Northern New Mexico Early Winter Scene by Betty Sabo [SOLD]

In this magnificent oil on board painting by venerable painter and sculptor Betty Sabo, the essence in the air of Northern New Mexico was truly captured by this Albuquerque artist. Sabo set traditional adobe houses against a brown, orange, yellow, white and blue backdrop to depict the quintessential early-winter day in this southwestern region.

The ground is dusted with snow patches, which is very typical for wintertime. Snowfall, and even heavy snowfall, is common around this area, but as sunshine is so plentiful, it usually melts quickly and begins to form patches on the ground. These snow patches seem to fit the environment perfectly, and they especially match the clouds, when there are any. In Sabo's piece she included a cluster of clouds in the background against an otherwise rich light blue sky. There is a large cottonwood tree behind the houses, featuring curved branches and light orange leaves. The tree is towering in height and almost seems to touch the sky in contrast to the humble, sleepy adobe houses below.

The village of houses each have steep-pitched roofs, unlike the flat roofs seen in other parts of New Mexico. This style of roof is made to shed snow, preventing it from building up as it can on the roof of flat adobe houses. The building in the back left looks to have a small steeple on top.

In the foreground of the piece, a simple dirt road curves in front of the buildings, and it is surrounded by yellow grass, shrubbery, and snow patches. The shadows cast by the buildings were rendered extremely skillfully by Sabo, and these hover over the dirt road as well.

The painting is framed in a striking, large gold frame which is separated by a linen liner between the piece and the frame. The painting is signed in the lower right corner Sabo. There is no doubt this is a masterpiece, which brilliantly conveys the quietude of a perennial moment in Northern New Mexico.

There is something invigorating about the atmosphere and spirit of the Southwest, particularly in Northern New Mexico. There is a reason so many painters, writers, and other artists are drawn to this region, and sometimes, just simply walking outside can provide a wealth of inspiration. Peaceful, sparsely populated, and visually dramatic, adobe buildings combine with the setting of high desert, mountains, wide open skies, and a fusion of ancient cultures to create a mystical landscape that has a propensity to deeply touch the soul and imagination. Although there is an abundance of subject matter, still, it's not easy to express the true essence of this seemingly timeless place.

Betty Jean Sabo (1928 - 2016) was a painter who was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Sabo rose to prominence as an artist while living and working in New Mexico. She majored in art at the University of New Mexico and studied for five years under German-born painter Carl Von Hassler. She is best known for her realistic oil paintings of New Mexico and Colorado landscapes, but she also found success and acclaim as a sculptor. Her works received many awards and are included in prominent public and private collections around the country. Today, she is highly regarded by New Mexico collectors. In 2012, New Mexico governor Susana Martinez declared February 10th to be Betty Sabo Day, in honor of the artist's considerable accomplishments. Sabo passed away in 2016.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Northern New Mexico Early Winter Scene by Betty Sabo is from the collection of a client of Adobe Gallery

Recommended Reading: WESTERN PAINTING TODAY-Contemporary Painters of the American West by Royal B. Hassrick

TAGS: Albuquerque, Carl Von Hassler, sculpture, bronze, Paintings, Betty Sabo