Creation/Migration Exhibit: "Under a Common Sky", Taos

Common Sky, Lise Poulsen

Creation/Migration is excited to announce their new invitational exhibition, "Under a Common Sky". Group members and curators of this exhibit, Betsie Miller-Kusz and Donna Caulton began discussion with Paul Figueroa, vice president of  Taos Arts Council and curator of the Town Hall Art Gallery, in February of 2015 and lots of decision making and planning followed. The idea of the theme "Under a Common Sky" was chosen to encompass all the the visions of artists who have lived in or moved to New Mexico and stayed, in part because of the magic of the sky and the way it affects their work.

Horse, Ralph Greene

100 years ago, the Taos Society of Artists did the same. Taos has been celebrating that anniversary druing 2015, and this exhibit concludes that year long celebration. When the exhibition theme matched up beautifully with the centennial celebration of the Taos Society, the idea took off. Below is the article that was sent to the press. It includes all details of dates, places and times, and information about the artists and the exiting poetry event that previews the exhibit. Interspersed are some images of the very special  works of art that are included.

Chisos Mountain Morning, Trish Booth

Under A Common Sky: A Two-Part Art and Poetry Event Sponsored By The Taos Arts Council and the Creation/Migration Group

In one of the most exciting events of the Fall Season, Taos Arts Council and the Creation/Migration group co-present Under a Common Sky. This broad-ranging exhibition explores the concept of sky from many different vantage points and through the following artistic disciplines: painting, sculpture, retablo, weaving and other fiber arts, printmaking, photography, and assemblage. With this exhibition, the town of Taos concludes a year of remembrance for the 100^th Anniversary of the Taos Society of Artists. Invited artists from Northern New Mexico fill Taos Town Hall with their interpretations of the theme, Under a Common Sky, which holds special significance in this region that has attracted and supported artistic endeavor throughout history.

Exhibition Artists are: Nick Beason (printmaker), Trish Booth (painter), Donna Caulton (painter), Mary Cost (tapestry weaver), Jim Forcier-Call (mixed media artist), Lorrie Garcia  (retablo and bulto artist), Ralph Greene (painter), Theodore Greer (photographer), Betsie Miller-Kusz (painter), Michael Miro (glass artist), Jean Nichols (mixed media artist), Kimberly Pollis (tin artist), Lise Poulsen (fiber artist), and Harriette Tsosie (painter).

Promise of Snow, Jean Nichols

Under A Common Sky opens with a special preview on Saturday, November 7, at 7:00 p.m., in The Navajo Room of Kachina Lodge, 413 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, when ten poets from New Mexico, Colorado, California, and Texas will perform poems they composed in response to selected artworks in the show. The event promises to be a dynamic evening of verbal and visual exchange, with dialogue and refreshments.

Exhibition Poets are: Will Barnes, (paired with artist, Jean Nichols), Karen Córdova, (paired
with artist, Lorrie Garcia) Max Early, (paired with artist, Donna Caulton), Veronica Golos, (paired with artist, Nick Beason), Jane Lin, (paired with artist,, Lise Poulsen), Joan Ryan,(paired with artist Jean Nichols), Leslie Ullman, (paired with artist, Jim Forcier-Call), Andrea Watson, (paired with artist, Betsie Miller-Kusz), Scott Wiggerman, (paired with artist, Harriette Tsosie) and Dom Zuccone (paired with artist, Lorrie Garcia).

 Under A Common Sky holds its official art opening on Friday, November 13, with a reception for the artists from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the Taos Town Hall, 400 Camino de la Placita. The art will be on display in Town Hall from November 13, 2015 through February 5, 2016. 
  

Since its inception in 2012, each of the member artists of the Creation/Migration group has immersed herself in a personal journey of art-making that centers on a larger view of the concepts of creation and/or migration. These personal journeys, accompanied by scientific information gleaned from DNA studies of their matrilineal lines, have proven fruitful ground for ever expanding ideas in their artwork. The artists explore new ground even while revisiting and reformulating older ideas, finding common threads through time.

Yoke of the World, Betsie Miller-Kusz

 Under a Common Sky artists were selected based on an array of image-making styles and mediums. Each has a vision of what the exhibition title suggests and has created images based on that vision. Additionally, they all live in Northern New Mexico, have migrated here from other places, even if that happened generations ago, and stay, in part, because of the gracious expanse of sky that binds them. All have deep and heartfelt attachment to “Sky”.

 Photographer Theodore Greer explains: “The sky is big; we are small and as short-lived as Mayflies. The sky gives a context to our lives on Earth.”

Fiber artist Lise Poulsen comments: “This is the first place I have lived where you feel as though you can see every single star and experience so many shooting stars; it feels magical in the most primeval sense.”

All Life Matters, Lorrie Garcia

“I love the towering, flat-bottomed clouds of this place. There is a huge, immediate and palpable connection between the earth and sky,” reflects painter Trish Booth.

