Welcome to West View Fine Art - featuring the works of Reid Bandeen
Reid Bandeen is a contemporary impressionist landscape painter who began his creative explorations at an early age, where his middle school instructors bought his first paintings. He currently lives and works in New Mexico, where he follows his inspiration to celebrate the splendor of the western landscape. Cultivating his painting abilities intermittently during a professional career in water resources, he resumed his early interest in painting through studies at the University of New Mexico, the New Mexico Art League and mentorship programs with selected contemporary master painters. Located in Placitas, New Mexico, Bandeen primarily explores the expansive panoramas and magical light of the American Southwest, though draws from studies prepared during his travels in the U.S. and abroad. Bandeen currently exhibits in assorted regional shows and competitions. Please call 505-867-5477, or write (via "Contact" page) to schedule a personal studio visit.
Cultivating a natural esthetic: The Art of Seeing
Our personal sense of reality occurs as a feeling, and the true test of my painting is to ignite the feeling of awe and mystery I have experienced from a scene in the viewer. Conveying “feeling” in a painting can be an elusive goal, and is seldom achieved by literal reporting. Rather than simply report an observed scene in paint, a work of art is achieved via a unique and original combination of drawing, composition, value, color chroma, color temperature, and careful harmonization of how each element of a painting interacts with all the others in the piece. Once achieved, this feeling is unmistakable and instantly recognized.
When asked what moves me to paint, I’m reminded that modern artists enjoy the privilege of standing on the shoulders of giants – those masters and instructors who have preceded us in the art tradition, and of a few pearls from some of these giants that have guided me on my journey:
“There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual – become clairvoyant. We reach then into reality. Such are the moments of our greatest happiness. Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom. It is in the nature of all people to have these experiences; but in our time and under the conditions of our lives, it is only a rare few who are able to continue in the experience and find expression for it.” - Robert Henri, The Art Spirit
“The artist frames a narrow view, studies and records it so that the viewer can give it full and utter attention. Your eye is drawn by the art to what you missed. Landscape painting also teaches us that a subject is infinite. Every moment is different in a landscape: light and shadow change constantly as do length of days, seasons, weather. Any object is subject to infinite interpretation; it is impossible to look too closely at nature.”
- William Berra, in Art Journey America – Landscapes
"....the object of a painting is the attainment of a state of being. The painting becomes a trace, the footprint of the state." - -Robert Henri, The Art Spirit
"To me there is no wilderness, there is only home, which is a living, breathing and evolving entity. I'm not painting it to be heard, rather I paint because
I want to listen." - John Potter
"Painting is ultimately about completing spaces. In many ways, the beauty of one's life is also about completing spaces, if having breakfast is considered a space, or a walk in the woods, all the way to the attention one gives to a lifetime. The more attention or beauty one gives to those spaces, the more depth and meaning the entire space may have." -Quang Ho
"Things of beauty act like small tears in the surface of the world that pull us through to some vaster space…. Letting the ground rotate beneath us several inches, so that when we land, we find we are standing in a different relation to the world than we were a moment before."
- Elaine Scarry (from On Beauty and Being Just)
"We live in a really chaotic world with a lot of negative things that people can get wrapped up in. But one of the things art brings to us is this: We can choose to live a graceful life. We can choose to focus on the good. Art gives us that moment of reflection and shows us there's still a lot that is good and beautiful in the world." -Cody DeLong, Jerome, Arizona. 2019
And as written on an old tombstone in Cumberland, England:
“The wonder of the world, the beauty and power, the shape of things, their colours, lights and shades; these I saw. Look ye also while life lasts.”
- as related by Scott Christensen, The Nature of Light
Cultivating a natural esthetic: The Art of Seeing
Our personal sense of reality occurs as a feeling, and the true test of my painting is to ignite the feeling of awe and mystery I have experienced from a scene in the viewer. Conveying “feeling” in a painting can be an elusive goal, and is seldom achieved by literal reporting. Rather than simply report an observed scene in paint, a work of art is achieved via a unique and original combination of drawing, composition, value, color chroma, color temperature, and careful harmonization of how each element of a painting interacts with all the others in the piece. Once achieved, this feeling is unmistakable and instantly recognized.
