Courtesy photo
Artists of Las Comadres
From left are Gail Russell, Jo Anne Paulk, Geralidine Liermann, Jeanne Halsey, Dina Baca Rosette and Mary Lyon
Posted: Friday, July 6, 2012 6:00 pm |Updated: 7:47 am, Fri Jul 6, 2012.
Las Comadres, the women’s cooperative art gallery which currently stands on the south end of the historic John Dunn shops in Taos, celebrates its 15th birthday with a reception Saturday (July 7) at 4 p.m.
The cooperative, which was started in 1997 in Arroyo Seco, moved to Paseo de Pueblo Norte across from the Fechin House after three years, and moved to its current location at 120-G Bent St. in the John Dunn Shops in January 2012.
Donna Caulton, who joined the gallery in November 2011 as a painter and printmaker, attributes much of the gallery’s success to a unique business atmosphere maintained by the artists.
“We know how to talk about the ways we do work,” Caulton said. “We make sure that we all produce high quality art, and there’s no competition between us.”
The group mentality that allows the gallery as a whole to prosper is founded in the day-to-day operations of the group.
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| "Thanksgiving" - an acrylic painting by Donna Caulton |
“I think our cooperative is somewhat different than most business models in that there is no hierarchy — no president, treasurer, secretary, etc. Each member has an equal vote and we all participate directly in the day-to-day running of the gallery,” said member Mary Lyons in a press release.
While equal participation in the gallery provides a foundation for a supportive atmosphere among its members, it also contributes to a particularly strong relationship between Las Comadres artists and their collectors.
“Each member has met most of her collectors and profited from the comments and extended conversations that result,” said Caulton in a press release. “It is amazing how many visitors will have common connections with one of the artists, such as mutual hometown or friends.”
Each artist in the group handles an individual set of artistic mediums, which allows each woman to pursue her own form with the support of other members free from interference by artists who make the same forms of art.
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| "Dragonfly Pot" by Judy Tafoya |
To join the gallery, one must apply to replace a departing member, whose role she will specifically fill. Thus, the members push themselves to understand the forms and styles of all members, which strengthens the ties among them.
“In order to represent the other artists, each member has to become familiar with the processes involved in the various media. It is a constant learning process” said Caulton in the release.
A list of the gallery’s current and former members and their media will be available at the reception. In its 15 years, Las Comadres has featured more than 50 women artists, and currently produces everything from paintings and prints to watercolors and solar etchings.
The reception Saturday features live music, art, and birthday cake, and the women of Las Comadres invite the entire community to celebrate their art and their unique approach to producing it.
For more information, call (575) 737-5323 or visit www.lascomadresgallery.com
