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Santa Fe History, Living and Thriving

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

El Rancho de las Golondrinas, 334 Los Pinos Rd, Santa Fe 505-471-2261

http://golondrinas.org/Museum_Info/Driving_Directions/index.html

El Rancho de las Golondrinas

Just south of the city of Santa Fe, visitors can find a beautiful and unique place that seems almost unchanged by the winds of time. At the same location for over 300 years, El Rancho de las Golondrinas, the “Ranch of the Swallows,” is one of the most historic ranch properties in the entire southwest. An official rest stop on historic El Camino Real, which led from Mexico City through the desert of Chihuahua to the provincial capital of Old Santa Fe, Golondrinas welcomed and comforted many a weary traveler taken with the charms and challenges of the New World. In 1710, the massive ranch was subsequently acquired by Miguel Vega y Coca, and as his daughters intermarried with La Familia Baca, the property was passed down through the years to their descendants.

In its present-day incarnation, El Rancho de las Golondrinas came into being as a vision of the Curtin-Paloheimo family, who acquired the property in the early 1930s. Their dream of bringing the history of New Mexico alive to the descendants of the people who created it led to the renovation of existing historic buildings,  the construction of historically accurate structures  on old foundations, and the transfer of related buildings from other New Mexican sites. On encountering Golondrinas today, visitors will find an 18th century placita house complete with defensive tower, a 19th century home with all of its outbuildings, a morada, a molasses mill, a threshing ground, several primitive water mills, a blacksmith shop, a wheelwright shop, and a winery and vineyard, all combined to create an intriguing and authentic depiction of the many elements essential to a frontier life in early New Mexico.

Penitente Morada at las Golondrinas

At its heart, the mission of Golondrinas is to create a respectful understanding of the language, culture, traditional arts and proud history of Spanish Colonial, Mexican and Territorial New Mexico. In short, la herencia, heritage! Particular emphasis is placed on its use as an educational facility, and teachers and students are welcomed throughout the year for tours, workshops, seminars and unique learning experiences. The many events held at the ranch provide visitors with an unrivaled sense of Santa Fe’s past, along with satisfying the western dreams we all seem to have at one time or another.

The Acequia - NM's Lifeblood

New Mexico Farming, the Acequia Way

This week, the Authentic Guide is delighted to feature an interview with one of Santa Fe’s truly knowledgeable and dedicated museum professionals, John Berkenfield, Executive Director of El Rancho de Las Golondrinas.

John A. Berkenfield, Executive Director of El Rancho de las Golondrinas

How did you find your way to Las Golondrinas, and what keeps you there?

I came here for the first time in 1984. I had spent my whole life vacationing in exotic places, since I worked in the international offices of IBM and was able to combine business trips with pleasure. Based in Paris, I was responsible for the public face of IBM abroad, with responsibility for how the company appeared in 167 different countries. I knew the U.S. on the coasts, but didn’t know anything about the SW. We took a trip to visit my nephew, who was a park ranger at the Grand Canyon, and we hiked down to the bottom of the canyon and camped. He said if you like this, you have to go to Santa Fe, so we came out and just fell in love with it. We came in April 1984, after leaving the cold of the east and we walked onto the Plaza where there were kids on skateboards in light jackets and mountains that still had snow. I said to myself, am I hooked, and from that point on I just plotted how I could get out here permanently. At the time, my last child was finishing college, and IBM offered me a retirement package that I could not refuse. I knew that as of June 1989, we would be free to pursue our Santa Fe dream. But I am a person who has to work! I have to have some purpose, and I love it when people depend on me. Since Mrs. Paloheimo had Colorado roots, the ad that Las Golondrinas placed for a Director of Development appeared in the Aspen Bugle, as well as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the L.A. Times. A friend living in Aspen saw the ad and sent it to me. I’m a lifelong art collector with an advertising and promotional background, and this sounded perfect to me, so I applied and got a call back from Rex Arrowsmith, a noted Indian art dealer who was on the search committee. I came out for an interview, and I wasn’t on the property more than 100 yards before I was hooked. It was February, and yet I came home with a sunburn! Probably 120 people had applied for the job, but I was fortunate in that I didn’t need benefits (which Las Golondrinas could not provide at the time but has rectified now) or the higher salary that the other 119 other people apparently required.

Our Lovely Santa Fe Plaza Turns Visitors into Residents!

I had 10 years to get to know Mrs. Paloheimo, and her views still have enormous weight on how we do things at Las Golondrinas. She always said, “Never make it so expensive that poor people can’t afford to come.” and that still motivates us. We have tried to think on a par with the local museum system, but, with Mrs. Paloheimo’s words of advice in mind, we offer free admission to kids under 13, which makes it easier for whole families to visit.

Las Golondrinas is perfect for me, because I love places where I don’t really understand what is going on, places where the face is not the same as the interior. There are still depths and complexity that I find fabulously interesting.

IBM was like a giant ship. If you equated my job there to that of a helmsman, when the captain said “turn left,” I would take the wheel and after several years, the ship would finally be headed off to the left. I could plant lots of seeds, but they didn’t grow for 3 years or so. At Las Golondrinas, the boat turns immediately to the left at the helm’s action, and the results are immediately known. When an ad runs, we see attendance jump the very next weekend. Lowering entrance fees gives an instant response.  It’s a changing palette every day, and I love that. I’m never bored, and I get to meet an awful lot of nice people.

We’re an event-oriented institution, and I like those extravaganzas. When I first arrived, we had only 3 events per year, now we have 11 annually. We were only open 16 days/year when I came, now we have 7 months to show our stuff, thanks to our tenured staff and dedicated volunteers. The combination of short-term gratification and program-driven events, the ability to make change and see that change quickly have a profound impact on the health and vibrancy of the organization – I like that.

What are some of your favorite annual events at Las Golondrinas?

Asking that is like asking me to choose my favorite child! The latest event generally tends to be my favorite. I enjoy the traditional events, helping to make the event meet the demands of the mission statement, which is basically “Don’t turn Las Golondrinas into a Disneyland.” Even the wine festival has to fit. The wine event is memorable, because grape-growing was one of the earliest agricultural crops brought to New Mexico by the Europeans. Harvest fest I love because we make our own wine, and that time of year is richly steeped in traditions. I love the Renaissance Faire because I love to see the happy children.  But if I had to choose one, I really do love Viva Mexico, because I like Mexico and the brightness and the color and the vibrancy of their arts and culture, and it shows so well up here.

Renaissance Faire Fun

Toasting Golondrinas!

Que Viva Mexico!

What events would you develop at Las Golondrinas if you had unlimited funds?

If  money was not limited, I would not put it into more programs, because I don’t feel we are limited in events, we are limited only by our imagination. What I would like to see which we don’t have now is a “Casa de los Ricos.” We are very good at interpreting how poor people lived in the 1700’s and 1800s, but I’d love to have a way to show how wealthy people lived in the 1800s.  Of course, at today’s prices, it would be very easy to spend half a mil to build the kind of impressive house that would demonstrate how the wealthier people lived.

Home on the Range: Not Exactly the High Life!

In terms of infrastructure, I’d also like to have a better stage for performances! I would also love to pull all the animals into a pasture that is more accessible to our visitors. Of course, we would need to add trees for shade for the animals and the visitors!

Is there a particular talent on exhibit at Golondrinas that you wish you possessed? Blacksmith, weaver, farmer? Or do you have a secret talent of which we are unaware? (We already know that you are the consummate Renaissance man!)

I don’t have any talent whatsoever! My talent is capitalzing on the work of others. I worked for a Swiss guy who told me “You have a unique ability to make things happen.” (Mr. B, you should know that your talent certainly serves El Rancho de las Golondrinas very well!) I so admire the skill of people who make things out of wood, the bulto makers, the furniture-makers, and if I could wave the wand, I’d like to have wood-working skills.

