BEYOND THE GOLDEN SKIES MARK MAGGIORI

S

, M ARCH 11 TH 2023 S

Saturday, March 11th

10:00 am

“My Artistic Journey” presentation by Mark Maggiori

5:00 - 7:00 pm artist reception & sale draw will start at 6:00 pm, live auction to follow

Sunday, March 12th

10:00 am - 1:00 pm poster signing

Where is your sacred place? The place you consider your shrine?

For hundreds and hundreds of years, the Sangre De Cristo mountain range has been the sacred place for the Pueblo Natives of Taos, New Mexico. The Pueblo people refer to their origins from the Blue Lake as "Ba Whyea", a mountain lake situated in the mountains of Northern New Mexico.

If you ever witness a sunset in the Taos valley you would probably understand why this place is considered sacred by the Pueblo Natives.

Arizona is a special place. Vermilion Cliffs is one of those places that engraves a mark on your soul for the rest of your life. I’ve spent a lot of hours staring at this Mesa. Every hour of the day. I’ve heard hoof beats and felt heartbeats. This painting is about the Wilderness and all the pretty things that exist despite of our human nature. They were here before us and will be here after us. I cherish them. They make us humble.

This is a depiction of two riders going about their day. Rounding up cattle, riding the range, searching for mavericks… and during the summer months, sometimes in the evening, the air gets charged with a magnetic force and the thunderheads are taking over the mighty sky. This is pure magic and it never gets old. Next time you find your self in the Sonoran Desert of Southern Arizona, maybe you’ll remember this image.

Arizona is the most fascinating and iconic place in the USA. For those who know, I don’t need to explain. For everyone else, I wish you will one day experience this land. Such beauty and raw hostile nature dancing together.

Horseback is one of the best ways to go around the wilderness and see things the way they were before. The cowboys are still out there riding and enjoying the scenery everyday.

This painting tells the story of three amigos and it takes place east of Phoenix by the Superstition Mountains. I like to imagine a scenario when I see a painting. I have mine.

What is yours?

On the shoot for this piece I kept thinking about the name Taos, and what it meant. So I asked Lyle, my model, 'What do you call this land?' and he told me it's called Tuah Tah.

He then pointed all over, to the mountains, into town, towards the Taos Pueblo it was all Tuah Tah. Lyle said "The people, the land, it's all Tuah Tah. This is our land where we always have been and always will be". So it felt right to call the painting that.

Every time you find yourself outside in Arizona at sunset, especially during monsoon season, you have this impression of being thrown into a colored world; pink, purple, vibrant, out of this world. The sky sometimes turns into something that you would have never imagined. And even if you lived there all your life, every day has its new surprises. In this painting I wanted to push the hues further to bring the viewer into this atmosphere that is so specific to the American Southwest.

This is a special piece of a special man. Grant Golliher is from the Diamond Cross Ranch in Wyoming. This man has a very unique connection with horses. Being around him was such an incredible experience as you get to feel what life must have been centuries ago. This could be your dad or your grandpa or great grandpa, and it would be the same image. Grant is the quintessence of the American Cowboy.

We woke up at 3:30 am that morning in Arizona to meet at the trail head in order to reach the top before the first sun. Everyone was there and the horses were loaded. I was told that the Mesa in the back would become so pink that I wouldn’t believe it. Well… I’d do anything to see a magic sunrise. And it happened. Just like they said.

AWARDS:

• Don B. Huntley Spirit of the West Award at the Autry’s Masters of the American West, 2018, 2019

• Patron's Choice Award at the Autry's Masters of the American West, 2020

• Night of Artists, Sam Houston Award for Best Painting, Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2017

• Night of Artists, William B. Travis Awards for Patrons Choice, Briscoe Western Art Museum, 201

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:

• The Autry Museum of the American West, Masters of the American West, 2018, 2019

• Quest for the West, Eitlejorg Museum, Indianapolis

• Night of Artists, Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2016, 2017

SELECTED COLLECTIONS:

• Permanent collection at the Briscoe Western Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas BEYOND THE GOLDEN SKIES

Limited amount of posters available for $80.

Poster signing will be Sunday, March 12 from 10 am to 1 pm.