S.B. LEJO STUDIO * STANLEY BARN ART

I have lived in New Mexico just about all my life, spent the 50s in Albuquerque, having passed 1st grade after the teacher informed my mother if I didn't learn to sign my name instead of drawing a horse head as my signature I would fail, I learned; my family moved away from 1960 to 1966. In 1967 we returned, I attended UNM studying among other things, stone lithography under Garo Antreasian. In 1969 I spent three months in San Miguel De Allende, Gto., Mexico, directed there by a friend who 'thought I might like it', the gift of a lifetime. I came home, went to Santa Fe, and got a job at the Museum of Fine Arts, where I met Laura Gilpin, photographer, and ended up working for her from 1973 to 1979; I wrote a book about the experience, available at the end of this website. New Mexico is my life and love, the landscape, clouds, history and weather speak to me like nothing else. This simple presentation illustrates what I want others to see as I do, it gives me such great pleasure. This presentation is exactly what you would see if you came to my studio.

1940s Heiser 14" hand tooled saddle with six Navajo scallop silver skirt hand stamped 1920s style Fred Harvey stamp decoration, rode it for years, in great condition $4500.00

1950s hand tooled saddle with replaced horn, rode it for years, too. $2000.00

Frederick Holt, Greenville, South Carolina... Yes Sina…I am fascinated by your paintings. Your interpretations of your subject matter are exceptionally creative and have an almost dream-like quality to them…particularly your Cloud Work. Introspective and Other-Worldly and Ethereal all combined in to one totally unique style! You are very talented as I have mentioned and you most definitely need to show your Work…Share with the World!

"Cloud #2" 48" x 48" framed oil on masonite $4500.00

"Cottonwoods" sold to University of Oklahoma, Norman. Please email sblejo@sblejo.com for any questions you may have

"Northern Hogback" 48" x 48" oil on canvas, w/o aluminum leaf custom frame-detail at end of this website-$6500.00. This painting came about after I was snowed in under three feet of it eight days, the experience of a lifetime. My truck was on the highway shoulder under a thick blanket of snow and I couldn't get to it. Eight days later I was able to free it up with help and drove to the grocery store, on the way back a vision of snow, hogback and sunset inspired this painting. The only canvas available had a painting on it, unfinished. This painting replaced it, however there is an inch-wide line about 2/3rds of the way down running from one side to the other (see detail). I was so intent on painting what I felt I didn't notice until it was done.

"MADRUGADA LA CORONA" OIL ON CANVAS unf. 49" X 49" NFS Collection of the artist. The Organ Mountains east of the city of Las Cruces are massive, rugged, steep and like nothing else in New Mexico. When the morning sun rises over them there is a moment when the face of the mountain appears flat and dark when it is truly three-dimensional and full of color, a mist of light hangs over the rock face and as the sun rises it creates shadows mimicking the rock outcropping at the very top. The light above the mountain is brilliant, greens, oranges, reds and yellows punctuate the effect, albeit it only for a minute or two.

"Cloud #1 " 48" x 48" oil on masonite $6500.00 custom aluminum leaf basswood frame

"Giant's Chair" triptych oil on canvas 23" x 43"unframed, $3200.00 The tiny bump on the right side horizon is locally known by the title of this painting, suiting it perfectly, seen from the Hopi mesas north looking south and in this case from the highway near Winslow looking north

"Cloud #2" oil on masonite/palette knife, see detail, 48" x 48" $5500.00 linen liner/silver frame

"Fall New Mexico" 48" x 48" oil on Masonite unframed $3600.00

The black silhouette of a million year-old 'hogback', sometimes called 'devil's spine is the remant of a volcanic tail once a massive rugged basalt wall, covered by the ocean and washed over by organic compounds completely. Millions of years later the basalt slowly is revealed once again by erosion of wind, rain and snow. This geographic form is extremely steep, often last to be covered by snow or washed by rain because of the angle. This rock was used in place by pre-historic Native Americans to chip in petroglyph images thousands of years ago, typically on the south side. It is likely most of this artistic embellishment was done in winter and the sun kept the artist warm in the process of many hours' work over many years.

"Stereoptican" diptych oil on canvas $3200.00 49.5" x 37.25" including frame, inset shows detail

The title has to do with the slide viewer I had as a girl, the images on a round cardboard that slipped into the viewer and clicked around to see the 'three D"' image. I always liked that idea. The details illustrate thin paint, not something I usually do. Gut feeling guides every painting, they are never the same and this is a good example. I never know where it comes from.

