Mabel Dodge Luhan & Company, Harwood Museum of Art, Taos

American Moderns in the West

Nicolai Fechin "Portrait of Mabel Dodge Luhan"

A tour...

The Mabel Dodge Luhan House as it is a B&B and Conference Center today in Taos

“Dear Mabel,

It is 5am…

It seems so perfect that I wonder…

Is it just a dream I make up…”   
Georgia O’Keeffe

The 'Pink House' today under private ownership, 
where Georgia O'Keeffe and Rebecca Strand stayed on their first trip to Taos.

This exhibition opened here in Taos the weekend of May 22, 2016 it closes on September 11, 2016 (D.H. Lawrence’s Birthday by the way), it will move on to the Albuquerque Museum and later to the Burchfeld Penney Art Center.

Paul Figueroa speaking eloquently at the opening

I was so excited before even seeing the exhibit, that we became members of the Harwood Museum in order to attend the Members opening. (That’s saying a lot for me, as I’d been boycotting the Museum for years due to the turmoil involved with the former Director). The Museum now has a terrific new director Richard Tobin, the staff is beside themselves happy these days and so am I, a marked difference. At this time the exhibit has been open for less than 5 weeks, I've been to see it FIVE times already (and that's with being gone from Taos for 2 of these past 5 weeks).

At the opening 3 of the very best people who also happen to be docents at various Museums in Taos today. 

Holly Sievers, Charlene Tamayo, Lucille Greider.

“One does not get better but different and older and that is always a pleasure.” 
Gertrude Stein

William Penhallow Henderson "Interior, Mabel Dodge Luhan House"

The entire Museum is dedicated to works on display for this exhibition, (the Agnes Martin room is still its own entity as well as the Ken Price room, and the new acquisitions gallery) an enormous commitment. The payoff is that it is simply the best exhibit this Museum has done and the crowds of people visiting is proof.

Marsden Hartley "An Abstract Arrangement of American Indian Symbols"

“I found out that the sunshine in New Mexico could do almost anything with one: make one well if one felt ill, or change a dark mood and lighten it. It entered into one's deepest places and melted the thick, slow densities. It made one feel good. That is, alive.” 
Mabel Dodge Luhan

left: Marsden Hartley "New Mexico Recollection 12" & "Rio Grande River, New Mexico" 

right: Beatrice Mandleman "Twining"

Jacques-Emile Blanche "Portrait of Mrs. Mabel Dodge & Son"

Although there is a timeline provided, Head towards the giant portrait of Mabel and son John Evans by Jacques-Emile Blanche and start in the far back gallery space at the early Marsden Hartley painting, I gasped as I entered the room (the room has an enormous Louis Vuitton suitcase in the middle of it) as you turn towards the next wall to your right there is a lovely drawing by Maurice Stern (husband #3) of Mabel herself. Maurice Stern came to Taos before Mabel, at her suggestion. I’ve not seen much of his artwork other than a few drawings, one of which is a beautiful Fawn at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia

Maurice Stern "Mabel Dodge"

“It takes a lot of time to be a genius. You have to sit around so much doing nothing, really doing nothing.” 
Gertrude Stein

For some time now the Harwood has displayed a still life painting by Mabel, it is absent from this exhibition, I’d asked one of the curators early on if they would be showing some of her paintings, they chose not to. Personally, I’d like to see a few of her other paintings. 

Mabel on Horseback with Mr. Concha, private collection photo

“Don't everlastingly read messages into paintings – there's the Daisy – you don't rave over or read messages into it – you just look at that bully little flower – isn't that enough?” 
John Marin

Andrew Dasburg "Chantet Lane"

The front space gallery has a selection of Andrew Dasburg paintings, all 5 are exquisite. Recent research by the wonderful historian Liz Cunningham reveals that the “Chantet Lane” 1926 painting is of Jeantete Road. Well there was no true road signage around Taos (until the 60’s), which means if you’d only heard the name spoken you might get the spelling of it wrong. Or, did Dasburg choose to misspell the name on purpose to mislead other painters away from his site, (my speculation). Dasburg also was THE dealer of vintage 'Santos' the Bulto Carvings and Retablo Paintings of Hispanic Artists (the Barnes Foundation has one of the best collections I've seen outside New Mexico thanks to Dasburg).

Five paintings by Andrew Dasburg, to the far right is "Chantet Lane

“You've got to know yourself so you can at last be yourself.” 

D. H. Lawrence

A few of the John Marin works

The Harwood’s grand gallery features the O’Keeffe’s, the John Marin’s, a pair of Diego Rivera drawings (to me looking quite out of place), and a tribute to D.H. Lawrence along with many other rich and beautiful artworks. A surprising choice to include 2 deer watercolors by Knud Merrild who Mabel truly disliked for his being a distraction to Lorenzo. I love that these paintings are included!

"Deer" Knud Merrid

“An artist is only an ordinary man with a greater potentiality.” 
D. H. Lawrence

Dorothy Brett "My Three Fates" (Mabel, Frieda, Lorenzo, Brett w 'Tobey')

Upstairs the displays feature paintings of some of the religious items and paintings of Spirituality, Catholic/Hispanic and Pueblo ceremonies. Again some true jewels upstairs in the 2 rooms there. The Indian School paintings by various artists along with Dorothy Brett’s paintings of ceremonies are treasures to see side by side. The Hispanic Retablos (and Bultos) frame some of the works by the Taos & Santa Fe School Modernists, together complimenting each other, playing off each other, honoring each other. The exhibit gives the Honourable Dorothy Brett a nice place in this piece of the Modernist Taos Art Colony. She has been one of the most underrated of the Taos painters for many years, I hope her time is coming, soon.

Part of Mabel's 30 piece Retablo Collection, at center Marsden Hartley "Blessing the Melon"

“The artist's world is limitless. It can be found anywhere, far from where he lives or a few feet away. It is always on his doorstep.”

Paul Strand

4 Masterworks by Paul Strand

Scattered throughout the galleries are photographs by Paul Strand, Laura Gilpin, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Alfred Stieglitz, Carl Van Vechten, John Young-Hunter, Rose Clark, John Collier, Marjorie Content, Ernest Knee, Dorothea Lange, Sonya Noskowiak & Henri Cartier-Bresson (who am I missing?). The breathe of the photographers alone would be a masterworks exhibition in its own right! Again, I remind you, they are scattered throughout, please take the time to look.

Ansel Adams "Eagle Dance, San Ildefonso" & Awa Tsireh "Eagle Dance"

“In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration.” 
Ansel Adams

Rebecca Salsbury James "Walking Woman, Taos"

The other day I was docent at the D.H. Lawrence Ranch (I’m President of the Board of Directors for the D.H. Lawrence Ranch Alliance), a woman came up to visit. She told me she’d just been to the Harwood to see the exhibition. One of the Harwood Staff members told her that the ranch was open to the public that day (10AM- 2PM), then and there she decided to stop her viewing of the Mabel Exhibit and drive up to the ranch. I showed her around for a tour afterwards she then return to the Harwood to continue her enjoyment of the Mabel exhibition. I am in awe of how this exhibit is creating such terrific synergy all around Taos. All of the Lawrence Ranch docents mention to visitors that a visit to the Harwood is a must.

Georgia O'Keeffe "Grey Cross with Blue"

“What a life, seeing!” 
John Marin

Paul Strand "Marin Working Near Twining"

It seems of late there’s a lot of synergy around exhibition retrospectives featuring women or their circles, Agnes Martin, Georgia O’Keeffe, Women of Abstract Expressionism and here in Taos, Mabel & Co. I teasingly, lovingly say to women friends, what the heck is up with all these women overshadowing all the men lately??? Well, it’s about time. A few years ago in Taos there was a promotion of “Remarkable Women of Taos”, this may have been a prescient town wide honoring of women that got the ball rolling.

Docent tour of the exhibition 

“Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you'll be criticized anyway.” 
Eleanor Roosevelt 

My personal sanctuaries are Museums and the forest, both are inspiring and nurturing. Visit Taos before September 11, 2016 or you’ll have missed a treasure chest of inspiration and loveliness right here in the place Mabel chose to call her home.

Emil Bisttram "Creative Force"

“Love art. Of all lies, it is the least untrue.” 
Gustave Flaubert

Agnes Pelton "The Voice"

This is a very small glimpse of the exhibition which will change as other works become available and as it moves to the other 2 museums scheduled at this time.

Georgia O'Keeffe "Taos, New Mexico"

Purchase the catalogue (which I have yet to do), “Mabel Dodge Luhan and Company, Moderns in the West” in hardcover. My gratitude to the curators Lois Rudnick and Ma-lin Wilson-Powell, along with all of the staff at the Harwood Museum. You should all be quite proud of this accomplishment, congratulations. http://www.harwoodmuseum.org/exhibitions/view/147

Portrait of Mabel Dodge Luhan, private collection

D.H. Lawrence Ranch Docent Tour for the London Tate Modern Museum and Honored Guests

July 6-October 30, 2016 the Tate Modern Museum in London will be exhibiting the work of Georgia O’Keeffe. Recently the exhibitions’ Lead Curator for the Tate, Tanya Barson visited Santa Fe, Abiquiu & Taos. Several other Tate curators joined her, along with an art critic for the London Telegraph, a journalist for The Independent, a journalist for the London Times and British Vogue, an Art Historian and Editor of the New Statesman were all in attendance on a tour of O’Keeffe Country. On March 20, 2016 my involvement was as docent for the D.H. Lawrence Ranch to introduce the group and a small film crew to the Ranch and a bit of its history, including the Lawrence Tree and some background of O’Keeffe in Taos.

http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/georgia-okeeffe 

 

My portrait with D.H. Lawrence was taken by Sharon Oard Warner.

The following is what I spoke about to the group:

In Taos the locals will tell you the Mountain is a draw, it can hold you tight and accept you to Taos, or it can push you away and keep you from ever feeling comfortable and ‘at home’ here. I prefer to think that Taos and the surrounding mountains are a spiritual center a place that expands creativity, a place that energizes anyone with a creative spirit.

 

Stations of the Cross end point near Mabel Dodge Luhan home.

Lawrence & Frida arrive in Taos on September 11, 1922 his 37^th birthday, they stayed here in Taos through March 1923

At Mabels’ they stay at the “Pink House” a guest house across from the large home of Mabel Dodge Luhan.

Outside the "Pink House" 

Inside the Pink House a cabinet door painted by D.H. Lawrence

The Lawrences quickly discover the need for a more peaceful atmosphere, there was always something going on at Mabel’s, it was not a place to be creative, to sit and write. Mabel suggests they move up to her ranch in San Cristobal to seek the solitude he required.

The Lawrences invited the Danes, Knud Merrild & Kai Gotzsche to join them at the Flying Heart Ranch. This did not sit well with Mabel, and her jealousy of the Danes spending time with Lawrences led to blows. By the first of December they move to 2 cabins rented from the Hawk family at the Del Monte Ranch. In reality the Lawrences needed them to help get through the Taos Winter with the chores and heavy work. The Danes chopped firewood, and made trips into Taos to gather supplies.

 

Georgia O'Keeffe Doorway painting

Resisting the invitations of Mabel Dodge Luhan to come to Taos and leave the ranch, to join her social circle and artist salons, Lawrence writes:

“I still of course mistrust Taos Very Much, chiefly on account of the artists. I feel I never want to see an artist again while I live”.

 

Historic Photograph: Georgia O'Keeffe Portrait

Historic Photograph: Dorothy Brett and Georgia O'Keeffe

Returning in March 1924 through October, on this trip they bring with them the Honorable Dorothy Brett. The original idea was that members of the Bloomsbury group would join the Lawrences in Taos to create a perfect society which would be called Rananim. When it came time to depart for the US, Brett was the only one who actually joined them. She became Lawrence’s manuscript typist. Although there is much talk and gossip of the Frieda, Mabel & Brett triangle of these woman all vying for Lawrences attention and love, Brett was more likely to be in love with Frieda. In May of that year Mabel gives them the ranch that her son John Evans had used from time to time and who was the current owner. In return, Frida gives Mabel the manuscript to Sons and Lovers, more valuable even at that time than the ranch. Thus the Lawrences were not ‘in debt’ to Mabel Dodge Luhan.

 

Archival Photograph: Frieda Lawrence in the Doorway of her second Taos Home

When asked to name 5 famous women artists, at the top of most people's list will time and time again be Georgia O'Keeffe. Who else and how many can You name?

Historic Photograph: Georgia O'Keeffe with Frieda Lawrence

In 1925 the Lawrence’s again return to Taos from April to September.