Wood-working Skills Were Required!

What books would you recommend to those who wish to learn more about New Mexico history?

Any of the books written by Marc Simmons! If your context is about learning NM history, I consider Marc to be the state’s historian laureate. When I was hired, he sent me a box of his books (signed copies!), which I treausure. Of late, a single book I would recommend is Hampton Sides’ Blood and Thunder, which paints the territorial era of the Southwest with a wide brush – it’s very readable, almost like fiction. Lots of the fiction writers also make our history come vividly alive, Willa Cather, Rudolfo Anaya, and Tony Hillerman. I enjoyed Pam Christie’s Dead Lizards Dance, about the Anza era.  I enthusiastically recommend Nasario Garcia’s books about the folkways of NM, superstitions and brujas, all portrayed in such an engaging way – he’s a wonderful writer, short and to the point, just captivating.

If you could go back in time, what era of New Mexico history would you choose to experience?

That is easy for me, it would be the time of the explorers. I would have loved to come up with Coronado in 1540 or with Onate in 1598, to have had the adventure of coming up and seeing this place for the first time. I also wouldn’t mind being here in the early settlement era, the Anza-Peralta era.

Not All Survive the Adventure

Is there a historical New Mexico figure whom you wish you had met?

I’m drawn to the artists, not the villains, though it would have been fun to have a whiskey with a New Mexico villain! Meeting Maria Martinez would have been wonderful, and I did meet Allan Houser, and some of the Native potters at the ends of their lives. The painters from the 1920’s and 1930’s were colorful characters, goofy and extremely talented. But the Native American leaders most fascinate me, even those identified with other states.  Geronimo was a figure whom I enormously admire, the Plains chieftains like Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, I would have loved to known Manuelito.  I can’t imagine how horrendous their lives were following the arrival of the white man, when their existence was shattered in the blink of an eye. As leaders, those men had challenges that were absolutely extraordinary, and I would have liked to be a fly on the wall in their pow-wows.

Do you have a spot on the Golondrinas property that you find especially inspiring?

When I first came to Las Golondrinas, I lived on the ranch, since we had bought a house that wasn’t quite finished. I was alone, since my wife had not moved out here yet. There are some houses outside the historic zone on a hill overlooking the ranch, and I lived up there in Torreon House. I used to walk after work at night, and I would walk down all alone to the mill pond area in back of the big mill and along the paths that go around in back, which now run up to the property that the Santa Fe Botanical Garden leases. That area has wonderful water, and the bird life is fabulous. It was really nice to go down around 7pm with a margarita and sit on a rock overlooking the mill pond watching the fish and the long-legged birds with their long bills. It’s still my favorite place.

The Water-Powered Mill

On the actual historic zone of the ranch, my favorite spot is the Sierra Village I think it’s the loveliest little spot on the ranch. Our historic zone is 200 acres, and we have 400 more contiguous acres, but people don’t get to go see that very often. The watery parts, the marsh and the ponds are among the loveliest parts of the ranch.

Sierra Village Gardening

The New Mexico state question: Red or green, and where?

Whichever is hottest, I’m for hot! I don’t have favorite restaurant, but I love to go to Maria’s. One of the advantages of a small town is that you know lots of people, so you may know the owner or the chef. I never used to think that Santa Fe was a culinary mecca, but now I think there are incredibly good places to eat, and depending on your mood, you can certainly find what you are looking for.

Ready to head south from your comfy Santa Fe hotel for a trip to Las Golondrinas? Easy to find, and so worth a visit! Thank you, Mr. Berkenfield, and we’ll see you this summer!

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Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, New Mexican Culture, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Weather, Santa Fe's Museums, What To Do in Santa Fe, santa fe travel, summer in santa fe | 1 Comment »

Simply Santa Fe South of Town

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

The Allan C. Houser Compound is located at 26 Haozous Road, 22  miles south of Santa Fe on Highway 14

“Simplicity appeals to me in a land where the simple things are respected and appreciated – simplicity is a way of life.” Allan Houser

Simplicity IS appealing, especially in our increasingly complicated, task-filled lives. Sometimes we become so habituated to our routine and our surroundings that we neglect to simply visit our neighbors. A good illustration of ignoring what’s in your own backyard? The Allan Houser Compound and Sculpture Garden! Fortunately, my neglectful behavior has recently been rectified by a morning spent exploring this stunning piece of land, enriched in every direction by the sculpture of the late Apache artist, Allan C. Houser, whose hours of painstaking work were distilled into deceptively simple forms.

Mr. Allan C. Houser, Always on the Property

Born as Allan Haozous in 1914, this renowned New Mexican (whose name change came courtesy of the US government) was a member of the Warm Springs band of Chiricahua Apache, originally based in the area near Truth or Consequences, NM. Led by Geronimo himself, the Warm Springs tribe, driven south to Mexico, eventually surrendered to the US Army in 1886 and was speedily transported acroos the country to a prison in Florida as retribution for their recalcitrant refusal to acknowledge superior firepower. The Haozous family itself  is descended from the great Mangas Coloradas, a leader of the eastern Chiricahua in the late 1800′s. The Chiricahua were scattered in locations around the southern states; Allan’s father was among those jailed in Florida, and his mother was born in a prison camp in Alabama where surviving members of the tribe were sent in 1887. The remainder of the Chircahua were sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma where they remained as captives for what have been 23 very long years. Finally freed in 1914, members of the tribe returned west to join with the Mescalero Apache, for whom a reservation had been carved out of public lands in south-central New Mexico. Allan’s parents, however, were among a small group that elected to remain in Oklahoma, and Allan was their first child born out of captivity. From these roots of struggle and privation arose a talent that continues to inspire generations of artists, Native and non-Native alike.

Warm Springs Apache Man: Allan C. Houser

Although he was raised in an agricultural lifestyle, Mr. Houser became interested in imagery at an early age and soon tried his own hand at creative endeavors. His artistic fire was further fueled by a 1934 notice for an art school located on the campus of the Santa Fe Indian School. Thanks to his talent and the hard-working ethic of his forebears, Allan became the most notable graduate of the Dorothy Dunn School, and by 1939, his artwork was being exhibited around the country.

Mr. Houser was a Painter First!

Mr. Houser and his wife, Anna Marie Gallegos, moved to Los Angeles in 1941 with three young sons, where Allan found work as a ship-builder during the busy years of the Second World War. This was a fortuitous decision, since it was here that he honed 3-dimensional skills that would later serve the sculptural forms of his work, and at the same time, encountered museums rich with the work of European modernists that satisfied his desire for a greater knowledge of art and art history.

Horse: Allan C. Houser

In 1951, the Houser family moved from L.A. to Utah, where Allan taught art at the Inter-Mountain Indian School for the next eleven years, all the while continuing his own work on canvas and in wood. In 1962, his family heritage came full circle with a move to New Mexico, when he agreed to join the Santa Fe faculty of the newly created Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), currently the only four-year institution with a fine arts degree dedicated to Native arts. Mr. Houser created a sculpture department from the bottom up and in the process, turned his own artistic focus toward three-dimensional work. By the late 1960′s, exhibitions of his sculpture became a regular occurrence, and both national and international recognition grew along with his output. In 1975, after having influenced several generations of Native artists, Mr. Houser finally had the opportunity to retire and devote himself to his own work, producing close to 1,000 sculptures through the next two decades. His dedicated work ethic never left him, as he continued to create right up until his death at age 80 in 1994.

