Think RED.
Away to the galleries I flew like a flash,
Burst past reception, hit the floor in a dash.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
Reflected September Vhay’s lustrous show;
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Glistening canvas, crimson swirls and Red Horses so near…
“All the Red Horses,” a show of new paintings by Jackson artist September Vhay, opens at Altamira Fine Art December 16, 2013, and an opening reception takes place Thursday, December 19, 5-7:00 pm at the gallery; Vhay gives a talk at 6:00 pm. The exhibit remains up through New Year’s Day, 2014.
Vhay will discuss the origins of her Red Horses and creativity, but the gallery has provided a sneak peek as to what Vhay may touch upon. The series began several years ago as a way for Vhay to deepen her exploration of horses’ intrinsic qualities and forms, says Altamira. Initially these paintings, based on the study of sumi-e art and abstract sculptural work, were compact. Over time, and with the added luxury of larger exhibition space, Vhay’s minimalist, contemporary red horses began appearing in larger scale. Bordering on the abstract, Vhay’s images remain proportionally true. Large and small oils on canvas, as well as watercolors on paper, comprise the show. Red on White: Vhay’s serene gestural series evokes the distillation and essence of the equine form – and the West in wintertime. www.altamiraart.com
Mea culpa: I did not fill out the survey asking the public for their input on the privately funded ($250,000) public art being planned for our busy 5-way intersection. But I hope that the sculpture is not overly abstract or so heavily worked as to render it brittle. I hope it is not kinetic or an exercise in intellectual ingenuity lost on the public; don’t make it something we have to plug in. May this art be welcoming and instantly recognizable as a symbol of Jackson Hole without dangerously distracting drivers—it will be difficult to see the work from a distance, as you can the bugling elk at the base of the National Museum of Wildlife Art. May this sculpture be the appropriate scale for its location. Rather than connote wealth and monumentality, I hope this work reflects all Jackson’s diverse population. I hope there is color, a piece inspired by our landscape and open spaces. I hope a good number of jobs are provided.
Aspen trees. Can anyone create a delicate, yet resilient, sculptural grove? A transitioning mix of spring’s fresh green leaves of spring and the glittering, lemon yellows of fall would be beautiful.
….And with this post, dear readers, I bid you a Warm, Peaceful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!
Tammy Christel 
