By Margaret Failoni

The return to San Miguel de Allende of Charles Seplowin brings us the Mexican/American artist’s most poetic work. Always creating lyrical pieces in ‘tromp l’oil’ Unicel (Styrafoam) mandalas, Seplowin has substituted his usual dark, bronze-like patinas for a pale, spring-like combination of light blue-white beige palette making the pieces rather romantic and light. Viewers usually are surprised at the light-weight look of the pieces, which usually appear like bronze. They also are usually surprised at their affordability. Seplowin explains that he wants art to be available for everyone, whatever the income.

The magical pieces are created in his *West Beth studio in New York City. Having recently retired as an art professor and director of the art department in New York’s Lehman College, Seplowin can now spend more time creating exhibitions for local and foreign exhibition sites. He tells us that he discovered sculpture as a college student back in the 60s and except for a period of time as a graphic artist, and in spite of his brilliant drawing abilities, he has dedicated himself to sculpture for the past fifty years. His work has been exhibited in permanent installations, including in the collection of the Art Museum of the Americas and in the West Beth courtyard. Seplowin credits Westbeth for making his life as an artist possible. “This building has been the inspiration and center of everything I’ve ever done,” he says. Westbeth is where Seplowin has created his artworks and where he has made his home with his family.

*Westbeth was created in the original Singer building in New York’s Greenwich Village in the late 60s as affordable studio spaces for upcoming artists. However, the artists never left even after acquiring success. It now houses homes and studios of many successful artists over the decades sand the Martha Graham Studios among others.