Nature and our connection to it, is evident in the work of husband and wife artists Ben and Marcela Wright. Marcela works with adobe, and Ben with paint, but they have married the two mediums into one exploration of their connection to the earth.

Ben has a Cherokee heritage, but didn't explore that part of his self in an artistic way until later in life. He studied history in school, which led him into the study of Native American people, and later into their culture. At first he painted historical figures, but as he discovered the spiritual nature of these people, Ben's art evolved into a reflection of his interpretation of those beliefs. "There is a wealth of spiritual substance in the images I paint," Ben says, "and it is usually reflective of some of the teachings and understanding that comes my way. That knowledge manifests itself on the canvas."

There are many Native American teachings of how the "unseen," the spirit world, is manifest in the material world in a symbolic manner. Ben uses this philosophy in "Red Man," showing the blue herons as manifestations of the Holy Spirit, and the blue and copper spheres as symbols of the connection between Father Sky and Mother Earth.

Marcela came to the U.S. in 1993 from Mendoza , Argentina , and used the earth as a way to connect to the world she left behind. She found that the southwest dirt and sun are a perfect combination for that expression. She seems to have a life lesson in every step of her work. She describes the giant wheels she creates as a reminder to "keep going," her sanding process as "domestication," and the earth she uses as "something we take for granted."

The couple met in Sedona, and immediately felt a bond because of their shared interest in spiritual matters and a connection to the natural world. Before Marcella met Ben, she remembers admiring his work. When she tried to contact him on behalf of a buyer, she was surprised to find that they shared a town as well as the same interest in art. They moved to Anthem from Sedona two years ago to be closer to the artistic revolution taking place in the north valley, married, and found a family-friendly lifestyle for their two children.

They still take frequent trips to Sedona to gather the famed red rock dirt and white limestone. Marcella shapes a large piece of Styrofoam and then places burlap over it. She mixes the earth with water and a binder, and applies it to the Styrofoam. After that, the Arizona sun does its work, drying the adobe and giving it a weathered, cracked texture. Finally, Marcela often adds grasses, horse hair, and other natural material to give the canvas a more 3-dimensional look and add meaning. The result is an earthy, textured work, which displays well within the southwestern lifestyle.

Marcela likes the physical nature her work - gathering the materials and building the structures - which she says is about 85% of the effort. The last 15% is the creativity, though, which she considers the most important. But Marcela admits that the earth she uses sometimes dictates how the piece will look. Some parts of the clay absorb more pigment, causing the work to take on a life of its own. "It's a live thing," she says. "It will give you what it is; I treat it like a person."

The couple sometimes creates collaborative pieces, with Marcela crafting the "canvas" and Ben adding the human image. The result is an organic, natural, 3-dimensional background for the figure that Ben adds.

Anthem seems like the right place for Ben and Marcela and for their two children, who attend Anthem Elementary. Though the family lives in the tame Anthem community, they still try to stay close to Native American culture, both with their work and through the Hogan in their back yard. They use the Hogan for a sweat lodge, a purification rite used by the Plains Cultures for spiritual and physical renewal.

Both Ben's and Marcella's work is showing at The Thomas Moxley Gallery in Santa Fe, and Es Possible in Scottsdale. Ben's work also is at Joan Marcus Fine Art in Scottsdale , and online at www.oneworldart.com.

Info>> Anthem representative Donna Harper 623-551-340; Ben and Marcela 623-551-3802; benwrightart@msn.com.