The Taos News from Taos, New Mexico • Page 19

art notes Thursday, Oct. TM6 TAGS N6WS Stroh remembers art lessons with Dasburg AM ByRBOlNACOOKE Apropos to the Andrew Dasburg exhibition, a special Taos Festival of the Arts event at the Mission Gallery are features in the current issue of Artspace, a comtemporary arts quarterly, by Taos artist Earl Stroh and Van Deren Coke, director of the University of New Mexico Museum of Art and UNM professor of art. Stroh says that he first became acquainted with the work of Dasburg In 1947 shortly after arriving in Albuquerque to attend the University of New Mexico. That summer he was one of the students to whom Dasburg gave criticisms in the special summer session of the UNM Art Department, held here at the Harwood Foundation. "I was, like many of the other students, struck with his insight into the problems of painting.

It was Immediately obvious that here was an artist Interested in your work, In your possibilities and senslblltles and not Just in passing on his methods or .1 arranged to return to Taos the following summer to work with him privately." Stroh who has, over the course of years, had a close personal and professional relationship with Dasburg has "come more and more to recognize not only the influence that he has had on Southwestern art but also the unfailing merit and Integrity of his own force of his work and personality on the New Mexico art world has yet to receive the full attention it deserves and it can only be hinted at in this brief space." Stroh notes Dasburg's early work, 1900-1910 and 1913-1916, related to Involvement with the New York scene; then it seems that "two main periods, each quite different in effect, can be discerned in the history of his influence." In the early years, roughly up to World War II, Dasburg's influence was felt by friends, associates and formal students alike, a number of whom Stroh names. Dasburg approached each picture on its own terms. There was no general formula. His comments where in terms of how the particular picture was 'working' or not. "I think that part of his ability to empathize with another's creative processes came from remaining humble toward his own work and the work of others," concludes Stroh, who feels that he cannot "adequately express" his "own personal debt to Andrew Dasburg, both as a teacher and friend." Although some of the Dasburg works contributing to the Festival show, must soon be returned to lenders, the Mission Gallery will replace them with other of the artist's pieces.

The article by Van Deren Coke is excerpted and updated from an essay which originally appeared in the catalogue accompanying the exhibition, "The Drawings of Andrew Dasburg," at the Art Museum of the University of New Mexico, 1966. Here, Coke gives an analysis of the artist's work. "Rhythmic dynamics, not exactness of representation, is his aim," he writes, as he explains Dasburg's methods of working. He finds that the charm of his vision lies in the fact that' 'there is no tightly fitting import to the forms that enumerate the characteristics of his Coke points out that Dasburg eliminates all unneeded details so that an ensemble of jotted lines can faithfully Inform us about selected aspects of a scene, and that the artist deals with the formal and expressive problem of "diagramming space" in New Mexico, as measured in "celestial terms." Accompanying the features are six of Dasburg's works, and two photographs of the artist. The quarterly cover is a color reproduction of his Trees at Ranchitos, a 1977 Tamarind Lithograph.

Ted Egri Is lecturing to University of Denver students Oct. 7, closing day of his enthusiastically received one-man sculpture show which opened to a large attendance at the Drass Cheque Gallery, in Denver, Sept. 18. Throughout the opening, a continuous slide show of Egri's sculptures was presented. Prior to the opening Ted was interviewed by John Wolfe on radio station KVOD.

Accompanying her husband to the opening was Kit Egri and Ted's studio helper, David Oakley, who assisted with the transportation of the sculptures. Two trucks were required to transport the 48 pieces, in bronze, welded metals, synthetics and wood, 15 of which were recently done. Larry Frank participated in an invitational conference on Spanish Colonial Material Culture at the Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, Sept. 22. The conference, called by Richard Allborn, curator at the Smithsonian Institution, was attended by others from New Mexico and also Colorado, all of whom had published material on the subject.

Jack Roush was in Santa Fe for a breakfast meeting with other New Mexico craftsmen and personnel from the National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, D.C. Roush also spent some time recently with Dextra Frankl, of Los Angeles, who wai here interviewing Taos craftsmen for inclusion in the inaugural tricultural exhibition of New Mexico craftsmen, as the opening event of the new Museum of Albuquerque in 1979. Later a selection is expected to be made from this show for the Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles. Ms. Frankl, who is guest curator for the forthcoming exhibition, is director of the art gallery at California State University, Fullerton.

She also designs and installs exhibits in major museums throughout the United States. Taos art dealer Jim Parsons returned recently from a fascinating trip to the Island of Bimini in the Bahamas. Parsons, who is a certified skin and scuba diver and snorkler, was one of a group of 14 persons from Canada and the United States living aboard a 37- foot sloop and a 44-foot catch, while looking for the site of the hidden city of Atlantis, a tradition persisting through the centuries. The first recorded account of Atlantis appeared in the writings of Plato, and the tradition was given credence by 18th century men of letters including the French writer. Voltaire.

Just out is a book "Stones of Atlantis," by Dr. David Zink, who is exploring the subject in connection with the Edgar Cayce Foundation. "Cayce, in his psychic experiences talked about Atlantis, saying that some of the city's temples would rise up off of Bimini, during this century," explains Parsons. Music school attracts artists The group of which Parsons was a part, was on an Edgar Cayce spiritual retreat. The Taoseno, who took underwater slide photos in the warm crystal clear, 20-foot deep water, less than a mile from shore, says he came away with mixed feelings about the "lost city." He IB convinced that more excavation is needed.

