English Literature Ron Weber, Associate Professor of Ancient History/Director of the Humanities Program and the Masters of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies Program Max Grossman, Assistant Professor of Art History
Friday, October 10 Odessa, TX Ellen Noel Art Museum of the Permian Basin Rodman Auditorium, 12 – 3 p.m.
Monday, October 13 Seymour, TX Seymour Chamber of Commerce Seymour City Hall, The Whiteside Auditorium for Performing Arts Reception 6 p.m. Lecture 7 p.m. Wednesday,
October 15 Austin, TX Bullock Texas State History Museum, Texas Spirit Theatre, 7 p.m.
For information call Lauren Ruiz at the Tom Lea Institute, El Paso, Texas 915-533-0048 • lruiz@tomlea.net
On a bleached-white hospital pillowcase, a cluster of brittle brunette curls are left behind by a resilient cancer warrior. The deep purple under her eyes matches the bruises on the tops of her hands but they go virtually unnoticed; her smile steals the show. She grasps the hand of a fellow fighter saying, “Bald but bold baby, we got this.” She soaks in the surrealistic moment of her last round of chemo. The hot pink and lemony yellow sequined scarf wrapped around her head represents an outward manifestation of an inner vibrancy. Even though this woman may seem like one-in-a-million, the reality is, she is one in eight. That is, the one out of every eight women who will fight breast cancer in their lifetime, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. With statistics like this, one would think hope would be hard to come by; but they’d be wrong. Centers like The Rio Grande Cancer Foundation aim to instill hope in the cancer community by being a strong advocate, and by providing programs for patients and their families, education, support and medical services that a patients’ insurance may not be able to cover.
“Women are beautiful and they deserve to feel that way at all times,” says Mellodi Gaston, a 10-year cancer survivor and life-long El Paso resident. “Especially when fighting a disease like cancer that can rob you of outer beauty for a time.” The Four Seasons Beauty Program, supported by RGCF, which provides free wigs, hats, scarves and post-mastectomy garments to women going through a cancer diagnosis, understands that. The foundation saw a need and an opportunity in their Four Seasons program to reach out past the cancer community to educate El Paso’s young people. A partnership was created with the Ysleta, El Paso and Socorro School Districts for a program called FACCE, Fine Arts Creates Cancer Enlightenment. The project takes young artists in local schools and gives them a canvas on which to both create art and also give back to the community in a unique way. Art students are given a mannequin head to paint, decorate and design that will later be adorned with a wig sterilized and styled by local cosmetology students from all over El Paso. These wigs are then put on display at the Four Seasons Hair Salon where women fighting breast cancer can go for makeovers and to pick out a new hairstyle. Their website explains that the beauty program is there to provide “practical assistance for women experiencing hair loss due to chemotherapy.” Cindi Martinez, the program coordinator at RGCF explains, “We felt that through a program like this we could establish a platform whereby we could engage our teen population and influence their behavior and attitudes toward cancer and its side effects. The cooperation between our organization and the local school districts has paved the way for younger age groups to become more cognizant and responsive to community service.”
FACCE has been going strong since its inception in the fall of 2010. Since then, over 223 wigs have been given to women and put on display all around El Paso. Meanwhile, the students are gaining an awareness of cancer’s effects on the human body, family dynamics, and emotional side effects as well. “Our goal was two-fold, to add color to a white ‘expressionless’ wig head and inject a sense of warmth, color and hope for patrons who visit our offices, and to involve our youth in meaningful dialog and self-discovery,” says Martinez. One mannequin has a stunning sunflower draped across its face with a cloudy blue dusting, and another portrays a bold lioness with intricate noble features. To many, these mannequins can represent the active role of art in the healing process.
The staff at the RGCF know how important it is for a community to come together to support and encourage those fighting a cancer battle. “RGCF is continually considering the outcome of the patient their life beyond cancer,” says Martinez. Although their mission is simple, it is necessary: to ease the burden of a cancer diagnosis, and a strong commitment to care for and support El Paso’s cancer community. The Rio Grande Cancer Foundation, El Paso’s high school students, local cosmetology students, and all the volunteers and sponsors helping these one-in-a-million women are hitting cancer where it hurts…in the FACCE.
How Augment El Paso is encouraging 3D art, one pixel at a time
By Victoria G. Molinar Images courtesy of Augment El Paso
Despite the substantial amount of time that goes into making three-dimensional pieces, Augment El Paso founder and CEO David Figueroa said many people don’t recognize computer-generated images as art, a misconception he aims to debunk. “Digital artwork still doesn’t get a lot of respect,” Figueroa said. “People don’t see digital artists as actual artists when a lot of them work just as hard as traditional artists, sometimes a little bit harder. ”Along with creating original work, his organization has collaborated with artists around the city to augment their 2-D paintings into moving 3-D images.
