The first of its kind at The Art Avenue Gallery…a collaborative effort of visual and live art combined with a stunning musical performance.
Mexica Legends is a collaborative effort of works by Joey Delgato and Diego Martinez and inspired through the musical influences from tenor Rodrigo Garcia Morelos and soprano Paola Treviño Todd from OME. After listening to Aztec Myths & Legends: A Narrated Concert by OME, Martinez reached out to Delgato and initiated a project that would intertwine the artists styles fused by Aztec legend.
Martinez unrestrictive and expressive style combined with the minimalistic surrealistic manner of Delgato lends bold colors and strong expressive lines in their collaborative pieces.
The duo said they wanted to share their passion supporting the continuous drift among myths, legends, history and music of the Aztecs as well as get in touch with their own cultural roots. “Culture, life, and death is something we are all connected to from the moment we are born, by doing this show I have discovered aspect about my Mexican heritage and it has given me a sense of who I am,” said Martinez.
Delgato says he collaborates with Martinez on several projects, but this particular event challenged them more than anticipated. “We got together and listened to the music of OME and looked up the aztec legends that their songs are named after. We looked up Aztec and Mexican art to get an idea of the style and colors often used to capture the essence and symbolism of Aztec art. Once we got that down we sketched up some ideas to figure out how to combine our styles to create these pieces,” said Delgato.
“This is a first for The Art Avenue Gallery, to have a thematic exhibit where the arts and the music support one another. I am excited to bring the live musical component to the evening and adding live art at the same time. We strive to make a change—an impact,” said Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek, The Art Avenue Gallery owner.
Garcia says the collaboration didn’t have guidelines and the artists were free to create how they wanted but he said he wanted to impact people. “We hope that through this exhibition, by combining epic and powerful music with astonishing, colorful visuals, we can contribute to bring people closer to their roots, history, oral tradition and mainly their heritage in a fun and creative way,” said Garcia.
Mexica Legends will display collaborative works by Delgato and Martinez combined with new solo works. The exhibit opens Thursday, August 27, 2017 at 6 p.m. with musical performance by OME at 6:30 and live art starting at 7:30.
The Art Avenue Gallery hours are Tuesday – Fri. 11:00 a.m. – 5 p.m., at 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E. For additional information or questions, please email info@theartave.com or call 915.213.4318.
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The El Paso Community Foundation’s Plaza Classic Film is pulling out all the stops in celebration of its 10th year anniversary. The festival shows classic films and invites special guests to give talk-backs and interviews. This year, Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss, Golden-Globe-Winner actress Mary Kathleen Turner and iconic animation duo Gary Goldman and El Paso native Don Bluth are featured on the special appearance lineup.
The festival begins August 3, with a screening of the film first ever shown at the festival, “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” and closes on August 13.
Attracting an audience of over 40,000 per year, the festival takes place in El Paso’s iconic and historical Plaza Theater and at various other Downtown locales.
“Each year we do it, its reputation grows a little more,” said Doug Pullen, program director. “80 percent of the audience comes from this area. But, when you’ve been around 10 years, you start to get around more in other circles. You bring in a guest and they have good experience and they tell their friends and their friends are actors, producers and directors and we grow.”
The festival’s popularity is on the rise with events encompassing all age groups. Family-friendly showings include Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Benji, The Land Before Time and more.
Dreyfuss, an American actor often recognized for playing characters with fast-talking, brash and ambitious traits, will be giving a on-stage interview at the Plaza Theater before a showing of Jaws (1975), in which he starred. He has worked with giants of the screen such as director Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.
“[Dreyfuss] has been on the wishlist for a few years,” Pullen said. “But he’s a working actor, and it can be difficult going from one gig to the next. But the timing worked out well for us this year!”
Also on the special guest lineup is dynamic animation duo Goldman and Bluth. The colleagues met in 1972 at Walt Disney animation studios forging a creative partnership that would last over 30 years. After leaving Disney, the duo produced several feature films, notably award-winning The Secret of NIMH (1982). Other productions include The Land Before Time (1988) and the award winning family favorite Anastasia (1997).
