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Wednesday, May 13, 2009 Open-air painting leads to exhibitRio Communities There's art that's meant to grab your attention. There's art that's so showy it overwhelms the eye. But neither is the kind of art that Aileen Archunde Turner creates. Turner's work is extremely subtle, relying more on light and shadows to intrigue the viewer. Turner is a native New Mexican who grew up in San Francisco, but her return to the Land of Enchantment in the early '90s was the perfect move not only for her family, but also for the spectacle that the landscape and light provide for her work.
The idea for the show came about one day when the four friends took a trip to northern New Mexico to do a little plain air painting in Abiquiu. Turner said they went into the Abiquiu Inn, which houses a gallery on the second floor. "We had been painting together for all this time, and we just started talking about having a show there," Turner said. "We talked to the owner, and she was very enthusiastic after she saw some of the paintings that we had taken up there." Turner said the distance to the gallery didn't matter to any of the women when they decided to have the show in Abiquiu simply because they were so taken by the space. She said the room is beautiful, the lighting is spectacular and there's enough room in the area that all four women can display their work, which will be in total of 80 pieces of art. "We've been painting together for about two and half, maybe three years," Turner said. "We went up to Taos — three of us — two years ago and we painted on site. Everything was beautiful — there were gorgeous colors and all three of us just loved it." Turner said while she does paint a lot of her pieces in her Rio Communities studio, she adores working on site, surrounded by nature, natural light and the elements. "There's nothing quite like being outdoors, in person, and feeling the warmth and even the cold," she said. "It's kind of exhilarating in a way." Surrounded by the environment while putting paint on canvas may sound very romantic, but Turner says it's actually very hard work because of the unpredictable elements that may affect what she's doing. "You've got to work hard to get the subject down on your canvas because the lighting changes in a matter of seconds," she says. "Even though there are drawbacks, such as bugs landing the canvas and the winds blowing over the easel, there's nothing like being out there and in person seeing the subject right in front of you. "What I'm trying to do is to capture that particular time of the day, because it can change overnight. You're right there in the midst of all this beauty, and you're experiencing it first-hand," she said. "But you have to focus on what you're doing and on your subject to make sure you get what you want." When the four women paint together, they don't necessarily paint the same scene. Turner explained that they are usually in the same area and they're each concentrating on different landscapes. She said, when they all traveled to the Bosque del Apache in Socorro last year, they tried something a little different — they all painted the same scene. "It was amazing to see how different the paintings came out because we each have our own style, our own personalities," she said. "And each of the paintings reflected it and came out totally different." Turner looks forward every time she ventures into nature to paint with her friends. Not only do they inspire one another by their talents, but they also offer critiques to one another so they can grow as artists. "I believe it's essential to talk to other artists because we're always learning, we're always finding new ways to improve our art," she says. "Painting is something that makes my life full and I don't think I'll ever be able to put my brushes down." While Cordaro, Youn and McGraw are all pastel artists, Turner specializes in both oil and watercolor. As a small child, Turner remembers always drawing anything and everything she could. "I've always drawn ever since I was a little girl," Turner remembers. "I always had a pencil and paper when I was growing up. I can remember being a little girl and just drawing my family. My favorite subjects are landscapes and people. I started out drawing people and I would draw anyone who would sit there for me — including my little brother." While she drew throughout her childhood, Turner didn't realize that she had a true talent until after she was married and living in Colorado. She took an art class with her best friends including Virginia Cobb, who is now a well-known Santa Fe artist. Turner said after taking classes in Golden, Colo., she began entering her work in the Rocky Mountain National Watercolor Media show. It was the confidence she gained from showing her work that moved her to become more serious about her art, she said. Art means different things to different people, and the same holds true for the artists that create it. For Turner, art is life. "To me, painting is a wonderful therapy," she said. "I can go into my studio and be in there for hours, and literally, forget about time. Sometimes I forget that I have a family and other responsibilities. It's an escape — I get thoroughly involved in what I'm doing and it's a wonderful way of spending my time." There are many reasons Turner paints, including the texture and the smell of the paint, but there's one reason that stands out — light. "Light is probably the reason I paint," Turner said. "If you can paint light, you can paint anything. Light is absolutely essential to painting because it's what gives any piece life." The Abiquiu Inn Gallery is located upstairs over the main building of the Abiquiu Inn on Highway 84. From Santa Fe, take St. Francis North, Highway 84/285 to Española. Stay on Highway 84 toward Abiquiu and Chama. Abiquiu Inn is three miles past State Road 554 on the right. It's about one hour from Santa Fe. For more information on the Inside View show, call (505) 873-3826.
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