Adios Sunflower... Yet another sunflowering bites the dust - in more ways than one since
local arts council plans for 2008 are not likely to include sunflowering. Please note that this year sunflowers did cooperate by being in bloom, some stands even visible from main sunflower venues. Thanks to Kristine and Maureen for contributing to this report.
In brief, 30 total paid exhibitors at the community center, not counting library tables, alt.sunflower, unaffiliated venues or traffic at
Cibola Arts. This is more than last year at the community center but probably not significantly more than 2006 total including the Retablo Show at the Elementary School. This year the Deer Canyon Homeowners Association held its meeting there: all Sunflower exhibits & exhibitors were at the community center. There did not appear to be a separate"retablo show" per se. Only three retableros exhibited. The Sunflower page on the arts council site should have a list of registered exhibitors as part of arts council promotion promises registered exhibitors.
A writer from
NM Magazine was out & about interviewing for an upcoming (probably 2008) feature on NM locations & events. Probably an "off the beaten track daytrips" issue.
The Independent's photog was out snapping as well but fell even shorter questioning and interviewing, creating an impression of bored disinterest. That the process could be reciprocal did not seem to have occurred to either. The prospect of Mountainair appearing in a NM Magazine feature without having to throw around big but largely non-existent advertising bucks is worth checking out for a story here, as are details of the
Chamber of Commerce "Mountainair Marketing Plan," of which only the name has been made available.
Chili cook-off: Frances Mercer, prospective newcomer from Florida, 1st prize red category - Irene Archuleta, local girl, 1st prize green. An enthusiastic, encouraging and most gratifying multitude of taster/judges converged on Kristine Lauretsin's (arts council member and proprietor of
Stonehouse B&B) chili cook-off pavilion in front of the community center.
MMAC Sunflower t-shirts and aprons sold out completely; arts council event had to take orders on the spot for reprints. If you missed out on getting yours, contact MMAC or Cibola Arts.
Sunflower Hat Contest: organized, judged & generally presided over by Ruth Ballen. Depite large number of sunflower hat wearers out and about, entries were significantly down from last year and, sadly, no extravagant entries like Judy's (2005) or Cindy's (2006) or last year's sunflower cowboy hat and guitar ensemble.
Sunflower Quilt Raffle - won by frequently visiting (& potential Deer Canyon relocator) lady from Redlands CA. Every ticket printed sold out before raffle time, leaving visitors wanting more.
That raffle tickets, tees and aprons all sold out speaks well for Sunflower as an arts council fundraiser. I have no numbers, however, for how many tickets, tees or aprons were printed, so cannot even guess at amount raised for council projects. Since the MMAC is a non-profit 501 (3c) orgnization with a stated mission of serving and educating the community as well as promoting art and artists, all Mountainair and environs should benefit from profitable arts council events.
Although I've not yet surveyed other local businesses, lodging did well, with Shaffer, Turners and the Rock fully booked for the weekend and some overflow even making it up to Casa Manzano.
Else where about town:
Children's Sunflower Art prominently displayed in windows at Cibola, St Vincent de Paul, Gustin's Hardware, Meds & More, Uncle Walter's, Weaver Hotel, the Laundrymat and the B St Market. Be sure to thank the proprietors for supporting this traditional and locally popular sunflower feature. Children's sunflower art was conspicuously absent at both Cowboy's and Rose's and Treasures of the Gypsy.
Sunflower Window Displays
The gypsy's sunflower window display was (and still is, so catch it if you haven't yet), as usual and to be expected, the best - a splendid eye-candy and a spectacular example of window art. A sprinkling of sunflowers garnished Rose's window at Cowboy's and Rose's. St Vincent de Paul put a display outside its front door, which also served as notice of being open (usual hours are weekdays). I did not get around to checking out Abo Trading Co. Although a less than congenially welcoming venue for casual browsers not there to spend money (e.g. me collecting blog material), Abo Trading usually has talavera ceramics and other Mexican sunflower folk art in stock and prominently displayed.
Should Sunflower survive MMAC harrowing, increased merchant and community participation could enhance sunflowering no end. Certificates of recognition for displaying Children's Sunflower Art? Prizes in different categories for best displays, possibly sponsored by Chamber of Commerce and/or financed by town beautification grant money? Better coordinated and reciprocal business and vendor promotion?
I await
Dale's report on the
Poets and Writers Picnic and Sunflower Writing Workshop, both at the Shaffer Hotel. Lively and enthusiastic workshop, picnic crowd looked substantially larger than last year.
At
Jackass Junction Antiques & Collectibles, afternoon Sunflower visitors and Depot customers from Mountainair, Edgewood, Ewing and Albuquerque NM, and New Hampshire, Canada, California, Kentucky and Louisiana, sat on the porch, thereby joining PPS 1881. Maureen and Neil report enthusiastic responses with promises to spread the word and return soon.
A game of checkers on the Depot porch
(aka Porch Sitters 1881)
