Chasing Santa Fe: SPIRIT OF A STUDIO

B U N N Y T O B I A S

C H A R L E S G R E E L E Y

Photography by C. Whitney-Ward

I would love to spend an hour in Bunny Tobias's head...maybe two. It would be like standing smack dab in the middle of a Cirque du Soleil performance - wild, crazy and impossibly wonderful. And nothing on the outside of this savvy former New Yorker alerts you to the dedicated and talented re-cycle maven that lurks within. But, step into the studio/gallery/home she shares with her beloved husband and fellow artist Charles Greeley and you'll know immediately what I'm talking about.

Elegant whimsy...

Every room in this 300-year old house near Glorieta Pass is filled with art, and history abounds just outside their door. "This was originally a Spanish land grant," explains Bunny, pointing to the acres of bucolic fields that surround their home. "The Civil War actually came through our meadow."

They bought the house 42 years ago, nothing was plumb! One wall in the walk-through pantry slants intriguingly inward; doorways aren't quite straight and when Charles painted a very large canvas, he had to create a very tall door in the back wall of his studio to accommodate the painting. But, what a door...

And he had his way with the walls in their bathroom,

papering every surface.

And there are other artful details throughout the house.

Charles and Bunny each have their own creative spaces. Bunny's studio is in a separate building next door.

Inside there are surfaces galore, each accommodating

her eclectic creations...

The walls are covered with other artist's work and gifts from Charles of his work. "We love each other's work and are a tremendous support for each other. We're always growing, changing and evolving into new styles," explains Bunny, who met Charles when they both attended the New York School of Visual Arts studying painting. Plus, she says, when they gift each other with their work, it stays within the family.