Giving the Gift of New Mexico Art on a Budget This Holiday Season

As Seen on 2 KASA Fox "New Mexico Style"

Colorful  reclaimed wood and metal pieces
Ghost Town Furniture

Well, it's the holidays and times are still tough for most people.  Have you ever wanted to give art as a holiday gift but weren't sure where to start, where to go or what to buy?  Art can sometimes feel intimidating.  It shouldn't be, if you keep my number one piece of advice for buying art in mind--buy what you like!  Some galleries may try to convince you that it is important to buy for investment.  For most, though, who don't plan to buy a Picasso or Kandinsky, value is less important.  True, many artists' work will appreciate, but in a bad economy, you may not get your investment back if you decide to sell it. That's why it's even more important to buy something that speaks to you or something that your loved one will enjoy.  After all, you or someone will have to live with the piece day in and day out. It may even become a treasured family heirloom! 

With artists and galleries struggling, it is even more important to buy your art locally.  Every community is blessed with terrific artists, and New Mexico cities are no exception. Often times, people will spend upwards of $200 for framed prints by famous artists at the local hobby shop.  Did you know that for the same price or less, you can give a one-of-a-kind gift for the holidays in the form on original art made by a local artist?

New Mexico has some amazing original art that is available both directly from the artists themselves and galleries.  My experience as a New Mexico resident has allowed me to see a wide array of art. That's the reason I decided to put together my own comprehensive holiday gift guide featuring great art for people shopping on a budget.   From functional art to traditional Native American, contemporary and wearable art, I hope you find my picks as exciting as I do!

Functional Art:

Functional art is the kind of art that we can live with, enjoy, and use in our everyday lives.  Furniture is a great example.  Ghost Town Furniture in Nob Hill is one of the best purveyors of rustic furniture in the Mexican style in Albuquerque. Claudio Cruz and his family create beautiful pieces made from reclaimed wood and metal.  Pieces include colorful chairs for $135, this ranch shelf for $240,  nichos for $125 and holiday angels for $18 for small ones and $58 for the larger ones.

Ranch shelf
Ghost Town Furniture

Reclaimed wood and metal angels
Ghost Town Furniture

Micaceous serving bowl by Clarence Cruz
Andrews Pueblo Pottery & Art Gallery

Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo potter Clarence Cruz creates beautiful functional pottery out of black and gold micaceous clay.  From bean pots to stew bowls to ollas, Cruz's work is stunning and can actually be used to cook and eat from because of the properties of the micaceous clay and the firing process involved with making the pottery.    Andrews Pueblo Pottery and Art Gallery in Old Town carries a wide array of Clarence Cruz's functional pottery.  This is a wonderful idea for a holiday party hostess gift. It's a serving bowl that will only set you back $75.

Native American Art:

When it comes to buying Native American art, do your research and know the dealer from whom you are buying it.  Only reputable dealers will represent the art they sell as made by Native Americans.  Native art sales are highly regulated by the government.   Bob Andrews of Andrews Pueblo Pottery and Art Gallery in Albuquerque's Old Town knows a thing or two about Native American art since he has been selling it for 38 years and you know that when you buy from Bob Andrews that it is going to be authentic.

Dreamcatcher  by Carrie Lucero

I really love the traditionally made dreamcatchers made by Carrie Lucero, who is a member of the Onondaga Tribe of the Iroquois Nation.  Did you know that the circle is not a traditional form? It came about when artists started using metal hoops to make them. Carrie utilizes natural wood with organic materials ranging from horse hair to quartz crystals to shells and feathers.  She also handwrites booklets that are attached to the dreamcatchers, which give the meanings of all of the materials.  This dreamcatcher painted black is available at Andrews Pueblo Pottery and Art Gallery for $62.

White marble and black jet bears
by Herbert Halate
Andrews Pueblo Pottery &Art Gallery

If you live in the Southwest, you are, no doubt, familiar with festish carvings from Zuni Pueblo. While it is forbidden to sell true fetishes that are used for religious purposes, many artists such as Herbert Halate, create fetish carvings that can be sold.  Pieces such as these bear carvings cut from jet and white marble are essentially miniature sculptures and are the perfect gift for those who love bears or sculpture. Both are available at Andrews Pueblo Pottery and Art Gallery for $69 and $95 respectively.

