Exhibitions

 

The 2021 Santa Fe Studio Tour occurring over two weekends showcases works from nearly 70 artists in Santa Fe. My studio # 30 features free demos and works from all periods of my career at reduced prices. This is also a chance to see my Covid portrait project exhibited publicly in it’s entirety for the first time. An online sale coincides with the tour.

About the same time that we all began to shelter in place, I created 3 small  (6”x 6”) portrait drawings of my favorite college professors for a fundraiser.

While working from photographs I felt a very satisfying spiritual connection spending time with each of them. I also thoroughly enjoyed the simplicity of the drawing process. Over the next few weeks as it became clear that sheltering was going to last a while, I simultaneously found myself missing the connection to my closest colleagues, friends, and family.  This opened the door to a portrait series. But there needed to be a twist. Comments about Covid-19 and sheltering had been abundant in letters to the editor in our local newspaper. In one letter, the writer commended Santa Feans for their adherence to mask wearing but she also lamented missing the hidden smiles behind them.  This brought me to the idea of creating masks that pictured these smiles. 

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Once a portrait drawing was completed it was photographed to make a 16” x 12” photopolymer printmaking plate. For each tinted impression printed onto paper, a second impression was printed onto white fabric. These 2D fabric prints were then cut out and fashioned into masks that fit perfectly over the portraits. Since the masks are attached by just a few stitches they are easily removed.

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An additional impression was made on fabric to create the wearable masks.

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All works are monotype and intaglio with temporary collage on Arches 88 paper. Three “mentors” portraits are 11” x 11.” All other portraits are 16” x 12.” For greater detail and portrait pricing please visit The Masked Portraits.
Many of the images used to create the drawings were graciously provided by the following friends and family: David Hoptman, Francie Marx, Adam Shaening Pokrasso, Leah Devine Pokrasso, Ryan Shaening Pokrasso, Niki Nabavi Nouri, and Max Tischler
Max Tischler assisted me with the hand printing of images and the mask mounting onto the portraits. Donna Rosingana fashioned the masks from our printed images. Ramsay DeGive was responsible for the photo documentation of the event.

As an added bonus I was surprised to be presented with portraits of me created by most of the subjects in the exhibition.

This has been a phenomenal undertaking and I want to thank all those whose images appear in these portraits. I missed you during COVID.

Ron Pokrasso, July 5, 2021

Thank you Nellie and Paulraj for your generosity in hosting this event.

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Artist’s Statement

I often describe my art making process as a stream of consciousness. Similar to the way I live my life, one thing leads to another and then another and before I know it I’m on to something new that was never part of an original plan. If I knew where I was going I’d be lost.

Over the past few years the images of trees have re-emerged as integral elements in my work. So has music, a longtime passion of mine that has also lead to weekly jam sessions in my studio. Trees and music were thus a logical starting point as I began to prepare for this exhibition.

Things were cruising right along and about the time that we all began to shelter in place, I took a short detour to create three small portraits of my favorite college professors for a fundraiser. While working on these I felt a very satisfying spiritual connection spending time with each of them. I also thoroughly enjoyed the simplicity of the drawing process. Over the next few weeks as it became clear that sheltering was going to last a while, I simultaneously found myself missing the connection to my closest friends and family. This opened the door to the portrait series. But there needed to be a twist.

Comments about Covid-19 and sheltering have been abundant in letters to the editor in our local newspaper. In one, the writer commended Santa Feans for their adherence to mask wearing but also lamented missing the hidden smiles behind them. This brought me to the idea of creating masks that pictured these smiles. Portrait drawings were completed and then photographed to make photopolymer plates. For each impression printed onto paper a second impression was printed onto fabric. These fabric prints were then cut out and fashioned into masks that fit perfectly over the portrait.So let us continue to connect with one another, enjoy these portraits, and remember to wear your mask in public.

My dear friend and photographer David Hoptman, the subject of one of the portraits, was very helpful in providing some of the photographs.

In the early 80’s a group of artists gathered together for breakfast at Tia Sophias. There were five of us as I recall with myself, Bill Sortino (who was the instigator), Jamie Chase, Nolan Winkler, and some other person my memory has lost to time. It proved to be the first of many breakfasts. Over the years this group expanded and contracted. People came and went. Visiting artists from around the world ended up at our table which by this time had moved to the old Celebrations Restaurant on Canyon Rd and then to The Inn Of The Governors where there was more space. At one point the group became too large. Conversations became fragmented, and so did the group, only to re-form as a smaller group in another location. During the last four years we’ve been gathering at Harry’s Roadhouse. The 80’s and 90’s were a fertile period in the evolution of The Arts in Santa Fe and in the personal lives of the artists who lived and worked here. The Artist’s Breakfast serves as a touchstone for many of us who were there at the time.

While each of us studied our crafts and busily made plans for our careers, life happened. We changed partners, jobs, and homes, purchased new/old cars, saw our parents to their graves while becoming parents ourselves. We are now older. I don’t know if we are wiser, though I suspect maybe we are. But I know for a fact this: each one of us is still standing. We are still doing the work we were placed on this planet to do. And we are friends who share our long histories of life in Santa Fe. This show is a celebration of these friendships forged over the last 40 years. Stan Berning, 10-19.

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Ron Pokrasso opened Graphics Workshop, a print studio, in 1982 and was an originator of MONOTHON. Ron had a profound influence on many artists and continues to this day. He maintains a print and paint studio in Santa Fe while teaching workshops here and around the world.

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Frank Ettenberg has been known since his arrival in Santa Fe in the late 70’s for his elegant, complex, and life affirming abstractions. Santa Fe’s equivalent of an ‘Art Star’ in the 80’s and 90’s, he continues to be a creative force.

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Bill Sortino, a much loved and well respected fixture of the arts community since the early 80’s has shown in a variety of galleries in Santa Fe, The States, and Europe. He is presently producing large scale abstract paintings based on the iconography of poems.

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Joel Greene is a modernist painter and the most constant of the group. He has shown successfully with Ernesto Mayans for the last 30 years.

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Stan Berning has been a prolific artist, occasional teacher and writer, and gallery owner. He presently operates ART BOX, a gallery and studio space, located on the Santa Fe Plaza.

A group of recent works on paper coinciding with my workshop and continuing through August at the Remarque/ New Grounds Print Workshop Gallery. A pop up exhibition of works completed by students in the workshop will also be featured at the opening reception, Friday August 3 from 5-7pm.

Recent Work; Three person show

Over the last eight years, Timberwick has been my studio, an artist’s retreat for talented printmakers from across the world, and a gathering place for many of you.

There are many gems hidden away in the racks and flat files of Timberwick Studios. I have artworks going all the way back to 1975, from every major series in my career.  Before I move to a brand new studio on Galisteo Street, I will open Timberwick’s doors one last time for a very special weekend event.

This is a rare opportunity to view and acquire artwork that spans decades of my career at incredible studio prices.

An exhibition of mixed-media works on paper
and wood by Santa Fe based artist, Ron Pokrasso.