A SEA in the Desert Gallery: July 2019

July 19, 2019

NMHU Painter's Exhibition at Kennedy Hall

A SEA Gallery artist, Monika Steinhoff will have three pieces featured in the upcoming 6th Annual Painter's Exhibition at New Mexico Highlands University, from September 8th though October 31st of this year. The first painting, "Early Meltdown " was inspired by a trip to Alaska where her oldest son was starting school at the University of Alaska, but wanted to snowboard at Valdez on his way.
Steinhoff states: "I love cross country skiing and took advantage of my time while my son pursued his favorite sport. It was late January '97. The foggy atmosphere and unusual warmth was both magical and disturbingly dreamlike. I skiied straight ahead (according to my compass) mesmerized by the pools around the trees which mirrored small rainbows, to find myself facing a building that looked exactly like what I had left an hour earlier. How odd I thought. It took me a few moments to realize i had skiied in a circle! Later that year as I worked on this painting, I felt it was a clear sign of 'Global Warmng.' "

Early Meltdown

Head Above Water

Interrogation

About our Gallery

A Sea Gallery has gone through several stages over a 10 year period. A Sea stands for "Association of Socially Engaged Artists" which began about 2002 with meetings of artist discussing the state of art in Santa Fe as well as politics of the United States and the world at this time. Most of the artists either were or had been political activists, against war, corporate exploitation, empire, etc. and committed to honoring the earth. Over the years since that time I have thought a lot about the artists roll as mirror to a society, addressing social ills and aspirations. It seemed the Santa Fe ‘art scene’ had become increasingly commercial: ‘successful artists’ making a recognizable product for wealthy private collectors or corporations. Much of the art shown was about prestige and investment. The art I was drawn to in major art centers in the USA and in Europe was deeper and more challenging than that. While Santa Fe may have more art galleries than the current economy can support I felt there is room for one more: a gallery of challenging work supported by the artists themselves- a Collective (rather than a cooperative) as the structure is evolving. It’s aesthetic philosophy: Art is shown because of its merit rather than salability. It has an owner (Monika Steinhoff) but no profits are taken out of the gallery. Artists participate in paying expenses, gallery sitting and decisions about running the gallery. Proceeds from sales are between 50 and 70% to the artist, depending on artist involvement. The gallery is small and can have up to 10 members. It has existed at its present location in the Railyard since July 1st 2011.