Rain ~ Dancing ~ Answering Prayers ~ Prayers Answered!

It is a lovely rainy sky day, thunder rolling in the distance, gray skies getting closer, and coffee freshly brewed keeping me happy. The rains have just begun falling and we are dancing with gratitude for the much needed moisture and the forecast for more!

Yvonne O'Brien's fine art photography graces the gallery now. We are getting ready for you to join us to see this new show. I'd love for you to come to the artist's reception to meet Yvonne Friday May 22nd from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Coffee will be flowing as well as iced mint tea, along with other goodies we've got to share. I hope you will make time to come celebrate with us. Purchase one of Yvonne's framed prints this weekend, May 22 - 24, and you'll receive a 10% discount.

I'm feeling really good about the way the energy is flowing in the gallery and want to thank Sasha for helping me with displays and other painterly tasks. I'm open, to remind you, Thursdays - Saturdays 10:00 am until 6:00 and Sundays noon - 4:00 pm. 

In the community news: A Community Yard Sale happens on Saturday May 23rd from 7:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. at the corner of Clayton Hwy 87 & Folsom Hwy 325 in Des Moines. It's a great opportunity to buy, sell or trade your trash, treasures & goods. Call Jalane Osborn @ 575-278-3402 for more information. There will be a concession stand with BBQ, hot dogs, drinks & snacks so you can come out, show your wares, buy others wares and get to know your neighbors. Vital Roads is a sponsor of this event which will happen annually from now on.

The other thing you can do this Saturday is to take the Dry Cimarron Scenic Byways Tour. Sponsored by the Folsom Museum in association with the New Mexico Heritage Preservation Month. You'll meet at the Folsom Museum at 8:00 am. Bring water, good walking shoes, a light jacket, sunscreen and a hat. (Do I sound motherly?) The tour will take all day so make sure your car has a full tank of gas. Lunch will be BBQ at the Cross L Ranch.... donations are always appreciated. Call 575-278-2122 for more information.

Live @ Studio C! is next Saturday May 30th. We start at 5:30 with the open mike which now has three people signed up. Karen Anderson will be here to play her Celtic harp which leads nicely into Russ Ballew's original songs. Get out your creativity and take up this challenge: write. Write about anything... or if you prefer... draw, dance, sing, or play your instrument. If you can't think of anything to inspire your creation I have a suggestion: Share your experience with compassion. Then sign up for open mike and share it on the 30th with our audience here in Des Moines New Mexico.

So, there it is!

May the Rains fall gently and generously all across our parched lands.

Christina

Dream Time Coming

I've been inspired by the Garden Club ladies and the rows of new plantings ready to put into the ground with fresh smiling faces. As I rode my bike by the school earlier today Janet & Janice had me determined to be outside on this beautiful spring day.... now, late afternoon and I am finally here to share the news.

I'm just about to begin hanging the next featured artist's show: light, structure, space. Yvonne O'Brien's fine art photography will be featured in the gallery from May 21st through June 21st. Yvonne lives in Cimarron, New Mexico. Her work is dramatic and her connection to nature is deeply felt. Her images will be a joy to have in the gallery. Join us next Friday from 3:00 - 6:00 when we host a a reception for the artist. Come celebrate and have an opportunity to visit with Yvonne. Plan to return several times to be with her work. I hope you'll let one of her framed archival pigment prints work its way into your heart. We have made blank art gift cards for purchase... and of course we have lots of wonderful art and crafts for your shopping delight.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow because it is my mom's 75th birthday! She is such an amazing person and I am so very blessed to have her in my life. Her visit two Sunday's ago, when she came up here with my sister to attend the 3rd annual CreativiTea!, was a gift. Her faith in me keeps me buoyant as I continue to work on how to make this gallery out here in the middle of nowhere work.

Last Sunday we had a fabulous meal at the Capulin Country Store during their annual Mothers' Day brunch. The chicken alfredo was perfect. The buffet table was laden with abundant and delicious fare. We'll definitely plan to be there next year as well as holding the 4th CreativiTea! here the Sunday before.... so, for you advance planners out there May 9 & 16 are the dates to save for Studio C & Capulin Country Store. In the meantime keep your eyes peeled for great arts venues, experiences, and ideas. Share them here if you can't wait for next year's CreativiTea!

Live @ Studio C! is just up ahead. May's show features Russ Ballew, local singer & songwriter from Clayton. He's got a new cd out titled Recovery Music Vol. 3. Check him out at his website.  In the spotlight will be Karen Anderson with her celtic harp. Two friends have already signed up for the open mike list. Tom and Linda will be traveling though and will join in the fun. The date is Saturday May 30th and it all starts at 5:30. Send me an email and I'll put your name on the open mike list too.

This weekend, Saturday May 16th, is your opportunity to join the annual Folsom Archaeological Tour. Two times are available, the morning trip leaves at 8:00 a.m. from the Folsom Museum and the afternoon trip leaves at 1:00 p.m.. A free chuck-wagon lunch is available at the museum. Your donations will be gratefully accepted. All donations will support the Folsom Museum. This tour is amazing! Call 575-278-3664 or 575-278-2122 for more information.

Tim's review of the Des Moines Elementary School's spring program I wrote of two posts ago can be read here and here. (It's two pages so be sure to click both to read the full story) I'm beginning to upload photos from sessions we've had this semester at my Art Plays Its Part! photo gallery here. You can tell I'm proud and excited about working with the school to develop this program.

