A Legacy of American Southwest Art
The Owings Gallery occupies a specific place in the landscape of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Founded by Nathaniel Owings, the institution focuses on the development of 19th and 20th-century American art. It maintains two distinct locations: one on East Marcy Street and another on East Palace Avenue. These spaces hold a significant collection of works that define the visual history of the American West. The selection focuses on painters and artists who captured the light and life of the region during these formative centuries.
The collection is characterized by its depth in Western subjects. Visitors encounter works that reflect the specificities of the New Mexican landscape and its people. The gallery has historically presented thousands of works, ranging from established figures to emerging talents. The presence of high-value pieces, some reaching into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, reflects the caliber of the artists represented in the permanent and rotating collections.
Notable Artists and Works
The holdings include significant representations from several key artists. The catalog identifies specific works that define the gallery's character, such as the following:
- The Blanket Mender, 1934 - E. Irving Couse
- Frank Archuleta (Taos Indian with Rifle), 1925 - Walter Ufer
- Cerro Gorgo, Santa Fe, 1920 - Carlos Vierra
- The Forest Pool - E. Irving Couse
- Laguna Mission - Carlos Vierra
These works demonstrate a commitment to the technical precision and thematic focus of the era. The presence of artists like E. Irving Couse and Carlos Vierra ensures a continuity of style and subject matter within the gallery's walls.
Exhibition History and Focus
The gallery organizes its programming around specific themes and artist retrospectives. Recent and upcoming exhibitions have focused on the contributions of women to the art of the West, examining how they shaped the visual language of the region through painting, pottery, and embroidery. These exhibitions often highlight the intersection of traditional crafts and fine art. Other exhibitions have dedicated space to specific individuals, tracing their artistic development and their relationship to the Southwest. The rotation of these shows allows for a continuous re-examination of the American West through different lenses.
