On Thursday, June 25, The Art Avenue Gallery hosted their first workshop titled: Art Through Collaboration. A workshop imparted by artists Diego Martinez & Tino Ortega. During the workshop, attendees were able to get an insider view of the creative process that lead to the collaborative pieces of the artists. By collaborating and exchanging their pieces with other participants a variety of colorful artwork was created. Collaborative pieces of the show will be on display at the gallery throughout the month.
Click on the image below to view the photo gallery of this event.
On Friday June 5th, The Art Avenue Gallery hosted the works of two of El Paso’s great artists; Diego Martinez & Tino Ortega. In celebration of their work The Art Avenue Gallery, located on 1618 Texas Avenue Suite E., featured Iconic Points in Time II. Attendees had the opportunity to experience the new expanded gallery space, acquire works from the artist and gifts from regional artists at The Art Avenue Gallery gift shop. Patrons also took part in a silent auction for artwork from the students at Eastlake High school art club, enjoyed music by Dj Surreal and food by the Cheezus 915 food truck and NOSH. Click on the image below to see the photos of this wonderful evening.
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A new foot-long pizza dog is being unveiled at Southwest University Park, but it’s not a crossbred snack to nosh on as you’re watching the ballgame. It’s a ceramic Chihuahua…wait for it…painted like a pizza.
And that’s just one of 40 Chihuahua statues, the themes ranging from food, Pop Art, robots and beyond, on display this summer at El Paso’s new ballpark.
The concept—which makes reference to Walter Knapp’s Cows on Parade exhibit of the ‘90s and the angel-themed public art installations found in Los Angeles—is intended to highlight the city’s fervor for its year-old Triple-A Chihuahuas, as well as the working relationship between Creative Kids and the stadium. The statues were painted by the Saturday Art Class (aka Project SAC) at Creative Kids (located in the Union Depot District), as well as the organization’s after school program in Fabens, which is sponsored by Paso del Norte Health Foundation’s IGNITE Initiative.
Piece by a student at Creative Kids
But this is no arts and crafts project. With an emphasis on theory and process, even the youngest children in the class (which ranges from 8-18) usually worked from 10 a.m. well into the afternoon, with some staying for four to five hours every week. A few even took the statues home to complete the project on their own time.
“The kids really embraced the challenge…they didn’t just do the easy thing,” says Kate Waggoner, one of the SAC art instructors, stating that the conceptualizing moved the kids past the idea of “painting the dog to look like a dog,” eschewing cartoon character concepts and decorative work for more inventive themes. So instead of just handing over the statues for painting, the project kicked off with hours of brainstorming, sketching and refining their ideas. “We did spend one whole day finding sources of inspiration, working out color theory and coming up with a concept,” says Waggoner. “They’re really supposed to draw from art history, modern art—we put out a bunch of images, from Warhol to Pop Art to magazine clippings, everything that could give them inspiration.”
Workshopping helped to further flesh out the concepts. “So long as they worked through the idea, and that it was strong enough that we all agreed as a group it was a really good idea, they could do it,” says Waggoner, whose background is in graphic design. “It’s always about refining it to make it more creative, more original.”
The resultant themes range from food (there are pizza and watermelon dogs) to art references from traditional Mexican folk art to Rauschenberg. Rounding out the mix are robot dogs and dogs painted to look like other animals.
A wall at Olo Gallery displaying the work of its students
One of my little ones brought in a picture of a lizard,” says Art Instructor Christin Apodaca, who has volunteered with Creative Kids for the past few years, and before that created art with the non-profit as a teenager. “She liked the scales. It had these crazy little lizard eyeballs.”
Another artistic hurdle was the medium itself, as class projects up to this point had only involved working on paper, posters and other 2-D formats. Part of the project involved teaching the students how to observe the surface design of a 3-D object as opposed to something flat. “Most of these kids hadn’t painted on a 3-D object before, so you have to take a couple steps back and really plan how you can see the object,” says Apodaca. “To throw a 3-D piece in the mix made it more difficult.”
