D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
December 2009
Art Shorts
Silver City/Grant County Arts Scene
Hutchings Fine Art, 211 B N. Texas St., is shutting its doors, but the Yankie-Texas gallery space won't be empty for long. Look for a new co-op gallery to open soon in the recently vacated space.
Gallery 400 will present new watercolor paintings by Brent Flenniken, with an opening Dec. 4 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. In the Gila House Hotel and Gallery, 400 N. Arizona, 313-7015, www.gilahouse.com
Seedboat Gallery continues its 4th annual jewelry show through the end of December, with an artists' reception Dec. 4, 4-7 p.m. Featured artists include Abby Foulk, Jude Filppi, Shelley Birch, Maureen Brusa Zappelini, Lori Mitchell, Ginny Wolf, Kathy Anderson, Leslie Jensen, Judith Meyer, Gina Heiden, Louise Wilson and Christine Baker. 214 W. Yankie St., www.seedboatgallery.com
Carpentero and santero Antonio Otero will be featured at an artist reception Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. at Anima! Gallery, 215 W. Yankie St., 574-7808.
Yankie Street Art District galleries will be open late for "First Friday" beginning Dec. 4, and will also join in downtown holiday festivities on Dec. 12.
The 29th annual Mimbres Hotsprings Ranch Studio Sale will be Dec. 5-6, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days. More than 20 new and returning artists will be featured, selling handcrafted gifts of all sorts, along with live music, refreshments and door prizes. Take Hwy. 152 to the Mimbres, Hwy. 61 to Royal John Mine Road, follow signs two and a half miles.
The Mimbres Region Arts Council/Wells Fargo Bank Gallery will open a new show Dec.11, with an opening reception 5-6:30 p.m., featuring the watercolors and photography of John and Nancy Wachholz. 1201 Pope St., 538-2505, www.mimbresarts.org
This month also brings the arts council's 28th annual Black Tie at the Buffalo gala, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. Theme for this year's MRAC fundraiser is "A Gilded Gala," transforming the Buffalo Dance Hall in downtown Silver City into a Venetian Carnival. With masks, glitzy and formal attire, guests will celebrate MRAC's 30th anniversary and the holiday season to the music of a rock/blues band from Phoenix, the Jump Back Brothers. Attendees are asked to create their favorite gourmet hors d'oeuvre or dessert to share and a cash bar will be available. Tickets are $30.
The annual San Vicente Artists' Christmas Show will be held at the Silco Theater on Dec. 12 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., in conjunction with the Grant County Art Guild. The SVA's regular Christmas meeting will be held later the same day at 6 p.m. at Chris Semler's home, 302 E. 19th St., followed by a potluck. For information call Diane Reed at 534-4269.
Award-winning potter Romaine Begay will have a studio sale, Dec. 19, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 3235 Little Walnut Road, 590-0698, biginjun@yahoo.com
The Silco Theater will host an art market on Dec. 19, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Las Cruces & Mesilla Arts Scene
Mesilla's newest gallery is Los Artesanos Galeria, located in the Old Tortilla Factory at 1910 Calle de Parian, with a grand opening scheduled for Friday, Dec. 11, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and a meet-the-artists reception 5-7 p.m. The artist-owners of the new gallery are glass artist Greta Burger, gourd artist Latana Bernier, potter Rudy Lucero and Ramon Escalante, a painter on wood and leather and sculptor of stone-and-metal pieces. The works of several guest artists will also be included.
The four artists met earlier this year while participating in an American Cancer Society "Relay for Life" fundraising event, held in the same space at the Old Tortilla factory. Says Escalante, "We agreed there was a need for artists of good quality to be able to offer their work directly to the public." Lucero adds, "We also wanted to offer work hand-made by each artist, right here in this area."
Regular Galeria hours will be Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 526-1144, LosArtesanosLC@aol.com
Another new Las Cruces gallery will be opening at 121 Wyatt Drive, Suite 1. The Southwestern-themed art space run by Donna Johnson will reportedly be called New Mexico Art.
M. Phillips Fine Arts Gallery and Studio A 440 in downtown Las Cruces have moved to a new location at 221 N. Main St., next to the Rio Grande Theatre. Owner Gail Bleiweiss says the site will offer more space for exhibiting artwork and a quieter locale for music lessons. 525-1367.
The Border Artists and KRWG-FM will again hold their holiday fundraiser for southern New Mexico's public radio station, with an opening reception Friday, Dec. 4, 5-8 p.m. A shorter, more informal sale and exhibition featuring smaller and less expensive works, entitled "Last Minute Saturday," will be held Saturday, Dec. 12, 10 am.-2 pm. Both exhibitions will be held at the John Curry Construction and Real Estate Showcase Home at 4447 Organ Mesa Loop.