I'm also excited by the future. Studio C is a work in progress. There is a lot to do before I can call it "done" but I offer my artists a lovely space to show and I offer art appreciators a place to stop and visit and take home something special from the heart of an artist. Thursday, Friday and Saturdays I'm open 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Sundays I'm open noon to 4:00 p.m. I am happy to open by appointment Monday - Wednesday. Call the gallery at 575-278-3517 to set up an appointment... or plan on coming by Thursday - Sunday. Let me know you read this blog with a comment and I'll give you 10% off your purchase over $10.00. I've got free wireless internet for my customers. I appreciate your business and look forward to growing into a must stop destination ArtSpace here in Des Moines, NM.

Happy Birthday Mom! 

Blessings of Health, Longevity and Prosperity to all~

Christina

Making Wings

Last Sunday Studio C was the site of nurturing and guidance during our 3rd annual CreativiTea! I'd like to thank everyone who gave of their time and heart right here for all the world to hear: Thank you very much for your kind words of support and wise ideas for growth and continued improvements. Your presence is felt as I plan out the Summer Art! calendar and the shows for the rest of the year. We all enjoyed the green chile stew that Kelly taught me to make. Thank you!

Mark your calendars for next year: May 9th which is, again, the Sunday before Mother's Day. We do that because the Capulin Country Store opens their Summer restaurant season with a Mothers' Day brunch and we want to eat there. Mothers' Day is tomorrow and we'll be at The Capulin Country Store enjoying a wonderful brunch buffet. Maybe we'll see you there!

We will be hanging our next featured artist soon! Yvonne O'Brien's photography show: light, structure, space will hang May 21 - June 21. We will be having a reception for the artist on Friday May 22 from 3:00 - 6:00. Mark your calendars and join us for a festive event. Refreshments will be served.

Classes for this year's Summer Art! season: Mask-making, Pastel on Paper, Mural Painting on Canvas, Painted T-Shirts, Papier-mache Sculpture, and something new: ShowTime! ~Putting it All Together. This class will be for the few, the brave, the proud who take more than two classes during the season. We'll be creating a show, a performance showcase, with artwork created by participants. What we come up with no one knows...... yet! Does this sound like fun to you? Let me know in the comments.... I'll be creating my brochure this week so your input may be included. Those who've participated in Summer Art! in the past know that classes are mixed. Youth and adults are equals at the art table and we all have a lot of fun learning together benefitting from the freedom of the innocent and the wisdom of experience. I'm planning on holding morning and afternoon sessions (9:00 - 11:30 in the am and 2:00 - 4:30 in the pm). Yes, I'm shortening them to two and a half hours. Each class will meet three days in a row for a total of seven and a half hours of instructed time per session. I am happy to have students enroll in both sessions if they want to have more time to explore their artwork. Tuition is based on $10.00/hour and there is no materials fee. I am excited about this year's class offerings and look forward to a great season of learning and growing together.

It was my pleasure to drive to Trinidad yesterday to see Tim Keller's photography at the A.R. Mitchell Museum. I car-pooled with Kelly who also wanted to see the show. You can take a virtual trip of the show. It is thrilling to see an artist really take off. Read Laura Brewer's preview of the show here.

Speaking of taking off, read Tim's article about the recent school clean-up (p1 & p2) sponsored by the Des Moines School Rural Revitalization Initiative. Kelly is on the steering committee and helped organize the event.

So, having taken an art break to go see Man of La Mancha at The Schuler Theatre in Raton, I can say good night with a smile on my face and a glow in my heart... I love art and the creative life!

Dream Good Things~

Christina

The Art of Conversation

Welcome to this place of sharing! Our picture this week is of Kathryn Engel during her performance at last Saturday's Live @ Studio C!

She was captivating as she portrayed Blanche DuBois, Amanda Wingfield, and a narrator in the show she has written. Read all about it at Tim Keller's website.

Tomorrow is the third annual CreativiTea! From 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. the gallery will be a place of ArtFull conversation. I am excited about the circle gathering and these last hours in preparation.... the house smells rich with the pork roast I started last night.... my friend Kelly makes a delicious green chile stew that she is teaching me how to make.... step 1: slow roast a pork shoulder roast. After the gallery closes she'll show me the rest of her technique.

Today I am enjoying a busy day here at Studio C. Abbie is here taking advantage of the high-speed connection free to all of my customers, updating her computer's software and enjoying a bottomless cup of Bolivia Caranavi coffee.

I've been up to happy ears working for Des Moines School's new curriculum-based art program Art Plays It's Part! Inge Bobek and Martin Montoya just finished mini-residencies in the high school and elementary respectively and now the whole elementary is working on their annual spring program which happens Tuesday May 5th. The show is called Spring Flowers for Skinny Horse and is a "performance showcase" bringing together dancing, singing, and performance. I invite you to come out to see the students' and teachers' great work. Show time is 7:00 but come early to see the artwork on display.

I am not able to be in Raton tonight to see the final show of the Raton Arts & Humanities Council's 2008/2009 performance season, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra... so, if any of you local readers would like to see the show with my tickets then please do post a message and I'll give you two seats. Show time is 7:30 p.m.. Call me at 575-278-3517 if you want immediate gratification. Speaking of immediate gratification.... how about patience and persistance? Did you see the video of Susan Boyle's performance on British television? Her story is a great example of faith and patience rewarded. It also has had the effect of reminding all of us not to judge a person by their appearance. I hope that this wonderful story helps all of us to listen to what our friends, neighbors and strangers too have to share and that as a global community we strive to work together in harmony.

I've posted some pictures on my flickr site from the recent goings on which you might want to take a look at... and now that I have a camera again and am beginning to know how it works I'll be posting more. 

In the mean time I know you are all fully engaged in wonderfully diverse pursuits and offer you my wishes for your happiness.

Happy May Day!

Christina