'Atotonilco Afternoon'

This is a new painting for our group show of San Miguel de Allende to be held at the Cape Cod Museum of Art in Massachusetts. The show opens January 12, 2010 and runs through February 28th.

Atotonilco is a small quiet town about 6 miles from San Miguel de Allende. It is the site of one of the holiest sanctuaries in all of Mexico, Santuario de Atotonilco, the "Sistine Chapel" of Mexico as it is sometimes called. The day I was there with Frank Gardner, Ignat Ignatov, Colin Page and Scott Burdick, it seemed like a very quiet, dusty little village. I liked that and chose to portray a scene of daily life.


'Atotonilco Afternoon' - oil - 20x24 - © Marc R. Hanson '09


Detail...


'San Miguel de Allende Nocturne'- oil - 9x12 © Marc R. Hanson '09
I painted this one today as my second of two pieces for the Museum show. The first night we arrived in San Miguel, Frank and Julissa walked us into town, to the square, el Jardin. There was a party going on, not sure what it was about, but there were people in celebration everywhere. I knew that we were in a special place at that point. I did some picture taking and was captivated by the black shapes of these musicians. This isn't a large piece, but I am happy with that I stuck to my original concept. That was to paint the crowd designed as a large dark shape with a minimum of 'details' added and to still keep the spirit of that night in the painting. I am happy with the attempt to do that.

Now I'm done, this needs to dry, then framing, crating and shipping.

Christmas Show is Hanging!!!

I am SO proud of our upcoming 'First Annual Christmas Show' at 'Art In General' in Marine on St. Croix, MN! Tom Maakestad has graciously given this section of his space over to Kami Polzin and me as the exhibit area for our work during the show. Kami is showing in the neighborhood of 27 pieces and I have about 18 pieces hanging in this section of the space.






Anna Maakestad will be showing some of her ceramic art, like these absolutely gorgeous tiles in the picture.



Tom has a studio in another part of the space and is hanging his work in that area. At first we had thought that we would separate the work so that we would be seen individually by the visitors to the show. However, as we began to hang the show we realized that there is a harmony that exists between Kami's paintings and mine and that the best way was to intermingle our work. It works beautifully. WE are very, very excited about how it looks and can't wait to share it with everyone.



The is the first time that the four of us, who live within 30 miles or less of each other, have shown together other than at the Door County Plein Air Event last July. The second 'first' is that this is the first show that Tom and Anna Maakestad have held in this new venue of theirs. We are very grateful and proud to have been asked to be involved in it.



The third 'first' is that this will be the first time that Kami and I have exhibited solely together in one space. We paint together often so this is only a natural evolution of that. I'm thrilled to see our work hanging side by side, and I think that you will be too.



Tom and Anna will be working on hanging their art in the next day or so. I hope that anyone who is in this area can make it to the Opening Reception this Thursday night... December 10, 2009. We open at 5pm and will be there until 8pm. You won't be disappointed!