In San Patricio and Hondo, plan to visit Judy Benson, John Kiker and Alice Warder Seeley.  Benson's work will include woven fiber sculptures and woven neckpieces.  Kiker, a first-time Art Loop participant, will show his plein-air and studio oil paintings that depict the beauty of the Hondo Valley and big-sky New Mexico landscapes.  Seeley, back for her third Art Loop tour, has opened a gallery site that includes an iris farm and botanical garden. As a multi-media artist, Seeley will show vibrantly colorful paintings and sculpture influenced by her Anglo-Hispanic-Native American heritage, as well as her expanded line of pewter jewelry. Seeley's work is marketed in more than 500 shops, museums and galleries throughout the United States.

Three Art Loop studios will be open in Lincoln, each conveniently located on Main Street.  Linda Fox transforms paper into art, sometimes using collage techniques, and will feature abstract two-dimensional paper art, greeting cards, mobiles, and three-dimensional paper works. Weaver Ann Haile Johnson will exhibit the products of her loom, and the Dougherty's at Earthly Greens/Ran La Roca Glass offer extraordinarily colorful sculptures of enameled glass and metal.

In Capitan, Jake Wolfhart's leatherworks clearly illustrate his mastery of the craft.  Beginning his career in Europe 35years ago, Wolfhart's attention to detail and eye for classic design result in truly premium quality leather goods.

Wander through Animalia Pottery, studio and gallery of Karen Pritchett and Todd Shelby, and discover a wonderland of enchanting pottery with animal motifs in bright, bold colors. The gallery's sculpture garden is fun, funky and fantastic.

Lorene Caywood's paintings of wildlife and mountain landscapes, wagons and windmills testify to her experience and skill as a painter and her understanding of the traditional elements of form, perspective, light and shadow.  Caywood also teaches students from beginner to advanced levels, with emphasis on the basic elements of design, and is highly recommended by her students.

Another Capitan painter, Maria Hamilton, realistically captures the personalities of her human and animal subjects with a western art style, while Jeannie Adams brings her stylized animal images, painted on sandstone, to Art Loop for the first time.

Zoe de Negri is back this year with striking jewelry of semi-precious stones, beads, silver and other metals. She has added more jewelry to her extensive line and will offer crosses this year, both as wearable pendants and as wall décor.  Another new addition this year is Miranda Howe.  Miranda creates both functional tableware and fabulously decorative mosaic pieces.

Six artists from the Nogal area will be on this year's tour.  Madeleine and Steve Sabo will show hand-turned wooden bowls and demonstrate the process used to create them.  Madeleine, who once taught drawing, acrylic and oil painting will also present her western paintings and animal portraits.

Karen and Marvin Smith will open their home as first-time participants this year.  Karen's contemporary art quilts are elaborately designed; with an impressionistic sense, brilliant color usage and attention to detail. She presents heirloom worthy fabric art.

Marvin Smith will show his slab clay sculptures which often take the form of buildings, houses and habitats with almost human personalities.  Pamela Topper, an Art Loop fixture, will return with metal and stone works.

The Art Loop also welcomes back Sandy Hartley with her fiber-art furniture and stained glass.  Hartley will have some new three-dimensional work on hand, and has added the utilization of textured overlays in many of her designs.  Hartley is scheduled to teach a class through ENMU at her studio beginning in late July.

China and porcelain painter, Bill Kerr, will represent Carrizozo on the 2004 tour.  Kerr paints in the Old World  tradition, using classically elegant designs in floral, southwestern and oriental motifs on china and porcelain tableware and decorative tabletops.

Lincoln County Tour Company, in Ruidoso, has plans in the works for a special Art Loop shuttle, for those who like to leave the driving to somebody else.  Interested parties may call toll-free 888-527-1017, or  257-6069. 

To view an area map, or to request a brochure detailing the self-guided tour, go to the Art Loop website at www.artloop.org.  The information will be sent by mail.  Brochures are also available at many locations throughout the county, or call Susan at 653-4707 to request one.  Art Loop signs will mark each studio along the tour route.

Opening reception: Saturday, June 5, 5 - 7 PM

Rio Bravo Fine Art in Truth or Consequences is pleased to announce an upcoming show featuring paintings by New Mexico artist Dave Barnett. An opening reception for the exhibition will be held on Saturday, June 5, from 5 until 7 PM. The public is invited to attend.

Barnett was born in Paris, Texas in 1941. After attending Junior College in his hometown, Barnett earned a degree in education at Southeastern Oklahoma State, graduating in 1962. Five years later, he obtained his Masters degree in Painting from New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, where he studied under Elmer Schooley. Recently, paintings by both Barnett and Schooley were featured in The Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe's "SoQ" show, which focused on contemporary artists residing in southern New Mexico.

Barnett taught art in the Carlsbad, New Mexico public school system for thirty-one years. He continued to pursue painting in the studio until 1977, when he switched mediums and became a potter. Barnett made his return to painting the same year he retired from teaching, in 1993.

