Studio Surprise
Silver City's 11th annual Weekend at the Galleries, Oct. 5-8, adds a "Phantom Studio."
Appropriately for an event occurring the month of Halloween, Silver City's 11th annual Weekend at the Galleries (WAG), Oct. 5-8, will be "haunted" by "phantoms." On Saturday, Oct. 6, at 10 a.m., 10 noted area artists will appear out of nowhere to set up a "Phantom Studio." The "phantoms" will then create a piece of art in just eight hours, by 6 p.m., to be sold immediately after completion.
The Mimbres Region Arts Council, which sponsors the annual gallery-hopping weekend, will keep the location of the Phantom Studio a mystery until shortly before the artists and public arrive. The studio will pop up in an abandoned building or empty storefront or some other space deemed interesting enough and available for the event. Those who find the Phantom Studio will be able to witness creativity in action, and have the opportunity to take home a painting or two at the end of the day. Just don't expect the works to be completely dry or framed!
Faye McCalmont, executive director of the arts council, says, "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."
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 (this issue's cover artist); Marilyn Gendron of San Lorenzo (see the June 2006 Desert Exposure); Cecil Howard of Glenwood; and Judith Meyer of Bayard; plus Sandy Urban of nearby San Simon, Ariz. (see the Sept. 2007 Desert Exposure). 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.
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.
Watching the 10 artists at work in the Phantom Studio will be free. The auction preview will start at 7 p.m. and the auction of the Phantom Studio's creations 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 adds admittance to the annual Wine Gala on Friday.
In another addition to the gallery-hopping fun, the Mimbres Region Arts Council also is commissioning two temporary, visually engaging and conceptually rich environmental artworks. The works will 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 artworks have been created by artists from New Mexico "with the intention to engage, inspire, puzzle, amuse, seduce, and encourage the creative mind of the spectator." Featured at the Visitors Center will be Becky Holtzman's "Rattle/Cry" and, at the courthouse, Mathew Chase-Daniel's "Alfalfa Cone." Look for the clock icon on the map accompanying this article.
Art lovers familiar with the Weekend at the Galleries from its first decade shouldn't be scared off by this year's "phantoms," however. All your favorite WAG events will also be back this year, starting with that Wine Gala. This year's gala will be hosted by Seedboat Gallery, 214 W. Yankie, on Friday, Oct. 5, from 5-7 p.m. Tickets for just the gala are $15.
Saturday night following the Phantom Studio auction, Robert Shaw and the Lonely Street Band will entertain at the Buffalo Dance Hall, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Dance tickets are $10.
Sunday, Oct. 7, brings another special treat to the arts weekend. Ward Arthur Rudick and Jazz Orgy, respectively the emcee and house band of the $1.98 Follies (see the Feb. 2007 Desert Exposure), will put on a performance at the WNMU Fine Arts Center Theater. Tickets for the 5 p.m. show are $10, $15 and $20.
Of course, it would hardly be a Weekend at the Galleries without, well, galleries. This year's Gallery Art Walks, at 24 participating sites (see map), will be Saturday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Monday, Oct. 8 (Columbus Day), 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
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Click the image for a larger map. |
1. Ann Simonsen's Gallery |
13 Leyba & Ingalls ARTS 14. Lois Duffy Art 15. Reese-Benton Gallery 16. San Vicente Artists (at Alotta Gelato) 17. Seedboat Gallery 18. Silver City Museum 19. Silver Spirit Gallery 20. The Common Thread 21. Two Spirit Gallery 22. WeeleArts 23. Yankie St. Artists Studios 24. Yello on Yankie |
Here's a quick guide to participating galleries and studio sites (numbers correspond to location on the map), along with special attractions planned for each:
Ann Simonsen's Gallery (1)
110 W. Yankie St., 388-5556
artworkshops@zianet.comAnn Simonsen's paintings, inspired by "Man's Best Friend," plus Dennis Weller's black-and-white traditional photography, emphasizing interiors, both "real and imagined."
Art & Conversation (2)
614 N. Bullard St., 534-4881
www.lizardbreathranch.comLocal and nationally known artist Janey Katz will be on hand with Sally Elliot and Suzi Calhoun. Katz and Elliot work with recycled and found objects, while Calhoun works in clay and fiber. There will be demos out front by Katz, cutting her "critters from the hood" out of truck hoods.
Azurite Gallery (3)
110 W. Broadway, 538-9048,
www.azuritegallery.comThis is the home of the Square Ring, contemporary designer jewelry by Linda and Cecil Boatwright, landscape oils by Tom Holt and Sandy Urban, watercolors by Marilyn Gendron and pastels by Linda Boatwright and Issa DeNicola.
Blue Dome Gallery (4)
307 N. Texas St., 534-8671
www.bluedomegallery.comThe gallery has an exciting collection of contemporary fine crafts and art, featuring ceramics, glass, sculpture, painting, jewelry, photography and furniture.
Common Ground (5)
102 W. Kelly St., 534-2087"Fearful Symmetry," a photographic exhibit by Andrew Berry of Silver City; "Fight Fire with Fire," mixed watercolors by Robert Park of Tyrone; and "Small Green Domicile," a video by Paula Geisler, will be featured offerings at Common Ground.