“I tried to contact Bluth, because I knew he was from El Paso,” Pullen said. “What we wanted to do was not only have Bluth appear, but we wanted to honor him and highlight the fact he was from here.”
Bluth and Goldman will appear for an on-stage interview before a screening of “The Secret of NIMH” and a Q&A session Saturday, August 12 at 1:30pm.
Actress Kathleen Turner
Another guest in attendance is Turner, a film and stage actress famous for her distinctive raspy voice. She won two Golden Globes and a nomination for an Academy Award. Notable films include Body Heat (1981) and the voice of Jessica Rabbit in the animated film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988). She has also been nominated for Tony Awards for her performances on Broadway including “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
The 63-year-old actress sat down for an on-stage interview and signed autographs after the screening.
While these headliners are impressive, the prices for The Community Foundations’ Plaza Classic Film Festival are surprisingly low. Some of the events are free and the full, all-included Festival Pass is $200, while the Film Club Pass is only $100. However space is limited.
“We consider it a gift to the community,” Pullen said. “We aren’t trying to make money, but trying to break even. So the reason we have a lot of free events and low tickets, is to level the playing field, and not just for people with a lot of money.”
In total, the festival will host over 100 free events including lectures, talk-backs and more. About one-third of all the events are at no cost at all. “We want people to get in and be able to afford it,” Pullen said.
The El Paso Community Foundation’s annual Classic Film Festival will be from Aug. 3-13 at the Plaza Theater and other locations in Downtown El Paso. To buy tickets visit ticketmaster.com, plazaclassic.com/tickets, or call 800-745-3000. To check out showtimes, events and to get more information, visit plazaclassic.com or call 915-533-4020.
Join us for an evening of great artwork at summer prices. Featuring work by Ricky Armendariz, Roberto Cortez, Miren de Leon, Rhonda Doré, Terrance Flores, Hope Gerlay, Steve Hastings, Phillip Howard, Criselda Lopez, Sirous Partrovi, Adriana Peraldi, Harry Schulte, Chaps Tucker & Brian Wancho
Internationally recognized, nationally acclaimed and locally celebrated, five artists from the local southwest area have been featured in a premier print shop’s quarter-century retrospective of the press’s most notable artists.
Flatbed Press, based in Austin, TX, celebrated its’ 25th year anniversary by featuring 80 artists who have collaborated with the press– of the prominent artists honored, five were from the southwest and three attended an event at The Art Avenue on June 23 in celebration of their achievements. Artwork by Ricky Armendariz, Suzi Davidoff, Celia Muñoz and Luis Jimenez was shown at the event.
From left to right, Kimberly Vanecek, Suzi Davidoff, Celia Muñoz and Ricky Armendariz at the Flatbed Press at 25 event at The Art Avenue
“What [The Art Avenue Gallery] currently have on exhibit is like no other show,” said Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek, owner, The Art Avenue Gallery. “These talented artists showcase etchings, monotypes, silkscreens, lithographs and more. You don’t see this kind of exhibit locally and the quality of art that is being produced by artist from our community is outstanding.”
Originally founded in 1989 by Katherine and Mike Brimberry, Flatbed provides studio space for artists where they can work to create limited editions of original works including lithographs, woodcuts, monotypes, etchings and more. Many works produced at Flatbed have been collected by museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa), the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Art Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and others.
One such artist whose work retains a permanent place in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is Davidoff. Her career as a professional artist now spans several decades. She is based in El Paso, TX, and seeks to produce synergetic pieces on various mediums exploring the structure of the natural world. Materials used in her work include charcoal, oil, gold leaf, moss, clay, cochineal, and dirt.
Many of these supplies, which were gathered on her walks outdoors, are rubbed into the surface of the paper.
“By being out there and hiking and observing, by touching and collecting this stuff…and then putting it all back together in the studio, it connects the act of walking with the act of making art,” said Davidoff in a previous interview with Kimberly Rene Vanecek at The Art Avenue. “So it all comes together and that’s the basis of the work.”