Wood Ceilings and a Welded Circular Staircase Inside the Houser Home

The compound itself is perched between the villages of Cerrillos and Galisteo on 109 acres of pinon- and juniper-studded land 22 miles south of downtown Santa Fe off Highway 14, the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway. The property was originally discovered in 1976 by Allan Houser’s son, Phillip Haozous, who invited his father to settle there and who faithfully and respectfully maintains his father’s work and legacy. Phillip, a quiet, modest and self-effacing gentleman, deserves much credit for planting the seed that grew into this beautiful artistic environment, as well as being responsible for the handsome landscape design. Father and son collaborated on the layout and construction of a group of studios and residences, slowly adding the sculpture gardens, as well as dance grounds and outdoor amphitheaters.

The Dance Grounds at the Houser Compound

In addition to the ten acres of sculpture gardens and gallery, in 1995 the compound was expanded to include the Allan Houser Foundry, a traditional lost wax process operation, begun to help the Houser family complete Allan’s lifetime work. By casting works of select artists since 2002, the foundry has grown to be  a welcome presence in the Santa Fe art world.

This is Where It All Happens: The Foundry

Although the Allan Houser Compound is a private facility, owned and maintained by the family and staff, throughout the year, tours can be arranged by appointment only, weather permitting. In addition, the grounds and select buildings are made available for those who want to create a special event that will be both unique and memorable. For more information or to treat yourself to a spot where the spirit of art flows with the breeze through the rocks and trees, call (505) 471-1528; you will leave feeling richer in spirit than when you came.

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Posted in Native American Art, Native American Culture of New Mexico, Santa Fe, What To Do in Santa Fe, art travel | No Comments »

Santa Fe Dance puts Spring into Motion

Thursday, March 10th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet appears on Friday, March 11 and Saturday March 12 at 7:30pm in the Lensic Performing Arts center on 211 West San Francisco Street in Santa Fe, NM

Tickets at http://www.ticketssantafe.org/tsf

Santa Fe Loves Dance!

We all know that our Santa Fe Opera is heralded far and wide for the stunning summer performance season that rolls around each year in July. But did you know that Santa Fe also has a ballet troupe that gets better and better year by year?

Jiri Kylian's Stamping Ground: Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Photo by Rosalie O'Connor

In conjunction with Aspen, CO, another small town with big cultural aspirations, Aspen Santa Be Ballet has been bringing terrific dance to the City Different via a series of performances throughout the year.  Now well into its second decade, ASFB was founded in 1990 by Aspen resident, Bebe Schweppe, eventually evolving into a nationally-recognized ballet company and dance academy dedicated to developing local talent in the Southwest. The School of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, with locations  in both Aspen, CO and Santa Fe, NM, currently provides classes in ballet, tap, and jazz for over 360 students, who might otherwise have to travel to another city for dance education at this level of excellence.  Under the able stewardship of Executive Director, Jean-Phillipe Malaty, and Artistic Director, Tom Mossbrucker, the company has become  a leader in terms of repertoire. ASFB’s mission of acquiring and commissioning work from top choreographers has been a distinct treat for dance lovers, and the performance schedule takes the company far and wide to showcase the talents of their hard-working troupe. And as repetitive as it must seem, they exhibit no reluctance about presenting classics like The Nutcracker, which enhances the Santa Fe holiday season each winter.

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet's Holiday Magic

Culturally-focused community outreach is also part of the ASFB standard, with their popular Mexican folklore program for young dancers, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklórico, offered to interested students in both school locations. In addition, ASFB welomes other illustrious dance companies to perform in Santa Fe. In recent years, the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Paul Taylor Dance Company, MOMIX, Alvin Ailey Dance, Pilobolus and the hilarious farceurs, Les Ballets Trockadero, have all made the trek to the Lensic Performing Arts Center. On April 8, ASFB brings the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble of India for what will surely be a spellbinding evening of eastern dance; can’t wait for that one!

Coming April 8, 2011! Nrityagram Dance Ensemble

Spring is a season for new beginnings, and this weekend, on March 11 and 12, in celebration of their 15th anniversary season, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet will debut two new ballets from choreographers Jiri Kylian and Nicolo Fonte in what should be a pair of a vibrant performances.  The company will present Kylian’s Stamping Ground, and a newly commissioned dance by Fonte also makes its Santa Fe premiere. Cayetano Soto‘s striking Uneven, with music by Maya Beiser, rounds out the program.  These are performances that dance lovers should not be miss, as the technical and expressionistic talents of the ASFB dancers seem to expand exponentially with each return engagement in Santa Fe. The company can be commended for its consistent commitment to commissioning and performing unusual work by both well-known and up-and-coming choreographers. This is an exemplary and even daring goal, in an economic climate that sometimes rewards conservative choices with higher ticket sales.

Cayetano Soto's Uneven: Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Photo by Rosalie O'Connor

If you like your music accompanied by supple movement, head for the Lensic this weekend, where your ticket purchase will buy you an evening of enjoyment and at the same time, will help keep this small and gutsy company safely grounded in the Southwest.

And if Santa Fe travel plans don’t materialize until the following weekend, dance lovers need not despair! Santa Fe’s own belly-dancing troupe, ably led by Myra Krien of Pomegranate Studios will present Invaders of the Heart 2011: Revelation at the James A. Little Theatre on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19 at 7pm. 24 dancers, 90 costumes, 10 enormous ostrich feather fans, 3 parasols, a bird, a lion, and more….now THAT sounds like fun, doesn’t it?

Invaders of the Heart: When It's GOOD to Have a Sinuous Stomach!

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Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Uncategorized, What To Do in Santa Fe, dance in santa fe | 1 Comment »

Santa Fe Travel Leads Home

Thursday, February 17th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

Santa Fe may be a southwestern paradise, but we locals do leave on occasion, even if the time of year is foreboding…and even when the foreboding is borne out in fact! When the weather delays that froze up 2/3 of the country kept this Santa Fe traveler in the Big Apple with additional time to fill, a business trip bestowed unexpected pleasures that more than made up for the 30-hour return trip (which also yielded renewed appreciation for the stamina and commitment of our guests, who sometimes arrive so tired!).

Snow in the Big Apple

Since I am one of our Santa Fe Opera‘s most ardent fans, extra time meant that a visit to the Metropolitan Opera was inevitable. Waiting through the long months between seasons here in Santa Fe makes having the “opera-tunity” to see a live performance especially delightful. While I have been solaced monthly by the Met simulcasts shown locally at the Lensic Center, nothing really compares to that opening moment when the conductor steps onto the podium and the lights go down. It’s simply thrilling! Thanks to our excellent local Opera company, I had last seen Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra back in the summer of 2004, when Mark Delavan sang the title role and Patricia Racette, a Santa Fe favorite, sang the role of his daughter, Amelia.

Patricia Racette as Amelia and Mark Delavan as Simon; Santa Fe Opera 2004 Production of Simon Boccanegra

Our  rapidly-changing Santa Fe weather always contributes an element of danger (the possibility of wild winds, lightning and thunder) that suits lush historical tales like this one. No fear of weather ensconced safely indoors at the Met, however, where the sense of danger came from the story, full of intrigue and big brassy horns, not to mention Dmitri Hvorostovsky‘s silver mane!  It was a stunning performance, and I came away with the satisfaction of finally seeing James Levine on the podium, a long-held desire. Now that long-held desire has transmuted into patiently waiting for opening night here in Santa Fe, which takes place on Friday, July 1, 2011, with a new production of Charles Gounod’s Faust, led by chief conductor, Frederic Chaslin and director Stephen Lawless. Faust…now that’s a dangerous story!

