A second lease on life
Arte de Descartes XXII features art made from recycled materials
It’s not every day that you can walk into an art show, free of charge, and see a 90-pound, 4-feet by 4-feet elephant sculptured from hundreds of pieces of hand-cut mirrors. But the duly-titled sculpture “Southbound Pachyderm,” created by local artist, Karen Krasovec, is just one of many sculptures on display, and for sale, at Art de Descartes XXII.
Spanish for “Art from Discards,” Art de Descartes is in its twenty-second year and shows no sign of slowing down. “It’s a living project,” explained Melissa Larson, director of Wholly Rags, the local nonprofit that hosts this juried recycled art show each year. “The show continues to grow and change, nothing about it is dying,” Larson said with an infectious smile.
Wholly Rags was established as a nonprofit in 2004 and started with the notion, as Larson explained, “to keep textiles out of the landfill.” Those textiles, placed in the hands of creative thinkers, have not only been spared the indignities of the landfill but they have also risen in ranks to being reborn as sculptures, collage work, quilts, bags and pieces of collectable art. You won’t find “Southbound Pachyderm,” who has tusks made from antlers, anywhere else, nor will you find a nearly sixfoot-long replica of a Greenpeace boat constructed from cardboard and sails made from repurposed drapes. Local artist, Mark Curtin, also used coffee stirring sticks and matchsticks to make the boat.
Arte de Descartes XXII will be at the
Stables Gallery, Oct. 29-Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The show’s opening day begins at 3 p.m. and will include music and refreshments which Larson laughingly confirmed, “the refreshments will not be recycled.” Rest assured, nearly everything else will be including pieces made from discarded metal, scraps of wood, cloth, plastic and paper.
Many of the artists will be on hand during the show’s nine-day stint with more expected on opening day. Larson has invited three talented artists to
what she describes as “not a flat art on the wall show.” Erin Currier, who began her career in Taos, will return with two of her collage paintings; Ed Larson, the 91-year-old, well-known Santa Fe-based artist, will showcase four sculptures; and Terry Hancock Mangat, who lives in Taos, will present her quilt, “Climbing the Eternal Flame.” In addition to the three invitees, Larson has accepted work from well over 50 artists. All told, there will likely be close to 60 artists who have artwork for sale, including Larson’s own quilts and bags.
A perennial favorite of past years, Bill Skrips’ imaginative and often humorous sculptures will once again be available for sale. Based in Santa Fe, each year, Skrips prices his pieces to sell and donates 100 percent of his Arte de Descartes profits to an area animal shelter. This year, proceeds from the sales of his pieces with names like Minor Demon, Mr. Pharmacist and Pook will benefit the Española Valley Humane Society —last year, his donation went to Stray Hearts.
Approachable and jovial, Larson was easy to chat with in her colorful Wholly Rags workshop with one friendly, albeit, sleepy dog in the corner. As we sat surrounded by pieces that will soon be on display, I interrupted our interview to exclaim, “wait, that’s a spoon!” as I began to dissect the small parts of the greater whole of Stuart Witwer’s “Racerunner” sitting on the table in front of me. The sculpture of the horse made from cookie tins and silverware had an expressive head expertly carved from an old piano leg. Sitting beside Racerunner was Witwer’s “Leader,” a sheep with curved horns formed from a discarded aluminum serving tray. It was hard to take my eyes off his craftsmanship, and both Larson and I wondered where artists find the creativity as she got up to show me the detail of his aluminum can dog aptly named “Dog.”
When asked about her favorite part of the show Larson didn’t hesitate. “Seeing how pieces speak to each other around the room and watching how this artworld talks to each other. We don’t have a theme, but each year, the artwork comes together on its own.” That artwork ranges in price from metal ornaments that start at $12 to at least one piece priced at $10,000. Most of the artwork, however, is in the $100 range.
According to Larson, Arte de Descartes attracts locals and visitors of all ages, “people return year after year after discovering it the first time. Kids love the show because they can identify things they recognize in the work. It inspires them and it inspires other artists too,” said Larson.
Wholly Rags offers classes for kids, teens and adults who want to learn how to create patchwork items and other projects. For more information about the show and Wholly Rags, visit whollyrags.org or call them directly at 575-751-9862.