At the Ranch people from Taos Pueblo teach them to ride horses. They are known as “Red Fox” and Frieda became “Angry Winter” by the people of the Pueblo. People from the Pueblo also help with repairs of the Cabin, the roof needed repairs and just general maintenance as things had become quite run down. Candido, Trinidad and Geronimo become the much needed carpenters at the ranch. Lawrence himself built the porch and some of the furniture, 2 examples still exist, the chair on the porch and the chair in Brett’s cabin.

The Porch at the Lawrence Ranch

 

Archival Photograph: Lorenzo baking bread in an Horno

Lawrence also enjoyed baking bread in one of the horno adobe cooking ovens (which he learned from Taos Pueblo friends) and roasting chickens in the other. Much like that of a modern day man barbecuing out in the yard, the cooking indoors was left to Frieda.

 

San Francisco de Asis Church back

Georgia O'Keeffe Sketchbook of back of San Francisco de Asis Church

The view of Taos from the ranch Alfalfa field is spectacular, the Lawrences could see all the way to the southern end of Taos, known as Ranchos de Taos, where there stands a Church made famous by the paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe. San Francisco de Asis Church just celebrated its 200^th anniversary in the fall of 2015.

 

The Lawrence Tree

Izzy Hossack sits under the Lawrence Tree

The Lawrence Tree, the large pine tree out front of the cabin, Lawrence writes of it while away in Italy in “A Little Moonshine with Lemons”. Lawrence also described the tree with the “wind hissing in the needles like a nest of serpents”.

Archival Photograph: Georgia O'Keeffe anonymous Taos youngster and Rebecca Strand

In 1929 during her first visit to Taos Miss O’Keeffe visits the Lawrence Ranch during a stay with Mabel Dodge Luhan. She and Rebecca Strand stay at the “Pink House” and hear about the ranch, this was there first trip to New Mexico. O’Keeffe stays up at the ranch (currently unoccupied) for close to a week, where she paints the “Lawrence Tree” at night with the great starry sky seen through the branches.

Historic Photograph: Georgia O'Keeffe on a bench under the stars

O’Keeffe had painted trees at the Steiglitz residence in upstate New York such as Bear Lake of 1930, and later she would paint the cottonwood trees along the Chama river below her Abiquiu home. This is the only time she paints a tree from this perspective, Looking up into and through the branches, capturing the starlight and the massiveness.

The tin cutout Phoenix Rising, now on the fence by the cabin was created by Brett in Honor of Lawrence, originally she had nailed it onto the great tree.

 

Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe

At the Ranch the Lawrences grew vegetables, including corn, raised chickens and kept Moses the rooster and cow named Susan. Milk and butter was purchased from the Hawk family.

O’Keeffe’s paintings of chickens, rare that she ever painted live animals, are perhaps influenced by the ceramic chickens along the roof line of Mabel’s home, and or the chickens of the chicken coop at my neighbors home where she found guest accommodations on her many visits to Taos.

 

Georgia O'Keeffe Gallery List from An American Place Exhibit with note to Rebecca James 

In Taos and during all of his travels, Lawrence was looking for “Authentic Experiences” with Nature, Spirituality and Sexuality. I believe O’Keeffe was on that same journey. O’Keeffe and Lawrence never met, later she befriended Frieda and Brett, staying in touch with them throughout their lives.

They both as Lawrence wrote, “found the intense Spirituality of New Mexico”, and “The Natural environment here helps to wash away everyday problems”.

In Japanese culture the term Shinrin-Yoku or “Forest Bathing” is a practice of taking a walk in the woods to feel the healing power of the trees around you. The ranch does this.

 

Archival Photograph: Georgia O'Keeffe at the Ranchos Church

Both O’Keeffe and Lawrence are Botanists, herbalists, they are constantly looking at the Flora growing around them.

Cota or Navajo Tea, A natural healing herb used as a tea grows along the roadside to the ranch here in June & July. It’s similar to Chamomile and has the same type of properties as a soothing, calming tea infusion.

The Mullen plant a soft leaved low lying plant with a tall yellow stalk at summers end, has 2 purposes it makes a wonderful comfortable shoe insert, and it makes for a terrific spur of the moment toilet paper!

Jimson Weed Flower

Georgia O'Keeffe painting of Jimson Weed Flowers

Miss O’Keeffe and Rebecca Strand (later Salsbury James, marrying Bill James) who remained in Taos her entire life stayed in contact. Rebecca gifts O’Keeffe Jimson Weed plants (also known as Datura or Trumpet Flowers) the plants still grown in O’Keeffe’s Abiquiu garden and at Rebecca’s home (at the end of Bent Street) to this day.

