w w w . a l e x c h a v e z . c o m - b l o g

Just in Time for the Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:53:00 +0000

2012 (so far)... by Artwork by Alex Chavez

That's right a "Dooms Day-Runner" so you can countdown the days till the end of the world. You know this will be the first and the last calendar I will ever offer. And the Last Calendar You'll Ever NEED! NOT ONLY THAT but this book will only be available till February 14th (yes valentines day). So get yours and have a wonderful, wild, wacky, 2012.

I've always said that it's much more exciting to be around for the end. I CAN'T WAIT!

From The Official Website

$10 off my Book "Santero"

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 22:16:00 +0000

Hello all,

In the spirit of giving, I'd like to pass along a special promo code. After all, it could be the perfect gift for the holidays.

Here's how it works:
Use the Promo Code BIGTEN at Checkout. Anyone who buys my book and uses the code at checkout saves $10.00*

Santero by The recombinant imagery of Alex Chavez

*Offer valid through November 30, 2011 (11:59 p.m. local time). Receive USD $10.00 off product totals. Minimum purchase is USD $29.95. This offer is good for one-time use, and cannot be combined with other promotional codes.

Divine Intervention Video

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:24:00 +0000

A new video showing a finished work framed and ready to ship. Up close with details. If you are interested in purchasing something by christmas email me by clicking "contact" above. Let me know if I can answer any questions. I have many pieces on hand but each one gets a whole lot of TLC before I ship them out. I have a few images on Vinyl left over from my solo show back in May. These are 6 feet tall and are offered at a reduced price. See the images below. Send me any questions you may have. And feel free to share the video above .

Direct Art Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 01:43:00 +0000

Appeared in the recent edition of Direct Art Magazine. Alongside some really cool art. The article reads:

Alex Chavez

"No sacred cow, or for that matter, sacred images go untouched or escape transformation by the ever-seeing eye of these “Mash-Up” creations. The unexpected and the grotesque, the sacred and the profane, the past and the future all find a home in many of my recombinant artworks. The art of the past masters, ads, cartoons, signs and symbols from around the world all get mashed up in the macabre art grinder and seasoned with a bit of black humor. An extravaganza of image overload, surrealistic cows, day of the dead cast, art is dead poster baby, masters’ images reconfigured, and a host of more misshapen creations and artifacts.

I was born and raised in East Los Angeles. After graduating with a bachelors degree in Fine Art, I painted portraits and murals for ten years. In 1997 I moved with my wife to Taos, New Mexico. Taos is the town of my maternal roots and it seemed a great place to raise our two children. Taos is a great place to quietly work and there I perfected my unique style, craft, and vision. I’m represented by galleries in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and recently have shown work in New York, Paris, Brussels, and Berlin. Wherever surrealism is making an impact."

www.alexchavez.com

Page 52 Direct Art / Volume 18 www.directart.org

Mother and Step Child Divided Mixed Media 18” x 24”

The Taos Fall Arts Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:53:00 +0000

This afternoon I dropped off a couple of pieces (shown) for the Taos Fall Arts Festival. In which I was chosen to be part of the "Taos Select". A juried competition exclusive to resident Taos New Mexico Artist. I am honored and actually surprised that the jury chose my rather Non-Taos like work. I purposely submitted some of my most challenging images to submit. Because in the past there has been some controversy about the medium I work in and my methods of production. I just don't fit the mold as outlined in their still antiquated submission form.

Now I'll be THE FIRST TO ADMIT that my work is not every bodies cup of tea. I only produce artwork that I would love hanging over my couch! But alas and probably because of the impressive caliber of the now independent jury, I am proud my work will show along side some very mainstream and well known Taos Art Illuminaries.

So come to the opening reception as I once again "SHOCK and AWE" this Hi-Brow Institute and Taos’ oldest running Art Festival.

This Friday night (Sept. 23rd) 6-8pm

Rio Grande Hall

Taos, New Mexico

From the TFA Website:

The Taos Fall Arts Festival is excited about this year’s Taos Select, formerly titled “Taos Invites.” There have been significant changes to the submission method over the last two years. The board was in favor of a more inclusive and fair selection process. All artists in Taos County wishing to be a part of the largest art festival in the area were invited to submit their works online for the first time. Artists were asked to submit the actual works to be shown at the festival and not a body or style of work.

