Grant County Arts Happenings
Arts Council Plans "Phantom Studio"
On October 6, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., during Silver City's annual Weekend at the Galleries, 10 artists will appear out of nowhere to set up a "Phantom Studio"—with help from the Mimbres Region Arts Council—and create a piece of art to be completed in just eight hours, to be sold immediately after completion. The location of the Phantom Studio will be unknown until shortly before the artists and public arrive. It will appear in an abandoned building or empty storefront or some other space that is deemed interesting enough and available for the event. Those who find the Phantom Studio will be able to witness creativity in action as the 10 artists collaborate, and have the opportunity to take home a painting or two at the end of the day—as long as they don't expect the works to be dry or framed.
"These are all professional artists and, while they are put in a stressful situation of creating on a timeline and in the public eye, I think people will be surprised at the quality of work that will be created," said Faye McCalmont, executive director of the arts council.
The artists will work in a variety of media including acrylics and acrylic medium, collage, mixed media, oils, egg tempera, watercolor, block printing and performance. Participating New Mexico artists are Kourosh Amini, M.F. Dondelinger, Diana Ingalls Leyba and Zoe Wolfe of Silver City; M. Fred Barraza of Arenas Valley; Crystal Foreman Brown of Animas; Marilyn Gendron of San Lorenzo; Cecil Howard of Glenwood; and Judith Meyer of Bayard; plus Sandy Urban of nearby San Simon, Ariz.
Observing the work being created in the Phantom Studio will be free. The auction preview will start at 7 p.m. and the auction begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Buffalo Bar, 211 N. Bullard. Tickets to the Phantom Studio Auction are $15 (includes admittance to a dance following the auction, 9 p.m. at the same location) or $20, which includes admittance to the annual Wine Gala.
The Phantom Studio will be a rare opportunity for a variety of artists to work together under the pressure of time to create an original work of art. The artists will work with the inspirational word "Phantasmagoria," which means 1) An optical effect by which figures on a screen appear to dwindle into the distance or to rush toward the observer with enormous increase of size, or 2) a constantly shifting, complex succession of things seen or imagined, or 3) a scene that constantly changes or fluctuates. For information, contact the arts council at 538-2505, or see www.mimbresarts.org.
The Mimbres Region Arts Council (MRAC) also is commissioning two temporary, visually engaging and conceptually rich environmental artworks to be exhibited at the county courthouse and the Murray Ryan Visitor's Center in Silver City as part of the T.I.M.E. (Temporary Installations Made for the Environment) Project. The project is open to all artists who are residents of New Mexico. Artists must receive a prospectus to apply. Project amount is $1,500 per artist or artistic team, plus travel per diem. Deadline is August 1. 534-8671.
And the MRAC's juried show, "Cowboy Art," depicting the cowboy/ranching lifestyle of the West, continues at the arts council's gallery in the Wells Fargo Bank building through July 26.
Navajo weavers Sarah Natani and her daughter TanNibaa Naataanii will return to Silver City, offering a weaving workshop open to beginners and experienced weavers July 23-27, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in the WNMU Fiber Arts Studio. The number of participants is kept small, allowing for plenty of interaction with the weavers. In addition to the workshop, the pair will present a public lecture and display their works July 26, 6:30 p.m., in the WNMU Miller Library lobby. A visit to the workshop site will follow. 538-3138.
Silver City artist Mary A. Gravelle will offer a Wisdom Painting session July 17, 1-4 p.m., at Gallery 400, 400 N. Arizona St. (See the May 2007 Desert Exposure.) $35 covers materials and guidance, $20 deposit required. No art experience necessary. (860) 888-6998, marylovespainting@yahoo.com, www.wisdompainting.com.
The MainStreet Project will hold its second annual "Chair-ity Auction" at the Historic Silco Theater in Silver City on August 4, and is calling for artists to decorate one of 50 director's chairs for the auction. The organizing committee also is looking for volunteers to distribute canvas chair parts and help on the day of the event, including set-up, cashiers, "Vannas" and hors d'oeuvres. 538-4374, ads@desertexposure.com.
The Blue Dome Galleryat the corner of Yankie and Texas Streets in Silver City is exhibiting "Blue Notes," collaborative works by the Scribes 8 group of artists, and "American Wood-Fire," showcasing the wood-fired pottery of a dozen ceramic artists from across the country. Both shows run through Aug. 10. Also featured in the Blue Dome's upstairs gallery are the wood-fired works, from pig sculptures to unique dinnerware, of Marianna Roumell-Gasteyer. www.bluedomegallery.com, bluedome@zianet.com, 534-8671.
The Southwest Women's Fiber Arts Collectivehas announced several events: July 8 and 15, parts one and two of a Double Point Needle Knitting workshop; the group's general meeting July 28, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., location TBA; and "Vibrant Vessels: A Coiled Basketry Workshop," August 4 and 5, registration before July 31. 538-5733, info@fiberartscollective.org, www.fiberartscollective.org, workshop info: jean@fiberartscollective.org.
Artists and non-artists alike must book now for Art Workshop/Vacations with Ann Simonsen. The Silver City artist is setting up trips to Tuscany, Italy, August 25-Sept. 8 (registration deadline July 1) and to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Oct. 30-Nov. 9 (deadline August 1). Fees include accommodations, some meals and day trips. 388-5556, artworkshops@zianet.com.