Lorrie Garcia, who creates retablos, believes that “the sky is very important in creating devotional art, primarily to symbolize heaven…attaching spiritual meaning to sky elements: sun, clouds, rays, stars, lightning etc.”

 Painter Ralph Greene beautifully sums up the theme when he observes: “I belong to the sky, and it belongs to me. I came from the sky, the universe, the sun, the stars and mother earth; they live in me.”  

Under a Common Sky is curated by Donna Caulton and Betsie Miller-Kusz, with the Town Hall exhibition managed by Paul Figueroa, and poetry curated by Andrea Watson. Funding is provided by New Mexico Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Taos Arts Council.

All events of Under a Common Sky are free and open to the public.

Pleiades, Harriette Tsosie

Flower of Life Alter, Kimberly Pollis

Milky Way, Ted Greer

Saw The heavens Fill With Commerce, Nick Beason

When Time and Eternity Meet, Jim Forcier-Call

Flight II, Mary Cost

Opening of "Honoring Our Ancestors" at Gaucho Blue Fine Art Gallery, Penasco, NM

Some memories of long ago shimmer with a golden glow than makes one wonder if they really happened. The April 19 opening of the Creation Migration "Honoring Our Ancestors" was such an event. It has that glow already, even though it just happened a few weeks ago. It was a well attended, well received and long to be remembered special event for the project artists as well as the community at large.

Blessing Place

The ancestral "Blessing Place", a collaboration created by the artists for this exhibit, was the center "stage" for the opening ceremonies. Symbolic articles were added to the piece to be inclusive of the major cultural and religious foundations of the region: Picuris, Spanish, Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Ugandan, as well as a range of symbols making it's representation more widespread, even universal.


In this chapel-like setting  we were honored by a blessing from Picuris Elder, Cat Tsosie. The buffalo skull was loaned for this exhibit by Cat, and later in the event he presented a talk about "Buffalo" as a meaningful symbol in the lives of his Pueblo, as well as for Native Americans in general. With his natural mix of humor and the sacred, Cat brought many gifts to this special event.

Cat Tsosie

In order to honor the elders from  the local communities, we chose the oldest person from several of the High Road villages. Jerol Arguello, historian, and Miguel Torres of the New Mexico DNA Project greeted the elders or their representative family members. The elders honored for this event, from the eldest to the youngest, were as follows: Lucia Lopez of Chamisal, age 101; Margarita Torres of Truchas, age 100; Abenicio Sanchez of Ojo Sarco, age 95; Tillie Romero of Vadito, age 95; Delia Montoya of Rodarte, age 94; Ofelia Aguilar of El Valle, age 92; Theodore Sandoval of Rio Lucio, age 92; Rudolfo Ortega of Llano de San Juan, age 91, Gabriel Gonzales of Placitas, age 91; Clara Lopez of Las Trampas, age 90 (?); and Rose Allrunner of Picuris, age 85.  Additionally, the well known and well respected community member, Armando Martinez of Penasco, passed away in December of 2013 at the age of 100 years.  We were happy to honor him and his many community contributions during this event.

Theodore Sandoval with Lugarda, his wife of 66 years

As the evening progressed Miguel Torres presented a power point and discussion about DNA. His position in the New Mexico DNA project has prepared him well in the topic.

Following Miguel's presentation Jerol Arguello, an avid researcher of his family's genetic background, told of the long trail undertaken by the early Spanish immigrants and the settling of the land grant of Las Trampas. Jerol is directly descended from these original settlers, specifically of Sephardic Jewish heritage.

Jerol Arguello honoring the elders

 Although the opening officially began at 3PM, people began arriving at 2:30 and by 3:30 the gallery was filled with artists, friends, community members, and families of the honored elders. The place was "abuzz" until closing at 7PM.

Artists from the surrounding communities submitted pieces that spoke of their ancestral stories and/or their migration to New Mexico. In addition a collection of old photographs dating back to the early 1900's is on loan from the historic collection of the Ancianos Community

Miguel Torres, NM DNA Project

Center in Chamisal.  Community and cultural histories were documented by photographs from the community at large, and by two community quilts from a Penasco quilt project of last year.

New works by each of the project artists enlarged and enhanced the issues surrounding identity and sense of place brought to life by this opportunity to "Honor Our Ancestors".

Please enjoy this selection of photos of the  project artists discussing their works and enjoying friends. Also represented are some images of the works of other community art submissions.

Harriette Tsosie with her work

Agu, Betsie, Belinda, Linda, Donna's work

In addition to the above mentioned special guests, contributors and presenters, we wish to express our deep gratitude to Gaucho Blue Fine Art Gallery owners, Nick Beason and Lise Poulsen. Their generous spirits and beautiful gallery provided a rich environment in which this project was able to flourish.

Jean Nichols of Art For the Heart provided unending support as well as the lovely roses for our elders. Thanks to Cindy Alford, Jim Martin, Deborra Berlin and Marlene Santillan for keeping the food available and beautifully presented for guests.

And special thanks to Jim Martin for the amazing photographs he took at the opening event.
We are a community after all!!