This Year’s jurors were:

Shanan Campbell Wells, EDAC, is Principal and Creative Director of SCW Art Consulting, a firm specializing in creating unique aesthetic environments through art. Shanan is current director of Sorrel Sky Gallery in Durango, CO.

Stephanie Magdziak received an MFA in printmaking from Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA. She is presently producing figurative bas-reliefs. “I am a representational artist with experience in drawing, printmaking, painting and sculpture."

Kevin Macpherson is of the country’s leading plein air painters, he is highly respected among collectors and fellow artists alike. Kevin is a popular instructor, guest lecturer, and art juror throughout the country and abroad.

We are pleased with their choices: Visit the TFAF blog for a listing of the artist in this years Taos Select Show including images of their work.

Beautiful/Decay

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:35:00 +0000

If you have not seen the magazine "Beautiful/Decay" your really missing out. Not only is the artwork top notch but the quality of the magazine itself does real justice to the artists included. I have not made the pages of the physical magazine (yet), but I have been included on the website. Which happens to feature a daily array of artists most not included in the paper edition. Here is a statement from the website:

"Beautiful/Decay began as a humble, black and white, DIY photocopied ‘zine while founder Amir H. Fallah was just 16. Over time, the publication grew into a full color, internationally distributed magazine. Today, Beautiful/Decay takes the form of a limited edition, hand numbered, advertising free art book series. Though Beautiful/Decay has grown into an internationally recognized design-driven lifestyle brand, the publication still carries that same youthful sense of rebellion and experimentation that influenced the very first issues."

Check ou my page here: http://beautifuldecay.com/2011/08/29/alex-chavez/

Be sure to leave a comment on their blog!

Special Announcement: Now Represented by the Busacca Gallery, San Francisco, CA

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:12:00 +0000

I was recently invited to participate and be represented by the Busacca Gallery, located on Haight Street in in San Francisco. The Busacca Gallery is the premier online consignment gallery, BusaccaGallery.com brings you contemporary and traditional museum quality works of art and antiques. The gallery is a worldwide resource of high-end objects. They only carry my limited mixed media, hand embellished canvas micro editions. Each piece hand signed and shipped by me the artist.

Here is a sample of the pieces I have available at BusaccaGallery.com.

Fountain of Youth (AP)
Santa Muerte (2 of 5)
The Prince (AP)
Crown of Creation (AP)

Thanks Mark!

Idol Hands - Pasatiempo, Santa Fe New Mexican.

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 02:22:00 +0000

Really nice article in Santa Fe last weekend. Thanks Casey, well done.

Idol Hands
By Casey Sanchez for the New Mexican
The visions of Alex Chavez
July 29, 2011

“A lot of my work goes back to a more primitive idea of what God may be,” said Alex Chavez. The Taos artist walks a fine line between the urbane and the profane in his hybrid photo-paintings, with their nuanced remixes of religious imagery. Using Renaissance-era Spanish oil paintings, he takes images of saints and sinners, Christs and Marians, and recasts them as apes, aliens, and human-animal composites. The result is a spiritual burlesque, a freakish fusion of Christian and pagan elements fit for the Weekly World News tabloid. But unlike many other artists working in the pop surrealism scene, his provocative imagery isn’t just to titillate.

“My mother is from Taos, But I grew up in L.A. Those churches in East L.A. were my first museums,” Chavez said. “I’ve always been attracted to the cryptic symbolism that was there in those church images. I didn’t want to ever solve the mystery”. Just in time for Contemporary Hispanic Market, Chavez’s work is shown in Curiosities, a new exhibit at Pop Gallery starting Friday july 29.

To create his images, Chavez often starts with the oil canvases of obscure Spanish Renaissance painters, scanning the pictures into a computer, where he begins to alter a rich iconography of winged cherubs, robed virgins, haloed saints, and fig-leafed Adams and Eves.
With Photoshop manipulation, he then swaps the faces of these icons with visages culled from natural-history books, discarded science-
fiction magazines, and old prayer cards. The images are then printed on canvas, where they are often hand-embellished with gold leaf and acrylic paint.

