JAMES AYERS: The Importance of Play

Like many artists, James Ayers' work took a turn during the Covid-19 pandemic. Seeing the enjoyment his kids took from playing with paint in his studio and exploring their creativity inspired him. 

- Chadd Scott

Previously, his paintings were academic. What would happen, he wondered, if he allowed himself to "play"? He dabbled in incorporating crayon and spray paint with his traditional medium of oil paint in his landscapes. It energized him, then it snowballed. After many successful years depicting historical representations of Native American figures, his career took a sudden left turn.

From September 15 through September 24 at Canyon Road Contemporary Art in Santa Fe, Ayers' new direction will be on full display in a solo exhibition titled Scratching the Surface: A Journey through the Layers.

"The element of play and exploration are first and foremost in these paintings," Ayers says. "I love the idea of play because it really opens up your mind-it's where your mind learns the best, it's where you can explore and experiment." His experimentation reveals itself in the layers and unconventional tools he's incorporating into the new work-like crayon.