Historic Photograph: Georgia O'Keeffe at Abiquiu home with Jimson Weed plants in foreground

Rebecca James Home at the end of Bent Street as it is today

The photographer Paul Strand came to Taos after the urging of Rebecca, he documented the San Francisco de Asis Church through the lens of his camera, taking risks with shapes and shadows, light and texture. His, in my eyes, are the best photographic documentation of this Church. He and O’Keeffe had an affinity for it as no others have. Strands photographs reinforce the ‘spare’ approach of O’Keeffe’s paintings of this structure.

O’Keeffe painted other Churches and Moradas, none became as iconic or as important a subject matter to her as the Church in Ranchos.

 

Ranchos Church at night

One day while painting the Ranchos Church (visitors often ask where O’Keeffe’s paintings are ON the Church) a young local boy began to taunt the artist. Soon his Mom noticed this bad behavior and she called him inside their home. A moment later the boy returned to Miss O’Keeffe apologizing for his antics. A few hours passed and O’Keeffe finished the small painting she’d worked on that day. She knocked on the door of this particular family’s home and gifted the painting to them.

 

Historic Photograph: Georgia O'Keeffe carrying her canvas

Time and time again I have been gifted with stories of O’Keeffe’s generosity and spirit here in Taos.

 

Room 301 at the Sagebrush in Taos

During World War 2, Miss O’Keeffe took up residence at the Sagebrush Hotel in Taos. There she rented the only third floor room at the hotel, Room 301. The room has panoramic views of Taos and the surrounding areas. From her view she could see her beloved Pedernal mountain and Abiquiu off in the distance.

 

Selfie with Georgia O'Keeffe Kachina drawing

While in New Mexico Lawrence and O’Keeffe visit some of the many area Pueblo Villages, attending ceremonial dances of the “Kachinas” at Hopi and Deer Dance at Taos. Extremely ancient rituals which still take place to this day, and some of the most spiritual ceremonials one can attend here. O’Keeffe creates paintings of Kachina dolls, Lawrence writes of the Deer Dance and of the Hopi Snake Dance, his depiction of the Snake dance is one of the most valuable observations of this ceremony as today it is closed to public viewing.

Weathered Horn of a Big Horn Sheep as seen at Nedra Matteucci Gallery, Santa Fe

Georgia O'Keeffe Painting of Big Horn Sheep Horn

Miss O'Keeffe may not have been the first person in the desert southwest to pick up the bleached from the sun skulls and bones, but she did make them iconic along with making them (with her paintings of flowers) one of her signature subject matter.

Georgia O'Keeffe painting of Horse Skull

 

The D.H. Lawrence Memorial built by Angelo Rivagli, Frieda Lawrence is buried outside to the left

On March 2, 1930 Lawrence dies in Vence, later Frieda marries Angelo Rivagli who s a sculptor. He builds a Memorial at the ranch on a hillside, also carving the stone eagle/phoenix atop it. Rebecca Salsbury James was commissioned by Frida to create a painting for the Nicho that sits above the cement block cript. The painting was one of her classic reverse paintings on glass, it later fell out of place and broke.

 

A Letter from Frieda Lawrence to Rebecca James

Today, the ranch is visited by many writers, artists, and musicians. They tend to sit at the ranch for hours and write, inspired by the beauty of nature in all its glory here. A few Years ago Lawrence Fehrlingetti visited, at the bench there by the memorial he read his poem “The Man Who Rode Away (to DH Lawrence)”.

 

Selfe at the Chicago Art Institute in front of Clouds, the largest of O'Keeffe's paintings

Through individual moments, Taos affects you, which is what Lawrence and O’Keeffe were in search of, To take the time to appreciate that moment, to pause, to look, to listen to the refreshing spark and inspiration of that moment.

Holly Sievers in the eye of O'Keeffe's sculpture at the New Mexico Museum of Fine Arts

To become a docent or to make a donation for the Lawrence Ranch please contact Mary Passaglia at:

http://www.dhlawrencetaos.org/#!how-you-can-help/c18co

Notes and photographs are by Robert Cafazzo including images taken of archival material and images of O'Keeffe paintings, Historic Photographs are labeled as such, and private archive photographs are labeled as such.