Far from a jab at the church, Chavez says his work is a conscious attempt to create new saints for modern-day ideas and social movements that the Roman Catholic Church has scorned. The literally flaming diva of his Virgen del Fuego is a saint for lesbians, gays, and the transgendered, he said.

Chavez has also created a religious tableau to honor biological evolution, the unifying force in the life sciences that explains species adaptation. The fact that the scientific theory remains hotly disputed in some fundamentalist churches led Chavez to make an image inspired by the controversy. In RE: San Simian, a human infant with a monkey head smokes a cigarette as he clutches the face of a monk, who wears a masquerade-ball mask over another red-bell-pepper-shaped mask. The painting accomplishes what traditional iconography does in many homes it provides a calm visual repose in which the viewer can dwell in abiding belief.

In Divine Intervention, a priest in a tribal mask officiates a marriage between an ape and a female alien with a shaved head. Chavez said he sought to create religious imagery that would speak to the millions of people who believe in aliens and alien encounters with humans. While not quite what most would consider religious faith, a belief in aliens, however eccentric, does tap into an ancestral need to account for humanity’s origins and its place in the larger world.

Oddly enough, several viewers have commented that the female alien figure looks just like pop singer Britney Spears when she shaved her head. It’s not, Chavez countered. “Everyone asks that. It was a model from a magazine. I think she was playing a movie alien. She was kind of jeweled. It looked like they glued some rhinestones to her head.”

The image reflects Chavez’s lifelong wrestling with the tenets and beliefs of the church. In his own art, he wants to generate icons that reflect the beliefs and mysticism of those who don’t find their faith mirrored in a formal religious institution. “I’ve kind of slung in and out of Catholicism. I’m not practicing; I question lots of ideas behind it. There were a lot of times I was practicing. For a while, I was even mayordomo at the church. I guess I recognize and love jesus’ teachings.”

In his work, Catholicism shows up in unlikely places. In Crown of Creation, the Virgin Mary; lifted from an 18th-century painting, has her face replaced by a halved apple and cradles an infant jesus, his head encased inside an apple. Instead of the Marian figure standing on angel wings, a grotesquely large bee supports her while a butterfly hovers over her midsection. Winged equine and ape-human hybrids bow before her. Chavez incorporated many earthy fertility symbols in an attempt to link Mary; as some religious historians have, to pre-existing goddess worship cultures in the Americas.

“The theme is one of goddess worship and its relationship to Mary - how Mary was used in the New World, where they were already worshipping goddesses,” Chavez said. “It made it easy to swallow the Catholicism. In the image, there’s a coronation going on of a goddess.
That’s where the chimpanzee and horse come in. It’s the animalistic nature of man and the male who are worshipping her.”

Chavez has also experimented with making art based on the icons of outsider faiths. In 2009, he created an image of Santa Muerte, the syncretic icon of the death-goddess cult that has attracted a large following among many Mexicans who live and work on society’s fringes. Unlike other skeletal images of the Santa Muerte that build on traditional Mexican Day of the Dead motifs, his Santa Muerte looks stately and Victorian, her bony skeleton protruding through her pale flesh. The image won over the art directors of Breaking Bad, the AMC channels meth-lab drama set in Albuquerque’s South Valley In the third season of the show the image is woven into a magical-realist foreshadowing scene. “They had her hovering over the shoulder of a drug lord just before he was going to be assassinated,” Chavez said.

While Chavez said he’s glad the image has found a larger audience through a popular cable show, the image, like nearly all his work, was inspired primarily by his own spiritual struggles. “I just turned 50. I’m always thinking of my own mortality "I’m trying to grapple with spirituality even episodes in my own life. If there’s a little mystery; a person can put their own interpretation. I find that exciting.”

Curiosities 2011 at the Pop Gallery Spanish Market Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:30:00 +0000

Don't look for my booth at spanish market this year I don't have one. Instead I will be showing with Marie Sena, Daniel Martin Diaz and others at the Pop Gallery on Water street one block from the Santa Fe Plaza. (Map). On the night of July 30th I will be signing posters and books. And showing about one dozen pieces. These openings are quite the event so hope you can come by and say hello.

