Along the Red River Trail

I just returned from a trip to visit my artist friend Lee in Vernon Texas, six hours east of Des Moines New Mexico.

On the way I stopped in Canyon Texas, staying at Hudspeth House B&B, so I could walk the streets that Georgia O'Keeffe walked when she headed up the Art Department at West Texas A & M. Canyon was a very friendly town. My stay was a sweet stop along the way to check out new art that Lee is making.

Along the trail, sitting high in the sky this water tower caught my attention.... when I noticed the line of rusted out car bodies "parked" close by I had to stop to make a picture. Actually, I took lots of photos along the way. I'm looking forward to processing them in the upcoming days. It should be an interesting record of my ride along the trail.

Speaking of adventures.... I'm finding that there is usually an interesting journey trying to find an internet connection when you are on the road... I planned to write at the library in town but the connection not up yet when I arrived at 8:am Wednesday morning ready to write in my car. (Library did not open til 10:00) Apparently I misunderstood the librarian the day before, or she did not think about the equipment being turned off at closing time, so there I was ready to write and no internet. Not one to give up so easily I began my wi-fi search and adventure. I ended up writing at a wi-fi spot that the good folk at Waggoner National Bank helped me find, making some calls and an introduction for me with Sean and Jan at Business Development Corporation who graciously provided me space and an internet connection. Finally I could work on this entry. What wonderful people the town Vernon has. I must say, I see an opportunity for a nice internet cafe here. :-)

So, it was a wonderful visit with Lee, complete with a mini Georgia O'Keeffe pilgrimage, and plenty of adventure. All this and more on the plains six hours east of Des Moines. I always enjoy traveling and the expanded views you get in exploring our amazing world.

Are you feeling the fall in the air? I sure am; leaves are starting to crisp up... hot apple cider sounds good again and Halloween is coming up on the event horizon. Plenty of people out there in the world are already gearing up for it! I saw lots of Halloween scenes and fall harvest displays cropping up each day.

Here at Studio C the last Saturday of the month the night before Halloween is the night for Live @ Studio C! It's going to be a costume party and potluck; a preview for the big night ahead... if you dare!

It should be fun to put on Halloween costumes, new or old, (as long as they are hand made). Maybe you've put away some of the costumes you made way back when... Well, this is the event that should inspire you to get the moth balls shaken out and the make-up kit opened up for an evening of dress up fun.

The cover charge is a treasure you are willing to put up as a prize, costumes are encouraged but optional, however, if you want to win a prize you'll have to come in costume or bring a friend to model your entry. I've challenged myself to make the second in a series of five new Halloween costumes... a blue bell-hop bee bop car hop on roller blades! SheBopBBop sort of a fast food goblin. If I'm wearing my scarecrow costume you'll know I didn't make the deadline!

One thought I had walking around a large department store which shall remain nameless is that times have changed so much that our kids are too busy to make their own costumes. Thus the very cool costumes you can buy for 29.99 are selling like hotcakes. Having made my living as a costume designer for 15 years I know that you can barely buy the materials for that much.

It hit me, wandering those long isles of stuff you can buy, that this would be a very good month for all the trick or treaters to be stitching, stapling, or taping their costumes together with the help of friends and family. Good quality time spent creatively in preparation for a night of fun. In that spirit I send out an invitation to all to take some of that time back and make it into Creative-I-T time.

Studio C is here to help! I'm offering a free mask-making session on Saturday from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Come make a mask and get started decorating.... you'll have plenty of time to finish it before Halloween on your own or, if there is enough interest, we'll put together a costume making support group. We'll see how it goes on Saturday. Send an email to StudioC@bacavalley.com to register for the class. I'll take up to 13 participants.

So, there it is!

Have a great weekend~

Christina

From Peace to Soul & Around the Volcano!

Wow! I feel like a beautiful red maple leaf caught on the surface of a lively river~ flowing downstream with the sound of water splashing against the great sandstone banks and the well worn granite boulders and stones below.