Local artists Cecilia Stanford and Diana Ingalls Leyba are taking reservations for Tours de Force, an art-oriented excursion to Philadelphia Sept. 6-12, during the Fringe Festival. The trip includes visits to museums and artists' studios. Lodging, Fringe Festival tickets, museum admissions, studio tours and more are included. Single occupancy $1,470, double occupancy $1,080. 388-5725, 388-0649, www.toursdeforce.net.
Leyba and Ingalls Artsgallery continues showing small works by Crystal Foreman Brown. 315 N. Bullard, Silver City, 388-5725, www.zianet.com/LeybaIngallsArts.
The Twisted Vine, 108 E. Broadway, Silver City, will exhibit the works of local artist Mary A. Gravelle, with an opening reception for the artist July 8, 4-6 p.m. 388-2828.
The JW Art Gallery in Hurley is showing "Barelas a Traves de los años" (Barelas across the years), a traveling pictorial history exhibit, through July 12. 99 Cortez Ave., in the Old Hurley Store, 537-0300, www.thetown.com.
Las Cruces and Mesilla Arts Scene
White Raven Studiosand Wild & Beautiful Shooz, Too!will present "Kick up Your Heels for the Rio Grande Theatre," a kick-off fundraiser for the Rio Grande Theatre Endowment Fund on July 19, 5:30-8:30 p.m. The casual happy hour event will feature a live auction of one-of-a-kind shoe art by various artists, refreshments, music and a shoe fashion show. Tickets $15 at the Dona Ana Arts Council, White Raven Studios and Wild & Beautiful Shooz, Too! 523-6403, www.daarts.org, info@daarts.org.
"Dwelling," an exhibit by Albuquerque artist Becky Holtzman, will be on display at the Las Cruces Museum of Art, July 6-August 25, with an opening reception for the artist July 6, 5-7 p.m. Holtzman's sculptures, etchings and mixed-media pieces explore the concept of dwelling—in homes, in the body—as well as referencing ancestral and genetic knowledge—considering the relationship of home and memory, the objects and images that define "home" for the artist. Holtzman moved to New Mexico 10 years ago and uses natural materials, including rocks and bones, in her artworks. She holds a BFA in printmaking from Indiana University, and studied art in Italy through a University of Georgia program. Her work has been exhibited in Minnesota, Colorado and New Mexico and is included in several private and public collections. 491 N. Main in the Downtown Mall, 541-2137, museums.las-cruces.org.
The Museum of Artalso continues to host the traveling exhibit, "Ansel Adams, the Man Who Captured the Earth's Beauty," through Aug. 4, with a free lecture on July 14, 11 a.m., with California photographer Al Weber, who will speak about his experiences with Adams.
"Anything Goes," the Las Cruces Arts Association summer show at the Terrace Galleryat the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library, runs through August, with receptions to welcome visitors and meet artists July 6 and August 3, 4-5:45 p.m., as part of each month's Downtown Ramble. As part of the Las Cruces Arts Association's mission to offer affordable original artwork to the community, pieces are for sale for $200 or less. 200 Picacho St.
The Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureauwill exhibit "Open Spaces Matter" in July. Margaret Bernstein's watercolor art suggests the significance of solitude and inspiration offered to Las Crucens by the natural beauty of nearby open spaces. Two of the pieces are complemented by poetry. 211 N. Water St.
The Tombaugh Art Galleryof the Unitarian Universalist Church of Las Cruces will host a gallery showing of photography by the Fresh Eyes Photography Project, July 2-30, with an artist reception July 19, 4:30-6:30 p.m. The show will feature the works of young men incarcerated at the J. Paul Taylor center who participated in the fall 2006 and spring 2007 classes of the project. Local photographers Mike Groves and Emily Padilla are the teachers. 2000 S. Solano, 522-7281.
Laughing at the Sunwill host an exhibition of new works by Jesse Reinhard July 7-31, with an opening reception for the artist July 7, 5-7 p.m. The exhibition will feature new etchings and paintings as well as some collaborative work with NMSU artist Eric McKinley. 1910 Calle de Parian (inside the Old Tortilla Factory), 523-1890, laughingatthesunmesilla@yahoo.com.
After its summer vacation, the Patio Art Gallerywill reopen with "On and Off the Wall," an exhibit of works by internationally known mixed-media artist John Garrett, July 7-21, with an opening reception for the artist July 7, 1-4 p.m. 665 E. University Ave., 541-7401, www.patioartgallery.com.
Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Galleryhas announced its featured artists for July, Nanci Bissell and Carol Bernstein. 2470 Calle de Guadalupe, 522-2933, mesillavalleyfineartsgallery.blogspot.com.
Sierra County Arts Scene
The Monte Cristo Gift Shop & Gallery, will feature mixed-media artist Crystal Diamond and painter Holly Humphrey in July. Diamond is the newest artist to show her work at the Monte Cristo. Humphrey will demonstrat painting on leather hides at the gallery's 1st Birthday Bash, July 7. 35 miles west of Truth or Consequences via Hwy. 52, 743-0493, montecristo@zianet.com.