"We have continued to beat this drum that praises and curses all that is, was, and will be,” write artists Sam Hawley and Oskar Petersen, reflecting on the process of creation for their upcoming show, titled Frozen Lake, I Swear. 

The two artists live and work in their hometown of Albuquerque. They describe their way of living as a process of constant collaboration: "We both end up living among our work, for better or worse, talking about it over dinner and coffee and as we watch TV," they write. "We are very fortunate to spend our time discussing whether or not a goose should have teeth in a painting or what a certain palette is evoking."

The result of their ongoing practice of creative collaboration is a joint body of work that celebrates resilience in romanticizing the day to day, and interjecting magic wherever possible. Hawley's work demonstrates a playful juxtaposition of familiar and friendly depictions of memories, exploring color through folk-inspired creations. Petersen's paintings, meanwhile, feature character and narrative-driven compositions offering glimpses into stories of triumph, failure, and impermanence. The brightness and thickness of his lines bring a tenderness and innocence to the work that can transform a scene from cluttered to comforting, acknowledging the shared internal condition of the artist and his audience.

Frozen Lake, I Swear is an expression of the creative impetus that drives both Hawley and Petersen: "a dreamlike celebration of the mundane or ordinary." The past year has been marked with profound personal loss for both artists, and this body of work is also a testament to resiliency and "the little songs we carry with us," they write. The show's ambiguous title invites interpretation, but evokes the idea of a temporary plane of existence represented by the image of standing on a frozen lake. The significance of the latter half of the title is kaleidoscopically reflected throughout the show. 

Both artists' work evokes echoes of memories and dreams melded with whimsical humor and references to pop culture. Hawley describes her work as anthems for her teenage self, "a calling card from the future telling a past self, 'We did it.'" Her work is characterized by a tender playfulness of shared experience with the audience. Petersen describes his own work as being "focused on intimate and destructive tendencies balanced with a more introspective focus." His work is narrative with a light touch, setting scenes which the viewer is then invited to embellish and inhabit with their own story. 

For this show, Hawley has experimented with incorporating oil pastels and paint sticks into her typical medium of acrylic paints, appreciating the textures they draw forth. Petersen works in oil pastels on artist-built wood panels, a medium that offers a depth of physicality, the layering of materials reflecting the layering of his imagery and ideas.

Gallerist Frank Rose first encountered Hawley and Petersen's work through a group show in Santa Fe, and was drawn to their lighthearted yet meditative style. "The playfulness and absurdity of Oskar's work really hooked me...and Sam's flatstyle aesthetic connects to folk art painting in a way that just makes me happy," Rose writes. 

Frozen Lake, I Swear will open at Hecho a Mano on Friday, January 2nd, and will be on view through February 1st, 2026.