Gone digital: The Arts Council now has a website! URL is www.mancosarts.org. I will be updating it frequently, plus, the ArtBeat column will be published on our site. The site features all the news of the Arts Council, plus news of the art scene all over our area.
Agri-Culture Exhibit: At the Gallery in the Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market St., Cortez from Sept. 16 through Oct. 5. The Opening Reception is on Friday, Sept. 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. Come enjoy the creative interpretation of this theme. For more applications or more information, contact the center at 565-1151 or email annebeach@cortezculturalcenter.org
Masks and mystery: The next show at the Town Gallery will be "Masks and Mystery." All local artists can apply to be in this show, and the title is open to your interpretation of the title. Fall is the perfect time for a show of this nature, when the days get short and darkness begins its approach. All kinds of spirits seem to emerge from the change of season. Many cultures all over the world use masks and other symbols to manifest the powers beyond human. Please contact Dian (see end of column) to see if your work will fit the bill. In particular, we are looking for artists who have not participated in a Town Gallery show yet. All mediums and all ages are welcome in this exhibit. The show will open on Oct. 8. The reception will be on Friday, Oct. 11, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., with the usual mix of fun, food and great art! Stay tuned for news on this one.
Artfest: If you'd like to have a booth at this annual event, please contact Marianne Griffin at the Visitor's Center, 103 E. Bauer (at Boyle Park), contact her by phone at 970-533-7434 or email her at chamber@mancosvalley.com. There are still some open spaces for artists, artisans, and whatever you've made that you'd like to put out there. The ArtFest is part of the Balloon Festival weekend. After the balloons go up on Saturday, Sept. 28, we'll be open for business on Grand from Main to Mesa. Come on down and see what's goin' on!
Our neighbors down in New Mexico: Marianne Griffin and I have been spending some time in the galleries in Aztec and Farmington networking, encouraging some of their artists to come up and visit. During our fabulous fall weather, take the drive down there. The Feat of Clay (107 S. Main Street, Aztec), the Aztec-based artists co-op is full of great items, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, and gourd art in particular. The Farmington Museum and Visitors' Center has a great ongoing exhibit of local artists, including our Mancos talents - Marilyn Kroeker and Janice Reich to name a couple. They also have a great gift shop with the best T-shirt designs I've seen in a long time. It's a great and very interesting place. Also in Farmington, stop in at Artifacts on Main Street downtown. Proprietor Bev Taylor keeps the place humming with resident artists, her own imaginative calligraphy-based work, a chili shop and themed exhibits. My favorite is the "Unhooked - The Decorated Bra Show," bringing awareness to breast cancer. It opens on Oct. 1 and runs through Oct. 19. Galleries are often closed on Monday and/or Tuesday.
Arts council members: Just a heads up for all you members out there - save the date. Our annual "thank you" party for our members & supporters will take place on All Saints' Day, Friday, November 1st at the Grange. If you haven't renewed your membership for 2013, now's the time to do it. ($15/single, $20 family) Just mail your check to Mancos Valley Arts Council, P.O. Box 864, Mancos, CO 81328 - or you can renew at the door! This year's party will have prizes, live music, yummy traditional food and lots of fun. Hasta la vista - Dia de los Muertos!
50/50: Finally, here's a preview of the holiday event the Arts Council will be putting on. 50/50 is an exhibit of fifty 9" x 12" pieces of art (any two-dimensional medium) produced by as many artists as would like to participate. All artists will receive from us their panel(s) - and yes, you can do more than one. These artworks will be shown on the weekend of Dec. 13, 14 and 15 at the Town Gallery. Everything will be priced at $50 with some of the proceeds going to the Arts Council. More details to follow - this is just your advance notice. Art makes a wonderful gift - for you, for the artist and for the Arts Council. Watch this space for more details!
Contact Dian and let me know what's happening in our local arts community. I'd love to publish info about your event, show, concert, play, whatever! Call me at 533-7536, or email dhlaw4367@gmail.com.