"Found Piano" glossy color print $125. 9.5" x 14.5" $125.00

"Dust Storm 1956" oil on canvas, vintage linen liner/gold frame $3800.00

'CLOUD #3" OIL ON MASONITE/PALETTE KNIFE 48" X 48" $3500.00 a vision of clouds racing through moonlight in white metal frame with linen liner SOLD

"Southern Hogback" oil on canvas 48" x 48" unframed, $4800.00-a typical storm with multiple cloud color and shape.

"Palm Trees Queretaro, Mexico (Sunrise and Rain) 1969 oil on canvas, unframed 12" x 19" $500.00 each $800.00 for the pair

"White Road", oil on masonite, the Milky Way, referred to by the Maya prehistorically as where we go after we die, 48" x 48" framed $3200.

Detail of "White Road"

New Mexico is primarily an agricultural state. In the southern end green chile, cotton, corn, cabbage, onions, pecans, pistachios and alfalfa are grown, along with cattle and sheep production. In the spring, farmers till their fields in long straight furrows, plant their crops and then open weir gates to their fields, water from Elephant Butte dam gurgling and flooding their ditches. The difference between dark brown rich soil and mirror-like water flowing into those furrows is miraculous. Shining water reflects clouds and blue sky, a fine contrast for the deep brown color of fragrant earth.

"Water Series-Desert" monotype-ink on Arches white rag paper unframed 22" x 30" $1200.00

"Water Series-Spring" monotype-ink on Arches white rag paper 30" x 22" $1200.00 unframed vertical shown here horizontally

"Water Series-Canales" ink on rag paper monotype 22" x 30" unframed $900.00

"Water Series Night" 30" x 22" monotype-ink Arches white paper $800.00 unframed in archival double mat $1200.00

"WORKING WITH LAURA GILPIN, PHOTOGRAPHER" In 1971 I began working at the Fine Arts Museum, Santa Fe at the front desk in the lobby. In 1973 the curator, Edna Robertson, author of "Artists of the Canyons and Caminos" told me to expect a woman that afternoon and bring her down to the basement office when she arrived. That woman was Laura Gilpin and she was there to arrange her one and only retrospective, a show so popular it was extended twice, to Miss Gilpin's utter surprise and pleasure. I was given the task of keeping records on orders and sales of her photographs and deliver those records to Miss Gilpin at her home every week or so. We became friends and she asked me to work for her, as I planned to leave the museum. I was very pleased to have this opportunity and began a relationship involving various responsibilities, the final result was working as her personal secretary and gallery manager. It was the experience of a lifetime, and I was encouraged to write a book on my memories as a real-life description of her at work; the darkroom, studio and portrait gallery were in her home. It was a bigger project than I imagined, more than thirty years later I completed and published it myself. There are vignettes of her discussions with friends like Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham and Beaumont Newhall. She often received Navajo visitors arriving unnanounced having driven all the way from the reservation to see her, go through her book page by page, "The Enduring Navaho" pointing at 1930s images of relatives or themselves as babies, always followed by laughter and good will, although often the Navajo spoke little or no English, mattering not one whit. Mutual respect and veneration between them all as palpable. Her one and only gallery representative, Lee Witkin from New York City, became my very dear friend and "Uncle Lee" to my small daughter. The book has vintage photographs of her home by my friend, and Miss Gilpin's friend, J.B. Smith, well-known photographer and head of the New Mexico Film Commission for 22 years. It contains 50 pages of manuscript and 28 pages of her well-known photographs with unique information she provided while I listened, fascinated by everything she said. The book comes in soft cover $56.00, hard cover $65.00 and cloth bound with silver embossed title $85.00, shipping is $20.00

“Man of Constant Sorrow An American Memory” self published March, 2024, after twenty five years' writing. It began with the title “You Are My Flower”, a song Flatt and Scruggs made famous years ago and favorite of my father. Flatt and Scruggs figured in our lives, along with early country music, all in my father’s background. This story was begun in 1998 as a sort of remembrance and took on a life of its own within a very short time. What started as a story about my father and his family mystery and the idea I would never know what happened, unknown for good as far as I knew was a story beginning 20 or so years before I was born. In 1932 two meddling fathers made up a rumor still ricocheting today, their unseemly behavior dividing people who continue to carry their beliefs, right or wrong, determined sides taken and kept. People won’t talk to each other, people blame and point accusatory fingers at each other, no room for love, or interest in forgiveness or understanding, except for a very few. Those people never want to know what happened-they only want to take sides. Fifty years after I was born, through a single chance meeting at a gallery on Canyon Road where I worked in Santa Fe answers started falling into place. This is the story. Soft cover only-$52.00 + shipping

