Desert Intarsia Gallery Finds New Gold Avenue Home

It's amazing just how much the arts lover can find to do Albuquerque. Did you know that there are 39 theatre companies, there are film festivals, and tons of live music performances and galleries in the area? Imagine that! You don't even need to head to Santa Fe (unless you want to!).

One of the highlights of "the Q's" cultural scene are the ArtsCrawls, which usually take place on the first Friday of the month. Galleries stay open later, offer wine and cheese receptions, and, of course, great art that's even affordable in this economy.

If you happen to be in town on Friday, August 7, stop by Desert Intarsia, the newest gallery on Gold Avenue, Albuquerque's up-and-coming arts district. Gold Avenue is quickly becoming the place for cool and funky art in the Duke City.

As a matter of fact, Desert Intarsia recently relocated to Gold Avenue from Old Town at the recommendation of Albuquerque's Downtown Action Team. According to gallery owners Brian and Stacey Maggard, local shoppers and businesspeople in the area have responded very well to the variety of art that Desert Intarsia offers, including intarsia jewelry by Brian, who is, himself, a nationally recognized jewlery maker. People really seem to love the new gallery space, which is located at 317 Gold Avenue next door to the Atomic Cantina.

I recently caught up with Desert Intarsia Gallery co-owner Stacey Maggard to talk about the gallery's new digs. Check out the interview, and be sure to attend Desert Intarsia's Grand Opening from 4 p.m.- 8 p.m. on August 7!

Southwest Gay & Lesbian Film Festival Co-Presents OUTrage at Albuquerque's The Guild Cinema

(Photo: Courtesy Magnolia Pictures)

Most people know at least one closet case. It's sad that many people have to live their true lives in secret, mostly because humanity isn't ready to make living the gay life bearable for everyone. So, in the interim, I guess we'll have to accept that there will always be stragglers, who aren't willing to deal with themselves just yet.

Speaking of closet cases, Washington, D.C. is full of 'em. Maybe that's why J.R.'s is packed with guys in khakis and blue blazers at 3 pm on a weekday. They're usually drunk off their butts by 5 pm and home with their pickups via the "back door" by 6 pm. Is it any wonder that this is common behavior in D.C. (I've seen it happen many times there!)? After all, a great majority of politicians are either in denial of their identities, or they live secret gay lives. These are the men and women who consistently vote against legislation that would allow gay marriage, adoption and other gay rights. It really puts the pressure on those around them to keep their mouths shut or stay tucked behind the leather chaps and stilleto pumps in the far depths of their own closets.

Luckily, brave filmmaker and Academy Award Winner Kirby Dick has turned Washington inside out with his new film OUTrage, and a lot of people are none too happy about it--mostly because it outs politicians like never before. Some of Dick's interviews, which include Congressman Barney Frank, former NJ Governor Jim McGreevey, activist Larry Kramer, radio personality Michelangelo Signorile, and openly gay congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (Representative, Wisconsin 2nd district), imply that D.C. is gayer than San Francisco. Is that even possible??? The film also addresses the media’s cooperation in helping to keep secrets of those politicians living covertly gay lives.

While OUTrage has been playing to a lot of hoopla in other major cities, the film is premiering in Albuquerque at The Guild Cinema on July 21 and will play through July 23. If you haven't seen the film and are in the Albuquerque/Santa Fe areas, come check it out. It will be co-presented by The Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (www.closetcinema.org). For Closet Cinema members, admission will be reduced to a reasonable $5. See you at The Guild!

Color & Light: Santa Fe International Folk Art Market Opens Clear Window to the World

What do you do on an excruciatingly hot summer’s day if you happen to be in Santa Fe the second week in July? Well,head over to the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market on Museum Hill, of course!

A direct off-shoot of a smaller festival that took place in 2003, the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market was conceived in the earlier part of the decade by a handful of folk art collectors, dealers, Santa Fe arts leaders as well as the Director of the Museum of International Folk Art. The first Santa Fe International Folk Art Market was held in 2004 to much success, and has become the United States’ “largest venue for authentic, quality international folk art and a major international force in the cultural and economic sustainability of folk artists.”

Once you walk through the elaborately decorated gate, it's not difficult to see why. When you feature well over a hundred juried artists from all over the world (over 40 countries and 6 Continents were represented in 2008), display their colorful wares on the plaza at Museum Hill, amidst some of the country’s top cultural institutions—the Museum of International Folk Art, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian—It’s truly a recipe for fun and excitement for people of all ages. Admission to the Festival will also get you into the museums for free over the weekend.

Even if your personal decorating style doesn’t include folk art, one can definitely appreciate the skill and level of craftsmanship in every piece of art that you will see at the Festival. One of the nicest aspects of the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is that it is not like a gallery experience. Every piece of art is at your fingertips to handle, feel, and discover its unique energy. Who knows, the art might just start speaking to you and ask you to bring it home with you! And when you bring something home, the artist get to take back home 93% of the proceeds to his or her village, where they can put that money to good use.

This was my first year experiencing what the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market has to offer. I had a blast (in spite of the 2-mile walk from my car and a minor sunburn) checking out all the booths, sampling all the world tastes at the outdoor food court, meeting the artisans, as well as making friends with other spectators.

Highlights of the Festival included Indonesian shadow puppets, colorful wire and bead horses, penguins and people by Barbara Jackson, Shirley Fintz and Mathapelo Ngaka of Monkeybiz South Africa, the wooden block prints by Brazil’s own folk art legend Jose Francisco Borges. They were selling 6” x 8” original block prints for only $12—That’s a bargain!



Perhaps my most favorite of all the handicrafts available for purchase at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market were the hand-woven baskets by the women of the Wounaan People of Panama. They dye natural fibers that they find in the forest and weave them into their magnificent creations, which reflect their everyday life, their distinct culture, traditions, in addition to the insects, animals and plants found in the region.

If you didn't get to Santa Fe this year, put it on your must-do list for 2010. For more information visit www.folkartmarket.org.

Pancakes and Art With a Purpose on Santa Fe's Plaza

("Otavalo Girl" by Ariela Boronat)

Feel like being philanthropic as well as patriotic this Independence Day? If you're in the Santa Fe area on Saturday, July 4, be sure to stop by Pancakes on the Plaza, an all-breakfast, all-family, all-community, all-out July 4th benefit fiesta on Santa Fe's famed Plaza.

Co-sponsored by United Way of Santa Fe County, the Santa Fe New Mexican and Rotary Club of Santa Fe, Pancakes on the Plaza features a pancake breakfast served from 7:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Throughout the day, enjoy live music and fine art created by a variety of local artisans, including Cuban-born artist Ariela Boronat. Her unique block prints and paintings reflect a lifetime of world travel and masterfully capture her subjects in a way that will get you thinking and put a smile on your face.

Proceeds from Pancakes on the Plaza will be invested in the Santa Fe Children’s Project, an innovative, comprehensive community program to improve children’s success in school and life, the New Mexican Community Fund, as well as the Rotary Club of Santa Fe Foundation. For details, including ticket information visit the United Way of Santa Fe County Web site.