A student at Creative Kids working on her chihuahua piece
Even with all the planning, many students found painting the 12-inch ceramic Chihuahua a continual challenge, revisiting and revising their concepts throughout the project. “As they started painting I’d go around the room and flip the dog over and say, ‘What do you see?’ And I’d see white. They had to decide how to paint the underneath of the dog as well,” says Apodaca.
The Chihuahuas are on display now at Southwest University Park. Harmonizing the canine-theme of the project, the statues will be presented to the team as part of Bark in the Park, one of three dates this year when fans are encouraged to bring their dogs to the ballgame, on August 2. The team will wear Creative Kids-designed jerseys, which will be auctioned off later that evening, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Creative Kids.
Both instructors are eager to show off their students’ hard work. “They put their heart and soul into making it as creative and artistic as possible. They really opened up to the process,” says Waggoner, “and I think that speaks to the viewer in a fantastic way.” [themify_icon icon=”fa-circle” icon_color=”#ec008b” ]
We had a fantastic time with Diego Martinez & Tino Ortega, as they showcased their work at The Art Avenue Gallery. Click on the image below to view the images.
A painting by Valente Francisco Saenz, who simply goes by Pancho Saenz, is not something that can be taken in for a brief moment. Instead, his complex work is something that encourages a revisit, leading viewers to possibly discover something they might not have noticed before.
Strewn along the colorful geometric fragments found throughout his paintings are random images ranging from Eastern iconography to internationally recognized corporate symbols.
In his painting, “Hybridization,” for instance, eight flamingos soar above what appears to be a pixelated world where mandalas, brand names such as Coca-Cola and McDonald’s and different cultural monuments, such as Saint Basil’s Cathedral, can be seen.
The reason [the flamingos are] there is because it is only together that we’re going to be able to overcome the challenges we have in this world,” Saenz said.
The juxtaposing corporate logos aren’t one of those challenges, Saenz said, because they unify nations by being identifiable across the globe.
“These companies that have presence in our country aspire to have a more secure and prosperous world,” Saenz explained. “What McDonald’s is doing essentially is investing in other countries and creating jobs in other countries.”
Despite this statement, Saenz’s idea of success does not rely on “working for the man,” as he put it, but on tapping into one’s authenticity through reflection and meditation.
I do daily meditation, which I consider to be a spiritual connection and one of the ways to align the self with the powerful and mystical force in this enigmatic universe,” Saenz said. “From this force comes my inspiration.”
Saenz often speaks poetically about subjects like the human spirit and the universe. Mesoamerican indigenous cultures also inspire much of Saenz’ work. An indigenous symbol can be found in “Surrounded by Eternity,” which also appropriates work by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo, and Henri Matisse.
“It’s called ‘Surrounded by Eternity’ because although those artists aren’t alive anymore, we’re still talking about them today,” Saenz said.
The classic pieces surround a depiction of a preoccupied Saenz.
That’s me carrying a ruler, always with the concept of my mind and my heart,” Saenz said. “Should I take measurements? Should I use a narrative, or do I follow my heart?
It is evident throughout his work that he does all of the above. Along with the symbolism and abstract figures in his pieces, many of them also contain repeating geometric shapes. They represent the universe, Saenz said.
Everything in this universe is always in constant flux,” Saenz said. “Nothing is static, so for me it’s evolving.”
While Saenz has over 25 years of experience as an artist, he remains bright eyed and eager to learn as he peruses an interdisciplinary doctorate degree at New Mexico State University, focusing on art, healing and spirituality. Prior to this scholarly endeavor, Saenz earned his bachelor’s degree in art and a Master of Arts in interdisciplinary studies focusing on museums research, both at the University of Texas at El Paso.
