On Thursday, March 24, 2016, The Art Avenue Gallery hosted the workshop titled: Memento, a workshop imparted by artist Rhonda Doré. During the workshop, Doré talked about her creative process and how that leads to the creation of her unique paintings. By the end of the evening, the attendees had learned how to paint unique pieces that where both rich in color and texture.
Click on the image below to view the photo gallery of this event.
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On Thursday March 10, 2016, The Art Avenue Gallery was proud to host the works of artist Rhonda Doré. Attendees had the opportunity to experience the exhibition entitled Above and Below, at The Art Avenue Gallery, located on 1618 Texas Avenue Suite E. The exhibit featured artworks from two of Dore´s recent series: The Archaeology of Memory and Where Things Bloom.
Click on the image below to see the photos of this magnificent evening.
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El Paso, TX—Abstract painter Rhonda Doré’s new exhibit parallels the change in the weather in the Borderplex. In her collection Where Things Bloom the artist layered canvas with acrylic paint, placing soft hued petal shapes throughout the pieces. She challenges the viewer to create a story in each work of art, encouraging them to see the beauty of the natural world instead of the struggles within our own lives.
In her second series Archaeology of Memory Doré found inspiration in pieces of paper: a receipt, a diploma, a stub from a musical performance. She transforms a small tangible memory and creates a story through her application of mixed media collages on canvas. “These paintings are like ore. They reveal glimpses of metal and color like precious stones. I’m exploring a parallel between the inclusions in rock, and small meaningful occurrences in our lives,” said Doré.
A self-taught painter, Doré has been drawing and painting for the last 15 years, yet learning from podcasts and other web based programs to build her painting career. She is currently the vice president and group creative director at Sanders/Wingo, an El Paso advertising agency.
“This collection really shows a breakthrough for this artist with the use of metallics. It’s a bolder collection of colors,” said The Art Avenue Gallery owner, Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek. “Where Things Bloom takes a softer approach with her application of small petal-like pieces that appear to float throughout the canvas,” said Vanecek.
For those that follow Doré’s work, you will find her initial approach to painting hasn’t changed—she still wants each piece, no matter the size, to have a story. It may be the actual story from pieces embedded in the artwork, or it could simply be your own interpretation.
Above and Below: Where Things Bloom & Archaeology of Memory will be on display Thursday, March 10, 2016 through April 10, 2016. The Art Avenue Gallery will be hosting a workshop with Doré on Thursday March 26 at 6 p.m.
The Art Avenue Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Monday and Saturday by appointment only, at 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E. For additional information or questions, please email info@theartave.com or call 915.213.4318.
On Thursday, February 11, 2016, The Art Avenue Gallery hosted Regimen, a workshop imparted by pop artist Reggie Watterson. During the workshop, Watterson talked to the attendees about his distinctive paintings that feature fruit and vegetables and how these offer endless possibilities to a canvas. He also discuss his creative process and his use multilevel color combinations.
Click on the image below to view the photo gallery of this event.
Make sure you also visit our Facebook page for the latest events.
The borderland has proved a worthy muse for many artists seeking inspiration from its peaks and valleys. “The mountains have taught me about line and depth. The desert landscape and its connection with the sky have taught me about space and relationships with color,” says Jason Lucero, a borderland printmaker showcasing at the Art Avenue Gallery this month. Printmaking, more than just paint on a canvas, allows for the artist to make a piece of art through the use of different structured, shaped, and textured objects flowing through a printing press layer after layer. Due to this process, the finished product cannot be duplicated—A literal one-of-a-kind creation.
Lucero’s exhibit, Various Interpretations of Human Interaction, contains 13 monotype prints. Working intuitively, drawing from within and letting the creativity flow outward rather than using rendered objects or visual guides, is important in Lucero’s artistic process. Using his passion as a therapeutic outlet, printmaking has allowed him to bring light and understanding to some dark times in his life. “Even though I am now content, I tend to channel the sad and painful memories when I work, because, as cliché as it may sound, it is therapy,” shares Lucero. “I become a few grams lighter when I go to these dark places and transform them into color. From different work experiences, the loss of dear loved ones, and the birth of his son, Lucero says, “I have a large memory inventory, both shallow and deep, in order to keep my art interesting.”
