April Artists of the Month
The Monte Cristo Gift Shop & Gallery, in historic Chloride, showcases the works of more than two dozen local artists and each month features the work of select artists. The April Artists of the Month are Don Lyons, woodwork, Anita Manzenberger, fiber artist and Leticia Aber, painting.
Don says he has always enjoyed using his hands to make things. As a kid he made toy cars from wood, using thread spools for the wheels, then blasted roads for them with black powder and fuses he had made. Don built his first"Soap Box Derby" at age 14 and took second place by "using my brakes, because I sure didn’t want to go to Akron for the finals." Originally making things out of necessity, Don now makes things for the enjoyment and creative outlet. Though Don has pursued many creative outlets, including jewelry and clock making, he now concentrates on woodwork. He creates beautiful writing pens not only from wood , but also from antler, corncobs and other unusual materials.
Anita says she is "addicted to fiber" and that crafting came naturally thanks in part to her mother, who was always sewing. She considers herself an eclectic artisan, trying whatever catches her fancy at the moment, as long as it involves wool, thread and/or fibers. Her first love is spinning, hand dying and then knitting the yarns she created into something beautiful. And whether it be a hat, scarf or sweater, they are beautiful. Recently, Anita’s focus has been on tote bags, incorporating punch needle embroidery, quilting, knitting, felting and collage techniques. Anita and her husband currently reside in Alamogordo, NM, but spend time at their family home in Chloride whenever they can. You can tell when Anita is at their Chloride home by the hand dyed yarns hanging out to dry When you see the yarn, stop in to visit.
Leticia, who was born in Mexico, has been painting for more than twenty years. Her interest in art started at an early age and she has studied under such notable artists as William Colliker, Hilda Rosenfeld and Sue Hawkins. She uses rich and vivid colors to create beautiful oil paintings depicting flowers, Mexican architecture and Southwest landscapes, often drawing inspiration from the family ranch. Leticia also uses watercolors and pastels and has shown her work on both side of the US-Mexico border. Her most recent fancy is painting aquatic scenes of tropical fish.
Works by Don, Anita and Leticia are available at the Monte Cristo Gift Shop & Gallery located in Chloride, NM, just 35 miles west of Truth or Consequences via Hwy 52. The Monte Cristo is open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM. For more information contact the Gallery at 575-743-0493 or
montecristogallery@windstream.net.
Monte Cristo's Artists of the Month
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