Minimalist Surrealism Takes Flight in Festival of the Cranes art

When the call went out for artists to submit work for the Festival of the Cranes, one piece soared above the rest. Titled simply Cranes, the winning design by Magdalena artist Joe Stanley is a striking example of what he calls “minimalist surrealism,” a style he hopes will become his signature.

Cari Powell, Festival of the Cranes manager with Friends of Bosque del Apache, said Stanley’s work immediately caught the committee’s attention.

“Each year we have an art contest to become the face of the Festival of the Cranes for that year,” Powell explained. “This year, when we received all the submissions, Joe’s really just stood out. We really liked it a lot. We liked how it was fun and playful. The geometric way that he depicts the cranes is really different. And we thought that was unique and something that we would like to highlight and celebrate.”

Stanley created the piece for the artist call using spray paint, enamel, and paint pens on hardboard. “I read the advertisement for a call to artists, and it just kind of came to me,” he said. “It was very extemporaneous. Boom, there it was.”

The artist, who splits his time between Magdalena and an island in the Bahamas, works out of the old Texaco station on Highway 60. As far as regular studio hours go: “Anytime I want to, I can definitely open all the doors and do whatever,” he said. His practice spans a variety of mediums, from painting and metal sculpture to furniture making.

For him, Cranes is all about evoking a mood. “It is trying to create an initial feeling, more than anything, that when you look at it, it relates a feeling to you,” he said. “Maybe when you first look at it, you get that surreal moment. Then the simplicity lets it relate to anybody who views it.”

While he currently doesn’t have an online portfolio, Stanley is considering launching a website to showcase his work and capitalize on the attention from the festival. He hopes his “square sun” branding will become instantly recognizable, much like the icons of pop art. “Anyone that sees a surrealist minimalist painting with the square sun—boom—you know, be like Andy Warhol,” he said.

“This year’s Festival of the Cranes will be held Wednesday, December 3 - Sunday, December 7, 2025, and will feature over 100 birding and photography tours, hikes, workshops and more,” said Powell. “Over half of the classes are free or under $20.

Friends of Bosque del Apache invites the Socorro community to visit the Nature Fair at the Socorro Convention Center on Saturday, December 6.”

Visit www.festivalofthecranes.org for more information.