“Red Weather” 30 x 64 in, ink on paper, 2015
For Lucero, a great satisfaction comes from knowing he started with just a couple of friends in a grassroots artistic movement in downtown El Paso. “You have to remember this was before there were any galleries downtown; we would just walk into small places and ask ‘hey can we show some art here?’ All we wanted was to share our artwork with the city.”
While he has always had a passion for the creative arts, Lucero shared that it did not come naturally for him, which, he says, is a common misconception about artists. “Most artists aren’t born with any artistic talent, you have to practice the same strokes and lines over and over and dedicate yourself.” Lucero’s passion is art by monotype printmaking, although he is also an experienced abstract painter and sketch artist specializing in the human form. To all who will view his pieces, Lucero stresses that in order to truly appreciate them, one must realize there is a reason why they put the word ‘work’ at the end of art, “I’ve always been a businessman by day and an artist by night.” Odd jobs all over the map from janitorial services and washing dishes to working as a broker and in the transportation industry have all given Lucero opportunities to create relationships that he finds valuable to his artwork. “If you don’t take pride in your work, whatever it might be, sweeping, dishwashing, cooking, painting, or driving a rig, you will never be happy at your job and the other parts of your life will suffer,” says Lucero. He also explains that unlike in other genres of art, “More than 70% of the time my print is a failure, but I always remember these mistakes create a foundation for my success,” says Lucero.
Lucero credits his family, his friends and fellow members ofMaintain (a creative coalition) the many mentors he encountered while earning his BFA in Studio Art from UTEP, and the city of El Paso for helping him realize his strengths to become a well rounded artist. “Everything about this city and its location has had an effect on me. The people of El Paso, are kind, courteous, and giving, which has taught me how to do the same.” Of his exhibition Lucero says, “My vision for this exhibition is to share a series of prints, which made me very excited about the process of printmaking, with an audience that may not be too familiar with the process. I hope that, even if people do not entirely understand what is going on in a piece, they examine it long enough to find something about it that relates to their own experience.”
Various Interpretations of Human Interaction Jason Lucero On Display August 20–September 20 The Art Avenue Gallery 1618 Texas Ave, Suite E
“Caring Is Trapping” 30 x 32 in, ink on paper, 2015“I Thought I Heard Accordions” 30 x 32 in, ink on paper, 2015“Blue Route” 30 x 62 in, ink on paper, 2015
The season of giving kicks off with an evening of regional art to benefit local breast cancer charity
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015 at 6 p.m.
El Paso, TX—Borderland artists are coming together this fall to donate their work for a night of fun and fundraising for the local Susan G. Komen El Paso affiliate. Art for the Cure, held on Sept. 24 at The Art Avenue Gallery, features a range of artwork from paintings and pottery to jewelry and bronze sculptures.
The event, which features innovative works from some of the region’s most buzzworthy artists, kicks off with a silent auction at 6 p.m., accompanied by live music, catering from Joe Vinny & Bronson’s Bohemian Café, Skinny Girl Wine and desserts from Bake Me Happy. Miss El Paso’s Outstanding Teen Haley Olivares and Miss El Paso Texas Latina Ana Avila will be in attendance as ambassadors to the arts, and Mattress Firm owner Dan Longoria will present the charity with a $15,000 check.
Organizers hope to spin the event into an annual affair, with proceeds benefiting the Susan G. Komen El Paso affiliate. According to SGKEP, the organization has allotted $4.4 million to the local community over the last decade.
Some of the artists featured include Rachelle Thiewes, Margarita Cabrera, Hal Marcus, Tino Ortega, Brian Wancho, Erin Galvez, Michael Garcia, Julio Sanchez de Alba, Diego Martinez, Sammy Lopez, Mark Paulda, Juan Ornelas, Laura Pablos, Jorge Calleja, Mike Ojinaga, Reggie Waterson, Lula Squid and Jim Turrentine. The event is sponsored by Skinny Girl Wine, Joe Vinny & Bronson’s Bohemian Café, Mom’s Fresh Juice, The Art Avenue Magazine and The Art Avenue Gallery.
