Veterans Honoring Veterans

I think of myself as a draftsman—like my father—and sculptor (like my younger brother) . My sculptures are buildings, built traditionally of adobe. They include the church at Picuris Pueblo (where I lived and worked for more than 30 years), kiva restorations, hornos and fireplaces (my speciality).

Drafting & Sculpting

My name is Gordon Vanus. My art is photography. My parents handed down an old camera when I was 10 years old. That started an adventure of learning and practicing photography that continues today. My first formal training was a semester of Photography as a sophomore in high school. At the end of the term several of us were asked if we would like to join a graphic arts program for our junior and senior years. We all readily excepted because we would have unlimited use of the schools darkroom.

Photography

My first career enabled me to see the world, experiencing the beauty of many countries, their people and culture. I have met a tiger face-to-face in the elephant gras of South Asia, climbed the fjord cliffs of Norway, seen artic wolves chasing mice in the snow, and watched the flight of an eagle over our Ship Rock. I have also experienced, firsthand, the death and destruction of war, and of how inhuman humans can become. My art derives from that unique pallet of life.