Upcoming area art happenings

OPPORTUNITIES

Call for Artists: thetheatregallery in the Black Box Theatre, 430 N. Main Street, Las Cruces, invites artists to participate in “Perfect Love,” a studio tour exhibit as part of 2024’s Love of Art Month, to accompany the February run of “I Love you, You're Perfect, Now Change,” in the Black Box Theatre, Feb. 9-25. No fees are required. The art can include love of pets, concepts, and objects, and should reflect the play's motif and themes of love and relationships, including “secret” thoughts about romance and relationships that “you were afraid to admit.” Send jpegs for consideration to ceil@zianet.com, by Dec. 30. For information: margaretpaints@yahoo.com. Check out no-strings.org for play summary.

Call for Artists: The Tombaugh Gallery, 2000 S. Solano, is inviting artists to submit up to two works of art for an exhibit based on folk singer Phil Ochs’ song, “I’m Gonna Say it Now.”  The exhibit will run Jan. 7-20, 2024. Artists may use any medium they prefer, as long as the work relates to the Phil Ochs song. There is no submission fee, and first ($300), second ($200), and third ($100) prizes will be awarded at a reception held on Friday, Jan. 19, between 6-8 p.m. In addition, $100 will be given for People’s Choice and a $100 award for the artist whose work is the best interpretation of the Phil Ochs song. Artists need to indicate their intent to participate by emailing details of their art piece(s) to clay_ink@yahoo.com no later than Dec. 20. Lyrics of the song can be found at the Unitarian-Universalist Church website: https://www.uuchurch.org.  Artists will be responsible for delivering their artwork to the Tombaugh Gallery on Jan. 5, between noon and 3 p.m., and will be responsible for picking up their art after the exhibit ends.

The exhibit is being sponsored by A Still Small Voice (ASSV) nonprofit, the UU Church and the Tombaugh Gallery. 

SILVER CITY

• Light Art Space, 209 W. Broadway in Silver City, presents LAS TEN, featuring recent artwork by the 10 local artists represented by Light Art Space. A variety of media are on display including painting, drawing, photography, jewelry, fiber, assemblage, sculpture, and wood furniture. Work is by Joel Armstrong, Kathleen Koopman, Joe Huebner, Karen Hymer, Rhonda Munzinger, Art Peterson, Susan H. Porter, Eric Renner, Nancy Spencer and Juan Velasco. The show will be up through Dec. 31 with an opening reception 5-7 p.m. Dec. 1. The gallery is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday (until 7 p.m. on First Fridays); 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday; and by appointment. Info: lightartspace.com.

• Dec 1-3 will be the last weekend of the Grant County Art Guild’s art show, “The BODY,” at the GCAG Studio, 200 W Market in Silver City. Each piece in the show depicts, or is inspired by, the human form. Mediums include painting, photography, clay, metal, wood and more. Show hours are noon-7 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m.-5p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The show will have a reception during the Silver City Art Association’s First Fridays at the Galleries walk Dec 1, from 5-7 p.m. The Grant County Art Guild Gallery newest artist is Franky DeAngelis. DeAngelis’ paintings spring from anarchy and experimentation. His photographs range from wildlife to the wild-life of storm chasing and lightning bolt skies. His work is featured in a December gallery window. The GCAG Gallery is open seven days a week from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with extended hours for special events. Friday, Dec 1 hours are extended to 7 p.m. for the last First Friday gallery walk of the year. The GCAG Gallery is located at 316 N Bullard in Silver City, NM. For more information see gcag.org. For a map of the First Friday walk route, see silvercityart.com. 

• The Silver City Public Library hosts works by mixed media and textile artist Suzanne Ens Dec. 1 through Jan. 31. Ens makes her creations with cast-off clothing and other foraged items, often implementing monotype print designs into both her mediums. See more about the artist and her current body of work at fringe-artists.com and at 515 W. College Ave in Silver City. Library hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays.

• The Ninth Annual Holiday Artisan Market in Silver City is on the weekend of Dec. 2 and 3 at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center next to Ace Hardware on U.S. Highway 180 E. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday it represents a wide range of mediums within the 30 quality juried artists. Types of fine arts and crafts include painters, jewelers, weavers, gourd artists, soap makers, crocheted items, leatherworkers, photography, pottery, wood workers and garment makers. Some are award winners in their categories. For more information, visit the Facebook page @silvercityholidaymarket.

ALAMOGORDO

• Otero Arts is hosting its first Holiday Artisan Sale on the first two Fridays and Saturdays of December at the Artspace located at 1118 Indiana Avenue in Alamogordo. The sale features a variety of artwork by a talented group of artisans:  tinwork, weaving, jewelry and other collectibles. The sale begins at 4 p.m. on Friday Dec. 1 and 8 and concludes at 7 p.m.  On Saturday, Dec. 2 and 9 the Artspace is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Artpace Gallery will be closed the rest of December. It reopens Jan. 1, 2024, with a reception for oil painter, Anne Aleshire.

Info: oteroarts.org.

DEMING

• December is the time for the annual Holiday Gift Boutique at the Deming Art Center. Also, on Dec. 9, there will be a one-day Art Fest at the Methodist Church beginning at 9 a.m. and closing at 4 p.m. Local artists will be there with their many creations across multiple mediums. The boutique at the gallery will run through Dec. 29, with a time to meet the artists 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4. The Deming Art Center is at 100 S. Gold St., Deming. The gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday. Info: 575-546-3663 and at www.demingarts.org.

