"Birds on Pueblo Pottery" Take Flight at Adobe Gallery in August

August is just around the corner and that can only mean one thing--Indian Market! It's the time of year when Santa Fe's population soars from about 67,000 people up to 250,000, as people descend on the city for the world's largest Indian Market.

Amidst all the hub-bub, collectors, especially those of historic pottery, head over to see 77 year-old Al Anthony, owner of Adobe Gallery at 221 Canyon Road.  Al has been in the business for thirty-three years and his passion is the old stuff!  Loyal clients love to pop in and pick Al's brain about his knowledge of Pueblo pottery.

Whether you're in the market for pots ranging from a few thousand dollars all the way up to $70,000, you'll no doubt appreciate Adobe Gallery's August show entitled "Birds on Pueblo Pottery". With nearly 60 pots, the show will feature historic and contemporary pieces with avian themes. Pueblo potters have been using these motifs for more than a thousand years, and the pots in the show will highlight pieces from 1880-1940 as well as ones from the last twenty years.

"Birds on Pueblo Pottery" will open with a Pueblo-style reception on Monday, August 9 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will run through August 31.  So, run...no...FLY to Adobe Gallery in August for a unique look into historic Pueblo pottery.  For more information visit http://www.adobegallery/ or call 505-955-0550.

Watch a video of Al Anthony talking about "Birds on Pueblo Pottery" HERE:

Strained Family Relations Make Life a 'Dream' in World Premiere at Santa Fe Opera

(Photo: Ken Howard, Santa Fe Opera)


The world premiere of Life is a Dream had its opening night at the Santa Fe Opera on Saturday, July 24 and I feel fortunate to have gotten tickets. It was my first time attending a production at this marvelous performing arts facility, and, what better time to go? After all, it's not every day you get to see a world premiere, and Santa Fe Opera's 12th world premiere at that.



While not familiar with the plot of the original drama La vida es sueño by Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600-1681), the last of the Spanish “Golden Age” dramatists, I do have the script somewhere and have been meaning to read it for years. This well-executed operatic version with Leonard Slatkin at the helm of the orchestra and direction by the very skilled Kevin Newbury, has given me new impetus to dig out the play from a box containing hundreds of plays that I packed away after college.


With themes like the exploration of the father/son relationship, nature versus nurture, and fate versus free will, combined with a look into the demise of children caused by their parents’ indiscriminate use of their authority, a common thread in Calderón de la Barca’s plays, it’s amazing that I wasn’t on that a long time ago!


Okay, so back to the opera. Imagine it…a sparse, reflective black stage with vertical and horizontal light sticks resembling the crystalline qualities of stalagmites and stalactites, breaking up the darkness. The lights go down and the light sticks begin to move and take their places as limbs in the wilderness. A circle on the floor begins to spiral upwards and soon a 15 to 20-foot rounded piece of scenery begins to emerge. It is a secluded tower (its spire later doubles as throne) in the middle of the woods—home to the banished prince “Segismundo” (Roger Honeywell), forced to live in chains because his father the “King Basilio” (John Cheek) was certain that his son would become a violent ruler. It is here we see both the tormented and human side of a man, thought to be a beast.


Taught by “Cotaldo” (James Maddalena), a nobleman responsible for keeping watch over Segismundo, the protagonist is introduced to the nobleman’s daughter “Rosaura” (Ellie Dehn) and the court jester “Clarin” (Keith Jameson). They are the first people that Segismundo has been in contact with from the outside world. They are captured by the court to keep Basilio’s secret quiet, but Basilio has already questioned whether he made the right decision to keep his son locked up. Is free will stronger than fate? Basilio decides to release his son, drugs him, and brings him to court. After coming to, Segismundo is told that he is, indeed, the prince. Should he behave, he will inherit the throne. Should he not, Basilio will tell him that it was all a dream and Segismundo will be returned to the tower in the wilderness. Of course, the prince, who has not lived among others, and has developed a rage inside for his mistreatment, shows just how violent he can be upon assuming his crown by thrusting a servant over the palace’s balcony. After Segismundo discovers his infatuation for Rosaura and then finds himself in a subsequent fight, Basilio orders that his son be exiled, yet again. Segismundo, to his frustration, is made to believe that his days in court were merely a dream, in spite of the fact that his memories are vivid.

In the final act, a group of rebels comes to help free Segismundo so that he can overthrow his father, Estrella (Carin Gilfrey) and Astolfo (Craig Verm), two cousins, who have come to assume the throne. At the moment of victory, Segismundo is suddenly changed and gives up, pondering the truth of his existence. Basilio, thinking that his surrender is an act of humility reinstates him as prince. The only thing left for Segismundo to do is renounce his feelings for Rosaura, freeing her up to marry Astolfo, and taking Estrella as his wife to restore social order.


With a score by Lewis Spratlan and libretto by James Maraniss (originally written in the 1970s, but never fully produced) the piece has an interesting atonal score with a very thoughtful poetic text. While Spratlan’s score seems limited in scope and variety, its unique melodiousness gently carries Maraniss’ easily-digestible text and provides the cast some positive vocal challenges. The choice to have characters leap from octave to octave kept me on the edge of my musical seat, wondering how notes were going to resolve. I really enjoyed the deceptive cadences that were frequently present. When the orchestra suddenly becomes lyrical, the vocals and action onstage are slightly out of sync augmenting the dramatic effect.


