Mixing nature and architecture

Journeys of Growth, an exhibit by Raquel Hinojosa, is on display at Quinta Mazatlan. Hinojosa has focused on two sets of imagery: trees and arches. She has combined the duality of nature and architecture to produce the paintings and prints included in this show.

“The arches came after the death of her brother, fifteen years ago,” explained Leslie Howland, supervisor at Quinta Mazatlan. “She said she was having a hard time trying to get through it; her mother was in mourning for eight years wearing simply black. She was trying to help her mother come out of mourning and become alive again. So some of the arches have more colors.”

The prints and drawings depicting arches are symbolic attempts to focus on the passage from one place to another. In the context of this exhibit, it references the passage from this world to the spiritual unknown. The use of colors in each work comment on the quality of the passage.

“A Little Girl’s Dream” speaks of the innocence of childhood. Composed in pastel tints, it reflects trust and hope. The simple uncluttered style is in perfect harmony with the concept.

“An Arch in Love” shows a gateway surrounded by playful line patterns. These lines move around the arch in an affectionate mode, gently caressing the shape. The combination of the lines and the rich red arch communicate a burst of love and reassurance.

“A Full Life” seems to pay homage. It consists of saturated colors and a sense of action. Some of the linear shapes used in “An Arch in Love” appear here in oil, pastel giving them a more robust expression. There is still the loving, playful quality. The slightly off-centered placement of this arch and a second arch moving in from the right create a dynamic tension and feeling of life within the image.

“Everyone Admitted” veers from this cheerful pattern by being just a bit ominous. Gray is predominant; the colors are cooler. There is an emphasis on the uncertain feeling of the unknown. Possibly, this work admits to the reality of death.

The paintings of trees range from broad vistas to intimate views and move away from the obvious symbolic imagery found in the arches group.

“Trees and arches are connected in a unique way by joining the lives of individuals and connecting the ending of one life to the beginning of a new one,” Hinojosa said in her statement. “Trees represent an intersection. They connect the previous owners to the new ones through memories of an incrusted swing rope hanging from a branch, a favorite bench in the garden, or a tree planted at the head of a tombstone.”

“The trees came this summer after her father passed away,” Howland said. “And so this just kind of ties her life together and shows how she’s bridging the gap.”

The arches series seems far more engaging than the tree series. Both groups of works depict certain moods and reflect different feelings. But there is a charm about the arches that engages the viewer. With the exception of “The Hallway,” which shows a traditional rendering of a colonnade with an arch at the end, the arch images are all presented in a simple and direct style.

Focus on the arch as a symbol, an opening. The trees are often depicted as single objects. While the arch series is coherent and confident, the tree paintings are often technically uneven. Overall, however, the exhibit is a hopeful view of a personal metaphysical search. Also on display at Quinta Mazatlan is an extensive exhibit of wildlife photographs by Rolf Nussbaumer.

“Journeys of Growth,” will be on display through Feb. 9, at Quinta Mazatlan, 600 Sunset in McAllen. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information call (956) 688-3370.

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Nancy Moyer, PhD, is an art reviewer for The Monitor. She is an independent artist living in McAllen and may be reached at nmoyer@rgv.rr.com.