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES

• Rio Bravo Fine Art, 110 North Broadway in Truth or Consequences, presents Rebecca Speakes who is one of New Mexico’s most talented and creative fiber artists. Speakes represents 30 years of experience as a graphic designer combined with tangential interests in math and architectural concepts are the foundation for her work. Speakes will present an Art Talks lecture on Jan. 21, 2024, titled “My Pathway as an Artist.” Rio Bravo Fine Arts Gallery is at 110 N. Broadway in Truth or Consequences. Info: riobravofa@gmail.com.

MAGDALENA

• “Portraits of Magdalena’s Art Tradition: Native Daughters and Sons” opens with a reception 2-6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 2 at the CWB Gallery, 104 Main St., Magdalena. This exhibit features painters, santera and retablo artists and Alamo Reservation Navajo weavers who were prominent in the development of the artistic tradition in Magdalena. The artists represented include painters David Hixon Moneypenny and Eddie Tsosie; santera and retablo painters Maryrose Pino and Grace Maria Garcia Dobson; and Navajo Alamo weavers Isabella Pino-Thomas, Sarah Secatero, Annie Apachito Vicente, Louise Abeyta, Shirley Baca and Violet Lucero. The show will be up through the first week of January 2024. Info: 910-297-9904 or laposadademariamagdalena.com/art-gallery.

LAS CRUCES

• The New Mexico Watercolor Society fall member exhibit is at the Doña Ana Arts Council Gallery, 230 W. Water St. Las Cruces. There will be a soft opening, 4-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 and an artist reception noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. Info: nmwatercolorsociety.org.

• Art lovers in the region have an opportunity to experience 40 years of boundary-breaking artwork by conceptual multimedia artist Celia Álvarez Muñoz. More than 35 of her works are on display at the University Art Museum at New Mexico State University. “Celia Álvarez Muñoz: Breaking the Binding” The show, which includes large-scale immersive installations, photographic series and book projects, will run through March 2. The museum hosts its last in-person bookmaking workshop Dec. 2 in Devasthali Hall room 106. The workshop is open to anyone interested and participants can choose to exhibit their books in the Mullenix Bridge Gallery alongside artwork by Muñoz. Info: uam.nmsu.edu.

• Gallery 925 is hosting the Potters’ Guild for the month of December. Participating potters include Albert Alvidrez; Jan Archey; David Beattie; Pam Bornhouser; George Holland; Mary Lou LaCasse; Bonnie MacQuarrie; Vickie Morrow; Linda Sanchez; and Glenn Schwaiger. The opening reception is 4-8 p.m. First Friday, Dec. 1 with artists in attendance. Work will be on display through Dec. 31. Gallery hours are 1-5 p.m., Fridays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays. Gallery 925 is at 925 Mesquite Ave. Info: gallery925nm.com.

• Agave Artists Gallery hosts an open house 4 p.m.-7 p.m. on Dec. 9 Meet the artists and browse the four rooms of art. Partake in the festive atmosphere with cookies, wine, hot cider, and music. The gallery is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday to Monday and until 8 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month at 2250 Calle de San Albino. Info: 575-339-9870.

• The Las Cruces Museum of Art, is featuring “Artistas de las Fronterizas – Borderland Contemporary Artists.” Sixteen contemporary artists from local borderland communities, including Las Cruces, El Paso, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, come together in this colorful and expressive exhibit to showcase their work as prominent Borderland artists, on view through Saturday, Dec. 16. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday at 491 N. Main St. Info: www.lascruces.gov/museums or 575-541-2137.

• The Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery, 2470-A Calle de Guadalupe, across from the historic Fountain Theatre features two local artists for the month of December: Barbara Bush and Jane Peacock. Bush has had a long and circuitous journey to becoming a fulltime artist. Peacock has been a painter of portraits of people of the Borderland, and landscapes of New Mexico.  Peacock’s passion has always been issues affecting women, infants, and children; while serving migrants for many years in public health, she created paintings portraying the lives of the people working in the fields around Las Cruces. Holiday Market gift items are available for sale until Dec. 31. First American Bank in Mesilla is well represented by gallery members who rotate the galleries artists’ work monthly. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Info: 575-522-2933, www.mesillavalleyfinearts.com.

• The Tombaugh Gallery, 2000 South Solano, Las Cruces, features the work of Kathy Baker and Vickie Morrow in December for their exhibit “A Feast for Your Senses: Texture, Color, and Spirit”. The exhibit opens with a reception 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3. Baker features textiles and baskets on pedestals in the gallery. Most of Morrow’s work focuses on assemblage wall hung art. Morrow’s inspiration often comes during the hunting and gathering of items for her mass collection. Baker will show textiles, baskets, fiber weaving, and art yarn. The exhibit continues through Friday, Dec. 29. Regular Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. The Gallery is located in the Unitarian Universalist Church.

• At Branigan Cultural Center the newest exhibition, “A Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead in Southern Mexico,” explores the history, heritage and traditions of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations in Oaxaca, Mexico. It features 26 photographs that capture a typical Oaxacan Day of the Dead celebration. The exhibit runs through Dec.30. Also, at the Branigan, on display through Jan. 13, “The Amadors: Family, Culture, and Identity in Early Las Cruces” exhibit, follows the Amadors’ experience of Mexican families living along the U.S. side of the international boundary following the Mexican American War, as they adjusted to new social, economic, educational, and political systems of the U.S. while holding on to their Mexican identities and cultural values. The museum is open from 10 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturday. Info: www.lascruces.gov/Museums or 575-541-2154.