He will show his slides here at a later date. Parsons authored a feature entitled "Skin Diving in New Mexico," for New Mexico magazine, some years ago, and was a member of the Albuquerque Dusty Divers, diving for the New Mexico State Police. Before moving to Taos last year he lived In Santa Fe three years and prior to that spent 10 years in Denver, following the career of art dealer in both places. At Gallery West located downstairs at the Dodson Galleries, he is handling early Western and Indian art, and that of the Taos school of art. Taos friends of Dr.

Carl Dentzel, director of the Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, will be interested in knowing that he will be guest speaker at the banquet sponsored by the Santa Fe Festival of the Arts at St. John's College. Taos artists as well as those from Santa Fe and Albuquerque will be represented in the Santa Fe Festival of the Arts exhibitions. Farm scene Birds and goats in a soft sculpture by Gary Mauro decorate the new Mary M. Medina building on Cruz Alta Road where Health and Social Services departments have their offices.

Next summer the Taos School of Music will have the American String Quartet as its quartet In residence. The six week session will be the school's 17th summer chamber music session, and the quartet will join pianists Anne Koscielny and Raymond Hanson in performing a series of concerts at Taos Community Auditorium. The artists will also coach advanced students of piano and sitings for Taos and Los Alamos concert appearances. The American String Quartet has played at summer festivals in Aspen, Stockbridge, and Spoleto, Italy. They have played at Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, and given two world premiers for the International Society of Contemporary Music.

Daniel Avshalomov will play the viola, David Geber the cello, Martin Foster and Laurie Carnie the violin. While graduate students of Robert Mann, first violinist of the Julliard Quartet, they had teaching fellowships in New York. They have served as quartets in residence at Queensboro Community College and Mannes College of Music, both in New York State. In its first year the quartet won two of the most coveted prizes in chamber music, the Coleman Chamber Music Competition and the Naumberg Award. They have recorded for RCA records, CBS, PBS and Canadian television.

STADSHUSET RESTMMNT 3 kltttkt S. of Plata on S. Santa Ft M. Optn for Brtakffast and Lunchton Tuesday-Sunday 7:30 am to 3:30 pm Pastrits, Omeltttts, Crepes, Soups With the Swedish touch by Gunilla, "Old World Atmosphere" THIS SUNDAY FEATURING: Full Dinner at noon with a choice of Swedish Meatballs or Short Vegetable and Apple Pie for Dessert at a special price of: 3. 75 Owners: David and Gunilla Boles Murals decorate public places Taos has three new murals hanging In public buildings, thanks to a GET A program.

A farm scene by Gary Mauro decorates the lobby of the Mary M. Medina building. The Taos artist used white muslin stuffed with padding for the background, and with sewing machine stitches, drew figures of people, goats, chickens and geese. The stuffing fills out the animal forms, making a soft sculpture, to which Mauro adds a little color with chalk and graphite. It Is a lighthearted drawing and adds a cheerful note to the room.

One wall of the Medina Building's conference room is decorated by Santa Fe artist Frank Ettenberg. The Rio Grande Gorge, water, sagebrush plains and sky make an abstract landscape. Another Santa Fe artist, Shakespearean player slated Gilbert Guzman, painted a more realistic landscape, a view of mountains and gorge, in Coronado Center on Armory Street. All three murals were finished within a month of each other. This was part of a statewide program through the New Mexico Arts Division to provide art for public places.

There were 18 artists were selected, among them muralists, weavers and printmakers. The entire project cost $220,000. Artists were paid $4.60 per hour In CETA funds. Murals were also done In state offices in Santa Fe by Mauro, Guzman, John Connell and other artists. One of Mauro's soft murals hangs in the capital city's Bataan Memorial Building.

This CETA project Is much like WPA projects that supported artists during the depression. Post offices, courthouses, and other buildings all over the country are still decorated with murals done In the 1930s. TAOS MILL HOBBIES is now open next door to Randalls Lumber Co. Come by and see Paul Merlin. Open Daily 8-12 Saturdays 8-12 A rodeo building in Tucumcari and several bookmobiles were decorated by other artists.

Prints made by the CETA artists are circulated from one state office to another. coordinator Harrison Sudborough said he expects the project to be continued for another year. Tape Plaia Theatre) Mauro said one of the first examples of public art he remembers was a mural by Oscar Berninghaus In the post office of his home town of Walsenburg, Colo. Tony Church, a leading actor in England's Royal Shakespeare Company, will give a recital of poetry and drama Wednesday (Oct. 11) at Taos Community Auditorium.

He has starred as King Lear and Henry IV in the company's productions, and has also played con- temporary roles in plays by Harold Pinter, John Osborne and Robert Bolt. The Taos program will draw on the works of Robert Frost, Gogol, Shakespeare, Vanbrugh and others. This is the first local appearance of any well- known British actor. TONYCUUBCH Starts Oct. 5-9 THE HOLLY STORY Starts Wed.

Oct. 11 SGT PEPPERS LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND In Dolby Stereo Thurs. Oct. 5 thru Wed. Oct.

11, at 7 9:30 pm Com ing Home JaneFonda Jon Voighl Brace Dnn "Coming SAUtfttRQBERTCJQNES GILBERT JEROME HELLMAN KIT CARSON On South Santa Fe Road 7M-M17 EMit Rimhrt, Dp, litoi at Sviut Mwii at Owk Sat BURT REYNOLDS United Artists BURT REYNOLDS OATOft WHITE LIGHTNING ywd tut tetnr ock hu cw done." lues. Wed. Las Cenizas DeDi Putado Valentin Armienta.