Artist Suzi Davidoff
The southwest landscape has not only been a source of inspiration and creativity for Davidoff, but also for Armendariz.
Armendariz creates unique drawings, prints, and paintings by producing images that contain biographical, cultural and historical references. His work exudes references to southwestern landscape and mythological symbolism found in Greek, Roman and Mexican-Indian traditions.
For example, Modern Prometheus Unbound (Remix) is a new twist on the age-old mythological tale, Armendariz said. This was just one of several prints shown at the Flatbed at 25 artist talk and demonstration event at The Art Avenue on June 24.
Modern Prometheus Unbound (Remix), wood block print, 48 x 37 inches
Creating large prints, such as Modern Prometheus Unbound (Remix) can be a lengthy process. After sketching the outline of his work, Armendariz carves the design into a medium, such as wood and then the design is inked and pressed– the entire process can take up to several months depending on size.
“Carving is very repetitive, but [it’s] the part where I can be the most expressive,” said Armendariz in an interview with the San Antonio Current, an online news publication. “I have to be very aware of my mark-making. I can’t zone out. I have to be very present. One mistake and I have to start over from scratch.”
Armendariz now lives in San Antonio, TX and works as a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio teaching all levels of painting and drawing for graduate and undergraduates classes.
“It was an honor to have the work of such talented El Pasoans in our gallery,” said Jorge Calleja, Creative Director at The Art Avenue. “It comes to show the caliber of artists we have from our city.”
Muñoz, another local artist featured in Flatbed Press at 25, creates multi-conceptual artwork which involves lens-based texts and images inspired and influenced by personal and social issues.
“Once, I thought that being a Catholic Chicana from El Paso were three strikes against me,” said Muñoz in an interview with Los Angeles Times. “Now, that is precisely where I draw my material.”
Muñoz began her artist journey in advertising. “It was my first real interest,” said Muñoz. “I would spend hours looking through top newspaper and magazine advertisements and then started drawing.”
Sweet Nothings, serigraphy and relief, 19 3/4 x 26 in
Muñoz decided to become an artist and printmaker at the age of 42, with two careers already behind her–in advertising and as a grade school art teacher. Her style has morphed, now incorporating photography and drawing which are printed onto a silkscreen.
“You have to be aware of relationships, especially with boyfriends,” said Muñoz with a laugh, in reference to the inspiration behind her print Sweet Nothings. “That’s why condoms are mixed in with the candies.”
Muñoz is the recipient of several awards including the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship Awards in Photography and New Genres, CAA Committee on Women in the Arts Recognition Award, The Outstanding Centennial Alumnus by University of North Texas College of Arts and Sciences and many others. Her work has been nationally and internationally exhibited and even included in the Whitney Museum of American Art 1991 Biennial. Her work is now in various private and public special collections of major museums, universities and corporations.
Cholo in Lowrider Van, Luis Jimenez
Private collector and local El Pasoan Juan Sandoval graciously loaned The Art Avenue Gallery three works by internationally recognized artist Luis Jimenez, who was also featured in Flatbed Press at 25. For a limited time, these works including Cholo in Lowrider Van, will be on display at the gallery throughout the month of July.
While each artist’s style varies, their recognition in Flatbed Press at 25, should not go unnoticed. At the artist talk and demo, Muñoz stated it is an honor to be featured in this book. “This book is very historical,” said Muñoz. El Paso is well represented by these five artists.
To check out their individual works for sale or to buy the book, visit our gallery at 1618 Texas Avenue or contact The Art Avenue at 915.213.4318 for more information.
Taking the art world by storm, an emerging artist creates bold, colorful murals diverging from traditional southwest style. Her paint brushes have graced walls across the world including Mexico, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and others. Identifying as a nature worshipper, Celeste Byers’ artwork largely centers around the metaphysical, while encompassing humanitarian and environmental issues.