The first act lagged a bit, with some of the performers seeming to hold back only slightly, dramatically and vocally. But, in the second and third acts, it was clear just how fabulous their instruments were and that they possessed fine acting chops. Director Kevin Newbury is a master of the "picture," and he creates beautiful moments and tableaus that help complement character relationships and firmly tie them to their environments.


Roger Honeywell, a very creepy and disturbed “Segismundo,” gave the production the vocal and dramatic gusto that the role needed. His transformation from empathetic to violent to contemplative and resigned in the final moments was well-timed and believable. Ellie Dehn was stunning both visually and vocally, and Keith Jameson had just the right amount of humor and physical elasticity to make his “fool” a highlight of the opera. The real standout for me was John Cheek as Basilio. His act one aria is what finally engaged me and made me decide "I like this!" Overall, he was very consistent in his portrayal of a man torn apart by his decisions. His role seemed to be the most vocally challenging, and his understanding of line and subtext was impeccable.


And if you’re waiting for me to talk about the fat lady singing, there’s none of that here. The cast is gorgeous and toned, and is exquisitely accentuated by the stunning costume design by Seattle’s Jessica Jahn, and the brilliant, almost “moving through molasses”-like lighting by Japhy Weideman. David Korins' set, while extremely minimalistic, gave the opera that "wow" factor and created the necessary “other worldly” feel that the tone required.


Life is a Dream continues at Santa Fe Opera with performances on July 28 and August 6, 12, and 19. For more information, visit http://www.santafeopera.org/.

The Delicate-cies and Details of Porcelain Art: Jane Sauer on Works by Irina Zaytceva

“My colors and powers came together to help me to speak, to tell my stories, to harvest the fruits and flowers of the garden of my mind and soul, sculpting my works and adding to the further meaning of them by painting the surfaces with colored pictures.”  --Irina Zaytceva

Every since I visited Santa Fe’s Canyon Road for the first time last year, Jane Sauer Gallery has become my favorite place to check out some of the world’s new emerging and established artists. She tends to focus a great deal on fiber arts, but this year, I caught up with owner Jane Sauer at SOFA West 2010, now in its second year in Santa Fe, and she was touting the work of Russian ceramicist Irina Zaytceva at her booth.  As a matter of fact, when I walked up, Jane was intimately describing Irina’s work to a handful of eager collectors. Her enthusiasm for the artist, who is a master of every detail and translating her imagination into unusual and wonderful porcelain vases, tea pots and figures, was very obvious. Irina's work incorporates nature’s bounties, as well as “beauty, tension and a hint of erotica.”

Born in Moscow in 1957, Irina has a vast background as a children’s book illustrator, which is evident in her work. Sculpting, however, afforded her many more opportunities to express herself artistically, so she began to work with high-fired porcelain. She was very interested in the historical importance of porcelain as well. She even developed new techniques in the porcelain-making process. Her pieces are made with overglazes, underglazes, 18K gold, and she paints them with china paint to create gorgeous, nearly functional pieces of art that stimulate the imagination and amaze.

Jane Sauer Gallery, 652 Canyon Road, is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information on Irina's work or general gallery information, visit http://www.janesauergallery.com/.





Jane took a moment out of her busy day at SOFA West to talk to me a little about Irina Zaytceva's work and style. Watch the video HERE:

New Mexico as a Cultural Tapestry at 2010 LULAC Conference in Albuquerque

I seldom try to broach serious subjects on Uncle Paulie’s World, mostly because there are so many hot-button issues in the world right now, we need a break to sit back and enjoy beautiful things like art. That said, as a former publicist for Scholastic in New York, I handled PR for one area of our Community Affairs Division dealing with Latino early literacy. It taught me the importance of parents reading with their children, which will, in turn, prepare them to do better in school and then become valuable assets to our country's workforce.

When a colleague of mine from Bromley Communications in San Antonio contacted me about attending the 2010 League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Conference in Albuquerque, it was logical for me to go and check things out. This year’s theme was “New Strategies for Community Empowerment: New Leadership Through Action”. While immigration seemed to be the hot topic on the tip of everyone’s tongues, there were some milder topics being discussed, and I was there to focus on the cultural richness stuff. 

Let it be known, though, that I attended a partnership luncheon on Wednesday, and I was very impressed and moved by keynote speeches given by Thelma Meléndez, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education, as well as Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor Hilda Solís. Both had important things to say, but it was Melendez’s talk that reminded me of the importance of getting Latino children ready for school.

