Archive for January, 2009

LAS CRUCES, NM - The Doña Ana Arts Council is pleased to present renowned pianist George Winston in concert at the Rio Grande Theatre in Las Cruces at 7.30 pm on Tuesday, January 27, 2009.

Inspired by the seasons, solo pianist George Winston plays over 100 solo piano concerts a year in America and beyond. His concerts feature a variety of styles, including his melodic folk piano, stride piano, New Orleans R&B piano, Vince Guaraldi’s Peanuts pieces and more.

Winston has seven multi-platinum, platinum and gold records, including the Grammy-winning Forest. His latest album is entitled Gulf Coast Blues and Impressions – A Hurricane Relief Benefit.  In concert George will be performing songs from his latest album as well as selections from his seasonal favorites Autumn, December, Winter Into Spring and Summer as well as his themed albums Forest, Plains, and Montana – A Love Story and his albums dedicated to composers: Linus and Lucy – The Music of Vince Guaraldi and Night Divides the Day – The Music of the Doors.

Tickets are available in advance at Hubbard’s Music ‘N More, Mountain Music, White’s Music Box or by calling the Doña Ana Arts Council at (575) 523.6403. Advance purchase tickets are $15 for students and seniors (60+), $20 for general admission. On the day of the show, all tickets will be $25.

George Winston will donate a portion of his proceeds from this event to the Casa de Peregrinos food bank in Las Cruces. Please join us in support of Casa de Peregrinos by bringing a non-perishable food item to the concert.

For more information, call the Town of Mesilla at (575) 524-3262 ext. 116.

February is again this year filled with love – of art. At least it is in the Mesilla Valley, where the City of Las Cruces will proclaim it to be For the Love of Art Month for the 11th year. ArtForms Artists Association has coordinated numerous activities related to performing, visual and literary arts in honor of this year’s celebration.

It wouldn’t be February without ArtForms studio tours. This year there will be 22 locations, some with several artists displaying their works. The tours occur February 14, 15, 21 and 22 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., with some artists selecting one weekend to participate and others holding their studios open both weekends. This is a great opportunity to meet artists, see where they work, and make art purchases directly from them. Several artists will be providing demonstrations during the tours, such as those held all four days at Unsettled Gallery and the first weekend at Brian Fallstead’s studio, where he will demonstrate raku firing.

ArtForms artists will also display their art at the Branigan Cultural Center during the annual For the Love of Art Month Member Exhibit. The show features work in numerous media, including painting, watercolor, photography, sculpture, jewelry, wood, paper and more. This year, 51 artists are participating in the show that opens on Friday, February 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. during the monthly Downtown Ramble. The Las Cruces Friends of Chamber Music will perform during the opening. The exhibit will be open through February 28, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. The museum is located at 500 N. Water Street on the north end of the Downtown Mall.

Also opening at the Branigan that evening is the Las Colcheras Quilt Guild’s President’s Challenge. Quilters were challenged to create quilts based on the theme “Starry, Starry Night.”  Hand-quilting demonstrations will be held Wednesdays and Saturdays all month from 9 a.m. until noon. In addition, they are having a drawing for a quilt and will sell tickets during the opening and demonstrations. The drawing for the quilt will take place on Saturday, February 28, at noon, although the winner need not be present to win.

The work of ArtForms members is also visible all around Las Cruces thanks to local businesses that agree to show their art. These Art Around the Town venues include local doctor’s offices, business offices and art galleries. For a complete list, be sure to pick up a copy of the For the Love of Art Month 2009 Event Guide, a booklet that includes the studio tour maps, venue lists, and details on the numerous art shows and performances taking place during February.

ArtForms is hosting a new event this year, For the Love of Lit, which will be held Saturday, February 28, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Branigan Cultural Center. Local authors of prose or poetry will read selections of their works from the stage and offer their published books for sale. Writers who would like to participate can get on the schedule by e-mailing love-of-art@comcast.net. The organizers encourage high school and college writers to participate.

Numerous organizations belong to ArtForms and will be holding their own art exhibits and performances throughout February. Las Cruces is fortunate to have classical music performers from the Piatigorsky Foundation again coming to town. This non-profit organization brings world-class musicians to smaller towns throughout the country. This year, soprano Raquela Sheeran and pianist David Shimoni will include Las Cruces on their New Mexico tour. They are both Julliard-trained musicians who have performed widely. Two free concerts will be performed in Las Cruces on Sunday, February 8, at 1 p.m. at the Good Samaritan Las Cruces Village and Tuesday, February 10, at 7 p.m. at the Rio Grande Theatre on the Downtown Mall. The concerts are sponsored by the Las Cruces Friends of Chamber Music, the Doña Ana Arts Council, KRWG-FM, and Good Samaritan Las Cruces Village.

Other musical performances include the New Horizons Symphony Orchestra concert on Saturday, February 21, at 3 p.m. at the Addison Center at NMSU. The concert features Marianna Gabbi and Gordon Butler playing a Vivaldi concerto, along with other soloists and pieces for the full orchestra. This concert is also free and open to the public. Chamber music will be performed on Tuesday, February 24, at 5:30 p.m. at the Rio Grande Theatre in another free concert. The Las Cruces Friends of Chamber Music offer this concert as the culmination of their time spent mentoring student ensembles.

This year there is another world premiere of a theatre production to help make February special. The American Southwest Theatre Company (ASTC) brings us “Pixie,” the story of a young man whose fragile sanity is upset when he kills a small dog named Pixie. Performances are February 20 through March 8 on Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Hershel Zohn Theatre on the NMSU campus. Tickets are available at the Pan Am Ticket Office and the Hershel Zohn Theatre Box Office.

To help support ASTC’s Guest Artist program, they are holding a Mardi Gras fundraiser, “What Happens at Mardi Gras Stays at Mardi Gras,” on Friday, February 6, beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 for one ticket or $55 for two and are available at the same locations as “Pixie” tickets. The gala includes hors d’oeuvres, desserts, a cash bar, dancing to Cajun and contemporary music, a magician, fortune teller, and a live art auction.  For more information on ASTC, go to their Web site at www.theatre.nmsu.edu/astc.

Media contact: Cheryl Fallstead, For the Love of Art Month Coordinator 575-521-3838 or cell 575-405-7133 (not for publication) love-of-art@comcast.net

Come join the Las Cruces Museum of Natural History for its newest traveling exhibit, Wild About Plants, from January 16th to May 3rd. There will be an opening reception on Friday, January 16th from 6:00-8:00pm with food, drinks and hands-on activities for the kids.

Wild About Plants is a botanical adventure that engages families in an exploration of plants that are a part of everyday life! Touch, smell, magnify, build, watch & listen to plants – uncovering what they do for people and what people can do for them.

In addition to the exhibition, the Museum of Natural History will be running several plant experiments exhibiting various plant traits and we will also include information about the plants that are unique to the Chihuahuan Desert. Come and learn what makes our desert home the unique and wonderful place that it is! Wild About Plants was developed by the Brooklyn Children’s Museum with major funding from the National Science Foundation.

For more program information contact the Museum of Natural History at 575/522-3120. The TTY number is 575/541-2161.