Several paintings are framed in this custom aluminum leaf basswood frame fabricated by Mirror-Mirror, including "Cloud #1" and "Cloud #2"

Thank you for visiting S.B. Lejo Studio. I will be happy to answer any questions and provide detailed photographs when requested. Shipment of paintings is done using Armadillo Art Boxes, a method I have found very successful, estimates provided upon request. Many of the pieces were done in the early 90s and have never been shown. Please address any questions or orders to sblejo@sblejo.com. Payment in the form of bank certified check accepted at P.O.B. 4723, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502

DEWAYNE COLE ** STANLEY BARN ART

Dewayne in his studio door with one of his paintings of the famous Landon Store trucks. The Landon Store was a landmark for years, gathering place, gas station, antique shop, grocer and place for anyone to come set by the fire and play checkers kind of place. Dewayne he is often in his studio, or email sblejo@sblejo.com and I will get the message to him.

This painting is one of many antique truck images Dewayne has done, this one in his hand-made frame, if not noted as handmade frames are commercial and antique. New Mexico landscape shown below always essential inspiration, with or without trucks.

"Hilliry" as a youngster, in her finest new halter. You can also find mule, cow, horse and dog portraits by Dewayne at Stanley Barn Arts. $500.00

Dewayne Cole, sole proprietor of STANLEY BARN ART, and native New Mexican, makes him a uniquely wonderful artist with an innate ability to view and recreate for the rest of us to enjoy, images of ranch scenes, horses, dogs, mules, movie sets where he was an extra, bobwire fence, mountains, trucks, gas pumps and anything else New Mexican moving him to paint. His method in acrylic on board or canvas is self-taught with great sensitivity for his subject. He often uses 'found art' framing material in original condition to finish his work, sometimes embellishing with horse hames, bits, bobwire, and of course. mule shoes or horse shoes. His down-to-earth philosophy comes through in all his work.

"Shiprock" 34.5" x 28.5" framed acrylic on board $3,000.00 Shiprock, a fantastic natural formation, the inner cone left over from a volcano thousands of years ago on the Navajo reservation in northwestern New Mexico. The Navajo people revere it as a powerful part of nature and important symbol for them.

"Bridge Down" 31.25" x 25.25" frame, 24" x 18" framed $800.00 Dewayne operated heavy equipment for the county for years, he always had his camera handy, whether working or on a trip, many of these photographs became inspiration for paintings.

"47 Chevy" 27.5" x 23.5" framed, 16" x 20" $2500.00

"Into the West" 22" x 27.5" framed, 18" x 24" $2500.00 framed. This work is the result of Dewayne's performance as an extra in the film.

Silverado Movie Set" 19" x 23" framed 16" x 20 unf. $5500.00 the artist was an extra in this movie. "Ojo Caliente" look for riders in the sky and clouds.

"Ojo Caliente Old Time Drilling Rig" found art wood frame, 25" x 19" framed, 20" x 16" unf. $8,000.00

"Stanley Gulf Pump and Chevy" in hand made framing by Dewayne, 30.75" x 24.75" , without frame 26" x 20.25" $7,000.00

"Old Trucks" 20.5" x 24.5" framed, 16" x 20" unframed $3000.00

"Clydesdale 2002" Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta and the Olympic Torch passing, framed (not shown) 32" x 30.5", unframed 18" x 24" details of framing as shown here Price on Request

"Keep Gate Shut" 20" x 24.5" framed, 16" x 20" unframed $4,000.00

"Red Neck Pic-up" 20" x 24" framed, 16" x 20 unframed $5,500.00

"Estancia Water ?" 25.25" x 19" framed, 16" x 20" unframed $3,000.00

PLEASE DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS FOR STANLEY BARN ART TO DEWAYNE COLE BY EMAILING SBLEJO@SBLEJO.COM. Payment by certified bank check or cash always accepted.