Georgia Gersh grew up here in Lama at the Magic Tortoise, one of Taos’ original communes, with her mother Annie and her father, the legendary and infamous Taos artist, Bill Gersh.

Bill came to Taos in 1968 and established himself here as a builder first, though a more free and connected artist I have rarely met. Artist, poet and raconteur par excellance, the man was a true force. Her mother Annie came here in 1971 and although they eventually parted ways, she and Gersh remained familial. In fact Gersh remained close to both the mothers of his children and was a great dad.

After Gersh passed away, Georgia and her older half-sister Rachel, spent a great deal of time curating and cataloguing their father’s sizable inventory of work. Bill Gersh was nothing if not prolific. His work can be seen at the 203 Gallery here in Taos. Their site along with a couple of others are linked below the post.

Georgia left Taos and lived in Boston for several years before returning to Lama a couple of years ago, where she lives in the home her father built, with her kids. Her mother (a remarkable woman) is very close by and they continue to live the way they always have on the mountain; in community with other like-minded souls.

As luck would have it, on the day Bill Curry and I went out to the Overland Sheepskin Complex to take pictures of Georgia at Magpie, her mother Annie and her daughter Gabriella were both there. Bill was able to capture three generations of extraordinary, authentically Taos women, in one shot.

An artist herself, Georgia shows her beaded jewelry and paintings, along with the work of some of the very best local artisans and artists, in a colourful, light filled space overlooking the Envision Gallery’s Sculpture Garden. The walls are hung with interesting work and many other wonderful treasures for the home can be found here. Georgia opened last year and already shows about 50 different artists at Magpie. Among them, Ivan Locke, Polly Fox, Margaret Nes, Larry Audette, Tizia O’Connor and Noel Anderson.

Her intention is to support and showcase more new, up and coming artists and to be the source in Taos for small, affordable work. For more info on Georgia’s Magpie and the artists she shows, please visit her site linked below.

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I recently discovered this great archival blog by the late, Steve Parks (one of Taos’ foremost art critics and dealers) and this interview with Gersh is a gem!

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Bill Gersh covers Paul O’Connor’s award winning book Taos Portraits

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To see Bill Gersh’s work

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Photographs of Georgia in the Envision Wind Sculpture Garden and with her mother and daughter inside Magpie, by Bill Curry.

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