METAL MASTER
Salvage-yard finds fuel artist’s work: ‘There’s a story there … locked inside’
Editor’s note: Venue Plus continues “In Case You Didn’t Know,” a weekly feature with fun tidbits about New Mexicans and their projects.
Chris Turri has an eye for art. Not to mention that his hands are magical when transforming the metal he works with.
He’ll tell you that working one day takes patience.
“As I’ve gotten older, the lines in my art are getting cleaner and more refined,” he says. “This all goes back to my jewelry days.”
Turri will be one of five artists participating in the seventh annual Paint and Patina — Fine Art Show, which runs from Friday, Dec. 3, through Sunday, Dec. 5, at Casa Vieja Brewery in Corrales.
Tu rri works primarily with reclaimed metal.
The Corrales resident often finds the metal while on road trips through the Land of Enchantment.
Many of his finds come from salvage yards.
“When I see a piece of metal, there’s a story there,” he says. “It’s locked inside, but I can see it.”
Turri’s profile in the art world has been on a steady rise.
He works every day on pieces and is at a place in his career where he doesn’t have to do traveling shows.
“Everything I sell is out of the studio and gallery shows,” he says. “We almost sold out of everything in Cloudcroft, and my work has been selling well in Santa Fe.”
Because there is less traveling for the New Mexican, he’s able to focus meticulously on the details of his work.
“It’s almost become second nature,” he says of working in his studio. “I have more time to step back and look at the lines and clean them up. I’ve done jewelry in the past, and it’s really come in handy now. I’ve also been an electrician, so everything has to be perfect. You can always tell when an electrician has done a bad job. The same goes for an artist.”
For the past 20 years, Turri has worked for himself, devoting all his time to creating art.
He’s encouraged to see the evolution of Paint and Patina over the years.
“We started it in La Luz about seven year ago, and it was a small event,” he says. “I brought Michael Copeland on the show, and once he joined, it grew. We have Barbara Burzillo and Cristina Sanchez this year. We also are aware of younger artists coming up and give them the opportunity to join in the show.”
Although he does miss traveling to shows and meeting people, Turri is excited about the new chapter in his life, which gives him time to also garden. Here are a few things you probably didn’t know about him: