Lindsay Provan, left, celebrates her mom artist Dana Salmond at the Dec. 7 opening of Salmond’s exhibition ‘Between Earth and Sky”. Courtesy photo

ART NEWS

Los Alamos artist, Dana Salmond, celebrated over 30 years of diverse creativity at her solo show’s opening reception Dec. 7. The exhibition entitled “Between Earth and Sky: Paintings, Mixed Media Constructions and Ceramics” runs from through Dec. 29 at the Upstairs Gallery at Mesa Public Library in Los Alamos.

The art pieces on display traces Salmond’s history as a resident of Los Alamos since 1980, when she moved here with her husband Randy after they both received their Masters from Penn State. In graduate school she was introduced to hand-papermaking and wheel-thrown ceramics, Raku, in particular, inspired by a Japanese method of firing pottery. 

Salmond continued her pursuit of artistry in clay, teaching hand-built and wheel-thrown pottery at St. John’s College in Santa Fe and Fuller Lodge Art Center, and later managed the Clay Studio at Fuller. In addition, she entered gallery shows with a number of her constructions featuring hand-made paper stretched over interlocking, delicate, rectangular, wood frames with varied colors and paper finishes.

In addition to raising two children, Salmond taught art in Los Alamos Public Schools for 14 years and hand-paper making at UNM-LA. More recently she returned to painting, both in acrylics and watercolor. 

About her work, Salmond states: “In my work I am fascinated by each medium itself; the paint, clay and paper, and I feel I get my ideas through working in these very tactile mediums.”

Salmond’s show will be on display until the Dec. 29. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursdays, 10 a. m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.