"Full Court Press" for Simon Boccanegra at the Santa Fe Opera 2004

While waiting for my rescheduled departure, I headed for the other Met, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where a photography exhibition of works by Stieglitz, Steichen and Strand was on display. Nice alliteration on that title and a very serendipitous Santa Fe sense of familiarity for a visiting New Mexican! While I have seen some of Alfred Stieglitz’s beautiful photos of Georgia O’Keeffe at our wonderful O’Keeffe Museum, in an exhibition of this size, there were naturally some exciting discoveries. Beautiful partial nudes and detailed photos of O’Keeffe’s gorgeous (and talented) hands spoke volumes about the deep connection that bound these two artists together.

Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O’Keeffe – Hands, 1919 (printed 1920-1930s) ©Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

It’s no surprise that photographer Paul Strand also spent plenty of time in New Mexico, as have so many artists of all persuasions. Interested parties can peruse the fruits of his labor with a copy of Paul Strand Southwest from our local Photo-Eye Gallery and Bookstore located in Santa Fe on Garcia Street, just a short stroll from the Inn. Even Edward Steichen has a NM connection, with the 1995 book published by the University of New Mexico Press, Picturing an Exhibition: The Family of Man and 1950s America.  In this book, author Eric Sandeen presents a study of Steichen’s historic exhibit and its subsequent global influence, along the way examining the exhibit’s origins, Steichen’s beliefs and background, and the aim of his image selection, all reflected through the lens of the 1950s.  Steichen’s work in the Met exhibit certainly demonstrates his broad array of interests, but there’s always something else to be learned from the back story, especially when the opportunity to learn is found so close to home.

And in a wintery, blustery city with 7-foot high snowbanks, isn’t finding hometown connections one of the comforts of travel? Now if the Big Apple only had our great green chile (an immediate visit to Atrisco ensued upon return), a lonely Santa Fe traveler would never feel far from home!

MMMMM...Green Chile!

Santa Fe Opera Photographs courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera, all rights reserved. Alfred Steiglitz Photograph ©Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

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Posted in Art Museums, Art in Santa Fe, Museums, Music in Santa Fe, New Mexico Restaurants, Restaurants, Santa Fe Weather, What To Do in Santa Fe, art travel, santa fe opera, santa fe travel | No Comments »

North to Taos from Santa Fe!

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

This week, we are pleased to welcome as a guest blogger, Taos resident Susan Mihalic, who shares her thoughts on our neighbor to the north. Susan is a writer and editor who has lived in Taos since 1995.

Beautiful Taos Mountain

The Inn on the Alameda has a great central location that enables guests to enjoy a variety of day trips, no matter what time of year or weather. Among the most popular: a day in Taos, only 70 miles north of Santa Fe and a true jewel in New Mexico’s crown. Exploring all that Taos has to offer requires more than a day, but even if your time is short, we can suggest an itinerary that will give you a satisfying taste of this high-desert town. Like Santa Fe, Taos is about 7000 feet above sea level, so be sure to drink plenty of water to prevent altitude sickness. Wear comfortable walking shoes, dress in layers, and don’t forget your camera and your sunscreen.

North of Española, you’ll enter Taos Canyon, where State Road 68 takes you alongside the Rio Grande past the communities of Dixon and Pilar. As you climb in altitude, the river veers west, creating the Rio Grande Gorge, which you will see as you leave the canyon and crest the hill that leads you into Taos.

In Ranchos de Taos, at the south end of Taos proper, you’ll find the historic San Francisco de Asis Church, a National Historic Landmark and World Heritage church. Built between 1772 and 1816, the church is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except for two weeks each spring when the exterior is replastered with mud by parishioners and other volunteers. With its four-foot-thick adobe walls and dramatic buttresses, it is among the most photographed churches in the United States.

The church is located in the Ranchos de Taos Plaza, which is also home to shops and galleries, including Two Graces, an intriguing mix of collectibles and original art. Browsing through items both curated and created by owner Robert Cafazzo is like revisiting childhood. Two Graces is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day.

Four miles north of Ranchos and in the heart of the historic district is Taos Plaza. While the Plaza has the requisite T-shirt and souvenir shops, one of our favorite galleries is Acuarelas Studio Gallery (125 North Taos Plaza). It is open every day, although hours vary. Gallery owner and featured artist Leandro Martin Rodriguez works primarily in watercolor (which is what acuarelas means), achieving an infinite palette of subtle colors by hand-mixing the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow. His gallery includes a variety of work by other artists as well, from sculptures to pots to jewelry and more.

The Courtyard of the Blumenschein Museum

From the Plaza, you can walk a short distance to Ledoux Street, which is home to several don’t-miss stops for art lovers:

•  The E. L. Blumenschein Home and Museum, a National Historic Landmark, which offers a collection of work by one of the artists who was fundamental in establishing Taos as an art colony. The Blumenschein Home is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, although winter hours may vary.

•  R. C. Gorman’s Navajo Gallery, which includes the artist’s original drawings, lithographs, and bronzes. Days and hours of operation vary.

•  The Harwood Museum of Art, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, closed on Monday. The Harwood’s impressive collection includes works by Agnes Martin, Andrew Dasburg, Patrociño Barela, and members of the Taos Society of Artists, including Blumenschein, Oscar E. Berninghaus, E. Irving Couse, W. Herbert “Buck” Dunton, Joseph Sharp, and Victor Higgins.

A Colorful Mural on Ledoux Street

Ready for lunch? Near Ledoux Street is Antonio’s (122 Doña Luz, one block west of the Plaza), which offers both traditional and innovative dishes from Old Mexico; we love the guacamole made tableside, the ceviche (fresh fish in lime juice), and the chile relleno en nogada, a twist on the classic relleno. In the mood for crispy fish and chips or a juicy burger? Head to the Alley Cantina (121 Teresina Lane, behind the north side of the Plaza), located in what is reputed to be the oldest building in Taos. Or have a sandwich and a bowl of green chile at Bent St. Café & Deli, which is at the north end of the John Dunn Shops, less than a block north of Taos Plaza.

After lunch, browse the John Dunn Shops (Moby Dickens Bookshop at 124A Bent Street, right across from the Café & Deli, is a must-visit stop for booklovers) and stroll up and down Bent Street, which offers an eclectic assortment of—you guessed it—galleries and shops. Despite a bend in the road, Bent Street is actually named for one-time New Mexico governor Charles Bent; his former home, at 117 Bent Street, is now a museum. More historic trivia: Bent was the brother-in-law of frontiersman Kit Carson, whose own former home, at 228 Kit Carson Road, is also a museum.

Bent Street in Toas

While both the Governor Bent and Kit Carson museums give visitors a glimpse into the past, we recommend that you save them for next time and instead visit Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark. Typically, the Pueblo is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 8:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, although from late winter to early spring it is closed for about 10 weeks, and occasional tribal ceremonies may necessitate an unscheduled closing.

The adobe structures in the Pueblo village were constructed between 1000 and 1450 C.E. and are the oldest continuously inhabited buildings in the U.S. These buildings comprise not only homes, but also shops exhibiting traditional and contemporary arts and crafts of Pueblo residents. In addition to art and jewelry, you may purchase oven bread, baked in the traditional beehive ovens called hornos, or another Taos Pueblo specialty, prune pies, from one of the village vendors.

The San Geronimo Church, near the visitor’s entrance, was completed in 1850. Near it are the ruins of the original San Geronimo Church, which was built in 1619 and destroyed in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, when eight of New Mexico’s 19 pueblos rebelled against Spanish colonization. The revolt was temporarily successful, but in 1692, Spain repossessed the land.