The eighteen canvases featured in the upcoming exhibition date from the last decade. "The Broke-off Country" from 2004 expands on Barnett's ability to capture the terrain of the southwest-its hills and crevices and desert flora-in a large format, and to convey the inherent grandeur of the landscape, often at moments when it is especially spectacular. In other works, Barnett zooms in for a closer look at what's directly underfoot, depicting fields of bluebonnets, grass or pea gravel.

Barnett has lived and worked in Elephant Butte since 2001.

For more information on Dave Barnett and the exhibition please contact Ruanna Waldrum or Eduardo Alicea at 505/894-0572. Images of works from the exhibition are available. RioBravoFineArt is located at 110 East Broadway in Truth or Consequences. Gallery hours are 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM, Wednesday through Sunday, or by appointment. Please visit the gallery's website at www.riobravofineart.com.

Truth or Consequence - World-class jazz alto saxophonist Greg Abate will perform at a free outdoor concert on Sunday, June 27 at 7 pm at Ralph Edwards Park. Sponsored by Sierra County Arts Council, Abate will be accompanied by a rhythm section of three New Mexico musicians on piano, drums and bass. Greg Abate is considered by jazz aficionados to be one of the most exciting post bebop sax players today. The Washington Post describes Abate as "...dedicated to uncompromised, unswerving jazz." Greg is on the road more than 150 days a year, and, although he toured extensively with the Ray Charles and Artie Shaw (revival) orchestras, Greg mainly performs with small groups throughout the U.S. and Europe. Greg Abate has 11 critically acclaimed albums, and has been playing New Mexico tours for the past ten years. Greg will lead his band on his semi-annual tour of New Mexico, performing at Albuquerque's Outpost Performance Space, the Historic Taos Inn, Gordon's Records in Los Alamos, El Farol in Santa Fe, the Range Café in Bernalillo, and in T or c. Joining Greg Abate is his colleague Peter Amahl, a resident of Cerrillos, N.M. one of the most respected drummers in the state. Pete has performed and toured many jazz stars, currently, he's the drummer for progressive country musician, Junior Brown. Joining Pete on piano are Michael Martin Murphey's pianist, Dan Lizdas of Taos, and bassist Stuart Zimne of Albuquerque. Greg Abate and the Peter Amahl Trio are looking forward to their first performance in the Truth or Consequences / Sierra County region. For more information, call 894-0615 or 894-0528. For more information about Greg Abate visit gregabate.com.

Magdalena's growing art community boasts a relative newcomer who is creating original jewelry and other objects out of glass.
In a small historic building on Main Street in Magdalena is Quinones Glass Studio, and Vanessa Quinones is working over an open flame, spinning a glass rod that will eventually end up as one of her unique beads, to become part of a bracelet, necklace, rosary, earrings, or to be worn alone. She also creates one-of-kind pendants, sometimes taking on unusual shapes and colors.
Her studio shelves are also lined with her fused glass pieces: bowls, dishes, suncatchers, and even glass wall art.
Vanessa, originally from Columbus, Ohio, grew up in an artistic household. Her father, artist Ramon Quinones, helped her appreciate form and color, and encouraged her and her two sisters in their artistic endeavors.
She began painting and drawing in her teen years, but it wasn't until she moved to Nashville, Tennessee in the late 80's that Vanessa was exposed to glass through a Tennessee State University art teacher, Jane-Allen McKinney, who would eventually become one of her best friends. Over the last ten years she has mastered the technique of lampworking and prefers glass to other media.
"With glass, the interplay of light and color is at its best and most complex. Even a small bead can have incredible depth when opaque, transparent and translucent glasses are layered," Vanessa said. "I've made half inch beads that have better than a dozen different layered elements. With drawing and painting, depth is an illusion. With glass, it's real."
Vanessa says since he has relocated to New Mexico her perception of light, color, and form has been affected, for the better, and her inspiration comes from the natural world.
"Plants, flowers, rocks and our incredible New Mexico landscape," she said. "The glass itself is also inspiring. Sometimes it's a kind of 'let's see what this will do' thing. Other times it's an 'oops!' followed by 'Hey! That's cool'!"
She's also gotten ideas from other artists in other mediums such as painters and sculptors, and although she never copies another glass artist she says she has used other's techniques once she figured on her own out how they were done.
When visitors come into her studio, she loves to talk about glass, and what to look for.
"Well-made and properly annealed fused and lampworked glass is very sturdy," she said. "A buyer should first look that a piece has no chips, cracks or sharp points. Check the bead holes, too." She emphasizes that bubbles are not a flaw, unless they're very close to the surface and thin-skinned, and she often deliberately places them in a piece. Most of all, you just have to like it, she says. "Different things speak to different people. Glass speaks loudest to me."
Vanessa's talent doesn't stop at creating fine art. Within a few months after moving into her home in Magdalena, Donna Todd, director of London Frontier Theatre Company, discovered that her charisma and sincerity, not to mention her beauty, could be an asset for the theatre ensemble.
"Vanessa not only has amazing natural talent as an actor, but also incredible focus," she said. "She's totally 'there' as her character and also in awareness of what's needed technically, such as movements, handling props, and so on, yet she makes it all look natural and effortless. That's the mark of a fine actor, that they don't appear to be acting; they simply are the character."
Todd said she thinks the reason she can do such great work in so many areas is her total focus on the work she's doing at the time and where she wants it to go. "And of course, that also gives her stage performances an exciting immediacy," she said.
Vanessa is cast as Ruby in the Lost Wife Creek series, and also takes on roles in Todd's other original plays.
When not acting on stage or working with her glass, Vanessa is also busy with her pen-and-ink drawings, which she also sells out of her gallery and her website, www.jewelrybyvanessa.com.
Her glass art has been shown at Weems Gallery in Albuquerque, Mansell's Coffee shop & Gallery in Magdalena, and Pepper's Gallery in Magdalena.
Quinones Glass Studio is located at 205 Main Street in Magdalena, open 9 to 5 most days.

