03.09.24 Gene Kloss

From Black and White to Living Color:
The Transitions of Gene Kloss

By Rebekah Powers | March 2024

The name Gene Kloss conjures finely detailed black and white etchings of the Southwest. Gene Kloss’ etchings glow with a vibrancy that comes from the contrast of black snd white, an eye for dramatic composition and flowing evocative forms. A master draftsman, Kloss’ etchings have blacks so dark they have a slight iridescence, like the feathers of a crow.

Chimayo Trading has long featured the highly collectible etchings by Gene Kloss and recently acquired two major watercolor paintings that demonstrate her range of technique, her complete understanding of color and mass in painting, and her love of the landscape. One thing that makes these two paintings special is their large size, as compared to most of her other paintings which are much smaller in scale.

“West and East Mitten Buttes, Monument Valley” ca. 1960, plays with the range of oranges, reds and ochre of the land, dramatizing in light and shadow the two mirrored mitten formations. Kloss paints with a freshness that can only be born of confidence in her ability to switch from drypoint to a brush, and from black and white to rich deep color. These transitions signal the maturation and reach of her talent and hint at an emotional exuberance that so many historic artists have felt from the timeless beauty of New Mexico!

“Fraser Peak, Twinning NM, (Taos Ski Valley)” ca. 1930’s, is a master painting by Kloss with forms softened in sunlight that beckon you into the heart of the painting. Lush blues and golds of mountains spread upward into the sky, framed with the dark piñons in the middle ground. In both paintings, the movement of light creates dramatic shapes and compelling color shifts that give us new consideration for the artist, and a bit of pride that she spent most of her life here in Taos and became something of a documentarian for the ages.

“Taos In Winter” by Gene Kloss (1903-1996), Original Watercolor 1930

“Centuries Old” by Gene Kloss (1903-1996), Etching and Aquatint 3/25

“A Morning In April” by Gene Kloss (1903-1996), Etching and Drypoint Artist Proof, Edition of 50

Explore Chimayo Trading’s recent acquisitions by Gene Kloss, featured now in the main gallery, where you can note the transitions from black and white to color, from line to mass, and from precise etchings to the translucence of watercolor. The two beautifully framed paintings speak to the transcendent and talent and enduring vision of Gene Kloss, (1903-1996).

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Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557

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Contact us directly to discuss and evaluate your collection. If you’re an artist, contact us about the possibility of selling your art on consignment or direct wholesale purchase.

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