In the Southwest, coyotes can be a common sight, if you know where to look. In Native American cultures, the coyote is even more common, appearing in stories as varied as the origins of the universe and tales of pranksters. For Thomas “Breeze” Marcus, coyotes tend to “live” in his studio these days. They are welcome guests.
Honor Song, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 72 in.
“In Akimel and Tohono O’odham culture, coyotes play a significant role. They are teachers, wise but also mischievous. They are important to our oral traditions. The way they navigate through the desert, and how the desert provides for us, we treat coyotes with reverence,” Breeze says. “When a person passes away, it’s our belief that the coyotes will cry for that spirit and guide them, when it is time, to whatever lies ahead.”
The artist is careful with his words. The coyote’s role is special, and parts of the story should only be discussed when it’s the season for those stories. The coyote, the artist says, is sacred, as are its duties within O’odham culture.
Meet Me at the Edge, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48 in.
Never Catch Me, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 in.
Many of Breeze’s newest works invoke the coyote, including a major large piece titled Honor Song. “Creating these different worlds coming together, and then utilizing the idea of a coyote, that’s what’s behind this new work,” he says. “What’s funny about it is the coyote is one of the most oversaturated images of the Sonoran Desert. The silhouette of the howling coyote—everyone knows that image. Theirs is nothing wrong with it. You can find it at tchotchke stores all over. My paintings are the evolved version of that. I want to bring some life and soul back to the image.”
Breeze will be showing these new works, including Honor Song, in a new solo show at Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The show will be part of the gallery’s Guadalupe Street Feature series of shows. It opens February 13 with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m.
Breaking Cycles V, spray paint and oil on vinyl record, 14 x 14 in.
The works in the show will have Breeze’s iconic graffiti-style linework, almost all of it in some form of neon. One of his more iconic colors is a certain shade of blue that turns up in nearly every one of his pieces. He says he doesn’t have a name for it—Breeze Blue is available—and also says that he modifies it as he needs to for each work. And depending on the viewer, the color can look more blue but also green. “I have a bunch of pieces in the studio now and they all look blue, but then I look over and there three or four that look more green. Sometimes it’s the light or what colors that it‘s next to,” he says. “I gravitate toward colors that other artists don’t use. It was graffiti in my youth that taught me to use rich, highly saturated colors—blues, greens, magentas, oranges, yellows. It was urban street culture. If you’ve ever taken the I-40 from Flagstaff to Albuquerque, you’ll see that culture on the walls and train cars. I love seeing those bright colors.”
In addition to his coyote works, Breeze will also be showing new mixed media works on vinyl records. The show runs through February 26. —
Blue Rain Gallery
February 13-26, 2026
544 S. Guadalupe Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 954-9902, www.blueraingallery.com
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