PROMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Gallery Row: Wildlife Art
In this promotional spotlight dedicated to wildlife art, our editor worked with the galleries to feature art that celebrates the animal kingdom. The unique styles and techniques of the two artists shown here allow collectors to see the variety of approaches to depicting animals in contemporary art.
Blue Rain Gallery
Santa Fe, NM & Durango, CO
(505) 954-9902 & (970) 232-2033 | blueraingallery.com
Nathan Bennett always knew that he was going to be an artist, but it was during high school while working at a foundry in Lehi, Utah, that his career took shape. The artist was introduced to bronze and patina through that experience and found his own way to interpret the medium. Bennett creates two-dimensional works using a sheet of bronze followed by etching an outline of forms—often trees and animals. He says the etching “creates a surface texture that allows the bronze to receive the chemicals.” Afterwards, Bennett applies chemicals with a brush to change the color of the bronze, creating patinas with a technique that dates to ancient Egyptians.
NATHAN BENNETT.Time to Go, patinas on aluminum, 48 x 48.
Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Art
Santa Fe, NM
(505) 986-1156 | giacobbefritz.com
Over the past 35 years, artist Melinda K. Hall has captured animals in her playful and humorous paintings. She has portrayed everything from her own pets to elk from nearby forests to desert dwellers, conveying their essences with oils on canvas. “If we take the time to value and honor these creatures, their wisdom can be like a helpful fellow traveler, accompanying us along our path,” Hall explains. A unique hallmark of Hall’s work is combining imagery and text in a flat plane that gains depth through painterly layers. The narrative is meant to allow viewers to step into the painting and connect with their own personal experiences.
MELINDA K. HALL, Armadillo: Well-suited, oil on canvas, 14 x 18.
This story appeared in the June/July 2024 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Subscribe today to read every issue in its entirety.