Beyond Dixon
There’s Dixon, a small village about an hour north of Santa Fe, on the road that goes to Taos. Then, Beyond Dixon, there’s the Eli Levin compound, made up of a couple of adobe studios, an adobe house, and a Realist Gallery. Eli’s studio is actually on the edge of Dixon, but it’s in a league of its own in terms of exceptional art (oil paintings, watercolors, egg tempura paintings, and etchings) and Northern New Mexico village ambiance. So when we say “Beyond Dixon,” we mean it in more ways than we know how to describe.
On Sunday, November 5th, three Tuesday Night Drawing investigative reporters — John, Karl, and Mike — drove north to the village of Dixon to visit the founder of the Tuesday Night Drawing group and to see his studios and the art within. They returned to Santa Fe inspired, and with purchases of several iconic etchings and books of art by Eli.
Two treasured items from Sunday’s visit to Eli’s studio — an etching inspired by a scene in the El Farol bar on Canyon Road. Eli’s paintings and etchings of Santa Fe bar scenes became well known and in demand in the 1970s. Also, a beautiful book of watercolors, painted on location in Dixon and the surrounding area.
At the top of the hill is the main studio. A second studio is a little farther down the hill. The house is a little farther down the hill beyond that.
The Realist Gallery is at the top of the hill next to the main studio. Karl and Mike admire the authentic Northern New Mexico architecture.
Karl, whose interests include architecture and interior design, photographed the interior of the gallery.
The Realism Gallery: multimedia artistic statement?
Eli in the main studio, touching up a painting,
Delicate detail requires an experienced touch.
Putting the painting back on the shelf.
John, Karl, and Mike score a group photo with Eli in his studio.
Karl purchased a small etching from Eli to add to his collection of etchings that he exhibits around New Mexico, the Southwest, and Mexico.
Eli presents an etching to Karl.
Outside the main studio at the top of the hill a table is set up with watercolor originals, etchings, and books for sale. Just beyond the green grass and the cottonwood trees is Embudo Creek, running strong.
Down the hill a bit is the second studio, full of social realism paintings.
Mike enjoys the view from outside the second studio.
Abby Mattison in her jewelry studio.
Abby chats with Mike and Karl in her studio.
Karl contemplates more paintings in the social realism gallery.
Mike, on the right, studies many more social realism paintings.
A cactus garden next to the studio.
On the trip back to Santa Fe, Karl and Mike ponder the gas pumps at a roadside gallery near Embudo.