Contemporary Art:

"Our Lady of Sorrows" by Nicholas Herrera
Legends Santa Fe

 If finding affordable art by top contemporary Native American artists is your thing, look no further than Legends Santa Fe, a gallery that specializes in Native art and regional non-Native artists. On November 25, Legends Santa Fe opened its "Holiday Small Works" show offering pieces in the $300 to $1000 range by its roster of artists.  Famed non-Native American New Mexico artist Nicholas Herrera created "Our Lady of Sorrows" for the show. It's priced at $450, which is a bargain for this artist whose work is found in museums around the world.

"Untitled" by Frank Buffalo Hyde
Legends Santa Fe

Cool Nez Pierce and Onondaga Native artist Frank Buffalo Hyde created this awesome untitled piece featuring the Bat Mobile for the exhibition. It is currently selling for $300.  For more information on the show and the gallery, visit www.legendssantafe.com.

Day of the Dead ornanments by Amber Middleton
Mariposa Gallery

One of my favorite galleries in New Mexico is Mariposa Gallery in Albuquerque's Nob Hill. Since 1974, the gallery has been carrying funky and fabulous local art. Local artist Amber Middleton creates these cool Day of the Dead paper clay ornaments. They're not what you usually think of when it comes to the holidays, but they're quintessentially New Mexico and will make a wonderful addition to your holiday tree. They come in smaller and larger sizes ranging from $40-$45 in price.

Ariela Boronat is a Cuban-born, Santa Fe-based artist who creates beautiful mixed-media paintings that are based on her travels around the world.  Her works, which can be found in private collections around the world, can run upwards of $300.  This holiday season, Ariela is creating pieces such as "Musical (11" x 14")" priced at $175 and "Old Memories (8" x 10")" $85, a great way to make her work affordable.  They are available at www.arielaboronat.com.

"Musical" by Ariela Boronat
www.arielaboronat.com

"Old Memories" by Ariela Boronat
www.arielaboronat.com

Wearable Art:

Earrings by Priscilla Aguilar
Andrews Pueblo Pottery & Art Gallery

Turquoise earring are a staple in New Mexico. Andrews Pueblo Pottery and Art Gallery features gorgeous inlay earrings made by Kewa Pueblo jeweler Priscilla Aguilar.  Andrews carries a variety of colors and designs.  These earrings are authentic and are a steal at $165.

If you're in the market for wearable art, check out Studio 13 in Albuquerque's Old Town.  Owner and artist Daniel Ramirez, who is Saginaw-Chippewa creates original art on clothing based on his art.  Daniel is currently working on "The World's Longest Native American Painting," which features prominent tribal women, who are constants in his work.  While $800 to $5000 paintings are not in most people's budgets, prints can be had for around $18 to $95 and cards sets cost $28.  Original painted clothing such as the t-shirt below featuring a basic design ($40) are great affordable statement pieces. Cost is determined by clothing item and complexity of the art. Visit Studio 13 in Old Town in person or online HERE.

"Women of the Four Directions" by Daniel Ramirez
Studio 13

Original wearable art by Daniel Ramirez
Studio 13

Bra Shrinky Dinks ring by Kris Mills
Mariposa Gallery

When I was a kid, Shrinky Dinks were all the rage. Today, local Albuquerque artist Kris Mills creates miniature graphite drawings on Shrinky Dinks before baking them.  Then she sets them in silver making pendants, cufflinks and exciting rings like this "Bra" ring available at Mariposa Gallery in Nob Hill.  This is a unique and affordable gift at $135.  www.mariposa-gallery.com.

Men are often hard to shop for. For the man who appreciates unique and sleek jewelry, why not give him this tufa cast cuff bracelet and ring by Kewa Pueblo artist Dino Garcia.  The bear claw and tulip designs are traditional,  but they can be incorporated with the fashion-forward wardrobe and can be worn together or separately.  The cuff is $225 and the ring is $90. Both are available at Andrews Pueblo Pottery and Art Gallery. www.andrewspp.com.

Tufa cast cuff and ring by Dino Garcia
Andrews Pueblo Pottery & Art Gallery

Street sign money clip by Peter Gilroy
Mariposa Gallery

For the man who hates a cumbersome wallet, give him this one-of-a-kind street sign money clip made by Northern New Mexico artist Peter Gilroy.  He retains the original patina of the signs that he uses in his work, but makes them cool and bold by polishing the sides and backs.  This is definitely not your grandfather's money clip, and it's a bargain at $50. Available at www.mariposa-gallery.com.







