The Taos News

Cooper’s Garage inaugural art exhibition

- BY JANET WEBB Additional informatio­n available at jmac@laplaza.org.

TAOS ARTISTS Ron Cooper and Larry Bell, along with their longtime friend master clockmaker Johnny MacArthur, invite the public to see their recent work the second weekend of February. The venue, Cooper’s Garage, is in Taos’ sprawling “Warehouse District” on the south edge on town. Adjacent to marijuana grow houses, car mechanics, commercial storage units and other such metal structures, the space formerly filled with Cooper’s car collection is now a temporary art exhibition space. February 10-11 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., visitors can view a new autobiogra­phical photo series by Cooper honoring his years in Mexico, three new glass works by Bell, and a precision regulator clock, “MacArthur No. 7,” by MacArthur.

The artists plan to present a new art installati­on in Cooper’s Garage on the second weekend of each month throughout the year. March 9-10, work by Taos artists from Bell and Cooper’s collection­s will be featured.

RON COOPER has divided his time between Taos, Los Angeles and Oaxaca, Mexico since 1970. On his founding of Del Maguey Mezcal, Cooper says: “I have spent the last 30 years doing Del Maguey as my major art project. Now, besides making visual art, my cars speak for me. Racing them gives me that moment of paradise — transcende­nce — that comes from inventing/creating them. Like a successful work of art.”

Additional informatio­n available at delmaguey.com, issuu.com/203fineart. com, and issuu.com/cjfapress.

LARRY BELL moved to Taos from Los Angeles in 1973. He has kept a studio in Venice Beach, California off and on since then. On this three-person exhibition, Bell says: “I feel honored to show with my two friends.“

Additional informatio­n available at larrybell.com.

JOHNNY MACARTHUR moved to Taos from Vermont in 1970. He explains his fascinatio­n with precision timepieces:

“All my life I have been fascinated with precision devices for measuremen­t, as of length, weight and time. Since completing my apprentice­ship with master clockmaker Joseph R. Bates, CMBHI in 1969 I have crafted seven precision regulators, two of which took first prize in the NAWCC National Clockmaker’s Craft competitio­n. I started Johnny’s Fabco, my metal fabricatio­n business, in the late ‘80s, and am now retired and working part time making and repairing clocks.”

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 ?? PHOTOS COURTESY JANET WEBB ?? LEFT TO RIGHT: Artists Larry Bell, Ron Cooper and Johnny Macarthur
PHOTOS COURTESY JANET WEBB LEFT TO RIGHT: Artists Larry Bell, Ron Cooper and Johnny Macarthur

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