Inspired by Nature

The Art of Los Cabos

By Ann Hazard

The air is soft in Los Cabos. Light ripples across a sea that shifts ever so subtly from jade green to turquoise to a deep, dark indigo blue at the horizon. The sky is soft here too. The puffs of clouds that hid the sun as it rose over the Sea of Cortés all fiery red and molten gold have faded away. The light has changed and now the sky exhibits a perfect pale shade of periwinkle. It spreads endlessly overhead until it's confronted by the jagged Sierra de la Laguna mountain range.

Layered back in rows, shaded dark to light, the edges of these mountains captivate both visitors and artists, begging to be photographed and painted. They are green this year, unbelievably so after two years of ample rains. Hidden in their nooks and crannies are streams, natural hot springs and waterfalls. Surprisingly, there are ranchos scaling up the steep sides of their peaks, where a myriad of tropical fruits and flowers grow in abundance. At their base the desert spreads out, sloping gently to white sand beaches bordering the never-ending shoreline. The landscape is peppered with mighty cardón cactus, their long arms draped with yellow and hot pink wildflowers.

It is against this backdrop that Los Cabos exists. Because of the amazing effect of light, sea, sky, mountains and desert on the creative psyche, this resort destination has become a mecca for artists and art galleries over the past few years. It is this same magic that captivates the hearts of tourists, many of them returning again and again to rejuvenate their minds, bodies and souls in this tranquil yet vitally alive place.

As Los Cabos has evolved to become one of Mexico's hottest tourist draws, it has attracted progressively more sophisticated visitors and talented artists. There are galleries scattered throughout the shopping malls and hotels of Los Cabos, but the most recent explosion has taken place in the quaint, historic town of San José del Cabo. Here you can roam for hours through meandering streets, delighting at the traditional work of Mexico's famed and highly talented artesanos, as well as seeing original paintings, sculptures and multimedia pieces created by a new generation of local artists.

If you're fortunate enough to be in town on a Thursday evening between November and May, you are in for a real treat. Galleries in San José's historic district — a several-block area surrounding the main church in Plaza Mijares — keep their doors open until 9 p.m. for the weekly Thursday Art Walk event. Guests browse, appreciating the art while sipping wine and nibbling on appetizers. It's a very laid-back but urbane scene, and one that will delight the most discriminating collector. In fact, most visitors are unable to return home without purchasing a few treasures in Los Cabos.

Let's take a quick tour of a few of the local galleries, beginning in San José del Cabo and then moving south into Cabo San Lucas:

Old Town Gallery, specializing in fine art created by prominent Mexican and international artists, is located downtown at 20 Obregón, right behind the church. Housed in a graceful, romantic building of authentic Mexican colonial architecture, its adobe walls blend harmoniously into the landscape. Its gently arched windows and doors and tasteful landscaping bring the outdoors inside. All artists whose work is shown here either live in Los Cabos or visit frequently, finding their inspiration in Baja California Sur. Local artist Chris MacClure explains his inspiration this way: "Art, I believe, is high creative play… a combination of wisdom, experience and innocence. By this, all people have the ability to express themselves. The extent of that inspired expression will be according to each one's awareness. To be an artist is to be a pioneer."

Pez Gordo — founded in 1999 — is one of the original galleries in town. Known for its lively, colorful, contemporary Mexican art, it can be found right across the street, at 19 Obregón. According to owner/artist Dana Lieb, the most exciting place to be in San José on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. is the new garden patio of Pez Gordo, "Where local artisans are presenting handcrafted wares. It's the perfect place to find unique gifts or something special for yourself."

With two locations in downtown San José (nearby at 15 Obregón and 27 Obregón), Galería Corsica showcases contemporary Latin American artists. The gallery specializes in figurative and abstract paintings and sculptures, representing both internationally renowned masters (Manuel Felguérez, José Luis Cuevas, Juan Soriano, etc.) and a variety of younger artists who show extraordinary talent and promise. Every artist at Galería Corsica has been acclaimed by art critics, and his or her work can be found in museums and prominent private collections. The gallery is adding to its catalogue several Oaxacan Masters such as Tomás Pineda, Amador Montes, Maximino Javier, Saúl Castro, Israel Montes and Eddie Martínez.

Galería El Encanto is located just around the corner at 133 Morelos. Part of the well-known, romantic El Encanto Inn, this gallery features classical as well as contemporary Mexican paintings and sculptures.

Galería de Ida Victoria — a dramatic, exciting, tri-level gallery — is also nearby at 1128 Vicente Guerrero. The Wall Street Journal writes, "The soaring Galería de Ida Victoria has an impressive collection of original paintings." Ida herself asserts that the art displayed in her gallery strongly reflects the strength, spirit and versatility of the Mexican character. While its exterior maintains the colonial style of the neighborhood, the interior is large, open and modern, with state-of-the-art lighting and hanging systems. Its high ceilings make it perfect for hanging large works, while its intimate nooks and crannies effectively display smaller works and sculpture. The space is extremely versatile, allowing the gallery to feature special solo or group shows as well as display other pieces not involved in an exhibition. Equipped with a sophisticated art projection system, the gallery offers weekly lectures on Mexican art history and other special programs.