(*Paul Niemi is a compensated spokesperson for all of the products and services contained within this gift guide)

Photographer Ray Belcher Returns to Santa Fe Art Scene with First Solo Show in Ten Years

To the average person, the name Ray Belcher is not familiar, but for art collectors and Santa Fe art insiders, the name is synonymous with New Mexico photography.  Having garnered several artistic awards during the 1960s and 70s, the artist arrived in Santa Fe from California during the mid-1970s.  While he began his photographic journey developing pictures for actors, Belcher has made his name as one of the few photographers who still utilizes the black and white gelatin silver printing process. Belcher's fascination lies in the mystery of the absence of color.

"Black and white is challenging because you don’t necessarily know what colors are.  Black and white lets you get a result which captures what you were feeling at the moment that you took the picture," says Belcher. 

While his photography exhibits an absence of color, it is Belcher's absence from the New Mexico art mainstream for an entire decade that has been on the artistic community's mind.  While Belcher's work has appeared at sporadic times in various Santa Fe galleries, it isn't until now that he has resurfaced with the intent of reclaiming his spot as one of Santa Fe's photographic geniuses.  "I am ready to reclaim my connection to my work and continue on as an artist, "he said.  "I am looking forward to the opportunity to show a broader range of art reflecting my interests."

On December 2, Belcher will open his first solo show in a decade at Legends Santa Fe.  The exhibition entitled "Castles and the Sky" will feature never-before-seen works featuring his favorite subjects—the Galisteo, New Mexico skies and remnants of film location sets dating back to the 1980s as well as rare portraiture.

Belcher admits that while the subject matter is broad, perhaps an overall unifying theme might be that the quality of the printing of all the pieces shown are on par with each other. Belcher is a stickler for capturing an image that reflects exactly what he saw at the moment of snapping the photo.  His artistic defiance results in a painstaking developing process, in which Belcher may find two out of ten prints acceptable.

"As to the overall unity of the show, I am uncertain," Belcher said.  "While I don't know what the show in totality will convey, my hope is that it will allow people to focus on the subject or a feeling of their choice."  Belcher's hope is that the spectator will discover something completed unexpected in his photos--perhaps something that he didn't see or even mean to convey.  Regardless, Belcher contends that "storytelling is inevitable in a photograph."

"Castles and the Sky" will open on Legends Santa Fe on December 2 with an artist's reception from 5:00 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will run through the month of December.  Legends Santa Fe is located at 125 Lincoln Avenue.  For more information call 505-983-5689 or visit www.legendssantafe.com.

Spanish Art is Family Affair at Legends Santa Fe

For three Arizonians, making art is a family affair.  All working in the Classical style, R.M. Gurule does the sculpting and his wife Charmaine does the painting.  Craig Gurule also paints.  The trio of artists will have their skills showcased in Master Family: The Works of R.M. Gurule, Charmaine Gurule and Craig Gurule during Santa Fe's 2011 Spanish Market weekend at Legends Santa Fe located at 125 Lincoln Avenue near the historic Plaza.

From señoritas dancing flamenco and ballet folklórico, to matadors and Conquistadores in strong stances, Spanish culture will come to life for three days at Legends Santa Fe.  The show will open on Friday, July 29 with an artists' reception from 5:00 pm -7:30 pm.  It closes on Sunday, July 31. For more information visit the gallery online at http://www.legendssantafe.com/.  ¡Que vive el arte español!

New Paintings by Frank Buffalo Hyde and Ryan Singer Make Contact with Humans in 'Para-Native Activity' on June 3

The public’s interest in the unexplained is as old as Humanity itself. Every generation, as if through osmosis, embraces the paranormal—from Bigfoot to “Nessy” the Lochness Monster, to Mothman and the speculated alien crash in Roswell, New Mexico. These are the stories that titillate and give us reason to believe and propagate the existence of these cultural legends.

In a refreshing departure from typical contemporary Native American art fare that many aficionados have come to expect in the Santa Fe art scene, rising legends themselves, Frank Buffalo Hyde and Ryan Singer, have shifted the focus of their work to celebrate figures deep-rooted in crypto zoology and the paranormal, which science has yet to explain. The result is a new show, which opens at Legends Santa Fe Gallery on June 3. Aptly titled Para-Native Activity, Frank Buffalo Hyde describes the exhibition as “contemporary work by visual artists who happen to be Native American.” Initially, Legends Santa Fe planned to host two separate shows for each of its featured artists, but when a conversation took place in which both Buffalo Hyde and Singer realized they shared a passion for the same subject matter, it seemed natural to team up for a joint exhibition.

