Fine art painter Bill Binks |
February brings two talented artists to the gallery
at Eagle Ranch. Bill Binks’s fine art paintings
and Skip Kivlehen’s finely crafted mesquite lamps
make a complimentary statement that all will enjoy.
Bill Binks has had a life-long love affair with
art from his early childhood growing up in Utah.
His career in art has encompassed many phases, starting
with painting murals on airplanes for the combat
pilots in the Korean War. In the beginning days
of the space program, Bill worked as an illustrator
for Thiokol Corp., producing many of the illustrations
of how it was thought the exploration of outer space
might appear.
Third generation Lamp maker Skip Kivlehen |
He founded Binks’ Art & Lettering in 1964, which
he operated until 1989, followed by Albatross Graphics,
until his retirement. He did a wide variety of art:
design, layout, lettering, brush and airbrush pictorials,
bulletins, large scale murals, etched glass, as
well as fine art, when time permitted.
Today,
Bill is retired, living in Alamogordo, NM, and enjoying
painting fine works of art, bringing his creations
to life with custom realistic artwork. He has many
pieces hanging in private collections around the
country.
Skip Kivlehen is a third generation
lamp maker who is relatively new to the crafts scene.
After a successful career in corporate America,
he left to follow his dream of making a living working
with his hands. After an apprenticeship with Wally
Kohler, he has mastered the craft of making mesquite
lamps and copper shades. He is now a craftsman,
full time. A small staff of craftsmen contribute
to the making of the lamps and shades. The business
has grown throughout the years, but the uniqueness
and quality of each lamp remains. The lamps and
shades are sold throughout the country in shops
and galleries.
The Mesquite, called “Velvet”
is handpicked from the Sonoran Desert. The beauty
you behold in each piece has unfolded from a tale
of survival in the harsh desert. Long droughts,
floods, extreme temperatures and constant attack
from insects create a lasting remnant of nature’s
life-cycle. Many pieces are enhanced with turquoise
inlay or naturally occurring holes. The satin smooth
finish is the result of fine sanding and multiple
applications of Danish oil.
Lampshades are
crafted from solid copper, milled in the Southwest.
Designs are punched or cut using a plasma cutter.
Colors are achieved with a secret recipe of natural
elements developed over a 25 year span of trial
and error. A clear lacquer is applied to preserve
the outer finish. The inside is left “raw copper”
to develop a colorful, organic beauty through its
own natural life-cycle. All shades feature soldered
seams and wire reinforced edges that are designed
to be enjoyed through many generations.
The
show runs the entire month of February, from the
1st thru’ the 28th. A reception to meet the artists
will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, February
5th, at the gallery at Eagle Ranch. Easy to find,
Eagle Ranch is located at 7288 Hwy 54-70, mid-point
between Alamogordo and Tularosa. Gallery hours are
the same as the store, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon. thru’
Sat., and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
|
Shopping Cart