The Youth Fair held in conjunction with NMACF encourages fledging artists also. It is open to children from kindergarten through grade 12. It is an opportunity to display their work as well as try some new craft projects. Gary Sanchez, a well known Albuquerque artist and teacher, will be in charge of the Youth Fair 2004. Approximately 1500 pieces of artwork with about $3000 worth of awards provided by the community will be shown. A talented young artist's work is selected to adorn the youth T-shirts.

Local bands, concession stands located around the grounds and strolling jugglers, clowns, etc., provide a festive atmosphere for a great summer afternoon outside viewing the arts and crafts. It is a chance to visit with the artists and talk about their work and motivation in a relaxed manner.

Arts represented include oil and acrylic paintings, pastel, watercolors, photography, sculpture, and mixed media. Crafts to be exhibited will furniture, fiber arts, which include clothing and wall hangings, pottery, functional and decorative. All work is original and hand made by the artisan, no kits or imported work.

The New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair was originally held in Old Town as part of the Fifty Years of Statehood celebration in 1962. It moved to the Fairgrounds in 1969 to accommodate the crowds. The Show is a non-profit organization, which is operated by laymen and volunteers, and is generously supported by the business community and local organizations. Its purpose is to provide the New Mexico Artists and Craftsmen a venue through which to sell their work. The success of the endeavor is apparent, this the forty third New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair. The last four years, it has averaged 20,000 visitors and grossed $600,000 annually in sales.

Come on out and enjoy an afternoon in the company of other art and music lovers in our beautiful New Mexico weather the last weekend in June. Hours are Friday and Saturday: 10:00 to 9:00, Sunday 10:00 to 5:00. Tickets are available at the gate. Adults $5.00, seniors $4.00 and children under 12 free. Tickets to preview night are available by calling 884-9034.

Ron Minnick, sculptor, was raised in an artistic family and has been making art all of his life. After selling  3-foot paper mache elephant at an art show in third grade, he knew he wanted to be a sculptor.

He studied art at West Texas State university in Canyon, Tx., and has shown his work at the Concetta de Gallery and Arthur Sussman Gallery in Albuquerque, and at Cibola Arts Gallery.

He works in wood, mostly mesquite, and most recently, alabaster, after discovering it was being quarried near Mountainair.

“My newest passion,” he says, “is an alabaster of reds and grays quarried near Mountainair. It is fascinating to see it come out of the ground looking like nothing special and then shape it and polish it to see the spectacular colors emerge.

“When I carve, I like flowing abstract lines that suggest the curves of the human body. My main focus is to control the movement of the eye through the work but it is also important to have beautiful materials with a touchable quality.”

Minnick describes his style as “organic” with lines and shapes that would be found in nature. “People often ask if the wood or stone was that shape when I found it. There may have been shapes there that inspired the sculpture,” he says, “but I carved and refined the shapes that you see.”

Ron currently is building a studio near Mountainair, “my biggest sculpture yet,” he says. The building is shaped with rebar and wire and plastered over with a mixture of cement, clay and paper fiber. The studio will house a bronze foundry, a wood burning pottery kiln, space for his wood and stone carving and whatever new materials capture his imagination.

He hopes to teach stone carving in an after-school program at Mountainair High School this summer.

Ron Minnick’s show at Cibola Arts Gallery will continue through July 31.

For more information, call the gallery at 505-847-0324. The Gallery is located at 217  Broadway and is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm.

The event is free and family oriented.  The day begins at 11 am with a free performance of “The Frog Prince,” featuring some 50 to 60 Socorro youth in the Missoula Children’s Theatre presentation of a new version of an old children’s fairy tale theme.

The afternoon is dedicated to music beginning with The Socorro Community Band at 12:30 pm and includes the legendary Al Hurricane along with Socorro favorites including Vinegaroon, Tory and the Mechanics, Albuquerque Blues Connection and The Remedy.

Activities for children including a water slide will be on-going throughout the day. There will be food and non-alcoholic drinks for sale. Bring your own chairs and sunscreen but please leave your fireworks at home.

Then, stay to watch the annual fireworks display presented by EMRTC beginning at dusk.

Non-profit groups are encouraged to set up booths for sales, information or activities. To reserve a space or for more information, call Ronna at 835-5688.