"What Goes Around…
Local Painter Looks South of the Border for a New Take on Traditional Floorcloths"
Opening Reception: Tuesday, July 6th
5-7
Jay Etkin Gallery
703 Camino de la Familia, #3103
(behind Warehouse 21)
Info: (901) 550-0064
Exhibit runs through July 12th

An exhibit featuring Sheila Etkin's latest collection of painted floorcloths inspired by animal woodcarvings from Oaxaca, Mexico.

"When I took up floorcloth painting 15 years ago, most of my work was abstract," says Etkin. "Then I started getting commissions for floorcloths with traditional American colonial motifs. When I moved to Santa Fe in 2004, I started working from African folk art and then from these exotic woodcarved animals from Oaxaca. They’re fantastic…literally fantastic!"

When Latin American importer Patricia La Farge saw Etkin’s floorcloths, she knew what she had to do: bring the artist and the artisans together in one venue. Ms. Etkin’s husband, gallery owner Jay Etkin (Santa Fe, Memphis), was happy to oblige. So, this summer as part of IFAM’s International Folk Arts Week, Jay Etkin Gallery will host Sheila and IFAM alumus Victor Vasquez Davilla in a color-drenched exhibition of floorcloths and animal woodcarvings called "Bless the Beasts."

Vasquez, a native of Oaxaca will present his own work in addition to that of 15-20 carvers from villages surrounding the city of Oaxaca.

The exhibition, to run July 6 through 12, includes an opening reception (5-7 p.m) on July 6 and gallery talks on July 7 (10 a.m.) and July 9 (2:00 p.m). A children’s workshop to be held on Thursday July 8 is now fully reserved for children from the Monica Roybal Youth Center summer program.