PAINT | Rachelle Thiewes

REFLECTIONS

I’ve had the privilege of working with Rachelle Thiewes since the spring of 2010, helping to bring her expressive work to life through carefully selected auto paints— known for their vivid colors and shimmering effects.

  • PAINT: Rachelle Thiewes is an exhibition that highlights a body of work inspired by the vibrant colors of lowrider automotive paint found across the Chihuahuan desert landscape. The art and design of Rachelle Thiewes challenges definitions within the domains of jewelry making and sculpture. Working within the realm of art and adornment, her striking pieces express innovative uses of patinas and luminosity, all while exploring the cultural specificity of paint.

 

Through this collaboration, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of what it is to be an artis— what it means to create work that matters and inspires, not only through the pieces themselves, but through the processes and relationships she’s built in the making of that work.

  • Rachelle Thiewes is a nationally and internationally recognized metalsmith whose sculptural jewelry can be found in over twenty permanent collections. Thiewes is also a celebrated educator who led the Metal Arts department at the University of Texas at El Paso, inspiring generations of artists in the Borderlands.

If you’re in El Paso, make the trip to see the exhibition— it’s absolutely worth it, and admission is FREE. The Museum team did an incredible job organizing and presenting the work, resulting in a stunning display of her painted pieces— 90% of which, I’m proud to say, I painted.

  • Paint: Rachelle Thiewes is organized by the El Paso Museum of Art and is on display May 30 - September 21.

  • Support for this exhibition is provided by the Texas Commission on the Arts, the Estate of Lineaus Hooper Lorette, the Mellon Foundation, the El Paso Museum of Art Foundation, and the City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department.

P.S

Seeing it all come together on opening night, surrounded by my family and a vibrant community of artists, friends, and supporters, was an unforgettable experience.

To Rachelle—thank you for continuing to inspire me. I’m grateful to contribute to your work.

To my wife and kids — thank you for being enthusiastic and allowing me to show you the value in this path of art and craft.

To everyone we spoke with that evening— your energy made a lasting impression.

Since returning home, I’ve felt more connected, more inspired, and even more committed to the creative life I’ve been fortunate to live.

Exhibitions, Collaborations, Studio Reflections, Art and Community, Artist FeaturesAsher EmersonRachelle Thiewes, El Paso Museum of Art, Contemporary Jewelry, Borderlands Art, Auto Paint in Art, Metalsmithing, Collaborative Art, Art Openings, Art Process, Chihuahuan Desert