The Telescope

Issue Date: 11/6/06

Four artist show lighter side of death

By Ian Clark

Media Credit: Dora M. Larios De Castner Artist Helen Shafer Garcia shows her painting to Vivian Varela at the Boehm Gallery, which opened Oct. 28.

Media Credit: Dora M. Larios De Castner Wernervon Gundell and Ana Stoa look at an altar made by Helen Shafer Garcia, Jane LaFazio and Judith Parenio. The Altar was created specifically for the show.

Media Credit: Dora M. Larios De Castner Devora Lockton and Pat Hansen look through the glass at 'Casa Guadalupe' and 'Casa Pajaro' by Jane LaFazio. The small houses are made from hand stitched fabric, embellishments and Timtex.

Media Credit: Dora M. Larios De Castner A Dia de los Muertos altar displays three of the four artist's work in the ehibition made specifically for the show.

Four different artists have come together to celebrate Dia de los Muertos at Palomar's Boehm Gallery. The show, which opened Oct. 28, is called "Retablos, Milagros y Marigolds. Dia De Los Muertos: The Four Views."

"The four views only confirm that our processes are distinctly different, but our end result connects ..." said artist Helen Shafer Garcia.

The three other artists are Jane LaFazio, Michael de Meng and Judith Parenio.

Dia de los Muertos, which means Day of the Dead, is celebrated annually on Nov. 1 and 2. It is a day to remember and honor the deaths of ancestors.

The artists have paid tribute to the loss of friends, loved ones and even pets through the use of their artwork.

Each used their own style in this exhibit to create works having to do with the ancient Aztec holiday.

"I hope many people get the opportunity to see it, and be inspired by the variety of emotion and technique," LaFazio said.

"Each piece tells a story, sometimes sad, sometimes whimsical, but always clear to the viewer if they read into the work in an accepting, soul-searching way," Garcia said.

The four artists have traveled in Mexico periodically for several years.

"The people, the color, and the music have had a strong influence on the artwork," Parenio said.

Garcia has several mixed media pieces in the show. One such piece called "Guacamole Mirror," is a mirror with a unique frame.

"It consists of Mexican tile and little iconographic bits that are important to me," Garcia said.

Garcia said that some of the work is strongly related to the Mexican theme, while others are loosely based.

LaFazio is showing mostly art quilts.

"I made one quilt from the 35-year-old love letters from an old flame," LaFazio said. They are called "Ralph's Letters" and "Ralph's Envelopes" and will be featured in "Cloth, Paper, Scissors" magazine in 2007.

Parenio will be featuring many of her shadow boxes, which are in-set platforms hung on the wall that contain 3-D objects.

De Mang's work is heavily influenced by Latin American culture. He is the co-founder of Missoula's Festival of the Dead, another art celebration of Dia de los Muertos.

LaFazio and Garcia have exhibited their Mexican themed show in various locations every year.

"Inviting Judith and Michael to show their work has truly enhanced the look of the Dia de los Muertos theme," Garcia said.

Garcia, who has never displayed her work at the Boehm Gallery, said she was delighted to be invited to the show.

"This gallery has amazing space and light and Viky Cole did an outstanding job of hanging the display," Garcia said.

"I'm so honored to be here," LaFazio said. "This is the best exhibition of my career so far."

The Boehm Gallery is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This show will be up through Nov. 17 and the admission is free.

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