D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
July
2008
Art Shorts
Grant County Arts Scene
Local artist Carry Wilcox will be the featured artist in July at Moonstruck Art Gallery, exhibiting her weavings made from natural materials. 110 W. Yankie St. 956-5346, www.moonstruckart.com
Seedboat Gallery has added Jean Chandanais Bohlender (see the January 2008 issue) to its stable of artists, featuring her large oil paintings. 214 W. Yankie St. 534-1136, seedboat@zianet.com
The Southwest Women's Fiber Arts Collective has a full schedule of fiber arts classes ahead. Collective members get the discounted price listed first: Pine Needle Basket Class, July 12, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $29/$34 ($3 materials), register by July 7. Needle-Felting for Beginners, July 12, 1:30-4:30 p.m., $26/$31 ($3 materials), register by July 7. Free Form Knitting Workshop. July 26, 10 a.m.-2pm, Aug. 2, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., $41/$46, register by July 23. Intro to Papermaking, July 27, 12-4 p.m., $29/$34, register by July 23. Classes are held at the Fiber Arts Center, 211 D N. Texas St. Register for classes at The Common Thread, 107 W. Broadway, 538-5733.
Las Cruces and Mesilla Arts Scene
As previewed last issue, the Preston Contemporary Art Center opens July 11 with an opening reception for the inaugural exhibition, which will feature 11 artists, 6-8 p.m. The new gallery is located at 1755 Avenida de Mercado, in Mesilla, 523-8713, www.prestoncontemporaryart.com, www.mesillaworkshops.com Gallery hours will be Wednesday and Thursday, 1-5 p.m.; Friday 1-7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.; and Sunday from 2-4 p.m. Additional hours by appointment. Openings will be on the second Friday of January, April, July and October.
During July, the Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery will feature two artists: Hetty Smith, a stained-glass creator, and digital artist Kurt Van Wagner. Smith's works include stained-glass crosses, large window pieces and colorful infused glass jewelry. Van Wagner transforms photographs into collectable works of art. 2470 Calle de Guadalupe. 522-2933, www.zianet.com/mvartgallery
"Hour after Hour of Thought and Analysis" continues at the Las Cruces Museum of Art through Aug. 16. The exhibition explores the acquisition of knowledge as well as the desire to understand and create works of art. Inspired by natural forms and scientific rhetoric, Susan Murrell creates large-scale installations utilizing a wide variety of media, including watercolor, ink, polymer clay and shadow boxes. Murrell is a Las Cruces native who has exhibited nationally. Two other shows running concurrently at the museum are "Numinous Space; Towards an Architecture of Contemplation," featuring works by William Helm (see "40 Days and 40 Nights" for accompanying lecture July 19), and "The Architecture of Time," with works by Dana Kroos and Laura Scandrett. Helm explores sacred space and the Chihuahuan Desert, in a contemplative investigation of the desert landscape reminiscent of a monastic cloister. The exhibition is composed of a digital film projection, scale models and architectural drawings for theoretical structures. And in "Architecture of Time," the stoneware sculpture of Dana Kroos is juxtaposed against large charcoal drawings by Laura Scandrett. Together their works explore the passage of time and how it is recorded on the landscape and human figure.
The museum also will exhibit works by the participants in the museum's student studio program July 18-Aug. 16. 490 N. Water St. in the downtown mall, 541-2221, museums.las-cruces.org
"Heart of the Home," a solo exhibition of works by Patricia Burnett, will open at the Branigan Cultural Center July 3, with a reception for the artist 5-7 p.m. The exhibit is a tribute to Esther McKinney (1849-1938), Burnett's great-great grandmother. McKinney moved by covered wagon from Ohio to Kansas Territory in 1855 and experienced the turmoil of the Civil War, surviving the burning and looting of Lawrence, Kansas. Mother of nine children, she was very active in her community, even after losing a leg in an accident. Of special note is McKinney's involvement with quilts and quilting bees, the inspiration for Burnett. The exhibit features a blending of old quilting patterns and Abstract Expressionism. Burnett's paintings, often involving collage techniques, result in abstraction of old patterns. Complimenting the paintings are narrative panels that provide the link between Burnett and her family history along with photographs and some of "Grandma McKinney's" quilts. 501 N. Main, 541-2154, museums.las-cruces.org
"Fired Up!," a collaborative local art show, opens at thetheatregallery in the lobby of the Black Box Theatre, July 4, 5 p.m. The exhibit complements the theater's current original play by Amy Lansa, Buy One, Get Five Free, running July 4-20 (see "40 Days and 40 Nights"). The gallery is open one hour prior to performances and by appointment. 430 N. Downtown Mall, 523-1223.
Sierra County Arts Scene
Main Street's M Gallery will host an unpredictable evening of art and music with Santa Fe artist Crockett as part of Truth or Consequences' monthly Gallery Hop. The multi-faceted exhibit will run through Aug. 30. Primarily known for his mixed-media collages and "little creatures," Crockett — along with his girlfriend/driving partner Sandra Wang — will show artwork that they have produced "drawing while driving" in their new mobile studio. The couple has converted a 22-foot-long box truck to include a rooftop garden, skylights and windows, a pulley bed system and lots of workspace. "Re-Routed" will be a collaborative effort inspired by traveling on the road in the mobile studio. Music by Crockett's band, "Matilda's Trumpet," and tours of the mobile studio will be featured. 406 Main St., Truth or Consequences, 740-4526, www.moshekoenick.com
Hidalgo County Arts Scene
Art for Kids and the Chiricahua Art Guild will present "Scrap Pile!" a summer art program for children ages five and up, July 21-25, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Participants will create an artistic scrapbook/calendar about their lives using scraps of all kinds and photographs. Other "top secret" artistic projects also are planned. Participants can bring one or two 3x5 or 4x6 photos, if they have them, representing each month of the year. Photos also can be added later. The event will be held at the Rodeo Community Center. For more information, call Joy at 558-2412.
Calls for Artists
Organizers of the 4th annual Gila River Festival are looking for youth of all ages to submit entries that illustrate the 2008 festival's theme, "Celebrating the Gila River as a Source of Inspiration." Youth are invited to submit their original work for the youth art show to the Upper Gila Watershed Alliance no later than Sept. 1. Any 2-D or 3-D media will be accepted. Entries should represent some aspect of the Gila River. Upper Gila Watershed Alliance, PO Box 383, Gila, NM 88038. Digital entries may also be sent to director@ugwa.org For more information about the festival art show, call Melanie Gasparich at 313-2203.