Food for the Soul / Alimentos para el Alma: A Mix ‘n’ Mash Exhibition at Mexi-Arte Museum
Van Gough’s Fruit Bowl by Gabby Duran, Acrylic on Gessobord. She is inspired by Vincent’s textured paintings.
This year’s theme, as suggested in the headline, is all about the scrumptiousness and tantalizing variety of nourishment for the soul. 200 artists were invited to design and submit their entries on 12x12” quality Gessobords donated by Ampersand Art Supply.
If it’s anything like previous Mix ‘n’ Mashes, the Friday evening reception at Mexi-Arte Museum (Congress and 5th) on March 3 from 6-9 p.m. will be well attended by families, friends, and members of the public eager to scoop-up some great soul food art. Proceeds from sales support art education programs at Mexi-Arte. Those attending can anticipate a great time.
IA Artists Among the 200
Imagine Art artists, including a handful of AmeriCorps artists-in-residence, have 16 dynamite entries for this pre-spring exhibition. The kick-off to the art sale along with the reception is March 3rd and goes until March 19th. Below are the remaining 15 entries.
Steven Fisher Cheeseburger and Onion Rings
Acrylic on Gessobord
Steven took time away from horses to paint this everyday lunch counter scene, complete with condiments and fries.
Courtney Cook
Peaches
Acrylic on Gessobord
Meticulous to the point of perfection, Courtney has captured the light and shadows. These fuzzy, ripe peaches look like they are ready for the picking.
Dani Bailey Quiche Lorraine
Mixed Media
My inspiration came from my love of the B-52's. A childhood favorite that has carried into my adult life. I have always loved their song Quiche Lorraine and I had been wanting to make a painting inspired by that for a while now. The Mexi-Arte presented me the opportunity to do just that.
Ebony Young
Pizza Supreme Acrylic on Gessobord
Ebony does it all: painting, drawing, sculpting, throwing clay. She fashioned the pizza like she had just been waiting for the opportunity.
Lacey Richter
Yo Soy Spicy
Acrylic on Gessobord
This piece entitled, Yo Soy Spicy (from the This Might Cause Heartburn series), represents a chili pepper loosely interpreted as a potential heart (corazon) with electric, activated EKG lines coursing & pulsing through the background. The black paint allows for these colors to pop, highlighting my signature use of rojo/red to spark & sizzle like my alter ego Bandita & spirit! I am happy to participate in this communal show for a fourth time & support Mexi-Arte Museum where I actually began my career in the arts working as their Education Outreach Coordinator for several years.
Erin Rosales
Share a Pizza my Heart
Acrylic on Gessobord
With melting cheese and the variety of toppings raining around the serving board, Erin brings her trademark playfulness to this exhibition
Richmond Freeman
Lotus Flower
Acrylic on Gessobord
With his ability to create fantastic paintings on the spot, Richmond rises to any and all occasions. In this case, his painting embodies the spiritual as well as the aesthetic.
Fidencio Duran
Calabaza y Camotes
Acrylic on Gessobord
My painting is based on my favorite foods. I am a big fan of calabazas and camotes. The succulent plant is also a product of Mexico.
Kelly Reider
Buffalo and Rabbit
Oil on Gessobord
Kelly is at his best when painting wildlife in nature because he does it so often. This seemingly simple oil composition shows a grazing buffalo and a rabbit nearby.
Ricardo Hernandez
Food from the Earth, Food from the Sea
Mixed Media on Gessobord
My piece is a recollection of my time on Rarotonga where I became friends and jammed with Maria Yatar a musician and tattooist from Guam. She had a tattoo of a crustacean on one calve and a tattoo of a pineapple on the other. She called them Food from the Earth, Food from the Sea. Given my experience on Rarotonga, where the spirit of Kia Orana transformed my life, it seemed appropriate to use this memory when addressing the idea of Food for the Soul.
Rodney Morgan
Stitched with Love
Acrylic on Gessobord
Rodney has pieced together his favorite foods in a quilted fashion.
Shon Parker
Chips con Queso
Acrylic on Gessobord
A swirl of colorful homemade queso and chips make for a satisfying appetizer. One of Shon’s favorites, but it can’t be too spicy.
Yoab Cabrera
Oso Comiendo Menudo
Acrylic on Gessobord
The piece, Oso Comiendo Menudo, is inspired by YOAB'S cultural roots & Mexican/Mexican-American ancestry, as well as his fascination with bears. He enjoys eating menudo, listening to festive Mexican music (mariachi & charro) & sharing of his heritage.
Vic Martinez
St. Francis Chile Ristras
Acrylic on Gessobord
I lived in Taos, New Mexico for 9 years, in and around a community called Ranchos de Taos where the 300 year old San Francisco de Assisi Mission Church resides. At dusk one evening in late January of 2007, while celebrating a Robert Burns Supper on the Ranchos Plaza, I stepped outside to photograph the snow dusted church. These many years later, the photo hangs in my studio and fills me still with wonder. The old mud church appears robust and vibrant and fortifies my soul like a hot bowl of red chile posole.
Melissa Morris
Scoops
Mixed Media on Gessobord
Melissa Morris flipped the Gessobord on its head and serves up something more than what was intended. Using the board as a tray, she entices the viewer with a cosmopolitan, which immediately puts a grin on our face.
To learn more, go to Mix 'n' Mash on the Mexi-Arte website.
