ARTURO CHÁVEZ, Fine Artist
arturochavez.com
Born 1949, Near Taos, New Mexico; raised in Chimayó and Los Alamos, NM USA
1971-73: University of New Mexico, music studies-concert classical guitar
1970-80: Vice-President and Corporate Pilot for Manufacturing Firm- Albuquerque, NM
1980 to the present, Professional Fine Art Painter
GALLERY AFFILIATIONS
Manitou Gallery- Santa Fe, NM
Legacy Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Legacy Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
Chávez, a thirteenth-generation New Mexican, traces his roots to 1600 when the first in his Chávez line arrived in New Mexico from Spain. Raised amid the spectacular vistas of northern New Mexico, Chávez has long been deeply inspired to express his feeling for the landscape through his paintings. Through his works, he aims to inspire people to share his inspiration and to preserve the natural landscape throughout the American Southwest that has sustained his creative life.
Chávez painted throughout his youth and early adulthood, turning his devotion to art into a full-time painting career in 1980. Since then, he has exhibited widely in the U.S., including at the Tucson Desert Art Museum, the Phoenix Art Museum, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, and the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis. He has also received numerous awards, including international recognition with two-year honorary exhibitions in the U.S. Embassies in Russia, Croatia and Guyana.
Chávez’s oil painting process involves plein air studies, and studio drawings. He also takes photographs in the field for reference in his studio later. Direct experience of the land and light on location is essential to his process.
Chávez’s work is housed in numerous permanent, including New Mexico State University, Eastern New Mexico University, Bernalillo County Courthouse, the Santa Fe Capitol Collection, the Taos National Guard, the National Hispanic Cultural Center, the Eiteljorg Museum of Western Art, the University of New Mexico Cancer Center, the Millicent Rogers Museum, the Tucson Desert Art Museum, and the Phoenix Art Museum. His work is also in the corporate collections of Ebner International in Linz, Austria; Fuji Electric Japan; the Burlington Northern Railway; Southwest Capital Bank-Albuquerque; Wells Fargo Bank; and the Rodey Law Firm- Albuquerque, NM
CHRONOLOGY AND PARTIAL LIST OF SHOWS
2023 Solo Exhibition- Manitou- Santa Fe, NM
Opening May 19, 2023-
123 W. Palace Ave Santa Fe , NM-505-986-0440
2022 Booth Museum Acquisition-
On eagle Wings 48" x 48" oil
- Exhibition- Booth Museum, Cartersville, GA
(Opening Reception- June 4th, 2022)
- Chavez joins the Legacy Galleries, Santa Fe, NM-Scottsdale, AZ, and
- Manitou Gallery, Santa Fe
2021
- Solo Exhibition, Gerald Peters Gallery- Santa Fe, NM
2019
- Santa Fe Art Auction (Sold—"O’Keefe Country”)
2017
- Gerald Peters Gallery, Group Show, “Westering”
2011
- Phoenix Art Museum, West Select-Best in Show and Purchase Award for Permanent Collection
2010
- Eiteljorg Museum- Indianapolis, Quest for the West, Harrison Eiteljorg Purchase Award- Permanent Collection.
2009
- Eiteljorg Museum- Indianapolis, Quest for the West, Victor Higgins Work of Distinction-Best of Show.
- Mountain Trails Gallery, Sedona AZ, Solo Exhibition
2008
- Solo Exhibition, Gerald Peters Gallery, “Western Vistas”
2005
- Bronze Medal for “Magic Dusk,” in Arts for the Parks -Top 100, Jackson, WY
- Western Artists of America, Best of Show Hubbard Museum of the American West
- Oil Painters of America, Juried Exhibition Hilligoss Gallery, Chicago
- Howard/ Mandville Gallery, Invitational Exhibition-Love of the Land, Kirkland, Washington
- Salon International, Award of Excellence, Top Fifty, Green House Gallery-San Antonio, TX, Juried Exhibition
2004
- Howard/ Mandville Gallery-14th Annual Invitational Miniature Exhibition, Kirkland WA
- Granted membership in Western Artists of America
- Arts for the Parks, Award for Excellence-Top 100, Jackson, WY
- Granted membership in California Art Club, 94th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, Pasadena Museum of Art
- Oil Painters of America, Howard Mandeville Gallery-Kirkland
- Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, AZ, Annual Miniature Show
2003
- Altermann Gallery Auction, November 2003,
- Arturo Joins Saks Gallery, Denver, Colorado
- Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, AZ, Annual Miniature Show
2002
- Purchase Award, New Mexico Art in Public Places-Acclaimed Artists Series. Taos National Guard.
- Purchase Award, New Mexico Art in Public Places Acclaimed Artists' Series. New Mexico State University.
