Pinata....

 

Pinata (Self-Portrait) is a painting by American artist Tina Mion.  Mion lives in Winslow Arizona where she and her husband own and operate the La Posada Hotel.  That is where I saw this painting along with a large collection of her paintings.  

Here is the artist's description of this painting:

I imagined myself as a pinata.  My mahl stick (to steady my painting arm) is the pinata buster, because painting both sustains and pummels the artist. Tumbling out are the objects and events that make me who I am.  The only parts that were realistic and unbroken by time I finished were my eyes and right hand.  With them intact, all my joy and pain could be stuffed back inside.  Without them, I could no longer paint, and thus would be broken beyond repair, and beyond recognition.

Government Job

 

There is a touch of whimsy in this painting by artist America Meredith.  Ms. Meredith is an artist, art curator, art critic and editor.  She combines her Swedish and Cherokee backgrounds to explore the intersections between language and image.  The name of this piece from 2005 is "Government Job" and it was seen at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe New Mexico.  

Other Worldly

 

I love the name the artist has given to this painting, "South of Jupiter, West of the Moon".  It has such an 'other-worldly' sound to it.

This artist is Marcia Molnar an Arizona artist who has been inspired by the likes of Ed Mell, Georgia O'Keeffe and Maynard Dixon. I can see those influences in this painting.  Ms. Molnar comes from a family of artists so painting is second nature to her.  You can see more of her work here.

This painting was seen at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in Wickenburg Arizona.