Quintessence

 Painting by Sheila Mahoney Keefe

Ceramic by Tadashi Ito

Beauty knows no boundaries. It can be found across medium, in diverse cultures and locations. With this in mind, Santa Fe artist Sheila Mahoney Keefe joins forces with Japanese ceramist Tadashi Ito to create this extraordinary exhibition that invites contemplation on the beauty of life.

The works of Sheila Mahoney Keefe and Tadashi Ito appear to speak to one another on multiple levels. Keefe's paintings are a reflection of her spiritual journey. She created her latest series after visiting the Civil War battleground in Virginia and the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. The wintry countryside with barren grounds and leafless trees were poignant reminders of humanity past. There was also a profound sense of serenity. Silence, except for an occasional flock of birds that fluttered across the landscape. A quiet beauty visible to those with a perceptive mind.

Ito’s award-winning ceramic forms are inspired by nature's forms, especially the graceful lines in seashells. Peering into those shells, Ito feels he has glimpsed hidden secrets of the universe, some quintessence of life left behind by living creatures long gone. Ito digs a special clay that has a high content of feldspar, silica and iron. Upon firing, the impurities produce glistering silver beads like jewels unique to his work. Some works are finished in a rich reddish brown color, achieved by using an unusual heat-resistant local red clay as a slip. The interior of every piece is finished in a beautiful jade green, visible only when one peers inside.

The subdued colors and roughness of Ito's ceramic echo the hues and textures of many of Keefe's paintings. Their interplay of forms, textures and colors produces powerful aesthetic and emotional resonance that transcends barriers. When viewed together, these artists' works take on deeper meanings, inviting quiet contemplative introspection.

Click on images to view selected pieces

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