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MasterWorks of New Mexico 2026
28th Annual Juried Standard Fine Art Show & Sale


Artworks from the New Mexico Watercolor Society, Pastel Society of New Mexico, Rio Grande Art Association, and Bardean LLC

Our 28th Year of Showcasing New Mexico’s Master Fine Artists!


EXPO NM Hispanic Arts Gallery
300 San Pedro Dr NE (Gate 3)
Albuquerque, NM 87108

Exhibition Open to the Public: Friday March 27 - Sunday April 19, 2026, Tuesdays - Sundays, 10 am - 5 pm
Opening Celebration and Reception: Friday March 27, 2026, 5 - 8 pm


PROSPECTUS AND CALENDAR

        Rio Grande Art Association Workshop

Rio Grande Art Association Workshop

Tom Blazier - painting 1
Tom Blazier: Painting the Big Sky

New Mexico is known for its spectacular skies, and Tom is a master at painting these.  This workshop is well timed in advance of the summer monsoon season which inspires all of us. The sky, whether serving in a supportive role or as the main subject of a painting, is of utmost importance. Master landscape painter John Constable observed that, “the sky is the chief organ of sentiment in painting.” And Thomas Cole said, “the sky is the soul of all scenery.” 

Whatever your expressive goal is, understanding how the sky influences the subject will be one of your first decisions. This oil or acrylic painting workshop will explore ways of creating beauty through light, drama, color and luminosity. Attention will be given to the relationship between sky and ground and ways to strengthen compositions through effective placement of cloud shapes. We will use direct and indirect approaches and employ impressionistic techniques to create a sense of atmosphere in the landscape. The class will include explanation, demonstrations, and painting time with individual instruction.

While principles presented in the workshop apply to any medium, it is strongly advised that students use oil or acrylic in class. This workshop is for intermediate and advanced levels and for those who have experience working with oils or acrylics. Advanced students and students who have received prior cloud and sky instruction from Tom may work on independent sky-themed projects and personal expression while attending the workshop (contact Tom in advance for suggestions about this option).

March 31: The focus will be basic principles and how to create a sense of atmosphere and light
April 1: The focus will be designing clouds, and composing remarkable cloud shapes in the sky that can enforce, echo, or create the theme
April 2: The focus will be connecting the sky to the ground and making it work as a well composed and unified whole

Free demonstration, open to the public on Wednesday April 1, 2026

Materials List - Blazier Workshop 2026

Workshop Fees and Registration

RGAA Members: $285 | Non-members: $320

Registration will be available in November 1, 2025

Cancellation Policy

Full refund will be given if cancellation notice is received by February 27, 2026 at 6 pm and workshop registration is full; a $50 administrative fee will be retained if the cancelled space cannot be filled. No refund will be given if cancellation notice is received on or after February 27, 2026; extenuating circumstances considered. Please contact Sally Harris, Workshop Coordinator, at workshopchair@rgaanm.org for questions or to be added to the wait list if workshop registration is full.


WORKSHOP CONTACT: workshopchair@rgaanm.org

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Tom Blazier is a New Mexico-based oil painter whose work is inspired by the dramatic light of the Southwest landscape. Skies, the source of light, figure prominently in his paintings, and an ethereal quality can be observed in many of his pieces. His studio and plein air works have garnered many awards, and recent exhibits include Oil Painters of America Annual Juried Show, Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art and ArtsThrive at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History. Tom conducts workshops and classes in locations throughout the Southwest. His oil paintings are represented by Legends of the West Fine Art in Santa Fe, NM and The Karen Wray Gallery in Los Alamos, NM. His work is also available by commission. Tom is a member of Oil Painters of America and Rio Grande Art Association, and he is a signature member of Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, where he served as president in 2017. Tom received a BFA in studio painting at Northern Arizona University, and he has attended workshops with Matt Smith, Irving Shapiro, Ted Goerschner, Peter Nisbet and Cody DeLong. In addition, he earned a MS in journalism at the University of Oregon, and he has worked as an illustrator, newspaper travel page editor and features page designer.  WEBSITE
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