The seed for this show began two years ago when Buffalo Hyde mounted a similar show in Santa Fe that received a great deal of press and drew a wide variety of collectors, including great minds from the scientific community who were obsessed with all things paranormal. The artists are hopeful that the public’s ongoing fascination with the unexplained will also elicit a strong response for Para-Native Activity. Buffalo Hyde’s connection to all things unexplained runs just as deep.

“As a child, I was always fascinated by this stuff,” said Buffalo Hyde. “It is has been a lifelong hobby of mine to keep up with all the developments in the paranormal world—tracking progress on the hunt for Bigfoot and other figures such as the mysterious soul called Mothman, who pops up to warn people about impending doom.”

Though, preoccupied with a whole different roster of the strange and scientifically unproven, Singer shared the same enthusiasm as Buffalo Hyde while a young boy.

“As a child, I was always captivated by the paranormal. It plagued my nightmares and consumed my daytime fantasies,” says Ryan Singer. “Everything fantastic and unexplained always made me wonder if humans know and understand everything. This show has given me the opportunity to explore those childhood fantasies and dreams.”

Buffalo Hyde and Singer alike are thrilled to be creating works in which they are able to express themselves without being conscious of their Native American identities. Both agree that Native artists expel so much energy trying to add distance between them and the label of contemporary Native American artist, but as the title suggests Para-Native Activity (“Rising above all that is Native”) none of that context is relevant for this work.

Para-Native Activity will feature pieces by Buffalo Hyde that are more streamlined than the rest of his body of work. Gone will be the busy nature of varied themes and the focal point will be the iconic subjects themselves—“cool, scary and unsettling,” according to Buffalo Hyde. His paintings will merely pay honest homage to the mythical legends that inspire our culture.

Singer’s contributions to the exhibit will include ghosts, the Chupacabra, the Cracken, aliens, UFOs and even the Thunderbird, a Southwest icon. Singer is especially influenced by contemporary non-Native American artists, as well as pop art and works by the masters. Each piece will have its own style and speak for itself. Singer, accustomed to working with bright and bold colors has taken on the challenge of capturing the doom and gloom of the paranormal using a subdued and limited color palette.

Para-Native Activity opens at Legends Santa Fe Gallery on Friday, June 3 with a reception from 5:00 p.m. to 7 p.m. The show runs through June 27. Legends Santa Fe is located 125 Lincoln Avenue Santa Fe. For more information, call 505.983.5639 or visit the gallery online at http://www.legendssantafe.com./

Legends Santa Fe Gallery Featured on "New Mexico Style"

If you missed Leslie May of Legends Santa Fe gallery on KASA Fox 2's "New Mexico Style" morning show, you can now watch it online. The show gave viewers an opportunity to see some fabulous art and learn why now, even in a downturn economy, is the best time to buy art and support artists, especially emerging artists--tomorrow's legends!

Leslie talked about Nocona Burgess, Sarah Sense, Randall Blaze, Jody Naranjo and more!  Watch the segment HERE:

Legends Santa Fe Makes Move to New Gallery Space Just in Time For Art Buying Season



"Intertribal Texting LMAO" by Frank Buffalo Hyde



Legends Santa Fe, a gallery whose mission is to positively develop Native American artists, is hosting a Grand Reopening party this Friday, April 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to celebrate its move to a new, larger space located at 125 Lincoln Avenue.   The move comes just before the start of the spring/summer art buying season.  The new location is just one-half block from the historic Santa Fe Plaza, and is situated on the east side of the street next to the New Mexico History Museum.

In addition to refreshments, the evening will feature works of art by its resident artists Nocona Burgess, Carol Hagan, Jody Naranjo, Ryan Singer, Frank Buffalo Hyde, Stephen Wood, Adrian Wall and more.

Legends' Gallery Director and business partner Leslie May said “While we loved our previous space, we felt we could not pass up this opportunity to provide a better showcase for our artists in this dynamic location. Since we have made the transition to the new space, everyone has been incredibly supportive. We could not be happier.”

The new Legends Santa Fe 2,700 square-foot space is housed on one level, providing visitors a more comprehensive view of its collection of artwork by some of the Native American art world’s finest contemporary artists. With the new open and expansive street frontage location, the gallery can benefit from the foot traffic on Lincoln Avenue and visitors will have immediate access to all works of art by the gallery’s artist roster. The new Legends Santa Fe also has ample space and a flow that is perfect for events and openings.

So, if you're in Santa Fe on Friday (and who wouldn't want to be in Santa Fe?), stop by the gallery to check out the new space and the cool art.  If you can't make it out, the gallery’s regular operating hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, visit http://www.legendssantafe.com/.