Also look for an article in the Pasatiempo (New Mexican July 29th). Looking forward to that.

Press Release:
In 2010 we presented three prolific artists during Spanish Market who were creating work preserving Spanish arts & religious history while embracing Contemporary motif and techniques. Santa Fe and international media responded enthusiastically and the show was nearly sold out before the weekend reception. In 2011 we've run amuck, and the resulting show is phenomenal! Come and see for yourself...

santo sangre will be there!

Humanitari®

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 23:11:00 +0000

The site looks great on an iPad too!

Just got showcased on the New York Blog Humanitari®
http://humanitari.wordpress.com/

As the "About" page states:
Humanitari® is a movement that started in NYC. Humanitari is basically a belief that the challenges that humanity faces will be overcome, if we become again “one” “humanitari” -a solid group that balances the best that we all possess as humans….

We invented the Humanitari® movement and I have for a year now heard so many of my friends colleagues, family, etc show so much interest in seeing a network that promotes “UNITY” with no separatists rules of any kind, that I gave today a chance for this movement to spread far beyond NYC, its epicenter.

Thank you, Leandro the page and site looks great. Keep up the good work!

By the way every piece on Humanitari® is currently hanging at the Pop Gallery in Santa Fe for the Curiosities show. I'll be at the opening reception July 30 6:pm. Hope to see you there.

Artaq 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 03:09:00 +0000

Just received my copy of Artaq 2011!

and it is a beautiful thing. I am really floored by the other artists included in this volume. This book, like the 1st 2010 edition is a gorgeous hardback that includes my work and all the artists listed here.

In addition to the book the 2 pieces will be part of a touring exhibit that includes Angers, Lyons, Brussels, Berlin and Paris. I'm honored and humbled.

to order your book click here.

"Mystery Tree" and "Rip, Rig & Panic"

Curiosities 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:51:00 +0000

My next Art Exhibit/Reception will be at the

Pop Galley in Santa Fe, New Mexico
133 West Water Street
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
Phone (505) 820 0788 Fax (505) 820 0789
Email artinfo@popsantafe.com

I will have several pieces on display and the opening reception on July 30th coincides with the world renown Santa Fe Spanish Market. A huge art fair that I participated in for 6 years. So if your in or near Santa Fe July 30th stop by the Pop Gallery and say hello to me and the other exceptional and curious artists being featured in this show.

Curiosities 2011
July 22 - August 31, 2011
Opening reception: Saturday, July 30, 6:00

Featuring Chris Peters, Jennybird Alcantara, Alex Chavez, Marie Sena, Christopher Umana and Daniel Martin Diaz among others...

Opens July 22nd-August 31st , Artist Reception Saturday July 30th 6-9pm

UN-Spanish Market Group Show featuring prolific New Brow artists whose work transcends cultural, historic and academic boundaries. Each are recognized internationally in diverse circles and are creating work that preserves multi-cultural arts & history while embracing Contemporary motif and techniques often seen in Pop Surrealism internationally but outside the traditions of Santa Fe's historic arts community and annual markets.

This show may be the most important Santa Fe event of 2011 and is already the buzz in the Juxtapoz and Hi-Fructose

In POP tradition the show will benefit Bienvenidos Outreach, LLC, a Santa Fe based non profit that supports hungry & homeless of Santa Fe. In lieu of an art raffle POP Gallery will donate a portion of the show proceeds to this fine organization.

Art Takes London

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:56:00 +0000

I have one more week to collect your votes for a shot
at the $2,500 People's Choice Prize!

https://www.arttakeslondon.com/alexchavez

YOUR VOTE IS APPRECIATED!

Artists Wanted was created by two Brooklyn based artists, Jason Goodman and William Etundi Jr. Their firsthand experience in the art world was the inspiration for creating this bold new platform for finding burgeoning talent and supporting artistic endeavors through unique, far-reaching opportunities. By hosting online portfolios for thousands of creatives, holding international competitions and producing high-profile exhibitions and events, Artists Wanted is re-defining the way artwork is exposed to the world.

