Collectors Corner! Ed Sandoval's Newsletter (Taos, NM)

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Collectors Corner!

Ed Sandoval Gallery's Newsletter

102-B Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos, NM 87571

www.edsandovalgallery.com

edsandovalart@gmail.com

(575) 770-6360

"The Peace at Santuario" Featured on Santa Fe's 1994-95 Names & Numbers Telephone Directory

The Old Ones

Most of you know that "El Viejito" (little old man) who walks through the landscapes in most of my paintings was inspired by the character of Amarante Cordova in John Nichols’ novel, The Milagro Beanfield War . Later, Robert Redford turned it into a movie and filmed in the sleepy mountain village of Truchas (where I was living).

Early on, I painted El Viejito from the front, but as time went by, I started painted him from behind, walking into the distant New Mexico countryside. I'm asked frequently, "Why is he walking away?" I think it makes the painting more personal - people can imagine their own loved one moving toward the horizon, like a father, uncle or grandfather.

I'm also asked, “Why is he always so old?” I hadn't thought about that because, to me, it was perfectly natural. He's a revered elder: one of the sacred "old ones."

There is something about New Mexico that makes you keenly aware of age and timelessness. You step out of modernity into an unchanged world of rich culture and tradition while surrounded by weathered adobe buildings and indigenous people who seem to know things...hidden things...

As a boy, I felt a deep connection to the old ones, shadowing my grandfather and godfather all over our Nambe farm to help with the animals and learn about crops and nature. And, of course, grandma…she was my rock.

"Taos Morning" Painted in 1993

Grandparents: Pedro (1864-1955) and Luisita Rivera (1871-1956)

Grandma’s dirt-floor house had no running water, no electricity, no indoor bathroom and certainly nothing modern like a TV, but I always wanted to be there. She told me stories while she cooked in the kitchen, weeded the garden, canned vegetables and picked healing herbs. Stories upon stories…that feisty little woman could TALK – and I loved to listen. She told me about life in the old days, about her grandpa the sheepherder and about legends and adventures.

As I got older, I was still continually drawn to the old ones, who loved to talk, nurture and share their experiences. They are unpretentious, not out to impress anybody, and have so much to say, so much to offer. Their wisdom is almost spiritual…in my mind’s eye, they are like a candle that burns all the time in an old adobe church, soft warmth that instantly calms you and makes you feel "home."

My paintings reflect my nostalgic feelings about the past. I felt safe, loved and an overwhelming sense of belonging. Painting those memories erases time and I almost relive my boyhood. The past is present – it’s always there.

The old ones know who they are and where they came from. They know their place in this universe and their roles within their families and communities. It’s beautiful and inspiring.

Mural: Old Ones Sharing with the Young

Speaking of the old ones, I think they are so vital to our families and communities...critical for sharing knowledge and wisdom...that in December of 1992, I painted a mural called “What the Elderly Communicate to the Young” for an event put on by the Governor’s office in Santa Fe. The mural is in the Taos Senior Citizens Center.

Top left: Old man in prayer, passing on spirituality, hope and faith. As Amarante Cordova would say, "Thank you God for letting me have another day." My grandparents always had candles lit at the alter in their house.

Center top: Grandmother teaching her granddaughter how to cook – secret family recipes that will be the focal point of every family celebration. My grandma kept the family together with her native dishes cooked over a wood-burning stove.

Top right: Grandfather and grandson taking a walk, enjoying nature and sharing stories of how to respect and care for the land. I used to walk with grandpa all the time, and I listened as he told me the names of each of his animals and explained how they were the substance of life.

Bottom right: Old woman is mudding the outside of her Truchas home, teaching the importance of maintaining a traditional adobe house. Women had the most important job of mudding the outside and plastering the inside. They had a special touch and knew they were making not houses, but homes. When grandma would mud the home, my job was, in my bare feet, to mix the straw into the mud.

Bottom center: Grandfather teaching his grandson how to plant and harvest food. Let me tell you, this is hard work! I would help grandpa and dad irrigate, plow the fields with horses to turn the soil and plant the crops by walking down the rows with a big burlap sack of seeds...the person in front would poke a hole with a stick and I would follow behind, putting a seed in each hole by hand. We then watched the crops grow and finally harvested them by hand.

Bottom left: Grandfather and granddaughter creating music, transferring songs of culture and heritage from generation to generation. My grandpa played the accordion - Spanish polkas! We would dance in the house and my uncles were good dancers. I would get up and dance with them in the candlelight (no electricity). If they brought some moonshine, it was quite a party!

Middle: Largest figure is the grandmother who is the strength of the family. With love and understanding, she keeps the family strong and together. There is also a church to represent the enduring presence of spirituality and faith. I was thinking of my own grandma and honoring her...I knew who the pillar of our family was.

Featured Paintings

In addition to larger paintings, I'm going to do at least 20 miniature/smaller paintings in 2020! To inquire or request a high-resolution photo, please contact 575-770-6360 or edsandovalart@gmail.com . For all available paintings, click HERE .

NEW: "Blood Moon" (24" x 36")

NEW: "The Healing Church" (12" x 24")

NEW: "Springtime Stroll" (11" x 14")

NEW: "Fire in Fall" (11" x 14")

New Year's Eve in Taos!

I wanted to give a "shout out" to my good friend Michael Hearne and the Town of Taos for having such a wonderful, family-friendly New Year's Eve party on the plaza. Michael was there singing his beloved songs, including "The Songwriter," and the Mayor, Dan Barrone, was feeding everyone a delicious pulled pork dinner with all the fixings.