Taos Pueblo welcomes visitors, and with some exceptions, photographs are allowed, although you must pay a fee for each camera you bring into the village, no photography is allowed in the church, and you must ask permission to take pictures of tribal members. Note, too, that the river that divides the north and south “houses” of the village is the source of residents’ drinking water, as the village has no running water or electricity. Do not that Taos Pueblo will be closed for Traditional activities starting February 7, 2011 through approximately March 28, 2011; please contact the Tourism Office at the Pueblo if you have any questions.

A short drive north of Taos Pueblo is the Millicent Rogers Museum (1504 Millicent Rogers Road), which has a priceless collection of assembled by Millicent Rogers, heiress to the Standard Oil fortune. With a legendary sense of style and a sharp mind, she amassed Native American jewelry, pottery, and religious iconography; Spanish Colonial folk art; and textiles from both Native American and Spanish Colonial traditions, all on display along with original jewelry designs by Rogers herself. Among Rogers’ many notable achievements was her commitment to the classification of Native American art as “historic,” which conveyed both status and protection. The museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., although it is closed on Mondays from November through the end of March.

As you pass through Taos’s historic district on the way back to Santa Fe, you may want to stop for drinks and pub fare at the Adobe Bar. Located in the Taos Inn (125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte), the Adobe Bar is known as the living room of Taos and is popular among both locals and visitors. The margaritas are cold, and the nachos are hot and plentiful. The Taos Inn has a fine dining restaurant, too, Doc Martin’s, which, in the late 1800s, was home to Dr. Thomas Paul (Doc) Martin, who discovered the headless body of ruthless land grabber Arthur Manby—but that story will have to wait for your next visit to Taos! See you then!

Thank you, Susan! We’ll look for you when we head up north!

Susan Mihalic, our Taos Expert

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Santa Fe Museum Hop & Shop

Tuesday, January 25th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

The Wheelwright Museum of the Almerican Indian, International Museum of Folk Art and Museum of Indian Arts and Culture are all located on Museum Hill, Camino Lejo in Santa Fe, NM

New Mexico Museum of Art, 107 West Palace Avenue, Santa Fe

New Mexico History Museum, 113 Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe

Palace of the Governors is on the north side of the Santa Fe Plaza

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, 217 Johnson Street in Santa Fe

BRRRR! That’s all we can say about wandering around outdoors right now. While not as challenged by winter as many destinations, Santa Fe can have frigid weather, much to some travelers’ surprise. On those winter days when the sun is not shining, cold weather does negatively impact the desire to wander in and out of Santa Fe’s many unusual shops and boutiques. So we suggest combining your visit to our wonderful museums with a visit to the equally wonderful museum shops!

Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian

Starting on Museum Hill, a favorite has to be the Case Trading Post at the Wheelwright Musemum of the American Indian. The museum itself is unusual in that it operates serarately from the New Mexico Museum group that includes the other major institutions in Santa Fe. Even more unusual is the fact that admission to the Wheelwright is by donation, so while the suggestion is thoughtfully observed, no actual fees are required. Currently on exhibit through April 17, 2011, is a fabulous show of Native American rugs woven by the Toadlena/Two Grey Hills master weavers. The show should not be missed, and a visit with these beautiful works of art can be followed by a walk down the stairs to the intimate Case Trading Post, where a desire to buy a rug can be easily satisfied.

The Case Trading Post

The Case Trading Post has been artistically designed to recreate the flavor of an early 20th century trading post on the Navajo Reservation, right down to the squeakiest floors in Santa Fe. The management of this little gem boasts some sharp eyes, much like the traders of yore, with a beautiful selection of old and new items that reflect the panoply of Native arts, past and present. Particular favorites for me begin at the “pawn” section in the back, where I regularly yearn for beautiful inlays and handsomely worn silver goodies. The pottery and weavings chosen by the Case’s skilled buyer offer a variety of styles and price points. I have bought some lovely little watercolors, very reasonably-priced,  by Hopi painter Peter Sumatzkuku that I never get tired of seeing on the wall. There are plenty of books for adult minds and for children, and enough small affordable collectibles that you can bring the kids in without feeling like your wallet will be seriously depleted when you leave. Serious depletion here is for the adults, but when it occurs, you can be sure you’ll go home with something you love and treasure.

The Museum of International Folk Art is much praised and justly so, and its gift shop gets kudos too. After spending a few hours or a full day in MOIFA’s collection, the yen to take home a little piece of folk art can easily be assuaged in the shop located right by the entrance. Visitors have until January 31 of this year to see the exhibit, “A Century of Masters: The NEA National Heritage Fellows of New Mexico,” comprised of examples of the works of all the Fellows from New Mexico in its collections, from weavings, to pottery, tinwork, straw appliqué, retablos, and woodcarving. National Heritage Fellows must demonstrate artistic excellence and commitment to their art forms through process, technique, and subsequent transmission of the knowledge to strengthen and enrich their communities. This notion has been an ongoing tradition in New Mexico throughout the centuries, and this is an excellent opportunity to see the fruits of this heritage.

I Met 'Em at the MOIFA Gift Shop!

The plethora of objects in the MOIFA tend to stun the mind, but there is always something memorable that stays with one. Even for those who choose to travel to Santa Fe at times other than the International Folk Art Market, desires inevitably arise: Need a calavera for Day of the Dead? Earrings made of bottle caps? Colcha embroidery? Name your fixation, and the friendly staff at the shop will help you find a souvenir or gift that accurately represents the finest in folk art traditions.  And of course, if a visit makes it imperative to return in July for the Market, make your reservations now, because it is always a sell-out!

A Slogan Worth Remembering

A Slogan Worth Remembering

While on Museum Hill, lovers of Native arts will want to stop in at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. History and art combine to educate and delight in the painstakingly acquired collection of this institution, and their website offers many resources, such as a Pueblo dance calendar to help you decide when to visit if this is part of your desired itinerary. Currently on display, but soon to leave in February, is an exhibition of Huichol art with the fine yarn paintings for which this indigenous culture is known.  The concept of balance is central to Huichol art and culture, and who doesn’t need that in their life about now?

Inexpensive souvenirs are sometimes necessary for our wallets, but for those who want the real deal, museum shops are the go-to experience. Making a purchase at the Indian Arts and Culture Museum shop guarantees that you’ll be going home with authenticated goods, a certainty not always ensured by shopping at the many tiendas in Santa Fe. Shining silver bracelets, fine pottery and kachinas, tomes on Native art, you’ll find them there. The staff is knowledgeable about the art and the artists, and they’ll take the time to help you receive a better understanding of designs and the culture.

Huichol Yarn Paintings at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture

If your Santa Fe visit is limited to downtown, you can find plenty to admire in our New Mexico Museum of Fine Art located on the northwest corner of the Plaza. A new exhibit entitled “Cloudscapes” just opened on January 14, comprising a selection of pictures from the museum’s permanent collection of works that by necessity spend much of their life  in storage due to light sensitivity issues. Many of the pieces are from the mid-twenthieth century, along with more recent acquisitions, and works on display are by masters of the medium, including familiar names like Alfred Stieglitz, Laura Gilpin and Edward Weston, with more recent images by Paul Caponigro and William Clift. Following your trip through photographic history, make a stop at this museum store. Though petite in size, it will yield good postcards, always an inexpensive memento, as well as catalogues of past exhibits and a wide assortment of art books. And the art jewelry is always a delight!