His education along with his passion led him to take on an art project with the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso (HACEP) in which residents of different living communities would contribute drawings to a total of twelve wood panels. With over a thousand drawings made by participants ranging from children to adults, the panels made up one large piece at 8 x 16 feet and are now displayed at the HACEP main office.
“My goal is to have at least one boy or girl believe in themselves and consider the possibility that their dreams can transform into realities,” Saenz said in Spanish about the project in the documentary “Art-HACEP Community Expression Project,” which follows Saenz as gathers the panels, discusses the project’s goals and exhibits the final product.
Witnessing the positive effects art has on people increased his passion for the field.
I’ve been taking art more seriously to the point where I’m focusing on exploring all the ways art can enhance or heal your life,” Saenz said. “The most important thing is to find how art can heal a person spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally.”
Find more of Saenz’ work at IntegralLife.com/art-galleries/kosmic-wonder. [themify_icon icon=”fa-circle” icon_color=”#ec008b” ]
The Art Avenue Gallery had its premier exhibit highlighting the great works of Francisco Lascurain Labadie (1926-2013) whose warm and rich colored canvases depict his memories of the typical urban workers of the 30s and 40s. Born in Mexico City, Lascurain was trained architecturally, however, his real passion and fascination was painting the common worker in Mexico. Because a laborer’s hands are essential for any trade, Lascurain gave particular attention to the hands depicted with darker tones and disproportions compared to the rest of the painting, telling a story of their own.
His pieces were hidden behind closed doors for 20 years until The Art Avenue Gallery exhibited several pieces from his laborer collection and where visitors can pay homage to a great artist. Heritage: The Legacy of Francisco Lascurain Labadie is available for viewing through January 2015 at The Art Avenue Gallery, an extension of The Art Avenue Magazine, at 518 W. San Antonio Avenue, Suite F. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday 10 – 4 p.m. and Monday and Saturday by appointment. For more information you can contact the gallery at 915.213.4318 or info@theartave.com.
The Art Avenue would like to thank our sponsors, El Taco Tote, Pint & Peanut, and The Green Ingredient.
The family of Francisco Lascurain Labadie recently contacted The Art Avenue in an effort to share the artwork of their patriarch that has been behind closed doors for more than 20 years. This artist preferred to be an unknown, quietly afraid people wouldn’t appreciate the subjects he painted. Shortly before he passed in 2013, a videotape was recorded; a biography to his family, which The Art Avenue had translated from Spanish to English with the help of his wife Marisa Lascurain and daughter Veronica Lascurain-Valdez. This is where we learn how Lascurain was born into a prominent family in Mexico City in 1926, grew up with a love of architecture and painting and was fascinated by the common worker in Mexico.
“El Afilador Aleman’ Colonia del Valle Mexico de los años 1930”
The oldest of five children, Lascurain cultivated friendships in Mexico City with philosophers, writers and artists indigenous to Mexico who were inspirational in his life like Don Jose Vasconcelos, Rufino Tamayo, José Clemente Orozco, Felipe Orlando and Rodolfo Nieto. While they were clearly influential individuals in Lascurain’s life, it was the day laborer—the common workers of the 30s and40s that would eventually catch his heart and his eye.
“As a young boy I was very curious about culture and adventure,” said Lascurain
This curiosity and perhaps a bohemian lifestyle he choose to follow is what prompted his travel to Spain in his late teens and early 20s in search of his ancestral roots where he stayed and studied for several years. It was during this time he met with the great Spanish painter Pablo Picasso.
Lascurain later returned to Mexico where he cultivated his architectural passion and designed works in both Mexico City and eventually in Chihuahua where he later moved in 1984. “My dad was very busy. There were so many people that wanted him to design for them, yet he never wanted to publicize his accomplishments, he was humble,” said Veronica Lascurain-Valdez. It was after much consideration he decided to follow prospective leads towards Ciudad Juarez. Later, with the gentle prompting of his wife Marisa, they moved to El Paso, TX in the mid-80s, so their three children could be educated in the states and learn English.