SCOPE LONDON is the largest and most global art fair in the world featuring emerging contemporary art with numerous markets worldwide. SCOPE's goal and passion is to present the most innovative galleries, artists and curators while networking them with patrons through a unique program of solo and thematic group shows presented alongside museum-quality exhibitions, collector tours, screenings, and special events. In over thirty-five fairs spanning the past ten years, SCOPE has solidified its position as the premier showcase for international emerging contemporary art.

Downtown Albuquerque Artscrawl!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Sat, 14 May 2011 17:41:00 +0000

Downtown Artscrawl

May 20, 5-8 PM

Recombinant Art: Alex Chavez May 6th 2011 from Alex Chavez on Vimeo.

Last Weeks Opening of Recombinant Art was incredible!(see video above) Thanks to everyone who came out! The next reception for the show will take place Friday May 20th, at the Albuquerque Downtown Artscrawl. Hope to see you then especially if you were not able to attend the last event.

As the Press Release Reads:
Recombinant Art is Here! at 105 Art Gallery, and it is gonna be magic carpet ride to Carnevale, the Circus of the Dark Top, and Penance as pronounced by the New Amalgamated Saints of the Gothic Realm. Yes, the spirit of Hieronymus Bosch receives another jolt to the solar plexus: surrealism hootchie-koo. There are morality tales re-told and re-cast, and the Death of God has left us with a million little deities, or maybe demons, to plague us with what is right and wrong. Alex Chavez has taken over and is force-feeding us the detritus of several hundred years of western art culture and, then, some. And, the masochist in all of us is going to enjoy it. I won't say that it boggles the mind, because my mind is naturally boggled most of the time; but this overview of one of the most amazing artists working today is mind-blowing in its density. Come see for yourself this Friday!

105 Art Gallery
105 Fourth St. SW - 238-3491 or 281-5990
Artscrawl until 8pm www.105artgallery.com
Recombinant Art: New Art by Alex Chavez continues through May. The art of montage gets new blood in the recombinant processes of Alex Chavez, who digitally combines images of past art and familiar icons, cryptic symbols, and a encyclopedic bag of other forms to create a phantasmagoric new age of medieval art, with heavy doses of Hispanic and Day of the Dead influences thrown in.

Recombinant Art: solo exhibit

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 05:19:00 +0000

I will be displaying 35 works of art! Spanning the last 4 years at the 105 Art Gallery, Albuquerque

May 6-28, 2011

Opening Reception May 6, 5-8 PM

Gallery Hours Thursday-Saturday 11-3 PM

105 Art Gallery is Located at:

105 4th Street SW Albuquerque, NM 87102

www.105artgallery.com
hope to see you all at the opening!
Free signed posters for the first 100 people.

The 105 Art Gallery in Albuquerque NM, presents "Recombinant ART” the first solo exhibit of artwork by Taos, New Mexico artist Alex Chavez. Who is one of the Gallery's favorite artists, and you can see why. No sacred cow, or for that matter, sacred images go untouched or escape transformation by the ever-seeing eye of his “Mash-Up” creations. The unexpected and the grotesque, the sacred and the profane, the past and the future all find a home in many of his recombinant artworks. The art of the past masters, ads, cartoons, signs and symbols from around the world all get mashed up in Alex's macabre art grinder and seasoned with a bit of black humor. An extravaganza of image overload, with banners flying, surrealistic cows, Day of the dead cast, art is dead poster baby, masters' images reconfigured, and a host of more misshapen creations and artifacts. Don't miss it!

Images recombined and recontexualized to create new meanings, new combinations, new ideas, that is Recombinant Art, The New Art by Alex Chavez. An internet troll, as well as former paint slinger, Alex combines his former love of painting by painting with found imagery and cooks up a new dish. The work draws on elements of art history, science, philosophy, and pop surrealism. A mash-up of ideas used to make critical comments of our modern times. All with a distinctive taste of New Mexican culture. A unique vision created in an even more unique hybrid process which is both fresh but accessible to collectors of southwest art. Yet this artist is definitely challenging and some may consider offensive to those very same aesthetics.