Copper Quail Gallery (6)
211-A N. Texas St., 388-2646The Copper Quail Gallery, the newest gallery in the Yankie-Texas art district, offers original art presented by local artists. The Copper Quail has found its niche by being a small gallery with a large, affordable selection of art, fabric, jewelry, pottery, stained glass and photography. The artists featured are: Susan Rice, Jan Fell, Henri Hovarter, Pheobe Lawrence, Bill Blakemore, Pat Bouchard, Karen Muench and Karen Lauseng.
Eklektikas Gallery (7)
104 W. Yankie St., 538-8081
www.eklektikas.comFeaturing Timothy Hasenstein's sculpture, Rob Watt's fiber art, Judith Hilmer's painting and block prints and Lynn Cassinerio's assemblages. There will be a gallery opening 4-7 p.m. on Sat., Oct. 6.
Elemental Arts (8)
106 W. Yankie St., 590-7554
www.gourdweb.comFeaturing Deb Harrington's watercolor, oils and 3-D works; Mata Ortiz pottery; gourd masks and vessels; textiles; and digital arts.
Gallery 400 (9)
400 N. Arizona St., 313-7015
www.gilahouse.comGallery 400 specializes in large fine art pieces.
Gila Resources Information Project (10)
305-A N. Cooper St., 538-8078
www.gilaresources.infoThe Gila Conservation Coalition and Gila Resources Information Project present "Gila River: Photographs of New Mexico's Last Wild River." The exhibition highlights the richness and beauty of this jewel of the Southwest and features works by four Silver City-area photographers: Gordee Headlee, Jay Hemphill, Nanda Currant and Mike Fugagli.
Howell Graphic Design and Gallery (11)
200 W. Market St., 388-2993
www.anthonyhowell.comEnjoy these heroic photographic landscapes by Anthony Howell that convey a tangible and immediate sense of the space and drama of Southwest vistas.
Last Day in Paradise (12)
211-B N. Texas St., 313-5610The Last Day in Paradise sells contemporary Western art from bead work to paintings by award-winning artists from around the country, and the nationally reviewed and acclaimed novels by the owner, Robert K. Swisher Jr.
Leyba & Ingalls Arts (13)
315 N. Bullard St., 388-5725
www.LeybaIngallsArts.comFeatured will be new work by Diana Ingalls Leyba as well as new work by gallery artists: Crystal Foreman Brown, Ralph Bakshi, Romaine Begay, Katy C. Belt, Susan Brinkley, Dayna Griego, Wil Hanson, Gordee Headlee, Constance Knuppel, Teri Matelson, Patty McDonell, Mary Alice Murphy, Phillip Parotti, Zoe Wolfe and Melanie Zipin.
Lois Duffy Art (14)
211-C N. Texas St., 313-9631
www.loisduffy.comA view of the cosmos that subtly combines the seen and unseen, the real and surreal, awaits you at Lois Duffy's studio and gallery. Also showing woodworker Robert Winston's beautifully crafted furniture, Santa Fe artist Richard Mole's dynamic blown glass and John Reeve's colorful fused glass.
Reese-Benton Gallery (15)
211-D N. Texas St., 590-2200
www.reesebenton.comFeaturing artist-photographer Cindy Donatelli with her huge-format scenes (up to six by eight feet) melding nature with human intervention.
San Vicente Artists (16)
(at Alotta Gelato) 619 N. Bullard St., 534-4269
www.silvercityartists.orgThis site will showcase the San Vicente Artists' finest work.
Seedboat Gallery (17)
214 W. Yankie St., 534-1136The Seedboat Gallery will be showing selected sculptures and artworks by both local and out-of-town artists.
Silver City Museum (18)
312 W. Broadway, 538-5921
www.silvercitymuseum.orgThe feature at the museum will be the Southwest New Mexico Quilters Guild, showing contemporary and heirloom quilts and a quilt-making demonstration. Barbara Jorgen Nance will also be featured with paintings and sculpture.
Silver Spirit Gallery (19)
109 N. Bullard St., 388-2079This is a community of fine artists working in all media. Entertainment will be provided by Tom Fabinski.
The Common Thread (20)
107 W. Broadway, 538-5733
www.fiberartscollective.orgThe Common Thread represents over 60 fiber artists from all over southern New Mexico. They are a non-profit group promoting economic vitality for fiber artists. Jean Cowre will be showing art quilts and there will be fiber arts demos.
Two Spirit Gallery (21)
311 N. Bullard St., 956-8397Located in front of the old Silco Theater, Two Spirit Gallery presents a collection of Ethiopian Coptic Wood Carvings and Tibetan Silver Altar masterpieces as part of a collection of ethnic antiques, beads and jewelry.
Weele Arts (22)
602 W. Market St., 534-3147
www.weelearts.comThe featured artist is Tad van der Weele, showing contemporary ceramics and mixed media. There will be a large mixed-media installation called "What's the Point."
Yankie Street Artist Studios (23)
103 W. Yankie St., 538-0465Here you'll find several studios showing work by Lee McCune, Hosana Eilert, Casey Luria, Nancy Voorhoeve and Julia Voorhoeve.
Yello on Yankie (24)
108 W. Yankie St., 534-4968This is a bright and colorful gallery featuring contemporary fiber art by Susan Dell Szajer and modified metal designs by Z.
For more information on the 11th annual Weekend at the Galleries, and for tickets, contact the Mimbres Region Arts Council, 538-2505 or toll-free (888) 758-7289, 1201 Pope St., PO Box 1830, Silver City, NM 88062, www.mimbresarts.org.