Weekend Slice!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Blessed Yule, Merry Merry!

Anyway you slice it, the warmth and joy in your heart that this time of year brings is a great feeling to have. Here's hoping all of you have had some wonderful quality time with your family, friends and community.

I've got a great sale going on here at the gallery! Everything in the gallery is 20% off for this weekend only. Over 30 artists are represented in the gallery. All the artists at Studio C are known to me either locally, regionally or by way of my friends' or my own travels.

We have local landscape art cards, JR Gilstrap prints and the memorial 18 month calendar(2009-2010), leather gift tags, natural goat milk soaps, naturally scented soy based candles, stained glass mobiles, wind chimes, a gorgeous stained glass window, antique bottle ornaments, fused glass earrings & window hangings, slumped glass candle screens, hand blown glass ornaments, and vases, bead bracelets, necklaces and earrings, pottery, poetry, books, music, pastels, imported hand-batiqued t-shirts, star flowers, archival photo prints, fresh-roasted, freshly ground fair-trade gourmet coffee beans and chocolate, Father Christmas dolls, accent pillows, incense(Nag Champa), sweet grass braids, watercolors, landscape prints on canvas, and…more!

Your patronage supports an array of artisans and artists and of course the dreamer who believes that an ArtSpace in the middle of nowhere is a great idea. That dreamer just happens to be an artist too. Thus, I'm building my model on an artisan/artist-first framework. What I'm building here, with the help of so many talented individuals is an oasis for the imagination. Can you think of a finer reason to choose to shop here? By shopping here you are making a stand for beauty, innovation, independence, freedom and creativity! You are actively engaged in community and economic development here in Union County New Mexico. Studio C is where creativity grows. Come on in and feel it yourself.

I'll be stoking my own creative fires in January. Studio C will be open by appointment only for the first 4 weeks of 2009. We are taking a winter break. That will give me a chance to work on some ideas I've had percolating for months now but haven't been able to attend to. It all feeds into the ongoing plans for creating a thriving business here in Des Moines, New Mexico, the place my husband Tim Keller and I have adopted as our home. We've been here over nine and a half years. Each new day is an affirmation of the rightness of our move.

Speaking of Tim, his gorgeous framed archival prints are currently hanging in the gallery. This would be a great weekend to come visit the gallery and take one home with you!

My friend Nancy the nurse stopped in on Tuesday and asked me how Tim & I ended up in Des Moines. She heard the whole story and the telling reminded me of the faith in dreams that brought us to this beautiful landscape. It comes as no surprise to me that so many of the people who live here are blessed with a deep respect for the land and its beauty. Nancy is a relative new-comer too and has been very successful in helping to bring a school-based health center to our town. There is so much opportunity here. It is great fun to be part of a new blooming that is happening in the area.

As you can imagine, part of the bloom involves the arts. The Raton Arts & Humanities Council is one of two local arts councils in our area. Drive 38 miles west of Des Moines to get to Raton, New Mexico, at the crossing of I-25 and highways 64/87. It is a small town of just over 6500 people. There is a bustling arts community which is striving to bring arts-based economic development to our area. They are currently engaged in application for Arts & Cultural District designation for the downtown area. Gaining this status will be a big step towards increased visibility on the arts map. I invite you to visit their gallery in Raton: The Old Pass Gallery. Then come on east to visit me here. I will be here all weekend after which I'll be happy to open by appointment during my winter break.

One last bit of news... I am expanding our regular hours! When we open on January 29th our regular hours will be Thursday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Sunday's noon - 4:p.m. I'm always open by appointment if you are coming through town Monday through Wednesday.

I plan on keeping my blog updated weekly during my break so keep watching for news and cool links to follow... use your browser's back button to return to the post. I'll keep you updated with what I'm up to. Don't forget that I'd love to hear from you! Please leave a comment.

Blessings & Beauty,

Christina

Around the World at this Time

The biscochitos are here! A plate of fresh New Mexican anise cookies, made by my neighbor and friend awaits your visit.

I've been busy with customers and visitors all weekend long... have family visiting for Tim's birthday which is today! This explains the late update. Please forgive me.

I have lots to share though... first of all Studio C will be open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for your holiday shopping convenience. Now we are not normally open those days but with Christmas just days away I wanted to be open for all you last-minute shoppers.

My mom has a great saying, " If it weren't for the last minute a lot of things just wouldn't get done." So come on out to Des Moines, New Mexico to do some great shopping. I have hot coffee, cider, hot chocolate and biscochitos here for you to enjoy while you visit.

The gallery was a studio earlier today with Tim Keller (the birthday boy) shooting portrait and product photos for the website we will be developing over the next quarter. He brought light to Peter Burg's beautiful pottery, poetry and cd Dizzy Light.

I've also put out new items for your shopping pleasure. Fused-glass tree ornaments by Anne Norvell, antique glass bottle ornaments, more pottery, cd's and poetry books from Peter Burg and music by Russ Ballew . Much more is here waiting to go home with you as a special gift for someone you love... or a treat for you!

So! That's the big news. I'm here for you.

Come by, stay a while, enjoy the art on the walls and take home some great gifts.

