Arts Assortment

For the quibblers, a post actually about Mountainair arts... all & nothing but arts & letters, mostly but not exclusively local but connected...

Just released: local author Joan Woodruff's latest novel, Polars Bears in the Kitchen, a locally set mystery, brings back characters from Neighbors and Ghost in the Rainbow. Book signing - Firecracker Jubilee, July 4th, 11 am - 4 pm @ Mountainair Activity Complex (MAC)

Book Sale! Clearance to make space for new inventory. 30% - 40% off some items. More books + posters, postcards, coloring books, maps, hat, caps and other travel memorabilia at the Salinas (etc) Visitors Center on Ripley, across from the train mural. Books include children's, history, natural history, archaeology, cultural studies, fiction, Spanish & bilingual,

Mosaics, of the sunflower variety (still waiting on update & pics of Mosaic Mural Project): Tomas Wolff and other Manzano Mountain Art Council (MMAC) members, Celeste Simon, Judy Benton, Deb Jones and Kay Stillion recently completed two sunflower mosaics. The larger one will be raffled off during the festival, tickets available soon at the B Street Market and Cibola Arts. If you would like to purchase raffle tickets but don't live in Mountainair, Cibola and MMAC contact information is available on their respective websites.

oil by Addie Draper
exhibited at Rio Grande Festivals

Local artist Addie Draper and oil paintings will be "doing" the New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair, at the fairgrounds (Expo New Mexico), June 26-28. Last I heard from Addie, she hadn't heard about anyone else local who'd be exhibiting but promised to keep me posted.

The Manzano Mountain Arts Council newsletter is out & emailed or snailed to members by Ben Steinlage. You can also download a copy from the MMAC website (kindly excuse me for not referring to the site as "Mountainair Arts") or pick up a hard copy at Cibola Arts. Arts council president Ray Terhorst urges members to run for an open board office (VP or Secretary) or board member at large. Interested? Email ray032483@gmail.com.

On the subject of Cibola Arts, the reception for “Honoring Tree Bones”, works of weathered wood and decorative tin by Anne Ravenstone, is this Saturday, June 13, 2-4pm. The exhibit runs June 6-July 15.

from a pwp past, at the Shaffer Gazebo

Dale Harris is collecting confirmations and firming up the performance list for the Poets & Writers Picnic. Check the plog (short for "poetry/picnic we/blog") for updates. In addition to scheduled guest readers, the Picnic (aka pwp) features live music, a poetry group ensemble performance, open mic and a poetry table with books & CDs for sale, sample poetry newsetters, fliers, etc - all at the gazebo and in the shade of the tall trees at the Shaffer Hotel garden. Soon Dale and I will retooling the Sunflower Poetry Writing Workshop brochure for this year's outing. Until then, the plog has workshop information, posts rich with poetry and pics from last year's picnic and links to that brochure.

Except from 2008 workshop poem, "This Town" - with illustrations

This town –
Between missions
Containing crossroads
Eccentric hotel –
“Pueblo Art Deco” –
I love it!

This town –
Small shops
Funky houses
No golden arches –
Pre-generica America

This is my town

Still speaking (of) poetry, Albq Slam Poet Laureate Finals are this Friday, June 13. Our connection? Hakim Bellamy, two-time National Poetry Slam Champion, freelance journalist, community organizer and social justice advocate - and featured reader at the 2008 Picnic is a finalist.