The photo I open with today comes from the 2010 International Day of Peace event which The Mandala Center presented last week. This was a beautiful event and I am so grateful to the visiting monks for making their prayer for peace on the planet right here in our corner of the state. Thank you to The Mandala Center for presenting this experience.

I'm still zinging from the amazing concert I saw in Santa Fe Monday evening. My friend Katherine met me at The Lensic Theatre to see Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings. What an amazing show. This is a show to get your dreams up and into get down and move mode. WOW! Thank you Sharon Jones for being so generous with your talent and so righteous with your songs!!!

Earlier in September I spoke of the 2010 New Mexico Arts ArtsLink conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico in late August.... thought you might like to see some images from the workshop I presented. They can be viewed here: Mask-making - ArtsLink 2010.

On the way home from that conference I stopped in Cimarron, New Mexico to visit my friend Yvonne O'Brien, a photographer/writer, and her husband. Yvonne shared the exciting news that she has been accepted as an Artist in Resident at the Petrified Forest National Park for April 2011. She'll be there for a month, making images and writings immersed in an amazing place. In exchange she will present to park visitors and make a work that will become part of their collection. Congratulations Yvonne! You can see one of her images in Des Moines Village Hall which houses the local EMS 1% for art purchase.

We had a lively show here for our last Live @ Studio C! Many thanks to Jaecke & Ruby for presenting some local history on Emma Adams and also to George Greco for sharing his wonderful poetry with us. ~And who should walk in the door just now? Ruby & Jaecke! They came with a copy of the current enchantment news, in which our local paramedic Jan Pryor is featured in their Nuestros Vecinos series. They also brought the news that our very own Senior Citizen Center is hosting a show of art from the New Deal. On Wednesday, October 6th, there will be a talk about the New Deal presented by Kathy Flynn. For information or to register please call the Senior Center at 575-278-2144.

The next Live @ Studio C! will be on the night before Halloween... thus, I've decided that we simply must go with the season and offer a Halloween Costume preview get together.

Yippee! (Pardon my gleeful enthusiasm but I love costumes!) Only one rule applies: You must have created your costume yourself. You can get out the sewing machine or raid your closets and attic drawers to put together something wonderful. Costumes are not mandatory for entry, just a spirit of fun and frolic and a contribution for the peoples' choice 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place awards. Details to come. So, put on your creative thinking caps and get out your imagination. There is plenty of time to make a wonderful costume you can be proud of for years to come. Mark the date: October 30 - Halloween Eve Costume Party~ 5:30 p.m. Potluck and dance.

And finally, I come round to The Volcano!

The 2010 Capulin Volcano Run Around the Rim to benefit the Folsom Museum was a big success! You can visit Tim Keller's blogs (he has two) to see more photos from the run, the peace event and other happenings our corner of New Mexico.

So~ even as I swirl around in wild eddies of experience I seek peace and continuity and yes, sustainability. I am working on time management skills, scheduling in the tasks I want to maintain and striving to make it all come together. Stay with me, dear readers, I will achieve my goal of a weekly update. I appreciate all the support you give me and I reflect love and compassion back to you.

May you be imbued with happiness and all of its causes.

Till next time~

Christina

All Saints Day~

Welcome!

Change is in the air; freezing days of blizzards blowing and rain freezing have given way to a lovely day of sunny warmth with wet ground under foot. It's Halloween here in Des Moines, New Mexico and most of the snow has been blown away by fearsome winds. Today the winds have quieted, just in time to get out the costumes and begin painting faces.

Tonight we'll be entertained by scary stories from Ashley Bauer; singing along to some raucous blues, original pop, and poetic verse as Peter Burg turns up the heat in the gallery. That's good because Studio C is chilly place so wear your tights and long-johns when you this evening... I've got the heater going and Janet is bringing another to help out in the gallery... still, a warm fuzzy sweater is always a good idea once the temperatures outside dip below freezing consistently. To get a sense of the days recently check out Tim's recent photograph taken on his way to work earlier this week.

