Photo Feature: Gene's artwork & furniture

As a special treat, I have some more photos to share which are related to this week's post, Architects, Tailors, & Wanderers.

(Updated to fix the photo display issue.)

Gene and Louise, 1926
New Mexico

Eugene Walker "Gene" Callin and his wife, Louise Merritt, married in New York in 1926. They decided to move to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they spent the rest of their lives and raised two children

Gene developed a prosperous plant nursery on property he purchased near Santa Fe. He was a landscape architect; many of the gardens in Santa Fe during those years were designed and planted by him. The garden at his Santa Fe home was filled with experimental plantings, as he sought out and tested plants for Santa Fe’s climate.

 Gene’s and Louise’s home in Santa Fe became a gem, filled with his work and hers; she was a needle worker and embroiderer.

Gene was a gifted artist and craftsman. He was deeply interested all his life in learning new techniques and using new materials. He was a master woodworker, making furniture and smaller pieces.

Gene's Curlew

He learned blacksmithing on the ranch, and wrought handles and hinges for some of his furniture. He learned to work with gold foils while framing his paintings and decorating small wood pieces. He loved working with unusual painting media. He was always whittling and carving.

He taught himself lapidary work, and created small treasures combining stones and metal and wood. If he could imagine it, he could create it with his gifted hands.

Gene's lapidary pieces

He was directly responsible for his daughter’s teaching herself cloisonné enameling, a craft she pursued for many years.