When asked what moves me to paint, I’m reminded that modern artists enjoy the privilege of standing on the shoulders of giants – those masters and instructors who have preceded us in the art tradition, and of a few pearls from some of these giants that have guided me on my journey:
“There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual – become clairvoyant. We reach then into reality. Such are the moments of our greatest happiness. Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom. It is in the nature of all people to have these experiences; but in our time and under the conditions of our lives, it is only a rare few who are able to continue in the experience and find expression for it.” - Robert Henri, The Art Spirit
“The artist frames a narrow view, studies and records it so that the viewer can give it full and utter attention. Your eye is drawn by the art to what you missed. Landscape painting also teaches us that a subject is infinite. Every moment is different in a landscape: light and shadow change constantly as do length of days, seasons, weather. Any object is subject to infinite interpretation; it is impossible to look too closely at nature.”
- William Berra, in Art Journey America – Landscapes
"....the object of a painting is the attainment of a state of being. The painting becomes a trace, the footprint of the state." - -Robert Henri, The Art Spirit
"To me there is no wilderness, there is only home, which is a living, breathing and evolving entity. I'm not painting it to be heard, rather I paint because
I want to listen." - John Potter
"Painting is ultimately about completing spaces. In many ways, the beauty of one's life is also about completing spaces, if having breakfast is considered a space, or a walk in the woods, all the way to the attention one gives to a lifetime. The more attention or beauty one gives to those spaces, the more depth and meaning the entire space may have." -Quang Ho
"Things of beauty act like small tears in the surface of the world that pull us through to some vaster space…. Letting the ground rotate beneath us several inches, so that when we land, we find we are standing in a different relation to the world than we were a moment before."
- Elaine Scarry (from On Beauty and Being Just)
"We live in a really chaotic world with a lot of negative things that people can get wrapped up in. But one of the things art brings to us is this: We can choose to live a graceful life. We can choose to focus on the good. Art gives us that moment of reflection and shows us there's still a lot that is good and beautiful in the world." -Cody DeLong, Jerome, Arizona. 2019
And as written on an old tombstone in Cumberland, England:
“The wonder of the world, the beauty and power, the shape of things, their colours, lights and shades; these I saw. Look ye also while life lasts.”
- as related by Scott Christensen, The Nature of Light
Thanks for visiting us!
Selected Recent Shows (Juried or Invited)
Santa Fe Plein Air Festival InArt Gallery, Santa Fe, NM June 2015
"Uplift," New Mexico Cancer Foundation Gallery Sept. - Dec. 2015
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Santa Fe Art Collector Gallery October 2015
“Western Visions,” Purple Sage Gallery, Old Town, Albuquerque, NM Nov. 2015
"Points of Departure," New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation Gallery Albuquerque, New Mexico March - June 2016
"Western Sanctuaries," Purple Sage Gallery, Albuquerque, NM March 2016
"Encantada," Rio Grande Art Association Annual Juried show July 2016
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico Spring Paint-out and show Jemez Springs Fine Art Gallery April - May 2017
"Refuge," Individual show at Purple Sage Gallery, Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico October 2017
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico Annual Juried Show Sorrel Sky Gallery, Santa Fe, NM November 2018
Fechin Juried Small Works Show, Taos Art Museum at Fechin House July 2019
“Landscape of Memory,” Albuquerque Arts Crawl featured artist Carla Forrest Gallery, Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico August 2019
Albuquerque Art Showcase, Albuquerque Convention Center August 2019
Rio Grande Art Association’s “Encantada” EXPO New Mexico October 2019
Santa Fe Plein Air Fiesta Sorrel Sky Gallery, Santa Fe, NM March 2020
Taos Plein Air E.L. Blumenschein Museum, Taos, New Mexico July – August 2020
Corrales Old Church Fine Art Show Corrales, NM October 2020
12th Annual Plein Air Painters of New Mexico Annual Juried Show, Wilder Nightingale Gallery, Taos, NM November 2020
23rd Annual Masterworks of New Mexico EXPO New Mexico April 2021
2021 Placitas Garden Tour Fine Art Show (invited artist). Placitas Community Library Gallery, Placitas, NM September 2021
33rd Annual Corrales Old Church Juried Fine Art Show Historic San Isidro Church, Corrales, New Mexico October 2021
“Down to Earth” New Mexico Art League Gallery January – March 2022
Gallery with a Cause 20th Anniversary Show NMCC Gallery, Albuquerque, New Mexico August 22 – Nov. 18, 2022
Placitas Artist Series (invited artist), Las Placitas Presbyterian Church, Placitas, New Mexico November 6 – Dec. 10, 2022
Landscape Art of Reid Bandeen, Placitas Winery, Placitas, New Mexico October 8 - 31, 2023
Recent and Upcoming Events
I'm grateful to have my work included in the Quivira Coalition art calendar for 2025, and in the "Far and Wide" show at the New Mexico Art League Gallery January 22 through February 22, 2025. Please join us for a reception at 3409 Juan Tabo Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111, on Saturday, February 1st from 4 to 6pm. Gallery hours during the exhibition are 10am to 4pm Tuesday through Saturday.