The artist was born and raised in East Los Angeles. After graduating with a bachelors degree in Fine Art Alex painted portrait's and murals for ten years. Moving to Taos, the town of his maternal roots with his wife to raise their two children in 1997. There he spent the next ten years quietly perfecting his unique style, craft, and vision. Alex hales from Taos, and is represented by galleries in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. And has shown recently in New York, Paris, Brussels, and Berlin, wherever pop surrealism is making an impact.

Alex Chavez creates his works by cutting, pasting, altering and recombining old paintings into modern versions of old masterpieces. Creating fantastic images of new myths, icons, saints and sinners, gods and goddesses for our modern times. They are composed as a digital photo-montage on stretched canvas. Mixed media works that are hand embellished with acrylic paint, gold leaf, and traditional collage methods to create unique individual works of art.

UPDATE: slide show from opening night.

Recombinant Art 5/6/2011 105 Art Gallery ABQ from Alex Chavez on Vimeo.

Limner Gallery - Hudson, New York

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:37:00 +0000

Had a wonderful time at the Limner Gallery opening in Hudson, New York. Pretty little town in upstate. Nice turn out and a fantastic level of artwork. Spent 4 more days in Manhattan. Here are some highlights:

Times Square at night
Breakfast in Yonkers
Sleepy Hollow
Beautiful drive along the Hudson River
Diner in Little Italy
Jazz at the Village Vangard
Bar hopping in Grenich Village
Strawberry Fields & the Dakota
Washington Square
Battery Park
Rode the Staten Island Ferry
The Guggenhein
The MoMA
Batsu! (improve comedy + Japanese game show)
The Metropolitn Museum of Art
David Letterman Show
A Yankee Game
Union Square

Still need to visit London, France and Tokyo. But New York Just might be the greatest city in the world.

ONE MAN SHOW
Big Solo Exhibit in Downtown Albuquerque coming up on May 6th. approximately 35 pieces. This will be a rare opportunity to see most of my work in one location. I'll provide plenty of details in my next post.

April Fools!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:13:00 +0000

Here is my image for April. "Joker". Nuf said.

On my way to New York today for the Limner Gallery opening. Very excited. Expecting to see some awesome art while I'm there. I will post pictures when I get back.

In other news... The size of my solo show in Albuquerque this May has doubled from 20 to approx 40 images. It's going to be nice to see that many images in one setting. Should really freak out the establishment. And make for some great photo ops. This is what Gallery Director Satiago Perez has to say about the show:
"images recombined and recontexualized to create new meanings, new combinations, new ideas--that is Recombinant Art, The New Art by Alex Chavez. An internet troll, as well as former paint slinger, Alex combines his former love of painting with found imagery off the computer and cooks up a new dish. If this is referring overly on the side of gastronomy, it's because these images pack a punch to the old food bag. But, it is not bereft of ideas. As the piece below demonstrates: Art is Dead. Be there at the opening and ask him himself what he means!" More details in my next post.

Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who has ever purchased a piece from me. You seem to understand that when you purchase my work not only are you enhancing the quality of your life. But you enable me to continue making more art. You have invested in my next image by buying me a little more time to produce art. Time that would otherwise be spent working on websites or such for clients, just to pay my bills. By buying my art you help me to continue doing what I was really put here to do. Thank You.

Happy Mardi Gras!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:19:00 +0000

Let the Bon Ton Roulette! For those who have not experienced Mardi Gras in The French Quarters, New Orleans.... well don't get me started. Actually I only share that experience (in 1990) with a few of my non judgmental friends. I have been back to NOLA but only experienced Fat Tuesday that one time. The best parade(s) I've ever seen.

Talk about judging people how about that carlos sheen. It's like a car crash in slow mo, you can't not look. lets set the record straight. I do not condone violence against women. But I'm having a ball watching charlies slowly decent into a hell of his own creation. Not because of the sex and drugs (god knows) but for crossing that line of violence.

Which brings me to this image which I unveil here for the first time and call
"What's the big Joke?" Make of it what you will but refrain from judgement.

