“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it,” an observation attributed to Michelangelo. And over the centuries equally inspired sculptors have approached a block of stone with the same intention of bringing forward something their inner eye sees — or their soul perceives. Therein lies the magic of sculpture.
This weekend (Oct. 20 – 23) an exceptional gathering of some of the most masterful New Mexico stone artists is happening here in Taos at Studio Santiago and Gallery, the home base of sculptor TJ Mabrey. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, the public is invited to the free open house featuring the works of eight artists, including Mabrey.
Larger works will be featured in the idyllic outdoor gardens and small pieces will be highlighted in the indoor gallery space. As an added bonus, Brian Barreto will give a live demonstration during the day on Saturday (Oct. 21), as will Britt Brown on Sunday (Oct. 22). A few of the other artists may jump in, as well.
“There is a kinship to material and a common creative approach to carving stone among these artists,” said Mabrey. “All use the ‘direct method’ of stone carving, whereby the artist begins with a hammer, chisel, and stone and commences to carve the stone directly, usually without a clay model or a preconceived idea; eliminating material, allowing a form to develop and eventually be defined and refined into the finished piece of art.”
“The sculptors have all come to this practice in differing ways: through art school, private lessons, and travels to known stone carving workshop capitols like Pietrasanta, Italy, Greece, and Marble, Colorado,” she continued. “They all have different reasons for working in stone as a preferred medium, but the common thread is the method of direct carving which provides freedom of imagination and exploration.”
And, indeed, as you hear from the stone artists it does appear that the craft involves a focused and private conversation with the material standing before you; it is an intimate art form, involving all of the senses with a soupçon of subconscious faith.
“I’ve come to believe sculpture is a process of listening. Some approaches may be more direct or definitive, but within those moments of making small changes with explosive force [is] finding direction. Stone can ring like a bell. The more I practice, the luckier I get: I’m striving to be a better listener,” Barreto said of his craft.
Likewise, Brown believes her marble sculptures to be a meditation on history, on strength and on stillness, she remarked. Rosie Rosenthal, another Taoseña featured in the show, was equally pensive in discussing the art. “It is both the receptivity and the resistance of stone that captivates my imagination and my heart. As teacher, friend, and collaborator, it holds solid ground for my delicate emotions and fleeting thoughts. It is an honor to carve.”
And Mabrey links her own process to metaphorical communication and how the form comes closer to explaining human relationships with the environment. “It seems more ecologically sane to believe human beings are part of, not apart from, nature. I strive, through my stone sculpture, to make the point that nature and humans are the same. To destroy one is to destroy the other,” she reflected.
Other artists who are included in the event include Schuyler Blanchard, who is Assistant Sculpture Professor at the Institute of American Indian Arts; Petro Hul, who is renowned for his explorations of nature and geology; Mark Saxe, recipient of the 2023 Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts; and Margaret Tange, who credits her childhood on her family’s Montana farm with her everlasting love of animals in both sculpture and painting.
This is the fifth year Mabrey has opened the doors of her studio and gallery to the public, but it is the first time she has invited seven other stone sculptors to join her in exhibiting their artwork. It is an event worth the wait, however. Rarely will you have the opportunity to see such renowned works in one Taos location, so mark your calendar accordingly and enjoy both the impressive stone art and the sweet setting in which they are featured.
Studio Santiago and Gallery is located at 232 Camino de Santiago, Taos. For further information, please call (575) 613-3269.