Gene Kloss

Born Alice Geneva Glasier
1903-1996

Since Gallery A closed in January, 2007, the Gene Kloss Collection has been turned over to:

Taos Fine Art at 103 Kit Carson Road, 505-737-5333, and email: asfa@msn.com.

The relationship between Gene Kloss and Gallery A has been long and special. Her close personal relationship with Mary L. Sanchez subsequently continued as a professional one as well, with the inception of Gallery A in 1960. Gallery A exclusively represented her new work for 25 years. Even as late as 1992, Gene was finishing some editions and providing Gallery A with new etchings.

Born in Oakland, CA and educated at University of California, Berkeley, she came to Taos with husband Phillips on her honeymoon in 1925 and in her words, 'considered herself a New Mexican from then on'. So dedicated was she and her husband that he toted her printing press on their honeymoon camping trip. She lovingly and with uncommon craftsmanship captured the landscape of the California coast, but is mainly known for her portrayals of Northern New Mexico land and its peoples. Her art was the result of her close and intimate response to where she lived, mainly in the form of approximately 627 etchings, some watercolors and fewer oils. Gene remarkably and impeccably pulled each print of every edition herself, never relinquishing her artistic power and high standards.

She is considered one of the finest printmakers of our time and her name has become synonymous with the Taos Art Colony.

Gene Kloss Self-Portrait

A partial list of public collections are the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC; New York Public Library, NYC; Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC; Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh; Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe; Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, PA; Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, TX; and San Francisco Art Museum, CA.

Her list of honors includes her recognition by her peers in 1950 when she was voted a member to the National Academy of Design. The National Academy goes back to 1825 and was founded by Samuel Morse, later inventor of telegraphy. The self-portrait seen above was an exercise expected by the Academy for induction. She signed many of her etchings with N.A. following her name.

Her amazing career spanned over seventy years and her work continues to grow in popularity as new generations discover the genius of this remarkably talented and marvelously humble artist.