S.M. Chavez Works
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Albuquerque, NM
S.M. Chavez (Sean Michael Chavez) was born in the high desert of New Mexico.
Working in oil, the pivotal subject within his compositions has been the Vaquero. The work is a marriage of old and new, nodding to historic masters such as the Taos Society of Artists as well as to the future of contemporary western art. A soothing sense of color and exceptional design aesthetic places his work well within the spectrum of the best that contemporary western painting has to offer.
S.M. Chavez is currently represented by Santa Fe’s Acosta Strong Fine Art on Canyon Road where his three solo shows (2020, 2021 and 2022) each sold out.
Included within notable corporate and private collections, his next frontier will be within the collections of national art museums.
His work continues to be featured in exhibitions at the Coors Western Art Show, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Albuquerque Museum of Art and The Couse-Sharp Historic Site in Taos, New Mexico.
National and regional publications regularly featuring his work include: Western Art Collector, Southwest Art, Wild West Magazine, New Mexico Magazine, Santa Fe Magazine, The Santa Fean, Western Art & Architecture and Fine Art Connoisseur.
“It is ironic that the history of the Vaquero is a hidden one. Without the Vaquero, the west and the cowboy as we know it doesn’t exist and neither does western art. It is my honor to be painting this subject with the same sense of duty and connection to place that the original cowboy must have felt. The work must be done. It’s a passion. I’m happy to be doing it.”
Education:
Southwest University of Visual Arts/Art Center Design Collage
Awards and Honors:
Western Gallery, May 2020, Curator’s Award
Art Muse, May 2016, Finalist
Masterworks NM, 2016, Award of Excellence
Corrales Starry Night, 2015, Artists’ Choice
Selected Publications:
Western Art Collector, Under the Paint – March 2023
Santa Fe Magazine – January 2023
Western Art Collector, Iconic Views – November 2022
Santa Fe Magazine – August 2022
Western Art Collector, Iconic Views – August 2022
Fine Art Connoisseur, Bringing Light… – August 2022
Western Art Collector, Taos Gala – May 2022
Western Art & Architecture, Illuminations – September 2022
Western Art Collector, The Comeback – September 2021
Southwest Art Magazine – January 2022
Santa Fe Magazine – January 2022
Selected Exhibitions:
solo exhibitions
ICONS, Acosta-Strong Fine Art, August 2022 – SOLD OUT
The West, Acosta-Strong Fine Art, 2021 – SOLD OUT
Revelation, Acosta-Strong Fine Art, 2019 – SOLD OUT
group exhibitions
2023
Commerce Gallery – Eight New Works
Coors Western Art Show and Exhibition
Albuquerque Museum of Art – ArtsThrive!
2022
Couse-Sharp Historic Site – La Luz de Taos
Coors Western Art Show and Exhibition
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum – Small Works, Great Wonders
Albuquerque Museum of Art – ArtsThrive!
2021
Coors Western Art Show and Exhibition
Young Guns Colorado, Coors Western Art
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum – Small Works, Great Wonders
Albuquerque Museum of Art – ArtsThrive!
Representation:
Acosta-Strong Fine Art
200 Canyon Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87501
www.acostastrong.com
(505) 453-1825