Through accessible devices such as smartphones and tablets, augmented reality is just a tap and download away. If you have either gadget near you, go to the iTunes or Amazon app store and look up and download the free Augment El Paso app. Once the app is installed, scan the images accompanying this article, and there you have a sample of augmented reality.
In her painting “Lovers Eternally Bound,” local painter and tattooist Francella Salgado was delighted to see the purple and red skeleton figures interact with a tap on the screen.
“I was completely thrilled,” said Salgado after seeing her augmented work. “It’s very exciting but it’s shocking in a way because you’re seeing something that you created come to life and it’s amazing.”
Augment El Paso formed in March of last year when Figueroa was looking for an outlet to display his 3-D pieces. After graduating from The Art Institute of Phoenix with a bachelor’s degree in game art and design and another bachelor’s in computer arts and animation, he hoped he would find work at a studio, but ultimately decided to move back to El Paso to initiate creative opportunities and build a team.
He reached out to former Art Institute friends Jacob Gray and Carlos Luevano and teamed up with 3-D and animation artists Ruth Zehntner, Robert Castañeda and Chelsea Kubesh. From there, they created the Augment El Paso app and held their first showcase at the Back In Black Creative Services studio in November of last year.
When children and adults huddled in front of posters with the tablets that were provided at the show, gasps and shrieks of delight left their mouths as they watched the images before them pop out, rotate and bounce.
“It’s awesome to be able to bring this experience to our community and get all the positive feedback we’ve been having,” said Zehntner, who worked as a texture artist in the Lo Coloco Films animated feature Ana y Bruno. “I think it’s a great way of getting people to appreciate art and get excited to interact with it, especially for the little ones. Hopefully we can see more of this forward thinking develop in El Paso.”
Zehntner’s piece, “Dash 7,” allowed her digital image of a van to drive passed various signs and a gas station. “It’s based on my love for road trips and roadside Americana signs,” Zehntner said.
The show also featured augmented artwork of Salgado and her fellow tattoo artist Luis House, whose piece “Harmony” included sound as the skeleton musicians played their violin and accordion by a campfire.
As many may imagine, augmented pieces can take hours or weeks to do. Using various software such as Blender, 3DS Max and Maya, the artists create their three-dimensional images. They then make a seam in the model and unwrap it (“Kind of like an animal pelt,” Figueroa explained) and open the image in a 2-D application to paint it. To turn the figure into an animation, they create a skeleton for it, including joints so it can rotate. This process can also take hours to days. Once the digital models are complete, Castañeda engineers the software they need to allow the images to be tracked with the Augment El Paso app.
Figueroa said he doesn’t want people to feel too intimidated to learn a thing or two about 3-D technology. He plans to lead workshops, starting with an introduction to the use of free 3-D software and low-poly game modeling. The workshops will be held at the El Paso Fab Lab, a digital fabrication facility that allows the community to materialize their inventive ideas with workshops and innovative machinery.
Figueroa has many collaborative projects in the works with Fab Lab, where he will hold Augment El Paso’s next showcase this fall. He said two groups also might work together to create digital mapping projections, in which images are projected onto objects in order to create an augmented spatial reality.
“We’re kindred spirits because we’re pursuing technology that’s cutting edge and although our projects are really different, we envision our organizations to do the same thing, which is to give people exposure and access to new technologies like augmented reality and digital fabrication,” said Fab Lab co-owner Cathy Chen. “It’s really two sides of the same coin.”
Figueroa said he also wants Augment El Paso to increase its educational outreach through multiple collaborations. To help pursue this goal, the group is in the process of becoming a non-profit.
Some members of Augment El Paso were Career Day guests at Jane Hambric School, where they discussed their various degrees and careers and showed the children a few augmented pieces. They also teamed up with Fab Lab to introduce children to augmented reality and 3D modeling at the 3D Studio Art Lab at the Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Center.
Outside of augmenting paintings on a canvas, Figueroa said the group also plans to augment various Downtown murals and even buildings, which he added would take quite some time. With such goals in mind, it might be safe to say that augmented reality will be a vital component in El Paso’s art scene.
We had a delightful evening in company of the Las Artistas members in yesterday’s Gala, a collaboration with the El Paso Museum of Art Store.
The event was held at the El Paso Museum of Art on Wednesday September 11. The event not only celebrated the work of Aleksander & Lyuba Titovets, but also promoted the upcoming Las Artistas event that will be held November 22 & 23 at 1340 Murchison Dr.
For more information about Las Artistas please visit lasartistas.org