“I decided to create the event to do something different in terms of fundraising and to help keep things local,” said Komen board member, Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek, who also owns The Art Avenue Gallery. “So often we see national organizations benefit instead of the local chapters, so this is an important organization that gives back locally.”
“Our local and surrounding communities are fortunate to have such talented artists in ourarea and to Ms. Vanecek for providing this forum. We could not be more proud to have such an array of artists come together to support an event of this caliber,” – Raquel Markland, Susan G. Komen El Paso board president.
Event Details: Date: Thursday, September 24, 2015 Time: 6 p.m. Where: The Art Avenue Gallery 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E Cost: $25
Tickets can be purchased at theartave.com, by calling 915.213.4318, or at the door.
Call for borderland artists to submit work to the 1st Annual Art for the Cure Silent Auction presented by The Art Avenue Gallery, as part of the Breast Cancer Awareness month held on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015. The call for submissions is a juried event that is open to regional artists who work in 2D and 3D mediums. The entry fee is $10 for up to three (3) images.
Entry Deadline: Friday, September 11, 2015
Requirements:
•Submission of three (3) pieces for consideration
•Only work created within the last twelve months will be considered
•Images should be .jpg at 300dpi and max size of 1200px on the longest side
•Images should be emailed to info@theartave.com with the following information:
Name of artist Name of the images Size of the work Description of the work Artist contact information
For any questions please email us at info@theartave.com with subject “Call for inquires.”
Benefits:Donating artists will receive two admissions to the events at half price.Your work has the potential to be viewed by curators, buyers and other prominent philanthropist and corporate sponsors.Your name and contact information will appear in a program along with a photograph to accompany social media and other marketing avenues of the event.
How to Donate:Artists can donate their work to be auctioned in the silent auction or Artists can option to receive a portion of the profits from the sale of their work.Artists involved in the event will have their name and contact information present in a program along with a biographical photograph.
Fee must be paid in full online or in person in order for applications to be accepted. We accept cash, credit card and checks at The Art Avenue Gallery located at 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E.
Entries will be accepted until September 11, 2015 at 6:00 MST.
Files must be submitted electronically and include name of artist, name of image(s), description of work, size of work and contact information.
Entry fee of $10 must be received to be eligible for this juried event. This can be paid through online or in person at The Art Avenue Gallery at 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E.
By submitting to the call you agree to, The Art Avenue Gallery, dba The Art Avenue, non-exclusive license that shall include the right to display and promote your work, edited or unedited in any medium (social and print media), in connection with The Art Avenue Gallery. Artist retains all right, title, and interest in and to the original work of art and ownership of copyright.
Once your artwork has been chosen through our jury process, the accepted piece(s) must be delivered to the gallery no later than Friday September 18, 2015.
The silent auction is to be held on Thursday September 24, 2015 and any pieces that were not purchased through the silent auction must be picked up no later than Monday September 28, 2015. Any pieces not picked-up at that time are subject to a $10 a week storage fee, unless other previous arrangements have been made.
Submission notice: The Art Avenue Gallery will notify all artists chosen for this event by Sunday September 13, 2015 by means of electronic media (email) and via text messaging.
Two of El Paso’s up-and-coming street artists, Diego “Robot” Martinez and Tino Ortega, have joined efforts to produce their first collaboration called Iconic Points in Time, an exhibit focusing on the representation of past, present and the future portrayals of El Paso, that took place at the Art Avenue Gallery on March 26.
The local artists feature iconic landmarks such as Asarco, the star on the Franklin Mountains and the well-known El Paso Trolleys. “Our approach can be considered somewhat different, we are completely opposite, but the difference in our styles is what makes our collaboration pieces so unique,” Martinez said.
