Taking chances
SF native Bobby Beals opens gallery in Bishop’s Lodge
Art speaks to Bobby Beals. It’s more than just the composition or color for the Santa Fe native. In each piece of art, he’s able to hear a story — and that’s what’s he’s wanting to cultivate.
Beals has been in the art consultation business for 20 years. Along the way, he’s learned lessons — some difficult, others fruitful.
His latest venture is the gallery space at Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection in Santa Fe.
He’s calling it “Bobby Beals Presents …” inside the property.
“I really had some time during the pandemic to think about my next step,” Beals says. “I took a break from the art world and began efforts to feed the homeless and the elderly.”
It was during that time, Beals recouped his energy for the art world.
“I always want to know what artists are doing,” he says. “That coupled with the Auberge team asking me if I wanted the gallery space. It was something I really had to consider. I asked my son, who is 12, how he felt about it because I’m usually dragging him to the gallery. It was a no-brainer at that point.”
The gallery’s mission is to represent artists with fine art shows, live demonstrations, culinary experiences and curated special events throughout the year.
Artists represented include Micqaela Jones, Cody Brothers, Matt Gutierrez, Frank Gonzales, Matt Campos, Wayne Nez Gaussoin, David Rudolph, Tim Kenney, Chadwick Uptain, Alexandra Eldridge, Luis Diego Rigales, Coulter Prehm, and Feathered and Forage.
“I’ve been working with Gary Dinh,” he says. “He and I have been doing a marketing consulting business. I talked to him about wanting to do this and he saw my passion.”
As he looked back at his 20 years of work, Beals wanted to make the artist’s narrative much stronger.
He called up some of the artists and began in-depth conversations on the direction he wanted to take.
“I’ve done galleries before and it’s about experiences,” he says. “We’re doing these chef/artists dinners. The chef and artist will meet to curate a menu.”
The first event — “Contexture: Tim Kenney + Pablo Peñalosa” will take place from 6-9 p.m. March 25.
Peñalosa is the chef at Bishop’s Lodge.
On April 28, “Sussuros, a conceptual performance by Luis Diego Rigales” will take place.
The next day, on April 29, Peñalosa teams up with artist Wayne Nez Gaussoin for “Adorn: Wayne Nez Gaussoin + Chef Pablo Peñalosa.”
“I want to create a new type of experience, where the guests can get more than just art,” Beals says.
The plan is to showcase 10-15 artists total throughout the year.
“I used to represent 70 artists and it was tough,” he says. “Having a smaller number of artists gives us the opportunity to create those connections. It’s a different way of doing things and I’m excited to see what it brings.”
Beals hopes to change some minds with the new endeavor.
“I feel like this is the beginning of my swan song in the art world,” he says. “I would like to do 20 more years where people talk about what I did in a healthy and positive way — just like we speak of Nedra Matteucci or Elaine Horwitz. I want to be known as someone who really levitated the art market in Santa Fe. Sometimes that means I have to take chances to bring a little change.”