The Distinctive New Mexico Museum of Art

Of course, a walk to the Plaza should include a trip to the New Mexico History Museum, where one can garner a comprehensive understanding of how the Southwest grew and changed through the centuries. Running through early April is an interesting exhibit entitled “Wild at Heart,” curated by New Mexico art historian David L. Witt of the Academy for the Love of Learning, home of the Seton Legacy Project in Santa Fe. The exhibit is a fascinating study of Ernest Thompson Seton, conservationist, author, artist, lecturer and co-founder of the Boy Scouts and includes a series of lecture programs that expand one’s understanding of Seton’s legacy and how it lives on in Santa Fe. And lo and behold, there’s more than one gift shop! Beautiful hand-crafted decor items and artistic creations by New Mexicans from all over the state will be found in the shop on the Lincoln Avenue side near the new museum, and a treasure trove of New Mexico books, archival photos and prints from the Museum of New Mexico Press will be found at the Washington Avenue location around the caorner from the Palace of the Governors.

Prints, Photos and Books Galore!

You truly can’t finish a downtown tour without a visit to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum! Probably the most well-known name associated with the arts in our state, O’Keeffe is well-represented in this small but gorgeous museum, notable not only for the collection but also for the wonderful educational opportunities it offers to the community. The current exhibit, “O’Keefiana; Art and Art Materials” is itself an education experience, with artworks supplemented by the materials the artist used and the objects that inspired her. The exhibit runs through early May, and it is a pleasure to see the detailed notes O’Keefe made for herself regarding colors she used and the art materials she created to use, along with the art works that resulted from both.

The O'Keeffe Museum Gift Shop

The O’Keeffe gift shop is definitely postcard heaven, with the only hard part being to actually let go of the cards and mail them out! Who doesn’t want to keep these on a wall somewhere? And if you want it bigger, get a poster and frame it to have your own O’Keeffe! If you missed the movie version of O’Keeffe’s life, staring Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons, you can get on to enjoy by your own fireplace on a winter evening. The jewelry and clothing items are thoughtful extensions of O’Keeffe’s subject matter, and the books are definitely keepers, destined to be thumbed through repeatedly. The online store is well organized, too, so if you left without it, go online and get it!

Try making your museum hop into the museum shop, and you’ll not only go home with something uniquely Santa Fe, you’ll also know your spent your souvenir dollars to help keep the arts alive in the Land of Enchantment!

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Santa Fe: Lucky to have the Lensic

Thursday, January 13th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

The Lensic Performing Arts Center
211 West San Francisco Street in Santa Fe, NM
Phone: 505.988.7050    Box Office: 505.988.1234
E-News at http://www.lensic.org/content/lensic_enews

The Distinctive Lensic Performing Arts Center

Total opera fan that I am, the time between summer seasons of the Santa Fe Opera seems particularly long right about now. That’s why the live HD simlucasts from the Metropolitan Opera are so welcome. Santa Fe screenings are held on the appointed Saturdays at the Lensic Performing Arts Center, so I headed there last Saturday for my opera fix, in this case La Fanciulla del West by Puccini, whose La Boheme comes back to Santa Fe this summer. As we settled into our seats for a few hours of glorious music, I was struck yet again at the glories of this landmark theatre and all the wonderful things it has made possible in Santa Fe.

A versatile performing arts center located right off the Santa Fe Plaza, the Lensic originated as a movie and vaudeville theater, with a 69-year run before closing, a passing that was deeply mourned by Santa Fesinos for whom memories of a movie and dinner downtown live on in their minds as the perfect date.  The Lensic was built by Nathan Salmon, an immigrant from Syria, who chose to make Santa Fe his home in the late 1800′s, after being stranded here by a snowstorm. An enterprising individual with an immigrant’s belief in the real value of property, Mr. Salmon bought land parcels throughout the Santa Fe and Albuquerque area. In 1930, despite the devastating pressures of the Great Depression, Mr. Salmon and his son-in-law, E. John Greer, made plans to build what they called a ‘Spanish style’ theater, with up-to-date projection and sound equipment  that could offer both live performances and the new ‘talking’ pictures to the then-11,000 residents of Santa Fe.

A 'Spanish Style' Theater for Santa Fe

The Salmon-Greer partnership broke ground for the theatre in September 1930, and its uniquely memorable name originated when Mr. Salmon sponsored a competition, including a $25 prize, to name the new theater, using either a Spanish title or an amalgam of his grandchildren’s initials. Mrs. P.J. Smithwick claimed the prize (a tidy sum in Depression years) by creating an acronym using the required initials (for Lila, Elias John, Nathan, Sara, Mary Irene and Charles), while at the same time cleverly implying the “lens” of a movie projector. Built swiftly, the Lensic Theater had its grand opening in June of 1931 and soon became the center of Santa Fe social life, since movies served as a respite from the sorrows of the Depression and the war years that ensued.

As Santa Fe grew, the Lensic thrived. Over the years, other options for entertainment in Santa Fe became available, and the Lensic’s technical facilities began to lag behind the demands of modern performance. As this mismatch of requirements expanded, the theater stopped hosting live events and by 1999, it had closed its doors altogether. Fortunately for Santa Fe, the next act was about to begin!

London Assurance Simulcast in HD

Bill and Nancy Zeckendorf, recognized as real estate royalty in New York City, arrived in Santa Fe in the 1980s and quickly grasped the Lensic’s potential as a performing arts showcase. Determined to save this classic venue, they pursued Mr. Salmon’s original vision of a dramatic showplace for the city, a destination historically imbued with talent galore. Working with a panoply of performing arts groups, city officials, interested individuals and committed business leaders, they recruited a hard-working board of directors (including the Inn’s owner, Joe Schepps), incorporated the theater as a nonprofit, and embarked on a twelve month rehabilitation. Funded through a $9M capital campaign raised by a coterie of Santa Fe’s movers and shakers, the Lensic rose again like the mythical phoenix and was unveiled as a non-profit performing arts venue in April 2001. To the delight of locals and visitors alike, the thoughtful and restrained renovation restored the theater’s decoratively stylized architecture, and improvements to the technical capabilities made it possible to bring an eclectic variety of performances to the City Different. Thanks to the dedication and insight of all involved, the 821-seat theater has become an integral part of the city’s reputation as a mecca for the arts.  An ideal example of how community collaboration and commitment can create a whole greater than the sum of the parts, the Lensic is now a vibrant cultural resource for the city of Santa Fe, as well as the state and surrounding region. As its mission statement says, “The nonprofit Lensic Performing Arts Center enriches lives by bringing diverse art and people together in the historic Lensic Theater, a cornerstone of downtown Santa Fe since 1931.” How true!

Perfomers of All Sizes

What can one see at the Lensic? Well, just about anything! From the HD simulcasts of the Met to traveling circuses, from chamber ensembles to Native American roots music, Polish folk dancers to classical ballet, bluesmen to children’s mariachi groups, writers’ readings to memorable big-screen classics (yes, you CAN still see a movie at the theater!), the Lensic welcomes all who have something to share with the arts-loving denizens of the City Different.  The Lensic was recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as an official project of Save America’s Treasures in 2000. And 2011 is indeed a gala year, with the Lensic Performing Arts Center celebrating its 10th anniversary, and the original Lensic Theater turning 80 in April 2011.

The Whole World is Welcome at the Lensic

When our guests come to the Front Desk at any time of year to ask what there is to do in Santa Fe, it is always a pleasure to respond by saying, “Let’s see what’s at the Lensic!”

All images are courtesy of the Lensic, and all rights are reserved.

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Posted in Music in Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Weather, Santa Fe theatre, What To Do in Santa Fe, santa fe travel | 1 Comment »

Happy New Year from Santa Fe

Friday, January 7th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

Wishing you a Happy New Year from the Inn on the Alameda

THE OLD YEAR has passed, and the new year is welcomed in with snowflakes and pinon smoke here in Santa Fe. The days will now grow longer, and we turn our thoughts to the many blessings we have enjoyed in the year gone by. Despite the many challenges in today’s world, we find our hearts are filled with gratitude, and here are some of the reasons for our contentment.