Byer’s illustration for The New York Times Op-Ed, Beware of Cold-Blooded Americans
“[My artwork] is the one thing I’ve felt passionate about my entire life,” said 28-year-old Byers. “I am trying to communicate through my art that there is magic beyond what I can see.”
Born and raised in San Diego, CA, Byers is not the typical “starving artist”. Graduating with a BFA from Art Center College of Design in 2012, she jumped straight into the art world. Almost immediately, she was hired by a major news publication. “I was pretty lucky and one of my first jobs out of college was working for the New York Times doing illustrations for the Op-Ed section!” Byers said.
Wonder Woman, Acrylic and spray paint on canvas, 8′ x 8′
But Byers’ murals are what brought her international attention. Her unique usage of bold color schemes in combination with detail didn’t go unnoticed. For Wonder Woman’s 75th anniversary, Warner Bros. asked Byers to design a mural of the superhero at Comic-Con 2016.
“Her use of vibrant and rich colors is unlike I’ve seen before,” said Rocio Salinas Almeida, a graphic designer and El Paso local.
Her most recent work, Nopales in Love, a mural featuring two cacti kissing, is located at the SANDI Apartment Complex in El Paso, TX. This work highlights her creative process.
“I always try to make my subject matter relevant to the location I’m painting,” Byers said. “The idea for that mural [Nopales in Love] took a few hours to come up with. First I wanted to paint straight up portraits, then I got the idea to paint cactus people portraits, then that evolved to wanting to make the cactus people kissing.”
A “sketch” of Nopales In Love
Nopales in Love centers around the love found in nature. “[Nopales in Love] is about everything and everyone,” Byers said. “All people, all animals have this need to find love. So I made the cacti into people, expressing everything’s need to reproduce.”
Her artwork begins with a “sketch” which usually incorporates Photoshop. “I use these ‘sketches’ to paint from as well as show my client so they can understand my idea,” Byers said. After the sketch is completed, Byers prepares and then begins to paint.
“I’ve recently enjoyed spending around 10 days at a mural location and working on the wall,” Byers said. “Before that, I was usually painting murals in about 5 days but I was always getting sick after painting for 12-14 hours a day every day. I realized I can enjoy the location and have better health if I give myself more time to finish and paint for less time every day.”
Byers standing in front of Nopales in Love
Byers’ murals can take anywhere from a few hours to several weeks to complete. Nopales in Love took her eight days to finish.
But Byers doesn’t always like to take her time with her work. “I like to make artwork about things I think are important,” Byers said.
At Neon Desert Music Festival 2017, photo courtesy of Byers
Her partnership with PangeaSeed Foundation has been one such avenue. PangeaSeed is an international non-profit organization which seeks to create environmental change for oceans through “ARTivism,” education and science.
“I think the conservation of nature is extremely important in our day in age,” Byers said. “[Working with PangeaSeed] has taught me that art is a powerful medium for communicating ideas about activism and social commentary.”
In May, Byers live-painted a mural seeking to highlight glamorized drug usage and its environmental damage at Neon Desert Music Festival in El Paso, TX.
“I included a parrot skull in my mural because… although the aerial fumigation programs are targeted at killing coca plants, they end up wiping out vast amounts of rainforest and the plants and animals that live within them,” Byers said. “The ribcage and human skeleton hand serve as a reminder of the people who have lost their lives in this violent industry.”
Check out Celeste Byers’ website for more information and to see her work!
Did you know that in Webster’s dictionary there are 8 different meanings for ‘art’? For example: “High quality of conception or execution as found in works of beauty” or “esthetic value”. Art has allowed the human race to communicate through imagery, without words and often without obvious meanings. Art has manifested itself in every culture so much so that human evolution is often defined by the objects produced during every defined era of our walk on this planet. Humans turn to art to understand themselves, to discuss history and to define moments or feelings. From the expressions of cave drawings to computer designed pixelation, art has been a way to communicate ideas and trends.
I have been and continue to study art forms and work on my art skills. After beginning my foray into the art world 15 years ago, the last 12 I have felt art touch my soul to become the passion that guides my steps in life.
