Fine Art - How does Vallarta stack up?
Provide by Homes & Living Vallarta's Luxury Magazine
If I had to describe the art scene in Puerto Vallarta, my key thought would be the remarkable variety of art styles and subjects to be found here. I could contrast it with my recent visit to St. Ives in Cornwall, England. That coastal resort is so important an art center that the Tate Gallery built a magnificent gallery there to celebrate the artists who have lived thereabouts. Naturally, there are a number of commercial galleries in town. But I found that, after visiting a few, it was difficult to tell one from another. Endless paintings of the harbor at low tide, high tide, or in between. Numberless seascapes dotted with boats under sunny or gloomy skies. Repeated paintings of the quaint old streets that thread through the town. Charming, but frankly just a touch boring.
Puerto Vallarta, on the other hand - thanks to the variety of galleries that have opened here over the past few years - offers a remarkably wide panorama of art forms and content. Let me walk you round a few of my personal favorites.
Our greatest local artist for my money, is the sculptor, Ramiz Barquet. (He has a world-wide reputation, while being too modest to talk much about it.) His "Nostalgia" on the Malecon has become one of the signature icons of the city.You can always find great examples of his work at Galeria Pacifico. Another significant sculptor is Gabriel Colunga. Find his pieces at Galeria Dante (among dozens more sculptors on view - look out for Tellosa). At the Arte de las Americas Gallery at the Marina you can't fail to enjoy the nodding sculptures of Daniel Palma, cunningly transformed out of found stones and scrap metal.
 If you like naïf paintings, you can still see (and buy) original works by Lepe at the Lepe museum and gallery on Juarez. He was beloved by John Houston and a host of other famous patrons. He is the undisputed patriach of the local school of painting. Now his legacy is being splendidly continued by Ada Colorina from her studio gallery in Paso Ancho.
More sophisticated, is Lee (Lencho) Chapman. He always delights with his affectionate portrayals of pets and pigs at his "Puerco Azul" store on Constitucion.
 For a breath of the South West, Marta Gilbert's heritage as an American Indian shines brilliantly through her sensitively felt portraits of indigenous people. Look for her work at Arte Latino Americano.
If you are on the look out for landscapes, make for Judith Ewing-Morland 's powerful work in her new gallery on Corona. Other highly talented and successful landscape painters to look out for, are Evelyne Boren and Cathy Von Rohr. If you have a yen for vivid and often exotic landsacapes, Patrick Denoun is a good choice.
If you like still lifes, Meg Monro is getting better every year. Galleria Dante exhibits her work.
At Galeria Uno on Morelos, you can find probably the widest selection of artists gathered in one place. Look out especially for the luminous landscapes painted by Stefan Lokos. He passed away here around nine years ago but some of his work is still on the market. And while you are there, Galeria Uno generally has some sculptural pieces by Oscar Zamarripa on display. And there is a lot more to see there.
There is also a wide selection at Barbara Peters' Galeria Vallarta gallery downtown and at Plaza Neptuno.
If your taste runs to more contemporary styles, don't miss the best of our younger painters, Rogelio Diaz at Galeria Pacifico. An art collector friend of mine bought half a dozen of his paintings to take back to New York, insisting they would be a sensation there.
I am afraid my space has run out. I am very unhappy about that because I have not been able to do justice to a host of other painters who richly deserve to be included. Please go and discover them for yourselves. Happy hunting!
Source: Homes & Living Vallarta's Luxury Magazine Visit: http://www.homesliving.com
The source of this information has been Homes & Living Vallarta's Luxury Magazine, and its publication in our means has been possible thanks to the authorization granted by the Lic. Jhovaneé Monge de Rottigny Publishing Director. To contact Homes & Living Vallarta's Luxury magazine please email to: editor@homesliving.com
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