It's spring inside the gallery here at Studio C... looking like another chilly winter day outside.

This week we have freshly roasted great coffee beans so I'm looking forward to seeing local customers come in to take advantage of the opportunity to buy organic fair trade whole beans here in Des Moines, New Mexico.

I had a lovely first Live @ Studio C! event last Saturday. It was an intimate gathering with almost everyone sharing something during the open mike. I want to thank Katherine Engel especially for her spotlight appearance and to Tim Keller for reading from Us Nesters in the Land of Enchantment, compiled by Mrs. N.H. (Cora) Click, edited by Mrs. Charles E. (Nita) Leierer. We welcomed new guests Rosalie and Steve who joined Lori in bringing the evening to fruition. Thank you all for supporting this event. Our next Live @ Studio C! will be on May 29th. Details to come soon. Now June's event, on June 26th, will feature Jim Irwin reading from his memoir: Eighty years in New Mexico. I met Jim through my friends Tom & Jan who suggested him as a good match for the Live @ Studio C! event. Jim grew up in the small town of Mt. Dora east of here. He's lived a long, happy, rich life and he loves to talk about it. I'm happy to highlight local history as experienced by Jim. Be sure to mark your calendars for this date and join in the fun. Bring a friend and if you like, something to contribute to the open mike portion of the show.

You may have noticed that I've been noting local events in many of my blogs past, and I love doing that however, it has occurred to me that I need to focus on what is going on here at Studio C! I'm going to be investing more of my time and energy to the gallery in the upcoming months although there are still a couple of obligations I have which will get time and energy for a while. It feels right to be editing my task list in this way.

I've been working on a website finally.... Mike has worked to create the frame work and get me up to speed on the development. I've got to flesh out the site and this will require regular work-sessions. I hope to go live with the site this summer. Will keep you posted as it takes form.

I'm also hanging works I've created in the galleries. The photograph for today is a detail from a piece I call Ode to Frida ~ For Joyful Dancing.

And probably most importantly I have to get the class schedule for Summer Art! set and publish the information so that we'll have a summer full of great art and creativity flowing around here. So that brings me to a close here at the blog today! You can guess what I'm moving on to next.

Be Well and Happy!

Christina

Community in Joy

Fresh from Rusty Southard's kiln to Studio C ~ Handmade coffee & tea mugs. Come by for a cup on the house while you visit!

I'm excited to have new coffee mugs for my guests to sample the wonderful coffee available for sale in the gallery... and to share the energy of spring coming into the door these days.

I've been talking to local artists about teaching classes this summer and have Sasha Jensen and Lori Coon on board. Check out the new flyer for additional details.

Next Sunday we hold another Open House with Margaret Chacon, Nicole Girardin, and Marsha Strom bringing in jewelry, soaps, tie-dye, incense and more! Join us on the 11th from 1:00 to 4:00. There'll be something for everyone as I open up the gallery to these wonderful women. You won't want to miss it if you are in the area.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and I'll be spending the afternoon working on some decorative eggs. I invite you to come spend some time with me Sunday April 4th from 1:00 - 3:30 pm. I'll have blown eggs and all kinds of materials to decorate the eggs with. Sunday Afternoon Fun! Come check it out!

Speaking of coffee! It's freshly ground and freshly perked and ready to pour... and my cup is empty so give me just a jiff to fill it up again and continue on with the news!

And... I'm back and happy~ I just love a great cup of coffee... which is why I sell big bend coffee roaster's fair-trade organic whole bean coffees and brew it up fresh each day for you to enjoy here or to-go. It's been an adventure to take on coffee sales in addition to art and locally produced crafts and I'm thrilled to be growing Studio C here in Des Moines New Mexico.

I'm also excited to have the studio reaching a new degree of organization and readiness to make art in. I fully intended to make art here... but the business of learning to run a business has taken me on a long detour which I am happy to report is now returning me to the original intent.

I love to teach through art in a mixed setting where children and adults are equals as students even as experience and abilities vary. My observation in presenting class over the years shows that adults have much to gain from the creative freedom children possess while children are empowered to realize that adults like to learn! It's a win win situation that inspires me. This summer will be a new chapter in Summer Art! here at Studio C in Des Moines. I look forward to seeing what happens! I hope you'll take a class and if you are interested in teaching one that you'll send me an email at StudioC@bacavalley.com.

Tim Keller will be stopping by on his way to the Spahn Bison Ranch to work on some portraits in his current creative quest. We'll be spending some time at Heart's Desire B&B later in the month.... another great place to know about as you decide to visit our area and plan to stay awhile.

And now to set up my installation piece Ode to Frida in honor of Spring's return and the renewal we all have access to in this season.

With Joy in Community~

Christina

Ode to Frida Kahlo ~ Detail of Mask

Mask, originally uploaded by Jaguarposa.

I have finally set up my installation Ode to Frida ~ A Prayer for Joyful Dancing.  It is in Studio C and awaits word from Raton Arts & Humanities Council... I've submitted it for entry in their annual Women in the Arts Show. My husband Tim has taken beautiful pictures of it... 

In the meantime it dances in the quiet of the gallery.