I'm planning to install a wood-stove to supplement my solar heating system which has been thwarted this season with all the grey sky days we've had these last two weeks. Today the sun has just come out so the solar gets to work... hopefully we'll have sunny days now.... not sure what has happened to our southwestern sunny day average but I'm ready for it to return.

Reading Alert! I did it... the first time in quite a while... Reading Steven F. Havill's recently published historical crime mystery Race for the Dying, I stayed up till 4:00 a. m. because I couldn't stop reading! Steven will be reading from his newest book, to be released in November, at our upcoming Show of Gratitude on Saturday November 21st.

Coming Up at Studio C:

Art Plays Its Part!

Wednesday November 4th 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Reception for student artists & community

Miracles, Milagros und Wunder ~ Small Works & Local Flavors

~ A Holiday Show

Artists are invited to submit small works and handmade gift items for sale in the gallery.

For more information call me at 575-278-2040 or 57o5-447-2016

Live @ Studio C! November 21st, 2009 Our Third Annual Show of Gratitude

We'll have a double feature this year!

Karen Anderson will bring her harps to grace the evening with her beautiful music

She will have CD's for sale.

Steven F. Havill will read from his newest book, just released: Red Green or Murder

We will have copies for sale and he will be signing books.

I'm still looking for spotlight acts... give me a call if you are interested!

News around the Community:

* Book Mobile November 19th @ Des Moines Senior Center 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. then at Des Moines School 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. This is a very cool thing! Did you know that the best way to learn how to write is to read a lot?

* Congratulations to Vital Roads on their Adopt-A-Highway project. Vital Roads will be taking care of the roads into Folsom, Des Moines and Capulin for one mile in each direction. That is a lot of miles of highway if you count both sides of the road. You can sign on to help and find out more about Vital Roads by emailing VitalRoads@bacavalley.com.

Looking forward to the tricks and treats here tonight... come on out and enjoy the show!

Boo!

Christina

Positive Thinking~

Sure enough~ found my groove with the blog and life takes its twists and turns and now it's been seven weeks since I've posted. Wow! Seven, my sister says, is the number of the Universe. Tim says it's time!

Well~ I trust my path and so today I make the choice to take the time to post the news. Firstly,

the next Live @ Studio C! comes next Saturday, October 31st~ Halloween~ and will be a fun night for all!

Peter Burg, musician, poet, playwright, artist and all around sage of the well lived life will be our featured act. That's his handsome mug you see, photographed by Tim Keller. Peter is bringing his friend Rick Terlep who will accompany him on the slide guitar. They are a dynamic duo!

Peter's recent CD release Dizzy Light has been a delight to share with gallery guests. Peter has been working on new songs, a new play and undoubtedly new poems... his performances are always vibrant high energy events that are not to be missed. I highly recommend this night to you and your guests. Come on out, wear your costumes and enjoy an evening of fun.

Ashley Bauer will thrill us as our spotlight act with her "Tales from the Cauldron".... I'll be in full costume and invite you to try, just try to out do me. Speaking of out doing... I hear rumor that Kathryn Engel is looking to bring her dramatic talents to the show with a goal to take on storytelling..... this evening is looking to bring out the best in some of our local talent. You won't want to miss it will you?

Currently the gallery of Studio C is featuring artwork by students from Des Moines Schools who participated in Art Plays Its Part! They have graciously allowed us to take their work to 3 exhibitions. In June the work travelled to Albuquerque to the 48th annual New Mexico Arts & Crafts Fair, then in August the work was shown at the Union County Fair, and in September the work travelled back to Albuquerque and hung in the School Arts Building at New Mexico State Fair. We'll hold a reception for the community to honor the students and their teachers on Wednesday November 4th from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Come out and celebrate this homecoming with us. We'll be looking forward to seeing you and to celebrating the creative work of Des Moines School Students. Questions? Give me a call at 575-278-3517.