Since my time was limited, I opted to attend a panel discussion entitled “Exploring New Mexico’s Cultural Tapestry”. It was a lively discussion moderated by guitarist, singer and songwriter Chuy Martínez, and featuring panelists Carlos Vasquez of the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Gustavo De Unanue, Consul for the Consulate of Mexico in Santa Fe, Henry Rael, Executive Director of Albuquerque’s South Valley’s Valle Encantado, and historian and educator Rubén Sálaz Márquez. They all brought insight into the distinct diversity of the New Mexico cultural landscape and the land that is clearly a “prodigy of Spain.” I even learned some interesting facts during a discussion of Hispanic history in the "Land of Enchantment" led by Sálaz Márquez.

Did you know that it was the Hispanics who brought farming to America by way of México? Indeed, the word ranch in English comes directly from its Spanish predecessor rancho. Also, the word buckaroo, comes directly from English pronunciations of the Spanish word for cowboy vaquero. I also learned that the beautiful red flowers that we all enjoy around the holidays called pointsettias, are actually called Flor de noche Buena, which are just one of the contributions made to the United States by México. Did you know that New Mexicans were considered to be one of the three best horse riding groups? They found themselves in the same company with Arabs and the Comanche Indians. Of course, the Spanish brought the red chile that we all enjoy today via the indigenous populations of México.

One of the highlights of the panel was the brief discussion led by the Executive Director of Valle Encantado in Albuquerque’s South Valley, Henry Rael, who addressed the fact that agriculture is a huge thread that moves through New Mexican culture. Rael created a community farm in his South Valley neighborhood with the sole purpose of helping to create jobs. Historically, New Mexicans have farmed for survival, more than for business reasons, but Rael is hoping to change that by supplying consumers, who demand local products, with locally-grown produce. It’s already happening. His comrades at three community-based organizations have joined forces to create Agricultura Network, which is bringing this produce to New Mexico farmers’ markets and making a profit doing it.

One poignant moment came when an audience member recanted that her deceased father consistently admonished that “this land will probably go back to farming.” After all, it is in the roots of the people of New Mexico.  Ultimately, the goal of Valle Encantado is to grow enough to provide food for the entire city of Albuquerque—a very noble goal. ¡Sí se puede!

Rael took a few moments out his day to talk to me about this project, which is positioned to see a great amount of growth and even bigger successes. Watch his interview HERE:

Cristian Castro, Jose Jose, Ozomatli and Other Latin Music Stars Headline LULAC Immigration Reform Concert

On Saturday night in Albuquerque, New Mexico, several Latin music artists including Cristian Castro, Ozomatli, Jose Jose, Pee Wee and others came together in support of immigration reform. It was a night of passionate outcries against the current legislation in Arizona with original songs written expressly for the concert. “Voces Unidas” was sponsored by LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens), which held its annual national conference in Albuquerque this year. The concert took place at the relaxed and spacious Tingley Coliseum at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds.

I had the opportunity to stop by the sound check earlier in the day and was able to get some video of Cristian warming up and speak with Wil-Dog, guitarist and vocalist for the band Ozomatli which describes itself as “a notorious urban-Latino-and-beyond collision of hip hop and salsa, dancehall and cumbia, samba and funk, merengue and comparsa, East LA R&B and New Orleans second line, Jamaican raggae and Indian raga.”

It was a wonderful family-friendly concert.  The evening was laid back, kids and grandparents were dancing in the aisles to hot tunes, all the while coming together to make people aware of an important issue. Check out my video HERE:

Washington Art Association Represents Three Womens' 'Views' in New Exhibit

Obviously, as human beings, we all live in the same world, but our realities are vastly different. Reality for the individual is dictated by the unique experiences and circumstances that help to shape who we are. Therefore, we all perceive things from the side of our own reality.

In celebration of those wonderful differences and varying perspectives, the Washington Art Association in Washington Depot, Connecticut will present Different Views, selected works by Elizabeth Hazan, Erin Raedeke and Elinore Schnurr.

In Elizabeth Hazan's fluid state landscapes, "Geometric shapes emerge, radiate and collide, making new forms across the surface of the work," which creates the energy that the artist sees in the surrounding world, in man made and natural forms.

"I am interested in the ways a painting can be a manifestation of one's mind," says artist Erin Raedeke of her work. Raedeke assembles pieces of her environs and the life experiences that she remembers into still life paintings that "provide a concrete arena in which to explore" her thoughts and memories, "both conscious and latent."

I fell in love with the work of Elinore Schnurr, when she participated in an exhibit featuring women painters in New York City at Flushing Town Hall a couple of years ago. She is known for her contemplative and voyeuristic paintings, in which she depicts a snapshot in time--the view from the outside looking inward to the lives of people at urban bars and cafes. Meanwhile, the outer world is simultaneously reflected in windows. Typically, she sets her work in Times Square, where there is much interplay between both of these worlds. Schnurr says "...as we sip our wine and experience a certain self-satisfaction with our lives, troubles out there in the larger world haunt us. Intrusive thoughts, of terrorist acts, bombed-out buildings, random violence, the after-effects of war, come into our minds and become part of our reality."

Different Views opens on July 17 with a brookside reception from 4-6 p.m. at the Washington Art Association located at Bryan Memorial Plaza in Washington Depot, Connecticut. The paintings will be on exhibition through August 15. For more information, visit http://www.washingtonartassociation.org/ or call 860.868.2878.