GRANTS, N.M. - This past Friday I attended an art exhibition “Uncharted Forms” at the Cibola Art Council on Santa Fe Ave. It was an evening event and I was really interested in the new local art being displayed. I went in and signed the visitors logbook and then wandered around. It was pretty quiet as not many people were there. I went into the east wing and saw a young man looking at art on the wall being displayed. I introduced myself and asked about him, and he told me his name is Hawk Platero and the art work was his.
I asked him about his family, if they are from this area, and yes they are from Prewitt and Whitehorse area. He is of Navajo heritage. In conversation it came to light I knew his father and grand-father.
As I noticed all his art are photographs, Hawk told me he studied in Albuquerque at the Southwest University of Visual Art, and that he got hooked on this type of art in the 7th grade during a trip to China. I looked through the displayed artwork and really started to see his vision in each picture. So unique. I could see things he saw in them. Good job. I noticed a lady looking at Hawk’s work also and asked her about her thoughts. She agreed the art was unique.
She told me that she too had art work on display here. We went and looked at it and I liked it also. There was a handmade butterfly on a vertical piece of tree trunk slab about an inch thick, and about 5 inches around. I liked it. And there was a rock display of about raisin sized polished black rocks in a swirl like an airplane propeller, nice! In conversation I learned she is Olivia, and part of the Otero family from neighboring San Fidel village. An uncle of hers used to run the Whiting Bros. gas station on old 66 near Acoma. I know some of her family.
I looked at other art displays and thought of the artists and their connection to the areas below the beautiful Mt. Taylor and its art inspiration.
Check it out!