Well, it's been a long time coming so I'm keeping it short and sweet.

Thanks for reading and for sending your friends and family to Studio C! If it were not for the support of the community and my visitors I would not be here. I thank each and everyone who has made a place for Studio C in their hearts and look forward to making many more friends along this creative journey.

Blessings!

Christina

Happy Halloween!

Coffee is up! Come on by and enjoy a cup for free while you visit, then buy a cup to go or a pound or two or three of our delicious organic fair trade whole beans home so you can wake up to a freshly ground cup of gourmet coffee in the comfort of your home. After all, what is life for if not to enjoy the bounty that we humans are all blessed with… especially if no humans, animal or nature have been abused in the process of getting the bounty to you!

Step into the gallery this weekend to see our current gallery show: The Upper Right Corner ~ Photography by Tim Keller. All images are archival prints framed under museum preservation glass with white mats and a simple black wood frame. Last week’s opening reception was a wonderful success! Thanks to everyone who came to share in our excitement. The show will be up through November 24th and we are looking forward to having you stop in to see the work.

Today is the day for all the little goblins to run around in costume and collect candy or smart snacks, depending on the givers’ inclinations. Personally I’m opting to hand out toothbrushes. Not really. But next year that's what I plan to do!

Speaking of toothbrushes, being an ArtSpace out in “the middle of nowhere”, I have decided to add some practical items to our shelves. Toothbrushes and sturdy leather work gloves, and some fancy show gloves are coming in the future. I am here to serve travelers and our community and I’ve been listening when friends make suggestions. You can’t read your poetry well if your teeth are fuzzy, and a great pair of gloves makes all the difference in bending wire, barbed or not, as well as those fancy nights out on the town. Support our local economy, our local and regional artists and organic, fair trade products that help our planet by supporting humane economic growth and environmental stewardship. I appreciate your support and look forward to growing the business into a destination gallery here in Des Moines. Shop at Studio C and you will help make that dream a thriving reality.

Date change: my report to the Union County Community Development Corporation will be Wednesday, November 19th at 6:00 p.m. That is a week later than I stated in my update last week, which I will be updating with the correct date. Please update your planners and let us know you are coming.

Speaking of changes, I am thrilled to be adding a solar radiant heat system to the gallery. Nate Green and his brother in law Kyle are pouring cement thermal mass blocks with flexible pipe running in them. They’ll be installed against the inside cinder block wall in our two galleries and the studio/classroom. A solar panel will go up on the roof. Water will be heated by the sun through the solar panel then circulated through the cement panels. Once the system is up and running we expect the building to be kept much warmer than it was last winter. This is phase one of my plan to have Studio C retrofit to be able to produce all the energy that it needs to function. You may find us in a bit of a mess when you stop in but don’t let that stop you! Nate and Kyle predict the system will be completed and turned up by late next week. I’ll keep you posted!

Mary Ann Louden will be giving two workshops on making tin can lids into “StarFlowers”. Saturday November 8th and Saturday November 15th. Each workshop will be from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Studio C in the studio/classroom.

Mark your calendars for our November Live Poetry! The date is Saturday November 22nd. Sharon Niederman is our featured artist and will be reading new poetry and also from her books. We have added her books, A Quilt of Words, Return to Abo, and The Santa Fe and Taos Book from the series Great Destinations to our shelves and she will be signing that night too. My sister Karyna Cragin will be in the spotlight. She is an amazing musician and vocalist and is working on an act with a friend. I am not yet sure if she is bringing her friend or doing a solo. This will be the second annual Show of Gratitude and will again be a potluck event with no cover charge. Studio C will provide the turkey and all the trimmings so bring what ever you love to have with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Last year’s event was just wonderful and I am so pleased to be able to build on such a lovely beginning. This is my way to extend my thanks for the support that everyone has given Studio C over the year.

With that note let me sign off by quoting Lynne Twist, “ When you are in the house of sufficiency you live in a state of perfect ecstatic gratitude.”

In Creativity,

Christina