“El Taquero”
He was ready for a change, yet it wasn’t an easy move. “My biggest challenge was the language and different laws that govern the architectural field,” said Lascurain through the 20-minute videotape. The codes and rules were different in the U.S., and he would need to go back to school in order to be certified as an architect in the states. To start over again was difficult a choice for Lascurain but he felt his career was slipping away. “I fell victim to frustration and depression,” said Lascurain in the tape. It was only after designing with the architectural firm of Nagee and working on construction projects with John Ivy, was he able to feel more secure in his choice.
When he wasn’t working full-time in commercial design and construction he would retreat to a room in his Westside home and sketch in order to feed his creative side. It was there he had pencil sketches of the bodies, faces and the hands of people, most importantly the people of his home country. “My dad would draw in his sketch book until he had the idea of exactly how he wanted something or someone to look. There would be pages of images—he was trying to perfect a line or a shape—capturing the emotions like only he could remember,” said Lascurain-Valdez. She went on to comment that even in his 70s he had an incredible memory. “He used to tell me stories about growing up in Mexico and the history behind each painting. El Taquero (The Taco Man) was one of the street vendors my dad would see every day. This man would serve tacos, salsa and cervezas to the people in the neighborhood. My dad would follow the workers around: the delivery man with the bread, the milkman, the man who sharpened knives, the meringue cookie vendor and even the bartender at the local pub. He made friends with them all!”
“Peon de via’ Construccion ferrocarril del sureste años 1950”
Lascurain took his passion and memories of the urban workers of the 30s and 40s and transferred the genuine love of their jobs into grand works of art. It was a time when technology couldn’t interfere, only humans doing the work of what is an everyday ritual in Mexico. Using warm and rich colors he painted an entire series of 20 pieces related to laborer.
Veronica remembers asking her dad why he would not show his work. She said he always responded, “Maybe later when I have 15…maybe when I have 20 art pieces.” Maybe became 20 and he passed. He never signed his last painting, he never titled his last work of art and he left his family in question of what exactly to do with his private laborer collection he tried so hard to keep close to the heart.
In fact only one painting has truly ever left the house, aside from the handful of artwork in the homes of his daughter and sons. “At a dinner party a little over ten years ago, Dr. Manuel Rivera, one of Fransisco’s friends came over and fell in love with ‘El Aguador,’” explains his wife Marisa. “He pulled out his wallet and wrote a check. My husband would not take the check. He never intended to share his work with anyone outside of the house at that time and never thought a moment on the money—it was never about the money.” By the end of the evening Lascurain parted with the piece and Dr. Rivera is the only non-family member to own an original Francisco Lascurain painting to date.
“Carpintero Obra Negra ‘Cimbrando'”
Lascurain painted his figures with great dimension and always caught his subjects in the act or “working.” Because they were laborers, the hands in each piece received particular attention. He used subtle shades of tan, brown and orange, highlighting the hands with darker tones instead of black to outline the subjects. As time progressed, along with his cancer, he began to insert the image of his own hands into the paintings. As his health deteriorated his hands were metamorphosing, similar to a day laborer busy at work who endures callouses and swollen hands. He couldn’t hold a paintbrush any longer and the hands in the paintings became engorged, yet maintained a sense of their own space; depicting a story of perhaps the laborer and his due diligence, and a man fighting his destiny.
Family members still grieve the loss of their patriarch but are ready to pay tribute to a man they loved and share his paintings. “This exhibit will open doors to the world and allow anyone to discover and appreciate the magic of an era, the feelings of the Mexican people and the wonderful way it was captured on canvas,” said Marisa Lascurain.
The Art Avenue Gallery will be the first gallery to exhibit the great works of Francisco Lascurain Labadie. Visitors will have an opportunity to view nine pieces from his laborer collection and pay homage to a great artist. Heritage is currently on display at The Art Avenue Gallery on 518 W. San Antonio Suite F through January.
