Goldenstein Gallery's Susan Makara Featured in Kathmandu

Goldenstein Gallery artist Susan Makara's fascination with cairns began during a trip to Sedona, Arizona in 2000. She never imagined that a morning excursion would take her paintings around the globe including becoming the favored piece at the United States Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal.

As she hiked she entered an area and before her were literally hundreds of manmade pillars of balanced rocks. She found herself in a state of awe as she wandered among them. One structure was so large it obviously took the concerted effort of a least four people to build. Another was taller than she was. She pondered what they were all about? Experiencing a profound sense of connection, she spent the rest of the day photographing these precarious 'rock piles.'

Soon, as Makara describes it, "Rock paintings exploded from me!" Transfixed, she painted well over one hundred pieces.

Along the way she discovered that all over the world, from ancient times until present, from mountains to deserts and coasts, people have built cairns. Sometimes they mark a significant place or tomb, serve as communication, mark a trail, or have a religious purpose.

Collector's responded to this series with a fervor, finding their own sense of balance and calm when viewing these special pieces. They have ended up in locations from the US to Ireland to Australia and Germany. Now one of her pieces is in the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu.

In her letter of thanks U.S. Ambassador Alaina B. Teplitz wrote "Everyone who sees this work is fascinated by the play of light over the metallic leaf. It is, without a doubt, the most favored work in the house. Your work lends a personal touch to our cultural diplomacy and I have been very pleased to share this slice of America with the hundreds of visitors who attend events at my residence every year."

She continues, "Your role-through your art- in educating, engaging, and inspiring audience in Nepal helps further our policy priorities, and highlights that the connections between people, more so than Governments, are what truly bind us together."

The response had been so positive that Makara's piece was selected as the cover image for the Embassy Catalogue.

Makara's Sedona rock paintings possess a three dimensional quality capturing the true essence of the red rocks and how the light moves across them. One cannot always see it, but Sedona's red rocks glitter in the sunlight because of the large amount of silica in them. To create this glowing effect, the textures in Makara's pieces are created by a variety of acrylic gel mediums applied by palette knife. The highlights and shadows are acrylic and metal leafing.

"Cairns allow us to ponder the balance of life. Painting is my medicine. It calms me. It is healing," says Makara.

You can find Susan Makara's work at Goldenstein Gallery in Sedona, AZ. For more information on their Artists, Artwork, City Wide Exhibitions, Artists in Residence, Artist Coffee Talks and events please visit GoldensteinArt.com. You can sign up for their informative monthly E-zine, find them on Instagram and Facebook or call 928-204-1765. Open daily, Goldenstein Gallery's new address is 150 State Route 179, at the corner of SR179 and 89A.

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