Artists within the group represent a wide variety of media and technique. Exhibition goers can expect to find everything from quality black and white photography, to portraits and landscapes in oil, acrylic, encaustic, watercolor, sculpture, prints, pottery and more. Artists participating in the exhibition include: Carolyn Bunch, Tauna Cole, Janice Cook, Sherry Doil-Carter, Tom Gerend, Winfrey Hearst, Annetta Hoover, Suzanne Kane, Tony Lazorka, Cassandra Lockwood, Rosemary McLoughlin, Janice Macrorie, Diana Molina, Virginia Ness, Jess Reinhard, Jeanne Rundell, Jo-an Smith, Dan Tapper, Scott Weaver and Bob Willis. 646-5794, www.theborderartists.org, www.krwg.org
During the First Friday Ramble on Dec. 4, the Las Cruces Museum of Art will host a Studio Program Open House, 5-6 p.m. It's an opportunity to see the studio spaces, meet the instructors, view demonstrations, and pick up a copy of the winter class schedule. The museum offers classes in ceramics, weaving, drawing, painting and digital photography, with courses for children and adults. Registration for winter classes begins Dec. 15 at 8 a.m. 491 N. Main St., 541-2137, museums.las-cruces.org
Also at the art museum, the Foundation for Las Cruces Museums' gift shop, El Mercado de los Museos, is holding a two-day holiday fundraising sale of Mata Ortiz pottery, Oaxacan animals and Zapotec rugs. These special items are in addition to those on sale at the gift shop on a regular basis. Dec. 4, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and Dec. 5, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 571-5894, www.flcm.blogspot.com
The ArtForms Fall Show continues at Mesquite Street Studios through Dec. 6. Paintings, sculpture, prints and photography by ArtForms members are on display. Fri. and Sat. 10-4 and Sundays noon-4. 922 N. Mesquite.
The Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery this month features pastelist Caryl Porter and landscape painter Yvonne Postelle, with a traditional holiday reception Dec. 12, 2-4 p.m. 2470-A Calle de Guadalupe, 522-2933.
The New Mexico Watercolor Society, Southern Chapter, meets Dec. 13at 2 p.m. at Good Sam's, 3011 Buena Vida Circle, in the Arts and Crafts Room. After a brief business meeting, members will conduct their annual painting exchange followed by a holiday celebration. Guests are invited to join the members for the camaraderie and holiday festivities; bring a favorite hors d'oeuvre or other dish to share. There will be a $1 charge per person to cover the cost of beverages. For further information, contact Beegee Brandhorst, 541-7442.
Temple Beth-El will celebrate the arts with "Champagne! Chocolate! Art!" on the second night of Hanukah, Dec. 13, 4-8 p.m. The evening features art by more than 20 Jewish artists from Las Cruces and beyond, from paintings and pottery to sculpture and fabric art. A selection of chocolate treats created by members of the congregation and champagne will be served to complement the fine art. Door prizes include prints by Robert Highsmith and Hal Marcus, plus chocolate and champagne. Tickets are $20. 524-3380, 3980 Sonoma Springs Ave.
The Ten O'Clock Club of artists brings a splash of warmth and color to Tierry's Bakery and Big Chair Caf, 2701 Picacho (at Motel Blvd), beginning in mid-December with its exhibit, "Potpourri." Works include a variety of forms, media and textures by local artists Jan Addy, Margaret Bernstein, Alice Dressler, Penny Duncklee, June M. Decker, Marjorie Moeser and M. Jean Smith. Café and bakery hours are Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; the exhibit will run for three months.
Deming Arts Scene
Art Space, a Deming gallery that features the recycling-based work of local artists, will have a holiday open house on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The gallery features paintings, photos, jewelry, stained glass, dolls, cards, handbags and more. Many items will be discounted and complementary refreshments will be served. All the proceeds of the art Christmas trees and a portion of all other profits will be donated to a local charity. The gallery features a "Do-Over" gift and jewelry shop and hundreds of works of art appropriate for holiday gifts that are priced under $25. Art Space is located on the corner of Silver and Birch (the block just north of the old court house). Open Mon. and Fri. 12-6 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 546-0673.
The Deming Arts Council will sponsor a Winter Festival of the Arts, Dec. 4-23, with an opening reception Dec. 6, 1-3 p.m. The festival features winter-related art and ornaments. 12-6 p.m. 100 S. Gold, 546-3663.
T or C Arts Scene
This month's Art Hop in downtown Truth or Consequences will be Dec. 12, 6-9 p.m. Galleries, studios, shops and restaurants are open late; see www.torcart.com for info on opening exhibits and other special events.