from the artist studio
create his work. Carlos created an open-air work- shop area that allows for ventilation since his work involves a lot of heat and combustion. But being out in the elements also inspires his work. He’s immersed in the sights and sounds of the desert flora and fauna, and within eyeshot of his workshop is a view of Black Mountain––all of which has influenced his work. Being in Arizona has also influ - enced the look of his work in another, slightly unexpected, way. “Back East, I had access to very old steel that had been weathered by the elements from exposure,” Carlos said. “Here in Arizona, that weather- ing doesn’t happen. The territory is newer. We’ve been building for less amount of time and the weather is not conducive for steel to be corrod- ed much. It just creates a superficial rust. So my work has changed its look, to a point.” Though he brought as much of this old steel with him to Arizona as he could, he’s nearly exhausted his supply. Now, he has to recreate a lot of those textures through welding, grinding and cutting. But the land has also provided a few gifts, like massive tree stumps and roots, that Carlos plans to incorporate into his work somehow. Inviting harmony, contemplation and inspiration Amid the lush trees, shrubs and cac- ti, several of Carlos’s sculptural com- positions emerge from the ground. Though they’re composed of steel and concrete, they feel as though they’re a natural extension of the desert––and that’s not by accident.
tion space that would also provide an inviting escape for visitors. “As this progresses and takes shape, and the trees get bigger, I think it creates a sense of balance, harmony
A conversation with carlos
Carlos Page's studio in Cave Creek, Ariz.
M ixed media artist Carlos Page has spent nearly his entire lifetime in various metropolises. He was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, apprenticed in San Francisco then eventually moved to New York to con- tinue his studies and begin his career. These urban environments instilled in him a love for the materials you see in his work today: steel, wood and
concrete. Now, however, Carlos has traded the hustle and bustle of city life for the tranquility and serenity of the Arizona desert. Still, his love for steel, wood and concrete persists, so it isn’t any sur- prise that these materials would find their way into the making of his home and art studio. “I love architecture and engineering,
and part of my passion for working with steel comes from the fact that I associate it with those two,” Carlos said. “We built our cities, big and small, with steel. A lot of our civilization is based upon the use of steel.” Carlos’s love of architecture, en- gineering and even placemaking shines through not only his work, but also his recently built art studio and showroom, which he designed himself.
age and more specifically, properties that were zoned for mixed use. I want- ed to have plenty of space to make noise as I often do when creating my work. This place fit the bill.” Of course, when Carlos moved to the area, there wasn’t as much devel- opment surrounding him, but as the Valley continued to sprawl to accom- modate growth, he made plans to create some seclusion using green- scaping. “I wanted to create a
Carlos Page at work.
and peace––an environment that is inviting to contemplation and to see the work that is going to be exhibited,” he said. “It’s kind of a break from the commerce that surrounds.” He’s devoted a lot of time and ener- gy to creating somewhat of a botanic garden, and now that he’s nearly
Building the vision “The idea was always to have a place where I could live, work and show my work,” Carlos said. “So, this is kind of a dream come true. But it’s taken nine years and counting to get it.” Part of that vision includ- ed creating a place that was somewhat of an escape from the bustle of daily life and the surrounding city. As such, Carlos chose Cave Creek for his stu- dio, because at the time, there wasn’t much aside from desert terrain in sight. He also knew the town had a robust art commu- nity and liked that it was close to the Celebration of Fine Art. “Economics played a part too,” he said. “I was looking for acre-
“The idea was always to have a place where I could live, and work and show my work."
green fence around the perimeter precisely to allow people to come into a different world from what’s around here, which is mostly business,” he said. “With a lot of care and wa- ter, the trees are growing and that environment is being created.”
done, Carlos is ready to start reaping the rewards of the harmonious and inspira- tional space–– and tap into the creative
Through his artwork, Carlos aims to bring together his love of the urban experience with the natural world. He carried that same vision into the design of his studio, which, inciden- tally, uses the same materials as his artwork: concrete, wood and steel. While Carlos created the studio in part to work on larger-scale pieces, his bigger vision was to have an exhibi-
energy that has now been freed. “I have a lot of roots and shapes that are waiting for me to get to,” he said. “I don’t know exactly how it’s going to look or what it’s going to be, but I feel really good about it. Having closed this chapter, a new one opens up.”
Creating space to create This special slice of desert already housed a charming 1970s log cabin, which, after some restoration and renovation, Carlos turned into his living quarters. Aside from the cab- in, however, the rest of the land was relatively untouched. So, his first order of business was building an area to
Watch Carlos's interview here.
Steel & reclaimed wood, 44" x 33"
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Issue 2 | Fall 2023
Issue 2 | Fall 2023
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