Selected Recent Shows (Juried or Invited)
Santa Fe Plein Air Festival InArt Gallery, Santa Fe, NM June 2015
"Uplift," New Mexico Cancer Foundation Gallery Sept. - Dec. 2015
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Santa Fe Art Collector Gallery October 2015
“Western Visions,” Purple Sage Gallery, Old Town, Albuquerque, NM Nov. 2015
"Points of Departure," New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation Gallery Albuquerque, New Mexico March - June 2016
"Western Sanctuaries," Purple Sage Gallery, Albuquerque, NM March 2016
"Encantada," Rio Grande Art Association Annual Juried show July 2016
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico Spring Paint-out and show Jemez Springs Fine Art Gallery April - May 2017
"Refuge," Individual show at Purple Sage Gallery, Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico October 2017
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico Annual Juried Show Sorrel Sky Gallery, Santa Fe, NM November 2018
Fechin Juried Small Works Show, Taos Art Museum at Fechin House July 2019
“Landscape of Memory,” Albuquerque Arts Crawl featured artist Carla Forrest Gallery, Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico August 2019
Albuquerque Art Showcase, Albuquerque Convention Center August 2019
Rio Grande Art Association’s “Encantada” EXPO New Mexico October 2019
Santa Fe Plein Air Fiesta Sorrel Sky Gallery, Santa Fe, NM March 2020
Taos Plein Air E.L. Blumenschein Museum, Taos, New Mexico July – August 2020
Corrales Old Church Fine Art Show Corrales, NM October 2020
12th Annual Plein Air Painters of New Mexico Annual Juried Show, Wilder Nightingale Gallery, Taos, NM November 2020
23rd Annual Masterworks of New Mexico EXPO New Mexico April 2021
2021 Placitas Garden Tour Fine Art Show (invited artist). Placitas Community Library Gallery, Placitas, NM September 2021
33rd Annual Corrales Old Church Juried Fine Art Show Historic San Isidro Church, Corrales, New Mexico October 2021
“Down to Earth” New Mexico Art League Gallery January – March 2022
Gallery with a Cause 20th Anniversary Show NMCC Gallery, Albuquerque, New Mexico August 22 – Nov. 18, 2022
Placitas Artist Series (invited artist), Las Placitas Presbyterian Church, Placitas, New Mexico November 6 – Dec. 10, 2022
Landscape Art of Reid Bandeen, Placitas Winery, Placitas, New Mexico October 8 - 31, 2023
Recent and Upcoming Events
I'm grateful to have my work included in the Quivira Coalition art calendar for 2025, and in the "Far and Wide" show at the New Mexico Art League Gallery January 22 through February 22, 2025. Please join us for a reception at 3409 Juan Tabo Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111, on Saturday, February 1st from 4 to 6pm. Gallery hours during the exhibition are 10am to 4pm Tuesday through Saturday.
Associations
American Impressionist Society
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico
New Mexico Art League
Studio Visits By appointment: Please call 505-573-2664 to arrange a studio visit
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico
New Mexico Art League
Studio Visits By appointment: Please call 505-573-2664 to arrange a studio visit