Glamour Shot, scratchboard art by Heather Ward. Courtesy photoLOS ALAMOS ART TOUR
The fourth annual Los Alamos Artists Studio Tour is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 14 and noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 15. This free, self-guided tour will take visiters into the studios of nine of Los Alamos and White Rock’s talented artists, in addition to two art classes from UNM-Los Alamos. Each stop offers something new and exciting.
At ProjectY cowork at 150 Central Park Square, guests will see a sample of each artist’s work during the hours of the Tour, or come to the reception 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 to meet the artists, plan your stops, and enjoy some live music.
Tour booklets with maps can be found at key locations within town, including The Fuller Lodge Art Center, Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, White Rock Visitor Center and both public libraries.
The Studio Tour is sponsored by the Los Alamos Arts Council and Los Alamos Mainstreet, and is a New Mexico True event.
For more information, visit https:////www.losalamosstudiotours.com.
‘One in a Million’ by Heather Ward. Courtesy photo
‘What’s the Buzz?’ by Heather Ward. Courtesy photo
HEATHER WARD
Heather Ward is quickly becoming one of the foremost scratchboard artists in the Southwest. As a member of the International Guild of Realism and a Signature member of the International Society of Scratchboard Artists, she has exhibited her work nationwide and abroad, and has been named a finalist in several major international art competitions. Her recent local solo exhibit, A World of Birds, will be traveling to additional venues in 2018.
Scratchboard is a medium that is becoming more common in fine art. Typically, a white clay board is coated with black India ink, and the ink is scratched off to reveal the white underneath. The process involves sharp art knives, needles, sandpaper, fiberglass brushes, and other sharp or abrasive tools wielded with precision to create dramatic black and white images.
After scratching, Ward sometimes adds color with various inks, and after several coats of UV-protective varnish, the finished boards can be framed with or without glass.
Originally from Massachusetts, Ward received her BS and MS in math at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate New York before moving to Los Alamos with her husband and cats. Building on her scientific background and lifelong love of animals and drawing, she has taken to scratchboard to create highly realistic depictions of wildlife, both local and exotic, expanding her portfolio to include statements on current problems with human-wildlife interactions, such as poaching and deforestation.
Her main goal is to present each species as unique and worthy of our curiosity and respect, and hopefully inspire people to learn more about lesser-known species and to take action to preserve our environment.
Fiber artist Valentina Devine with one of her wall hangings on display at Fuller Lodge Art Center during an exhibition. Courtesy photo
Jacket by Valentina Devine. Courtesy photo
VALENTINA DEVINE
I have always knitted! Growing up in Berlin, Germany I remember knitting all kinds of weird and unwearable garments for my friends. Still continue to do so, but now the pieces get published and worn by adventurous people.
I have knitted two costumes for the musical show “Cats”, a chain mail outfit for the Shakespearean Folgers theater in Washington, D.C., many designs for publications. I developed a free form style, which I teach and have been teaching all over the country and Germany. I enjoy creating wall hangings for “Fiber Art in Public Places”. One piece can be seen in the Los Alamos Justice Building, titled “Bamboo”.
This season, I am knitting and crocheting abstract color block scarves. Each scarf is different, unusual combinations of colors worked together, as shown in the latest European fashion magazines to be worn by the stylish lady.
Please visit me in my studio for the LAAST Oct. 14 and 15, come with questions and new ideas and we will make new friends.