Leave a comment so we know you were here.

Blessings of the season to all!

Christina

It's Here!

Tis the season to celebrate miracles, compassion, love and harmony.

This Yule ornament was created by glass blower Keith Stuart of San Jose, New Mexico. We have several still for sale this season.

The magic of sand turning into a translucent molten blob that you can blow into all kinds of shapes has always been one thing that mesmerized me as a child. We lived near a glass foundry when I was in second grade in Santa Fe. It was close enough that mom & dad allowed me to walk there after school. These beautiful ornaments remind me of those days.

What memories do your holidays bring up for you? Leave a comment and share your favorites.

The branches in the background are from the Piñon trees that are here for sale. If you haven't gotten yours yet stop by and pick one up. Call the number on the front door and seal the deal with my neighbor!

I have a beautiful array of holiday gifts for your shopping pleasure. All are hand crafted by wonderful people so you can feel three times joyful when you shop at Studio C in Des Moines, New Mexico.

Some of you have been waiting for JR Gilstrap's memorial calender. Wait no more. It is here. 18 months starting with January 2009. Images selected from JR's sketch books by his wife JJ and her children to commemorate JR's life. I am also pleased to announce that JJ is now one of Studio C's artists! She brought in some Christmas gift tags in leather and is expanding into making vests with leather. Soon she'll be bringing those in too!

The January issue of Western Horseman has just reached the newsstands with Tim Keller's photographs and article on a recent cattle drive, titled "Driving on Blacktop". Buy a copy here at the gallery. I've decided to carry the magazine in the shop so come by each month to pick up a copy. I'll be developing a reading area so you can come by the shop and enjoy a restful and inspiring visit with lots of interesting magazines and books to explore.

Studio C will be open extended hours during the holiday. Regular hours are Friday, Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Sundays 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. I will be open Monday December 22 through Wednesday December 24 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. so you can shop for gifts right up to the last minute! During those days I'll have biscochitos and hot chocolate in addition to coffee and tea for my visitors. My friend and neighbor Mrs. Bachicha will be making the biscochitos for us. Yum! So really, you simply must come in to visit.

I hope you have a moment and will leave a holiday memory in the comments.... We'd love to hear your stories.

Keep warm!

Christina

Seasonal Sensational

Wow! It was synchronicity to a spectacular degree! I was putting Anne Norvell's new earrings, just tagged and priced, into a lovely wide basket for display in the gallery when I heard the "you've got mail" blip on my computer. What a lovely surprise! K. Tompkins with news of her newest endeavor.... a day of play with the new pastels she credits me with inspiring her to buy. Well, let me tell you, this young woman, studying for her PhD in veterinary medicine is also a gifted artist. She was here in the summer helping out at Rainbow Ranch and made some gorgeous signs for our Fall Harvest Festivals. After returning home to take up her studies she painted a landscape to remind her of New Mexico which seems to have captured her heart. BTW: the photo above is K. wearing a pair of Anne Norvell's fused glass earrings. Aren't they lovely? I just put out 20 + pairs in a variety of styles and colors. Since the website to order from is not up yet you'll have to come by to see... or email me and I'll send you pictures!

Studio C ~ ArtSpace & Gallery
Where Creativity Grows! Thanks K. for sharing your testimony to the truth of the mission here at 517 Broadway Avenue in Des Moines, New Mexico.

Of course we are all thinking about the holidays and how we will handle gift giving. My friend Sally and her husband are doing a "materialism free" holiday. I applaud them. This is a great time to examine our spending habits and make commitments to live in sustainable ways. Sustainability is a factor in all aspects of our lives, home, community, nation, planet and spirit.

When you shop it is important to consider who and what your dollars are supporting. The coffee and chocolate we sell at Studio C is organic and fairly traded. All the art and the crafts are made by artisans and artists who are local, regional or met on my travels with my husband Tim Keller. When you choose to buy from Studio C you are supporting artists and a small business in the tiny town of Des Moines, New Mexico. You are helping to build our local economy. I am so proud of the artists represented by the gallery. I would love it if you come in and shop for your holiday gifts this year. I hope you will. Come on by and I'll give you 10% off your purchase of $30.00 or more if you mention this blog!

Tim has been keeping a blog at his new website where you can buy prints of his wonderful photographs. Check out the latest entry. It's quite interesting. :-)

More news on the sustainability front: the installation of the new radiant solar heat system is done and the system is now "charging". This requires 3 - 5 days of sunny weather which we have not been getting. Slowly but surely the thermal storage panels will gather heat from the hot water piped through them. Once they have a chance to really soak up some heat they will then radiate it back into the building slowly.

So, dark has come across the village and holiday lights are sparkeling here and there. Time to head home and enjoy some time with Tim and the pups, cat and kitten in the warmth of our woodstove heated house. Hope you are enjoying a lovely time with your favorite people.

Wishing everyone all around the world a glorious holiday season, no matter what tradition you celebrate. Let's every one of us work together to bring all the soldiers home, not just for the holidays but forever. We can do it. I know this in the very marrow of my bones.

Blessings on all~

Christina