Arturo Chávez, Fine Artist

Let's face it- Oil is the medium of the masters. Why? Because of the tremendous versatility and work-ability of the time tested Linseed Oil.

My Background

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

My Inspiration

Landscape painting has been a continual inspiration for me since childhood. The first time I painted the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in winter while in the seventh grade, I have been enthralled with capturing a three dimensional image on a two dimensional plane.