OUR GUESTS! We feel truly fortunate that so many interesting and friendly people pass through our doors. After 25 years of welcoming travelers to Santa Fe, the pleasure of saying “Thank you for choosing the Inn” is still genuine. We understand that travel can be stressful and that satisfying dreams is a tall order, so the kind comments and thoughtful feedback we receive is always welcome. We appreciate every single visitor who crosses our thresh-hold and gives us the opportunity to help him or her enjoy the very things we cherish about the Land of Enchantment.

OUR STAFF! Having tenured staff who remember your guests and address them by name is a treasure beyond price. Not a day goes by when we are not aware that the world of hospitality often has a revolving door that can rapidly channel staff in and out. The fact that our staff stays with us for years is an honor of which we strive to be worthy. From the laundry to the maintenance crew, from the kitchen to the front desk, the lounge to the reservation desk, we thank you all, each and everyone, for your dedication and commitment. Our guests feel like family, because our staff is our family!

OUR OWNERS! It probably goes without saying, but a well-run property can only operate successfully from the top down. Having a sole owner since the beginning, and knowing that this same person built the property from the ground up, we are able to ensure that the Inn will always look and feel her best.  We feel confident in saying “Nuestra casa es tu casa” because our casa has felt the loving care of owners whose taste, instincts and attention to detail have led to our success. Thank you, Joe and Angelica Schepps!

OUR CITY! It is so uplifting to live in such a unique and inspirational spot! Santa Fe always ranks in the top ten of travel publication polls with good reason. Our sublime climate, our perfect size, the presence of world-class arts organizations, unusual mercados, the blend of native cultures, delicious cuisine, the beautiful natural surroundings, all these things combine to keep us here and allow us to offer a panoply of experiences to our visitors. Muchissimas Gracias a La Villa Real de la Santa Fe San Francisco de Assis……Santa Fe!

The Snowy Sangres Welcome Visitors

For those who have yet to visit, we invite you to discover the charms of our city and our Inn! And for those who return to us again and again, our thanks for helping us create a home away from home in Santa Fe!

Photo of the Inn courtesy Eric Swanson, all rights reserved.

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Santa Fe: What is There to Do In Early December?

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010 by Santa Fe Red

The short answer would be LOTS! With the onset of the holiday season, Santa Fe, like so many other wonderful destinations, comes alive! The wind is crisp, the scent of pinon is on the air, and holiday lights are lit. While the most obvious choice is to be here for the Christmas holiday, especially since the Inn is such an ideal location for touring the Canyon Road and Plaza farolitos, there are definitely many local events in which to participate before the full-bore holiday week.

The month opens with the annual Rumi Concert, a Storydancer project encompassing music, poetry, dance and song presented by local and national talents. Although the esteemed Robert Bly is no longer a visitor, the poetry slot will be filled by Coleman Barks, poet and translator of the 13th century mystical poet, Rumi. Grammy-award winning cellist, David Darling, and Glen Velez, world percussionist, bring harmony and rhythm, and Zuleikha, of the Storydancer Project, contributes both dance and humor. This is always an evening collaboration that lingers in the mind!

Friday, December 3rd, offers first Friday gallery openings throughout the city. This will be an excellent night on which you can combine both galleries and museum-going, since the New Mexico Museum of Art is offering “Vintage Music and Homemade Cookies,” from 5:00 to 8:00PM, with holiday music spun on vintage LPs by the museum’s own DJ Prairie Dog and cookies baked by museum staff! And since it’s the first Friday of the month, that means the O’Keeffe Museum is free too!

Holiday season also means children’s theatre, and the Eldorado Children’s Theatre and Teen Players always put on an entertaining show. This year, the troupe presents the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic , The King and I.  Performances takes place at the James A. Little Theatre on Friday, December 3 and Friday, December 10 at 7:00 PM, and at 2:00PM on Saturday, December 4, Sunday December 5, Saturday, December 11, and Sunday, December 12. Tickets can be reserved on line at www.eldoradochildrenstheatre.org, or by calling 466-4656. Great theatre always has to start somewhere, and talent can be found everywhere!

Adult theatre can be found in From Broadway with Love at the Lensic at 7:30PM on Saturday, December 4th.  Kaye Ballard, Liliane Montevecchi, and Donna McKechnie will reunite to star in a one-night-only gala performance to benefit Animal Protection of New Mexico, a non-profit organization that has been challenging historic and widespread animal cruelty in New Mexico for more than 30 years.

Worldy theatre aficionados will thrill to know that there will be an HD simulcast of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, as part of the second season of National Theatre Live (NT LIVE), a successful new initiative to broadcast live performances from the National’s stages to cinemas worldwide. The broadcast takes place at the Lensic Center on Friday, December 17 at 7:00PM.

Of course, there will be music and song aplenty! The Santa Fe Men’s Camerata and Zia Singers Holiday Concert takes place at the wonderful Scottish Rite Temple, a landmark in itself, on Saturday, December 4 at 8:00PM and Sunday, December 5 at 4:00PM. The Camerata and the Zia, both directed by Kenneth Knight will join forces for a concert of holiday music, including works from Mendelssohn and Grieg. The combined chorus, about 55 voices strong, will also perform “The Christmas Story According to St. Luke,” a medley of seven well-known Christmas carols arranged by Roger Wagner. The Santa Fe Concert Association brings The King’s Singers for a performance on Wednesday, December 8 at 7:30PM in the St. Francis Cathedral, the perfect spot for holiday chorale.

Not to be outdone by the men, the Santa Fe Women’s Ensemble celebrates the holiday withtheir 30th consecutive Christmas Offering Concert. The Ensemble will sing seasonal music and a world premiere by internationally known composer Stephen Paulus, who will be present for the opening concert on Saturday, December 11th. There are several opportunities to attend with concerts on Saturday, December 11; Sunday, December 12; Friday, December 17;and Satueday, December 18, all in Loretto Chapel at 7:30PM.

Music made by the youthful talents of Santa Fe will be on parade at the Mozart y Mariachi Concert, taking place at the St. Francis Auditorium on Friday, December 10 at 6:30PM. This will be some fine mariachi music, performed with spirit and passion, regardless of the performers’ ages and early bedtimes! Classically-inclined youth musicians get their chance to shine on stage on Sunday, December 12 with a performance by the Youth  Philharmonia and Youth Symphony Orchestra in concert at 1:00PM also in the St. Francis auditorium.

Could the holidays be complete without the Nutcracker? Aspen Santa Fe Ballet does the honors with four performances of Tchaikovsky’s holiday treat, two on Saturday, December 11 at 2:00PM and 7:30 PM and two on Sunday, at 1:00PM and 5:00PM. This dance company gets better every year, and Santa Fe is very grateful to have them in our midst to sprinkle snowflakes and sugarplums!

The visual arts will not be neglected as fabulous holiday gifts handcrafted by more than 100 traditional and acclaimed Hispanic artists can be found at the Winter Spanish Market taking place Saturday and Sunday, December 4 and 5 from 10:00AM to 5:00PM at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. And Museum Hill gets into the act on Sunday, December 5th from 10:00AM to 5:00PM with a Winter Festival to celebrate the season, with fun for all ages! There will be  hands-on art making in the Atrium, a performance by the Sangre de Christo Chorale, Creative Writings and Readings from the Santa Fe Community College Creative Writing Program, and a Doña Adelina puppet performance by Los Titiriteros. Now that’s a roster! The 4th Annual Holiday Market at Institute of American Indian Arts takes place on Sunday, December 12 from 9:00AM TO 3:00PM at the Institute, with fun and fantastic creations by IAIA faculty, staff, students, alumni, student clubs and other Native American artists. The school itself is a marvel, surrounded by the glorious New Mexico landscape, where it offers a refuge for young Native artists to discover their roots and culture.

