The Blue Show
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Made amidst life’s fullness, busyness and poignancy, these mixed media works are reflections on daily life, nature and the small things and materials that inspire us and catch our attention. Exploration, play and experimentation with materials guide us; plants, natural forms, connection to place, abstraction and ephemerality are central themes. Watercolor and acrylic paints, inks, cyanotype, collage and repurposed materials mingle in these works as active collaborators in our creative process. We combine saturated blues and Earth tones, layering and texture to create both a sense of curiosity and calm.
The Artists
The idea for The Blue Show was born from a studio visit.
“Want to do a show together? I’ve been making a lot of blue works….” said Nicole, looking at blue cyanotypes on Claire’s studio walls.
This show, a conversation in blue between artist friends, is the result.
Both Nicole and Claire grew up in Northern New Mexico, left to pursue their education and travel, but chose to return to their homeplace.
Nicole Thibodeau grew up immersed in the natural beauty of Taos, New Mexico. As the daughter of painter Rich Thibodeau and actor Karen Thibodeau, creativity was intertwined with daily life. She painted her way through a BA in Studio Art (Bethany College) and a MFA (Fort Hays State University). She also pursued her love of writing with an MA in English (FHSU). Further studies took her to the Art Student’s League (New York), Studio Art Centers International (Italy), and Lacoste School of the Arts (France). Recently, Nicole returned to Taos; she is the Assistant Director of the Taos Public Library, is taking library science graduate classes and makes and shows art whenever she can. She is grateful for the comradery of all those who share in the creative journey.
www.nicolethibodeau.com and @creativelexicon on IG/FB
Claire Coté is a multi-passionate artist, mother, community collaborator, and director of LEAP and Questa Stories. Claire's interdisciplinary practice synthesizes passions for art, education, collaboration, community building and social and environmental justice. Her work is a study of “place” exploring human and more-than-human worlds, interdependence, ecological relationships and their stories. She experiments across mediums: drawing, painting, cyanotype, sound, photography, interactive sculpture and installation. Claire holds a B.A. in Studio Art and Cultural Anthropology from University of New Mexico and an M.A. in Art and Ecology from Dartington College of Art, England. Born and raised North of Questa, Claire now lives with her husband and two young daughters in their off-grid home in Sunshine Valley.
@clairecotearts on IG/FB
Huge Thanks to Questa Public Library for hosting The Blue Show. Special thanks to head librarian, Sharon Nicholson and library art space curator, Peggy Trigg.
Giving Back: We will be donating 10% of all art sales from The Blue Show to Friends of the Questa Public Library, a nonprofit supporting further development of the library and its programs.
This exhibition is part of the Taking. Up. Space. initiative by Thrive Together Network.
T.U.S. is a Grassroots Female Focused Community Global Art Exhibition empowering women and nonbinary artists to exhibit their art in the month of May, 2023. There are over 80 exhibitions taking place around the world this year; The Blue Show in Questa is one of them. See more by viewing the #takingupspace2023 hashtag on Instagram.
