D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
September 2009
Art Shorts
Page: 2The 8th annual "5000 Flowers & More" exhibit, commemorating the tragic events of 9/11 and sponsored by the GFWC Progress Club, opens at Branigan Cultural Center Sept. 4, with a reception for the artists on Sept. 11, 5-7 p.m. The mixed-media exhibit features works with a floral emphasis.
Also at the Branigan Cultural Center, the Artamants membership show opens Sept. 4, with a reception 5-7 p.m. The exhibit will be open through Sept. 26. Loosely translated from Latin, Artamants means "lovers of art."A collaborative of local artists, Artamants has been gathering weekly for over a decade to paint, share techniques and camaraderie. Members include Nabuko Bassett, Beverly Denny, Flo Hosa Dougherty, Sheila Duffy, Marie Dwyer, Tom Gerend, Jennifer Goude, Mayanna Howard, Betty Hummer, Darlene Hungate, Janet Jackson, Jo Ledbetter, Sally March, Burt Rawlings, Susan Rivera, Virginia Roach and Kathy Squires. 501 N. Main St., 541-2154, las-cruces.org/museums
The New Mexico State University Art Gallery will open its first exhibition of the 2009-2010 season, "Of Water and the River: Meditations on the Rio Grande," with a reception at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11.The exhibition, which is an installation of photographs, maps, artist's books and drawings, will run through Oct. 24. Created by San Diego artist Joyce Cutler-Shaw, the exhibition is a celebration of the Rio Grande and explores the history, engineering, nature and the politics of water. D.W. Williams Hall, University Avenue, 646-2545, www.nmsu.edu/artgal
Dennis Lujan has announced that his two-year-old In Effect Gallery will cease to exist as a gallery as of Sept. 1. Lujan says the purpose of the gallery was never to make money but to provide space for artists who otherwise tend to get overlooked in the art community. But personal and family health issues are requiring more of his time, he says, than he can make available while still operating the gallery. Lujan will retain the property, but it will now serve entirely as his family's residence and his studio. "I plan on hosting three or four open studio tours yearly, but am no longer able to commit the time necessary to operate a gallery in the manner I want," he says. Lujan will not be leaving the Las Cruces art scene, but continue to show work in other local galleries, in addition to the studio tours.
Got fruit? "Falling for Food," an exhibit of works depicting fruits and vegetables of the season by the Ten O'clock Club artists, opens at the Big Chair Cafe & Thierry's Pastry, 2701 Picacho, Sept. 10, 10 a.m., The exhibit can be seen during all cafe hours, 7:30 a.m.-3p.m., Monday through Friday, through Nov. 9.
The New Mexico Watercolor Society, Southern Chapter, will hold its monthly meeting Sept. 13, 2 p.m., at Good Sam's, 3011 Buena Vida Circle. Catherine Brenner, president of ArtForms, will talk about "Art Fusion 575," an upcominglocally produced Public Television program about art in Southern New Mexico. Award winners from previous watercolor exhibitions will also show and talk about their paintings. 647-1193.
In conjunction with the continuing 2009 Summer Exhibition at the Preston Contemporary Art Center, abstract painter Diane McGregor will be featured in the latest of a series of Artist Dialogues on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m. McGregor lives and works in her studio located on five acres of high mountain desert outside Santa Fe. Nature has always been a significant factor in her environment and inspirational to her work. McGregor methodically weaves together horizontal and vertical brushstrokes, generating a grid-like structure. She uses fan brushes, giving a delicate complex weave to the web. As the composition gradually emerges from the matrix of layered brushstrokes, the artist intuitively responds to the subtle balance of form, color and texture that has been created. 1755 Avenida de Mercado, Mesilla, 523-8713, www.prestoncontemporaryart.com
The 2nd Annual What's Art? Convention, "Exploring the Creative and Green Economy of Southern New Mexico," and the What's Art? Street Festival, will take place Oct. 2-3 at Alma d'arte Charter High School, 404 W. Court Ave. The event includes workshops on selling, insuring and collecting art, art in schools, demos of art — including an ice sculpture — and a reception for John Villani, author of 100 Best Small Art Towns in America.. 646-2391, talkingstick.info.
Sierra County Art News
A new exhibit, "Bounty and Beauty: a Harvest Festival at Percha Creek Traders," is scheduled at the Percha Creek Traders gallery in Hillsboro on Sept. 5. All merchants in the small town will be open that day, including the two local restaurants.
The September Art Hop in downtown T or C will be Sept. 12, 6-9 p.m. www.torcart.com torcgalleries@gmail.com
"Force of Nature," an exhibit of works by Susan A. Christie, will be on exhibit at RioBravo Fine Art, 110 Broadway in T or C, with an opening reception for the artist Sept. 21, 6-9 p.m. The show consists of a new collection of ink and water media paintings from a year-long "Artist in Residency" at the gallery. 894-0572, riobravofa@gmail.com, www.riobravofineart.net