April - May 2005

Claudia O'Keefe

Mountainair – From inside chic adobe studios and quirky straw bale houses in the Abó Pass, to modest kitchen art spaces in the tiny community of Mountainair, to intimate work rooms and rustic barns hidden amongst the trees at the base of the Manzano Mountains, artists and crafters are hard at work.

Mountainair’s Studio & Gallery Tour 2005 is fast approaching.  With 50 or more artisans expected to give the public a personal glimpse into their muse-driven worlds, organizers of this second annual event, scheduled for May 21- 22, are gearing up for the thousands of gallery goers they hope to attract.

“Come meet the artists,” urges jewelry designer Mary Schultz, one of the co-founders of Cibola Gallery, which this year celebrates its tenth anniversary on Broadway.  “This is a wonderful area for all kinds of fine art.  It’s a wonderful place for photography.  It’s a wonderful place to paint.  It’s a fabulous place to weave.”

Paintings, photography, and jewelry are just a few of the two dozen media visitors can view and purchase. Pastels, traditional tinwork, bronze castings, paper sculptures, batik, ceramics, floorcloths, wood carvings and fine art dolls will tempt collectors and buyers.

 “They’ll see an eclectic mix,” says batik artist Gary Fey.  “They’ll also see a wide range in pricing.  There’s going to be something for everyone.  Some people are going to walk away with a fabulous mug.  Some will walk away with a fine oil painting.  Others with a funky little sculpture, or something wearable for themselves or as a gift.”

Fey, a silk painter with 27 years experience, typifies the caliber of nationally recognized artists who have settled in the area during recent years, seeking the natural beauty and supportive art community the town has to offer.  Other well-known artists slated to participate include Addie Draper, whose pastels hang in galleries and shows from Florida to California, and doll artist Pamela Armas, whose work is often requested for the gallery sections of books on doll crafting.

Another local dollmaker, J.E. Mowris works with non-traditional materials, sculpting exquisite and expressive dancers poised in mid-leap from old wire, paper pulp, and recycled clothing.  She feels there’s a special draw about the area that sucks in creative types and inspires them to do some of their best work.  A transplant from Florida, Mowris saw Mountainair on the Internet seven years ago.  She held a big garage sale, loaded the leftovers into a U-Haul trailer and barreled down the Interstate toward her new home.

“I came out here and there was all this space and all this time and no distractions,” she says.

 “I think there’s a special energy about this town,” agrees potter Robin DesJardins.

Like Mowris and many other artists in town, DesJardins tells a similar story of arriving in Mountainair and immediately knowing it was the place for her. Part of the attraction is the area’s affordability for artists who are just starting to make a name for themselves.  Another factor is the town itself.  Seeking a weekend break in the country, DesJardins borrowed a friend’s house keys and took the drive up from Albuquerque.

“I stayed one night in her house and knew Mountainair was just like the town where I grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s.”

Visitors making the tour in May will find plenty of that old-fashioned charm on hand in the form of an authentic 1940s drugstore soda fountain at Meds & More and the  unusual stuffed wildlife display at Gustin’s hardware.  Café Chameleon, run by executive chef David Fisher in the newly restored Pop Shaffer Hotel, a mint example of 1930s Pueblo Deco architecture, will offer a gourmet brunch on Sunday.

 “It’s going to be a really fun time for everyone,” promises Tour Chairwoman Geree McDermott. “We’ll have a lot of music going on and plenty of children’s art activities, as well.”

McDermott, a painter of floorcloths and decorative accessories, has put in hundreds of hours on this year’s event and is especially excited about bringing in not just local artists, but others from around central and southern New Mexico.  Among these are the weavers of Tres Manos, a group from Las Cruces, scheduled to give live demonstrations throughout the weekend.

While those participating in the tour hope to benefit from the exposure, not to mention rake in some healthy sales, most insist the event’s other objectives are more important.  Paramount is the desire to promote art and the community as a whole, as well as helping the town become a permanent art destination.

“We have a tremendous number of visitors and repeat customers to our galleries who like to travel on Route 60 rather than I-40,” says Mary Shultz.  She’d love to see the town become a summer community of artists in residence from around the world, a place, “for people to come and be restored, get revitalized.”

For Bert Herrman, president of the Manzano Mountain Art Council, which sponsors the tour, gaining recognition for Mountainair is almost a full-time occupation.

“The purpose of the art tour and art council,” he says, “is to build Mountainair.  To establish yourself in the family of art communities in the state.”   He looks forward to the day no special event is necessary to pull a steady steam of art tourists into Mountainair on weekends.

Herrman feels the once thriving pinto bean capital, which was in danger of becoming a ghost town and is now pulling itself together again, has enormous potential. “There’s so much that’s picturesque here.  There are many things to paint, much stimulation you aren’t going to get just anywhere.  It’s also low key,” he adds.

Silk painter Gary Fey concurs.  “It’s casual.  It’s not like the Santa Fe scene.  You can talk to the artists.  They’re approachable.”

Though most tour activity will take place on Mountainair’s main drag, maps to the galleries, studios, and other activities will be available throughout town.  Hours each day are 10 am to 5 pm. For more information, call Geree McDermott at 505-847-1846, or visit www.theartcenterofmountainair.com. 

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