D  e  s  e  r  t     E  x  p  o  s  u  r  e    February 2006

Love of Art Is in the Air

The annual For the Love of Art Month makes Las Cruces and Mesilla eye-popping all during February.

Art lovers will be flocking to Las Cruces and Mesilla all during February for the ninth annual For the Love of Art Month. Special events, shows and opening are scheduled all over town, including:

ArtForms Members Exhibit—The membership show at the Branigan Cultural Center will feature works of 36 local artists, in a wide variety of media. The show opens with an artists' reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, and runs through the month of February.

Janette Jones and Cassandra Lockwood Exhibit—The Blue Teal exhibits the paintings of Janette Jones and Cassandra Lockwood, featuring new works in oil, acrylic and mixed media. An opening reception is planned for Friday, Feb. 3, from 6-8 p.m., with wine tasting and finger foods. The exhibit runs through Feb. 28. Blue Teal, 524-0390, is located at 1720 Avenida de Mesilla.

Art in the Plaza—Art will fill the plaza in Mesilla on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., as the Town of Mesilla hosts its Fourth Annual For the Love of Art Celebration, held in conjunction with the Las Cruces art month. The celebration will feature artwork by area artists, and the Border Jazz Trio will perform on the plaza from 2-3 p.m. For more information, call the Town of Mesilla at 524-3262.

My Masterpiece—The Mesilla Valley Fine Art Gallery will present "My Masterpiece," in which participating artists will choose a famous artist and either paint in his/her style, or copy a painting by that artist. At an opening reception on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 2-4 p.m., visitors can join the fun by attempting to match masterpieces with masters. The gallery will also be showing works by artists of the month, Pat Burnett (acrylics on paper or Masonite board) and Judy Licht (silk dyes on silk). The gallery, 422-2933, is at 2470A Calle de Guadalupe in Mesilla.

Down in the Valley—Paintings of the Mesilla Valley are featured at the Patio Art Gallery, with an opening reception, 1-4 p.m, Saturday, Feb. 4th, at the Hadley Art Centre, University and El Paseo, 541-7401.

TGS Studio Group Show—An artists' reception will be held Saturday, Feb. 4, from 5-7 p.m. at Hecho Art and Decor in Mesilla.

Cally Williams' Studio Tour/Open House—Pottery, clay sculpture, jewelry, weaving, painting and photography by six women artists will be featured at a studio tour/open House at Cally Williams' studio from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Feb.11 and 12. All are invited to stop by to visit with the artists, have some refreshments and see a wide variety of new works by Cally Williams (pottery), Teresa Altschul (clay sculpture), Michelle Arterburn (jewelry), Jessica Kurtz (weavings), Marjorie Moeser (paintings) and Elaine Querry (photography). The studio is at 331 Capri Arc in Mesilla Park; for more information call 526-5250.

Other area artists opening their studios for tours and special gallery events, February 11 and 12, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., include:

Gail Bleweiss, M. Phillips Gallery, 300 N. Downtown Mall, piano and voice performances by Las Cruces musicians

Susan Connelly Studio, 3225 Risner, acrylic paintings—landscapes, figures and interiors

June Decker Studio, 1740 Salinas Drive, watercolors, oils, charcoal and pastels

Penny Duncklee, Studio 1201, 1201 Second St., watercolors

Martha Duran, 204 W. Manso Ave., papermaking techniques

Susan Frary Studio, 132 Willoughby Ave., metal sculpture

Janet Jackson, Charles, Inc., 1885 W. Boutz, original oil paintings

Cassandra Lockwood, Laughing at the Sun Gallery, 1910 Calle de Parian, paintings, feltings, mixed media, hand-painted
furniture

Joyce T. Macrorie Studio, 710 S. San Pedro, oils, acrylics, prints, monotypes

Valice Raffi, Blue Moon Studio, 4919 Elks Drive, handbuilt ceramics—tiles, small wall and table decor, medicine bags

Richard & Dorothy Rising, Rising Sky Artworks, 415 E. Foster Road, sculpture, pottery, prints

Kathleen Squires, Charles, Inc., 1885 W. Boutz, original oil paintings

Betty Sweeney Studio, 707 Tonja Court, watercolors, prints, oils

Lynn Unangst, 4020 Red Yucca Court, handwoven scarves, coats, bags and more

Laurel Weathersbee, Teacup Garden Studio, 1955 Rincon de Amigos, watermedia, collage, mixed media

J.D. West, Silverheels Fine Art Photography, 3112 Risner St., photography

Daphne Wirthlin, Daphne's Garden, 5103 Alamo Mine Trail, Southwestern scenes.

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