[PROMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT]
One of the hallmarks of figurative artwork is portraying not just the physical aspects of a person, but also their personality and essence. These are key to the narratives that run through a composition and give it an emotional quality that allows anyone to find a connection. In this promotional spotlight, the five galleries featured present figurative art in all forms, including abstracted sculptures and finely painted contemporary figures of the American Southwest.
Blue Rain GallerySanta Fe, NM & Durango, CO(505) 954-9902 & (970) 232-2033 | blueraingallery.com
Choctaw artist Karen Clarkson’s journey in painting portraits of Native women is personal. It began with the artist drawing from old photographs of relatives and ancestors, allowing her to gain a greater understanding of her cultural heritage that continues to inform her artwork. Each painting is striking in the poise of the person depicted, getting to the heart of their essence. Her work conveys “determination, purpose and cultural identity through expression, posture and symbolism.” From April 24 through May 8, Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, will exhibit new paintings by the artist including OUR FUTURE, which depicts a girl holding a doll; her portrait is over an Arizona state map.
Claggett/Rey GalleryEdwards, CO(970) 476-9350 | claggettrey.com
Artist Jane DeDecker has always approached her sculptural works with a sense of curiosity and exploration. Most recently she has added a glass kiln to her studio, which allows her to expand the narrative expression in her art and add a colorful element such as in MAIDEN VOYAGE. Claggett/Rey Gallery, which represents the artist, adds, “Displaying sculpture in a gallery setting can be challenging to let the work have the resonance it deserves and not get overshadowed by the colorful paintings on the walls. The dynamic way Jane is presenting her latest body of work captivates the viewer’s eye with stimulating color and compositions that harmonize with the figurative element of the piece.”
Ian Russell Gallery of Fine ArtPrescott, AZ(928) 445-7009 | ianrussellart.com
John T. Benedict, who was born in Dallas, Texas, felt his calling to art at a young age. His work has included murals, architectural metalwork, furniture, photography and more. The artist, who settled in Tucson, Arizona, where he lives with his wife and children, primarily focuses on metal art. He creates sculptures, wall works, chess sets, and steampunk creatures and fish. The handcrafted nature of his contemporary steel sculptures allows each to be a one-of-a-kind creation with a mix of reclaimed materials. Benedict’s work is available through Ian Russell Gallery of Fine Art in Prescott, Arizona.
Legacy GalleryScottsdale, AZ & Santa Fe, NM(480) 945-1113 & (505) 986-9833 | legacygallery.com
As long as he can remember, artist Huihan Liu has loved to draw and sketch. His interest was formed at a young age when his father taught him how to write Chinese calligraphy with a brush and ink. He studied art at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in China, and then he received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Throughout his 40-year career as an illustrator, teacher and fine artist, Liu has amassed many awards and accolades. Among them are two back-to-back prizes at the Prix de West at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum: the Frederic Remington Painting Award in 2022 and the Robert Lougheed Award in 2023.
Maxwell Alexander GalleryPasadena, CA(213) 275-1060 | maxwellalexandergallery.com
Through a modernist vision of the American West, Logan Maxwell Hagege has solidified his name as one of the most influential artists working today. His work is defined by its academic foundations—composition, color value, and draftsmanship—and a strong, simplified style. His multifigure composition BETWEEN A MEMORY AND A DREAM, from Maxwell Alexander Gallery, “portrays a carefully controlled composition in which strong vertical elements, the hollyhock stalks, structure the pictorial space and counterbalance the horizontal movement of the mounted figures. Subtle shifts of color and value unifies figure and landscape, allowing forms to emerge through tonal relationships rather than sharp contrast.”
This story appeared in the April/May 2026 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Subscribe today to read every issue in its entirety.
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