Galería de Kaki Bassi has two locations in Cabo San Lucas and a third in San José. The original flagship gallery can be found at Morelos S/N Col. Juárez in Cabo, and the newest is at Cabo's Puerto Paraíso Mall, near Häagen-Dazs on the main level. The third is at 1A Obregón in San José, right behind the square. Kaki Bassi's work is largely inspired by the prehistoric cave paintings found throughout the mountains of central Baja California. Her work hangs in the United States and Canada, and seven pieces are part of the Mexican government's permanent collection. In addition, Bassi also paints colorful scenes of Mexican life. Bassi explains that, while she was born and raised in Texas, she first came to Cabo for a visit in the early '80s and found that she had discovered her soul's true home. She has been a key figure in promoting artists and galleries in Los Cabos and organized an annual local art festival called "Splash!" in 1997.

Fruta Prohibida is also located in the Puerto Paraíso Mall in Cabo San Lucas, upstairs by the escalators next to the movie theater. This gallery only exhibits creations by female artists from all over Mexico and offers a stunning array of paintings, photographs, jewelry, textiles and sculpture.

Galería La Grande, located in Plaza Náutica in Cabo, is Baja's largest art gallery, with more than 2,000 original paintings from every region of Mexico. This is a perfect place to find an affordable, memorable treasure to take home with you. Owners Mike and Charlotte Jaynes have gathered these works of art to portray the "spectacular beauty of Mexican scenery as well as the warmth of the Mexican people and their culture."

Golden Cactus Gallery can be found at the corner of Vicente Guerrero and Madero streets in downtown Cabo San Lucas. This is Cabo's oldest art gallery, and it continues to be one of its most visited. Founded by Chris MacClure and his wife, Marilyn Hurst, it functions as an active artist studio. The focus here is the "Romance of Mexico," and this is a place where it's almost impossible not to find something to fall in love with. There is an extensive collection of tantalizing Mexican art, offering tourists numerous choices for gifts and mementos from their vacation.

With more galleries opening all the time, the variety and talent offered in Los Cabos is growing exponentially. The galleries listed here only represent the tip of the iceberg. The key to finding the newest hot gallery is to get out and explore. The art scene in Los Cabos is truly coming-of-age… and it's only getting better!

Frank Arnold
The Lure of Los Cabos

By Rick Stedman

The lure of Los Cabos has attracted yet another quality artist to the area: Frank Arnold Gallery recently opened in the San José del Cabo art district. In joining the Los Cabos art scene, the gallery accommodates both Arnold's abstract paintings as well as works of visiting artists. The storefront itself is inviting, featuring native stone in a Mexican modern design with subtle colonial touches inspired by the traditional architecture of the region.

Art has always played a role in Frank Arnold's life. "When I was 8 years old, I wanted to enter an art contest at the local fair because I was so taken with color and light," he explains. "I can't remember a point of realization as an artist, but I think it has been such a long progression that 'Art' and I have grown up together."

Born in Long Beach, California, Arnold graduated from Fresno State University. Over the years he's experimented with several mediums such as clay, wood, plastics and metal. But his heart is abstract painting. "Abstract figurative is my favorite at this time," he admits. "I think it feeds my need to use a lot of color, both visually and in volume of paint."

In the mid-1980s, Arnold opened his first gallery in the Warehouse District of downtown Fresno, the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. Part of the attraction to Los Cabos was the similarity in weather with Fresno. "The weather (in Cabo) is perfect for painting 10 months out of the year, similar to central California," says Arnold. "I feel Los Cabos is on the verge of becoming an international art mecca." He plans on dividing his time equally between the two venues.

As an artist, Frank Arnold's work is in collections worldwide. His abstract painting style exhibits a color sense and comfort level with the medium as he pours his innermost feelings onto the canvas. Each work is representative of his ongoing self-exploration of past and present life experiences. "While my art is abstract, I am honest with myself," he says. "Others put their own meaning to the work, but for me, like a dream, once complete, some meaning is again hidden."

Another aspect of the creative process is witnessing the reaction of others. Arnold especially enjoys the emotional response of each person as they apply their own feelings and impressions to his visual work. "Everyone sees something different in abstract painting," he says.

Arnold is co-founder of ArtHop, the largest monthly gallery participation event in the San Joaquin Valley. He also has conducted numerous classes and participated in group shows and symposiums. His work can be seen at the Denise Roberge Gallery in Palm Desert, California, as well as on his website at www.frankarnoldart.com. Visit the website for the Los Cabos gallery hours and special events.

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