The brightly colored accents and defined lines of Ortega, with the aggressive almost chaotic environment of Martinez’ bold colors, casually placed shapes and use of multiple mediums demonstrates the exhibit’s alignment with El Paso’s current artistic momentum. “I believe we are in a place where people are recognizing the value of collaboration. Painters are the ones who tend to isolate themselves in the works, so it was exciting to see Martinez and Ortega work together on this project”, said a local mixed media artist. “I think their collaboration brought a different energy to the pieces than the energy they bring to their pieces individually in the context of their work.”
Ortega, who collaborated with Peter Svarzbein on the Trolley Projects in 2012 and whose works were featured at the Broadway Gallery NYC, met Martinez in 2010. He knew an official collaboration with Martinez was inevitable. “We have known each other for five years and Diego was always trying to convince me to collaborate, but I dragged my feet a little bit. So as I continued to witness how hard he was working on other [collaborations], I realized it was time to pick up my feet,” Ortega said.
Witnessing Martinez’ style growing more diverse, Ortega said this was the moment he realized it was time to collaborate. “To be honest, the first piece [‘The Skull’] we did together, I didn’t expect it to look as good as it did, but it just kind of grew from that,” Ortega said.
The second piece they worked on was “Silent Prayers,” a classic acrylic portrait by Ortega that complemented Martinez’ frame, which included chalk, pencil, spray paint and acrylics. The duo says they finished the piece in only two days. “[Martinez] suggested it jokingly, and we thought we could give it a try and revisit it—make it look fresh. Our purpose was to make the Virgin Mary look modern,” said Ortega.
Their creative direction allowed the artists to wet their feet at the first stage of collaboration, before going all in on their three-panel perspective project, Iconic Points in Time. “When you collaborate, you have to commit and have to realize that the art is not about the artist anymore, it’s about what the painting wants to be,” Martinez said.
To begin the collection, Martinez created the wooden frames and without a particular schedule to follow they began adding elements to the pieces. “I would tag him and then we would just switch back and forth until we felt that our painting was done,” Ortega said.
After night sessions at Ortega’s garage, what had taken five years to start was completed in just three weeks.
Martinez, who says he loves working in El Paso and has collaborated with Lucky Genius Productions, Double Scope Films and local eateries such as Craze, The Pizza Joint and Rulis’, sees his collaboration with Ortega as another way to help grow the city, with hopes that the art scene continues to expand.
Diego Martinez, & Tino Ortega
We are very proud of El Paso, having been both born and raised here,” Martinez said.
We are trying to have a conversation with similar people that care about the city as much as we do, and we hope to contribute to the city’s growth through our art.”Ortega, whose and first mural can be seen on the San Carlos building on Texas Ave., believes that the exhibit will show El Pasoans a new perspective to their city and hopes they can appreciate it more. “We are not a saturated city, we are currently being part of a movement. The city is progressing, and why wouldn’t you want to be part of it?” he said. “This is a beautiful town and it has a lot to offer. I keep coming back and there is nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Iconic Points in Time will be showcased at The Art Avenue Gallery at 1618 Texas Street Suite E until June 12, 2015. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., or call (915) 213.4318 for an appointment.
The Art Avenue Magazine invites all jewelry designers to submit work for our upcoming September/October issue.
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 June 11 to August 7 Entry Deadline: Friday, August 7, 2015 Exhibition date will be announced on Monday, August 10.
Artist’s work will be judged by a panel for the opportunity to be featured in the September/October issue of The Art Avenue Magazine. Winning artist will have a feature section in the September/October issue of The Art Avenue Magazine along with a feature exhibition at The Art Avenue Gallery to showcase their work.
Requirements: Submission of 5 piece images for consideration. Call restricted to jewelry design. $20, non-refundable entry fee per submission.
Artists must submit 5 images of their work and an artist statement. Only work created within the last year and this year will be considered. Images should be emailed to info@theartave.com with the following information:
Name of artist Name of the images Description of the work A short artist statement (200 words) Contact information.
Images should be .jpg at 300dpi and max size of 1200px on the longest side.
Fee must be paid in full in order for applications to be accepted at The Art Avenue Gallery located at 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E. We accept cash, credit card and checks. You can pay the entry fee online below. For any questions please email us at info@theartave.com with subject “Call inquires.”