My iPhone App is Available!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 21:00:00 +0000

As some of you may know I do a little website design on the side. Since the beginning of the year I've been determined to build an iPhone app. As usual I use myself as a test subject (guinea pig) to create my first project. Kind of like tattoo artist that begin by tattooing themselves. Well I'm proud to announce that apple just approved my app and it is now available for download from the app store.

It's going to take a little time before I come up on the search results but the link above will get you to the page.

The App is Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. And requires iOS 3.0 or later. It is basically a way to get the blog posts I have here, and a sweet little gallery to share my artwork with your friends. These blog posts and images will be updated on the fly so you will always be able to see my latests images and news. You can also send me emails with images!

So please install it and let me know if it's working right and what you think. IT'S FREE!

Happy Valentines Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:36:00 +0000

Garden of Evil

And here is my latest gift to you all, "Garden of Evil". Talk about your mash-ups. adamneve. all rolled up into one. together. forever. Something to contemplate and share with the one you love this valentines day.

It's been a productive year so far. A new book. I've got an iPhone app coming out soon. Was accepted to a show at the Limner Gallery in upstate NY. And I was just invited to have a solo show at the 105 Art Gallery in Albuquerque this May. More on those events as they arrive.

Hope your having a good year too.
Get up-to-date email notices by signing up for my news letter (subscribe on the column to the right).

Santero: The book is now available!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 21:41:00 +0000

"Santero" - The recombinant imagery of Alex Chavez

Just published a 78 page art book. The Book available in soft and hardcover versions contains a total of 35 works of art produced by me over the past 3 years. Including never before seen images. Check out the “Virtual Preview” above.

I work by cutting, pasting, altering and recombining old paintings into mash-ups. Mixed media works that are hand embellished with acrylic paint, gold leaf, and traditional collage methods to create unique individual works of art. Creating fantastic images of new myths, icons, saints and sinners, gods and goddesses for our modern times.

The Body Show

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:05:00 +0000

I will be showing this image for the first time at The Body Show Figurative and Erotic Art for the 21st Century. February 4th-26. Opening reception Friday Feb. 4th 5-8 pm, and another reception for the ABQ Art Walk Feb 18th 5-8 pm all at the 105 Art Gallery in Albuquerque.

The image was inspired by a graphic novel from one of my favorite artists Charles Burns. Wherein the villains had their "Elderly Heads" transplanted onto baby bodies as a futuristic way to preserve youth. Ya creepy. But who knows what extremes people will go to in this age of botox and "shrink wrap" face lifts. Combine that with human cloning for body parts and well, lets just say my children are going to grow up in a strange world.

Happy New Year 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 23:27:00 +0000

Wishing everyone the best year of their lives. Here is my latest image (as yet untitled, inspired by a Max Ernst collage).

Putting the finishing touches on a book that will be available by the end of January. Kind of a self promotional (self published) thing. An inexpensive way to own almost 40 of my images. This one will be included.

Sending one piece to an show at the Linmer gallery in upper NY state. Preparing for a solo show at the 105 Art Gallery in Albuquerque.

AND my daughter will be 18 in October. Whew!

Greetings from Krampus!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 18:16:00 +0000

"Krampus Claus" - Digital Photo Montage, 2010

I work by cutting, pasting, altering and recombining old paintings into mash-ups. Mixed media works that are hand embellished with acrylic paint, gold leaf, and traditional collage methods to create unique individual works of art. Creating fantastic images of new myths, icons, saints and sinners, gods and goddesses for our modern times.

MungBeing Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Chavez) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 16:09:00 +0000

The online art, literature, music Magazine MungBeing has published an interview with me in Issue #35: Fables - The stories we tell ourselves, the legends and mythologies we pass along, are part of the fabric of the humancloth.

Featuring a review of the 6 song EP "Opal" by Maston, "Stilts" by Ian Donnell Arbuckle, "Red" by KD Bryan, Claudio Parentela's eXTra finGer Interview with Alex Chavez, the exciting conclusion of "The Case of the Open Windows" by Krista S. Givens, and another beautiful cover painting by Matt Bray.

There is some really cool stuff here! An Honor to be included, check it out!

Thanks Claudio Parentela for doing such a great job on my interview and Mark Givens for doing such a great job on the Magazine.

Happy Holidays!