This presentation is an ode to divine femininity manifest in everyday activities and conversely the lack thereof. An unmade bed, a native woman walking in the middle of a street on a rainy day, an African grandmother and a young African female, a Jewess; manifestations of the simplicity and profundity of the ‘everyday’ female. As I prepared for this show my appreciation of the ‘divine feminine’ and that of my own femininity grew exponentially.
Chiarrah, oil on canvas, 28″ x 22″
I very much hope that when people see the show, some of my perception of the feminine experience is projected and captured; that the vibrancy of color touches one’s, heart. Painting, drawing, sculpting, and most other visual art are subjective. Therefore, each person will assimilate from the collection an experience that is there for them based on their unique life experiences and culture. In a sincere and forthright way, I am just exposing my heart.
It is the work of the artist to present a piece of art that manifests simply that which it is. Conclusions are left to the spectator (to speculate).
Labor of Love 2, oil on wood, 7″x 7″
The body of work that is presented is of a singular vision of subject that strongly resonates within me. At the same time, it is my profound mission that the observer’s mind and heart draw a ‘gestalt’ that is free and distinct from the artist. Science and common sense have proven women to be more emotionally receptive, though we each have a masculine and feminine aspect with a spectrum of feelings ranging from compassion to jealousy. My desire is to show those human traits within the context of the ‘Yin’. Yin representing the capacity to be receptive. Yin tends to be ‘giving’ oriented rather than self-oriented. Yin is balanced by the male energy, yang. To take care of others one needs to be taken care of too!
I focused my efforts on the femininity because in many parts of today’s world yin is a secondary thought when not totally ignored. The dominant yin of women allows for the adaptation to the stages of life, preparing them for the procreation. Yin also gives them the ability to overcome obstacles and is more powerful. Yin is not passive, manipulative, or even slightly dishonorable. Yin is magnetic, healing, enlivening, calming our yang while enjoying its protection.
Local emerging artist Hope Gerlay premiers HER, an exhibition containing paintings and charcoal drawings depicting modern femininity. The series explores the transition and growth of womanhood through time and different cultures. Gerlay states she drew from her own experiences for inspiration.
“The feminine rising is what I wanted to portray; with all the pseudo-feminism and philosophies from around the world on being a woman I felt like I needed to send a message,” said Gerlay. “And that message is determined by the viewer.”
While Gerlay is originally from Santa Fe, NM, she has traveled throughout the Pacific Northwest, Paris and Jerusalem finally settling in Las Cruces, NM. She primarily focuses on painting and drawing mentored by husband and renown artist Carlos Estrada-Vega.
She uses Estrada-Vega’s secret patented medium for her artwork. “I blend the medium with pigments to create whatever hue I want, apply with a spatula or brush depending on the thickness,” said Gerlay. “It is mainly an oil mixture with some limestone dust and it is quite a time-consuming process.”
“When I first met Hope I thought this young lady has an innocence about her—yet the more I have come to know her, she’s this pillar of incredible strength and learning her journey in art and life have opened my eyes,” said The Art Avenue Gallery owner, Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek. “Her artwork is definitely part of her voice and her voice speaks novels through her paintings.”
Gerlay and Estrada-Vega’s work will be on display in its current form through June, 2017 at The Art Avenue.
The Art Avenue Gallery hours are Tues., Thurs. & Fri. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wed. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. and Mon. by appointment only, at 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E. For additional information or questions, please email info@theartave.com or call 915.213.4318.
Longtime friends and artists Miguel Bonilla and Jason Lucero premiere a collaborative collection of contemporary works in May. This series, Gum on our Shoes: A Long Sticky Trail to Here and Now remixes previous works with a mature and seasoned twist.
The title of this exhibit highlights Bonilla and Lucero’s path towards maturity in both self-development and art. “Accidentally stepping in gum and then the weaving trail created when trying to get away from it just seemed like the best way to convey our experience together… sort of like two shoes that stepped in the same gum, they start from the same place but go elsewhere, but also parallel-ish after that,” said Bonilla.
