AMoCA News September - October
Susan Dopp Artist Dinner
An artist dinner was held for Susan Dopp (RAiR 1988-89 & 2007-08) following the opening of her solo exhibition Lacewing at the Roswell Museum on October 6. Her installation will be up until April 7, 2024. Congratulations Susan!
Beetlemania at Science & Art Festival
AMoCA's booth at the Roswell Museum's annual Science & Art Festival on Saturday October 14, got a little buggy. Participants chose an interior or exterior magazine photo and up to three different beetle stickers to make a fun scene. Lastly, they identified their beetle's name, writing it around the picture with metallic markers. More than 125 people created beetle collages. Because the day also included the eclipse viewing, more than 2,500 people were at the Civic Center for the event.
Roswell Museum event volunteers Nayeli Ramirez and Selene Espino helped out at the AMoCA beetle booth.
Community Creates for a Cause
The Panel Project organized by the Eastern New Mexico State Fair Arts & Crafts Department and the Anderson Museum made for a wonderful display at the Fairgrounds in early October and raised more than $1,300 for the Assurance Home! Almost half the 117 panels were purchased during Fair Week, and much publicity was garnered for the arts, the museum, the Assurance Home and the Fair's Arts & Crafts Department! Kudos to Michelle Hembree, Pat Krakauskas and Nancy Fleming for organizing the project, and especially to the following artisans who took their time to donate their talents - some creating more than one panel! In fact, J. T. Foster gets a special shout out for being the most prolific artist!
Panel Artisans:
Brallan Alonza, Moniquea Aragon, Joan Arnold, Ximena Barrientos, Michael Beitz, Christine Borner, Mikaela Borner, Evelyn Breedyk, Suzette Brown, Kay Butler, Donna Cadena, Kamryn Campos, Vera Carabajal, Konsuela Carpenter, Ethan Chesser, Bobby Chesser, Bailey Coll, Lori Dattola, Shelby Decoteau, Cheryl deMontigny, Cate Erbaugh, Edie Erickson, Sebriella Erickson, J.T. Foster, Julie Foster, Julian Francolino, Pam Garlinger, Bobbie Goode, Nancy Hein, Michelle Hembree, Kaleigh Hembree, Ken Hernandez, Dietta Hitchcock, Pat Hittle, Vicki Hobson, Miranda Howe, Elaine Howe, Beth Isler, Sheurle Klingsmith, Peggy Krantz, Leslie Lawner, Sara Manion, Bunny Mason, Sarah McArthur, Lorie Mitteer, Paul & Jane Nevarez, Nancy O'Neal, Trina Padilla, Jessica Parham, Bob Phillips, Nancy Phillips, Mathew Pierce, Lucho Pozo, Tasia Ramage, Cindy Rhodes, Masha Sha, Alex Smith, Donna Spray, Brandon Stokes, Britta Urness, Susan Voigt, Helen Walters, Jess Ziegenfuss. Also participating were Assurance Home residents Maria, Missy, Samuel, Elijah, Cora, Willow and M., who created panels aided by Trina Padilla.
The above people represent a wide variety of arts and educational organizations in Roswell - from the Pecos Valley Quilters to the Roswell Fine Arts League Gallery. Activities such as the Panel Project allow their members - and the community at large - to create together and make a strong voice for the arts in our community. Many thanks as well goes to our BUYERS!!! We gratefully appreciate our community members and Fair visitors from near and far who turned up to purchase the panels!
You can still help! Panels not sold at the Fair are now on display and for sale at the Miniatures and Curious Collections Museum, 320 N. Richardson Ave., with ALL proceeds going to the Assurance Home. MCCM is open Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Assurance Home Director Ron Malone expressed his gratitude to the Fair and AMoCA for raising awareness of the Assurance Home in this creative way. Even more so than the funds (which are always needed), is keeping the community apprised that there is a special place in Roswell which has been housing at-risk or homeless adolescent children since 1979.
RAiR Alum Karen Aqua (1954-2011) Celebrated at Museum with Animations, Drawings and Friends
Cecily Miller and Ken Field.
A delightful "Sensorium" is the perfect description of AMoCA on Karen Aqua (RAiR 1991-92) Day which was on held September 28th. It is not only the title of one this RAiR alum's animations (which was projected onto our huge screen), it was also the source of the hundreds of drawings on display in sequential groupings as well as individually. Ken Field and Cecily Miller travelled from Boston to greet attendees and talk about Karen and her work, before they headed up to Taos. We loved being part of their New Mexico visit!
Karen's animation cell drawings from "Sensorium" and Ken's music score CD will continue to be sold at AMoCA with all proceeds benefiting the RAiR Foundation. Many thanks to Ken for these wonderful donations!!!
A Remembrance: Brigitte Tatom (1942-2023)
Brigitte Tatom passed away in April of this year. She was a petite and unassuming woman who spoke English with a lovely German accent and wiped down the tables at Tinnie Mercantile and Deli with utmost efficiency and purpose. Her friendly (but serious) manner had a hint of sadness, mostly for her deceased husband and her far-away homeland. At the table leaving the crumbs was often a RAiR artist, and Brigitte would know them by name. She'd seen their exhibition, and, in fact, was usually the person who delivered the cheese and crackers from the Deli to the Roswell Museum for their reception. She and Deli Manager Brinkman Randle (1956-2021) most definitely would have also discussed what they liked or didn't like about the RAiR show (and the artist). Gracing the bathroom walls at the Deli were a few of Brigitte's own paintings - Rothko interpretations mostly. Both Brinkman and Brigitte had backgrounds in art themselves so one can only imagine the lively and informed conversations the two had about each RAiR show, but one thing is certain - they both loved the RAiR Program and its artists: Brigitte left a beautiful message confirming such. In a tub, as neatly organized as her house and belongings, were six years of RAiR brochures. Folded into each brochure was that artist's exhibit postcard, dinner invitation, and sometimes the exhibit checklist with notes on the back from their artist lectures which Brigitte had written in her curly handwriting. To me, Brigitte's time capsule of printed materials shows how those who engage are enriched. The bounty of RAiR images (and ideas) she'd collected in even just those six years (2007-12) were as diverse and exciting as I would venture to bet one could find in any large metropolitan area. Take any six years of RAiR's 56-year history and the same would be true - Roswell has been afforded an extremely unique and valuable gift of culture and education thanks to the partnership of RAiR and the Roswell Museum. Thank you, Brigitte, for participating in the adventure, and reminding us that sharing RAiR through our exhibitions and publications is meaningful. We will miss you!
– Nancy Fleming, Director, AMoCA
Design a Newspaper Rack
The Roswell Daily Record is partnering with the local arts community to get out the word about a new contest to artify the newspaper racks around town!!! Forms are available at AMoCA which can be directly drawn, colored or collaged onto...for a chance to have your design painted or wrapped onto a box! DEADLINE is DECEMBER 31, 2023, so pick up a form for yourself, your classroom, your book club, and/or any group you are affiliated with! ALL ages are encouraged to participate!
Forms are also available for pick-up and drop off at: Roswell Daily Record (2301 N Main St., 575.622.7710) or Southwest Printers (110 N Pennsylvania Ave, 575.622.1820). For more information or if you are interested in a Newspaper Rack for your school, organization or group, contact Robert Norris at 575.622.7730 ext 410 or email circdirector@rdrnews.com. All submitted designs for the Newspaper Rack Art Project promotion become property of the Roswell Daily Record.