- Oil Painters Of America, Chicago, IL Group Exhibition
- Commission for the Westin Kierland Resort, Scottsdale, AZ (40" x 72" - Oil Painting of the Catalina Mountains
2001
- Arturo chosen from over 100 applicants as the recipient of a 1% For Arts public commission for the Bernalillo County Court House
- Contemporary Southwest Solo Exhibition, Santa Fe, NM
- Arturo changes his name from Usner to Chávez in honor of his mother and Grandmother.
1999
- Da Madi a Madi Civica Galleria D'Arte Moderna, Gallarte, Italy
- Hommage de Madi a Gorin Group Exhibition, Galerie Convergence Nantes, France
- Galeria De Arte Moderno, Group Exhibition, Margarita, Venezuela
- Arturo selected as a juror for the New Mexico State Fair
1998
- Arte Struktura Gallery, Solo Exhibition-Albuquerque.
- Arte Contemporanea-Palazzo Ducale di Revere, Montova, Italy
- Ray Tracey Gallery, group exhibition, Santa Fe
- Salon De Comparaisons, group exhibition, Paris, France
- Madi Art Festival Budapest, group exhibition, Hungary
- Internazionale Arte Madi, group Exhibition, Italy
- Dartmouth st. Gallery, group exhibition, Albuquerque
1997
- Knox Gallery, solo exhibition, Denver
- Ray Tracey Gallery, solo exhibition Santa Fe
- Hammond Gallery, group exhibition, Columbus, OH
- Ray Tracey Gallery, group exhibition, Santa Fe
- Huntsman Gallery, group exhibition, Aspen
- Arturo juries the National Pastel Society Show
1996
- Citta Di Omegna, Verbano, Italy
- Arte Struktura Gallery, Milano, Italy
1995
- Nemzetkozi Art Festival Gyor '95, Gyor, Hungary
- Galerie Latzer, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, purchase acquisition for gallery collection and group show.
- Four month intensive studies of Arte Geometrico with Societe des Amis de Art MADI.
- Studies in design, layout, color and fabrication in the studio of Carmelo Ardin Quin, founder of the MADI Movement and Octavio Herrera, Professor of contemporary art, University of Paris.
1994
- Ray Tracey Gallery, Solo exhibition, Santa Fe
1993
- J. Lewis Bowker Gallery, solo exhibition Palm Desert
- Center Street Gallery, group exhibition, Jackson
- Magnifico, Albuquerque Festival of the Arts
- Ruthven Gallery, Group exhibition Lancaster, OH
- Third Award, National Small Painting Exhibition, Albuquerque
- RAY TRACEY GALLERY, solo exhibition, Santa Fe
1992
- L'atelier Gallery, invitational group exhibition, New York
- Fuji Electric Japan, purchase for corporate board room, Tokyo Governor's Gallery
- Invitational exhibition, Albuquerque Museum, group show.
- Dunnegan Museum, Bolivar, Missouri, two works purchased for permanent collection.
1991
- US Embassy, Moscow, Russia, two-year honorary exhibition
1990
- KNME Public Television, exhibition
- Preusser Gallery, Invitational group show, Taos
- Rodey Law Firm, Arturo chosen from 1,000 applicants as the recipient of a commissioned painting
- E.s. Lawrence Gallery, group exhibition, Aspen
- Millicent Rogers Museum, group show, Taos
1988
- Governors Gallery, invitational group show, New Mexico State Capitol
- University Of New Mexico Centennial Gallery, invitational show
- Arthur Sussman Gallery, solo exhibition, Albuquerque
- Artifacts Gallery, invitational group show, Albuquerque
- Centennial Gallery, Three-person show, University of New Mexico
1987
- San Diego Watercolor Society award, New Mexico Watercolor Society, Group exhibition, Albuquerque First Place award,
- New Mexico State Fair Professional Show, Albuquerque 2nd AWARD
- New Mexico Water Color Society Open Show, Albuquerque
1986
- Art USA, National competition, Grand Junction
SELECT PUBLICATIONS
- Western Art Collector, feature story, “As the Crow Flies,” November 2012
- Western Art Collector, “Aesthetic Arrest,” February 2011
- Art of the West- May/June 2011, feature story, “Painting the Magic”
- Western Art Collector, feature story, “Images of the West” November 2009
- Southwest Art Magazine, December, 2002 Feature story,
- Focus Fanta Fe, June/July 2002
- Tradición Revista, Fall 2001
- Albuquerque Journal, feature story, December 29, 2001
- Focus Santa Fe, feature story, October 2000
- Albuquerque Journal, feature story, November 15, 1998
- Art Talk Publication, article, August/September 1998
- Corrales Comment, Visual Arts, January 1995
- Albuquerque Tribune Options, feature story, March 1992
- International Fine Art Collector Magazine, feature story, November 1991
- The Santa Fean Magazine, feature story,1990
- Art Talk, feature story, March 1990
- Art Talk, article, August/September 1998
- Southwest Art Magazine, feature story, July 1989
- Take Five, feature story and cover, PBS award-winning publication, 1989