The two artists first met as opponents on the soccer field in the 90s. Now, more than 20 years later, they have become an artistic dynamic duo. Their personal trails have carried them from painting murals and backdrops in their 20s, to working with acrylic, oil, charcoal, pen, and printmaking.
“There are some works of art that you see in life, but you don’t quite connect—Bonilla and Lucero’s works create a sense of curiosity that has the viewer almost entranced in the works trying to define a story, whether it be their own or of the artists,” said The Art Avenue Gallery owner, Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek.
Dismantling previous works for Gum on our Shoes: A Long Sticky Trail to Here and Now, they have created new pieces with a mature twist. “It is like I am collaborating with my younger self and correcting mistakes I might have made and/or filling in some gaps I could not see in the past. The work is becoming the medium, that’s kind of cliche, but rather than making brush strokes, I am choosing to rip up printed paper and adhere it to existing paintings,” said Lucero.
Gum on our Shoes: A Long Sticky Trail to Here and Now will be on display throughout May.
The Art Avenue Gallery hours are Tues., Thurs. & Fri. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wed. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. and Mon. by appointment only, at 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E. For additional information or questions, please email info@theartave.com or call 915.213.4318.
Photographer and web designer Brian Wancho premiers his photographic collection LUX at The Art Avenue Gallery on Thursday, March 9. Wancho’s exhibition features iconic buildings and cityscapes throughout the Borderplex.
“His iconic images and use of light make a statement and beautifully represent our region,” said Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek, owner of The Art Avenue Gallery.
Wancho derives the inspiration for his collection from the French word “Lux”. It means the “amount of light that falls on a surface”. Capitalizing on illumination through natural light, Wancho uses software to accentuate his digital images. “Programs like Photoshop allow the photographer to develop and enhance the photo so that it represents their creative intent,” said Wancho. “In that respect, it is an invaluable tool.”
His love for photography began at a young age. “I remember getting a Kodak 110 film camera as a kid and taking it with me everywhere,” Wancho said.
Now, as CEO of an El Paso web design company, Stanton Street, Wancho admits it is through this business he fine-tuned his love of photography. “My interest in photography stayed dormant until I took a job that included creating content for websites,” Wancho said. Since then, he has graduated to a Nikon D800E DSLR and a PhaseOne medium format camera.
LUX will be on display throughout April.
The Art Avenue Gallery hours are Tues., Thurs. & Fri. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wed. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. and Mon. by appointment only, at 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E. For additional information or questions, please email info@theartave.com or call 915.213.4318.
El Paso Native Terrance Flores debuts first collection, Sweetscapes–El Paso Through the Eyes of Terrace Flores at The Art Avenue Gallery. Recreating Southwest landscapes, Flores uses soft colors and velvety brush strokes. His artwork primarily depicts Southwestern vegetation and animals.
Flores grew up sketching and observing his father paint Southwestern landscapes but he did not realize he had his father’s talent. “This past summer, I thought I would practice my brush strokes, but instead of letters I drew clouds, cacti, and animals,” said Flores.
A carpenter by trade, he now utilizes his graphic design background to conjure Post-Impressionist-inspired pieces with a Borderplex twist. He uses oils and paints on vintage panels such as boards or various appliances. His multi-dimensional approach involving the layering of colors exemplify movement, perspective and texture throughout his self-proclaimed graphic-contemporary artwork.
“When I first noticed Flores’s work, I was drawn into the use of colors and how each stroke created movement,” said Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek, owner of the Art Avenue Gallery. “I was surprised to learn he’s only been painting for less than a year. He’s a rare find.”
Flores’ work will be on display throughout the month of February.
The Art Avenue Gallery hours are Tues., Thurs. & Fri. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wed. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. and Mon. by appointment only, at 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E. For additional information or questions, please email info@theartave.com or call 915.213.4318.
r before a showing of Jaws (1975), in which he starred. He has worked with giants of the screen such as director Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. 
