By Jacey Blue Renner
Artwork and Showings
If you visit Diane West Jewelry and Art on Main Street in Durango, Colorado, you might be surprised to discover gallery space devoted to showcasing the work of Abigail Eaton. Newly retired from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation after a 28-year history, Eaton is leaning into a quieter present and one of her other loves: oil painting. This month you will find her featured oil on canvas piece “Painted Pony” as our December cover.
“Now I’m pursuing my love of art again. Currently my love is oil painting. Oil painting kinda got into my skin,” Eaton says, after working extensively with print making and lithography, first as an undergraduate at Trinity University, in San Antonio, Texas, and later, transferring to the University of New Mexico. A background rich in art history and education, Eaton has also experimented with other mediums, including clay and ceramics.
In October, Eaton was hosted in Corrales for a well-received, private one-person show. Her original artwork, equal parts vivid aesthetic and impressionistic landscape, radiates the muted beauty and quiet essence of the Southwest. Native New Mexicans will feel a sense of honorific nostalgia inspired by Eaton’s warm Western-colored palates and familiar horizon lines, which capture the poetic verse of our region.
Often characterized by subtle, yet brilliant blues, greens and purples, her artwork captures the transformative qualities of light in both the New Mexico and Colorado skies.
“It’s really about the light and what that light is doing to the landscape,” Eaton said of her large canvas pieces. “I love color. You can’t help but notice the beauty here,” she said.
“I’m spending my time in my studio. Every day I go in and paint, throw some oil on canvas and see what happens. … If my art can make people happy and they enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed creating it, then it’s a win-win.”
New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation
After a storied career with the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation, which found Eaton first as a six-year volunteer, then as an event coordinator, 10 years as director of development, consultant, and ending her capstone tenure as the foundation’s CEO, Abigail Eaton’s imprint is clear.
“I started over at the foundation doing their events, which quickly morphed into fundraising and development,” she said.
Her background in fashion and talent representation as owner of The Eaton Agency was both integral to and a catalyst for her success at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation. For 29 years, she manifested success for the foundation’s annual fundraising event, Chocolate Fantasy Gala, ensuring all the behind-the-scenes and creative details were exceptionally executed. The annual gala benefits the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation and supports and advances key education, cultural and science programs.
While at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation, Eaton raised more than $16 million for programs. Her background in fashion show production also grew the success of Cretaceous Couture, the organization’s fashion show that sought to engage younger professionals.
“My focus was to try to engage that young, 20-30 something crowd and introduce them to philanthropy in New Mexico and try to figure out a catch that might draw them in,” she said.
Held during the fall to offset spring’s Fantasy Chocolate Gala fundraiser, the Cretaceous Couture fashion show originally used professional models and local boutiques to target younger professionals’ engagement, before evolving into a more community-involved event with family model involvement.
In June, Eaton retired from an incredible chapter within the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation, opening a new chapter in her own story.
“I really loved the foundation and what we were doing for the museum,” she said. “It was amazing. It’s such a great museum, and it’s such an important part of our community”.
In the Present
With retirement comes the freedom of choice, and Eaton is now happy to have an open schedule. Whether gardening and tending to over 30 rose bushes in the lush expanse of her backyard or embracing the singular moments to paint or spend time with family, Eaton is living creatively.
“My happiest time when I’m not with my husband here painting and hanging out in my back yard would be visiting my daughter and her husband in the Detroit area, and watching her ride horses, and just being with her,” she said.
As for what’s next for Abigail Eaton, she’s content to take a gap year and live in the present. “Just enjoying life as much as we can. Every day I wake up and say ‘Wow, it’s a beautiful day’”.
To view Abigail Eaton’s available pieces, visit Diane West Jewelry and Art: dianewestart.com.
