The Magic of Conversations: Jane Sauer’s Fiber Artistry

For many of us, a trip to Santa Fe, NM, is not complete without stopping in at Jane Sauer’s gallery on Canyon Road to see the latest in high-quality contemporary art. Jane and her gallery manager, Jorden Nye, have a talent for finding the best of the best when it comes to the artists they represent. From Adrian Arleo to Nancy Scheinman, from Geoffrey Gorman to Paul Stankard, Noel Hart, and Gugger Petter, to mention only a few highlights, the work exhibited is first rate. 

But what many of you may not know is that Jane Sauer is an accomplished, highly recognized artist in her own right. Over a successful career of more than 30 years, Jane moved from her original training as a painter to a fascination with fiber. Its tactile qualities and manipulability, combined with her interest in construction techniques and three-dimensional art, led her to distinctive creations such as those you see here.

I find the rich colors, bold shapes, and exquisite handwork of these knotted-linen fiber works fascinating. Each sculpture is made up of rows of hundreds of small half-hitch knots. While they tentatively fall into the category of “basketry,” they are not functional containers or vessels. Instead, they are communications about universal human emotions expressed through abstraction. Frequently, Sauer’s pieces comprise groupings, thereby transforming themselves into “conversations”—magical exchanges with stories all their own. Their titles speak of an inner life, sometimes whimsical, sometimes erotic, sometimes profound, and reflect the artist’s concerns and meditations about relationships.

Enjoying the variety, texture, and narrative quality of this artist’s work, it is easy to understand Jane's success as a gallery owner. With her innate understanding of how artists combine joy and beauty with a superior level of craftsmanship to bring something unusual and exceptional to art lovers, Jane Sauer can spot the winners at a hundred yards!


A must see for your next trip to Santa Fe:
Jane Sauer Gallery
652 Canyon Road
Santa Fe, NM
505-995-8513
http://www.jsauergallery.com

 

-- Rosemary Carstens
http://www.CarstensCommunications.com