Talk about art is always on tap in Santa Fe, and the Santa Fe Art Institute brings art critic Lucy Lippard as the final lecturer in their program, Elemental: Earth Air Fire Water – Art and Environment. Lippard is the author of over 20 books on contemporary art and has written art criticism for Art in America and The Village Voice.  She has also curated over 50 exhibitions, participated in guerrilla theater, and edited a number of independent publications, including “La Puente de Galisteo” in her home community of Galisteo, New Mexico. The lecture takes place on Thursday, December 9 at 6:00Pm at the Santa Fe Art Institute.

If you won’t be here for Christmas, you can still capture the unique flavor of New Mexico with Las Posadas, an annual re-enactment of the Nativity search for shelter. You can join this tradition on the beautiful Santa Fe Plaza at 5:30PM on Saturday, December 11, as this annual candle-lit procession wends it way around the Plaza, concluding in the courtyard of the  Palace of the Governors’ courtyard with carols, cookies and refreshments.

All this and holiday shopping of the unique brand found in our special destination; the flavor of Christmas and the flavor of Santa Fe combine to make pre-holiday travel a joy, regardless of the weather!

Please feel free to contact our friendly staff to find out more about events that interest you or to make reservations for any Santa Fe December happenings!

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Santa Fe Open House at IAIA

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 by Santa Fe Red

The Institute of American Indian Arts is located at 83 Avan Nu Po Road in Santa Fe, New Mexico

The Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe

While many cities can boast an art school or two, Santa Fe has unusual bragging rights by virtue of having an institute for indigenous artists! Students at the Institute of American Indian Arts (commonly known as IAIA) have  the opportunity to partake in an eclectic learning experience in a distinctive Native-centered environment. Faculty and staff, comprised of both native and non-native individuals, provide nurturing support, professional training and positive role models for native students embarking on new endeavors. By opening its doors to the community recently for an afternoon open house, IAIA gave locals and visitors the time to see how this dedicated educational institution fulfills its mission, as stated  here: “To empower creativity and leadership in Native arts and cultures through higher education, lifelong learning and outreach.”

The Institute of American Indian Arts was funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and first opened in October of 1962 on the campus of the Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Under its first Superintendent, Dr. George A. Boyce, the Institute embodied a bold approach to arts education and has evolved through the decades into a leadership role in the contemporary Native American art world. The Institute was later housed on the College of Santa Fe campus before settling it on its expansive new campus about ten years ago. A total of 80 tribes from 25 states are represented in the student body of this multi-tribal learning center, which provides a bridge between a past rich with tradition and the dynamic American Indian culture of the new millennium.

Sculptural Landscaping

IAIA offers four-year degrees in Studio Arts, Visual Communication, Creative Writing and Museum Studies, and it is uniquely qualified to offer students a foundation from which to build new forms of artistic expression and accomplishment, while guiding them into maturity as proud representatives of their culture and participating citizens of the world. The college promotes Native leadership and offers an ecologically-sound atmosphere that allows students to explore their culture and artistic heritage in a supportive and understanding environment. A place where the spirit and vision of American Indian and Alaska Native people is the number one priority, IAIA honors the traditions of the past, continually being rediscovered and reaffirmed, while giving students the freedom to celebrate their artistic identity in new ways, helped by its affiliation with the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts.

Paying Attention to the Southwest

The curriculum at the Institute is geared towards a comprehensive integration of the arts into a college program of study that graduates Native students prepared to juggle the artist’s life with the more mundane aspects of everyday reality. The Creative Writing Dept. holds a prominent place at the College, and students come from reservations and pueblos, cities large and small, to study with nationally and internationally-known working writers. A Studio Arts Department, divided into five areas of focus (painting, photography, ceramics, jewelry/metals, and sculpture), delivers foundational art classes leading to the College’s AFA and BFA degrees. The newer arts are not neglected, since a comprehensive program is in place to teach digital media students the evolutionary principles of  new media, as they study the history and theory of graphic design, film and the ongoing evolution of story-telling.

In recognition of the role Native arts have played for thousands of years, IAIA is home to the only museum studies program designed from a Native American perspective. Experienced museum professionals lead the College’s hands-on, experiential program with courses addressing the cultural history of exhibition, curation, conservation, collections and museums themselves.

A Re-Imagined Image from the Past

The Indigenous Studies Program prepares students who desire the broad education that the liberal arts provide. Students are taught to master competencies in critical thinking, research and writing, with  courses in culturally-based anthropology, policy, traditional arts, art history and Native American studies. An Essential Studies Program provides a solid undergraduate education in English, math and science, as well as a grounding in the strategies necessary for success in college and life in the wide world beyond the reservation or pueblo. The Native Eyes indigenous studies program offers accredited online courses, and the Center for Lifelong Learning is onsite to coordinate tribal outreach services. To address to the specific health concerns of Native peoples, a Fitness and Wellness Dept. schedules classes to help students develop healthier lifestyles through education and experience.

The open house was held on a Friday afternoon, with the glorious autumn Santa Fe weather offering blue skies, warmth and sunshine even in November. Visitors could take a guided tour or wander at will around the beautiful and state-of-the-art campus located on the southwestern edge of Santa Fe. The feeling was genuinely welcoming, with students and faculty alike proud and eager to demonstrate the worth of the program.

Native Stickball

Native Stickball Equipment

The striking campus buildings were laced with attractive landscaping and sculptures, and on a large circular center lawn, a fierce game of Native stickball, a full contact sport that is the ancestor of lacrosse, was taking place. Student housing comes in the form of dorms and apartment-style homes for students who come with families. An outdoor cooking area promised a tasty potential for adventurous picnicking, although I didn’t notice an horno.

Mark Herndon in the Jewelry Studio

Painting Demonstration by Charlene Teters

Tours of the classrooms offered ongoing demonstrations by faculty, and visitors were free to roam through the halls, which were liberally hung with student works. Equipment in studio art classrooms was up-to-date, and non-arts rooms were outfitted with computers galore. The museum conservation program showed  some serious chops, as Museum Studies Professor Jessie Ryker-Crawford demonstrated art polarizing microscope technology, letting visitors expand their understanding of the conservation concerns involved in maintaining two- and three-dimensional works of art.

Jessie-Ryker Crawford, Museum Studies Chair, in the Conservation Lab

An old-fashioned auditorium hosted a continuous screening of Native films, and the new digital dome, opened in October of this year, was designed to revolutionize the college’s fastest-growing degree program, new media arts. The 24-foot diameter, 12-foot high dome is the only one in the world to rotate from 0° to 90° views at 0°, 30°, 45° and 90°. With an 8,000-pound steel exoskeleton and an immersive environment featuring a surround sound system with six film projectors, it will be used to explore science, Native storytelling and art.

Untitled Painting by Collestopher Chatto, Dine Student

A student-run gallery offered an exhibition of student works for sale at very reasonable prices, but it a definite improvement would be realized by painting the gallery walls white to let the artwork shine! A gentle and friendly librarian encouraged visitors to browse the stacks in the expansive, peaceful and thoughtfully LEED-built library, with intelligent-sensor lighting, recycled carpeting and a treasure trove of books, all enhanced with a terrific Geronimo sculpture by Bob Haozous. And our transit back to the car led us by nose to the student cafeteria where locals can come and feast for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The IAIA Library with Geronimo Keeping Watch

Yet another distinctive feature of our City Different, the Institute of American Indian Arts lends authenticity and merit to the artistic reputation of Santa Fe, helping Native youth lead the way into this new millenium. We are genuinely grateful to have IAIA in our midst!

Native America Builds for the 21st Century

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