Archive for October, 2009

Who: Town of Mesilla
What: Gadsden Purchase ratification commemoration ceremony 
When: November 14, 2009
Where: Mesilla Plaza 
Contact: (575) 524-3262 ext. 116

Re-enactment of Gadsden Purchase Ratification to be held at the Mesilla Plaza

Mesilla, N.M. – A ceremony will be held on the plaza in Mesilla Saturday, Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. commemorating the Gadsden Purchase ratification.

The Gadsden Purchase, also referred to as “El Tratado de La Mesilla,” included a purchase of $10 million by the United States for 45,535 square miles from Mexico in 1853. On Nov. 16, 1854, the Mexican flag was lowered and the United States flag was raised at the plaza in Mesilla.

The event on the plaza will include a re-enactment of the change of power and flag-raising. Members of the Friends of Fort Selden will serve as the re-enactors. Emily Guerra and Gerald Smith will serve as the masters of ceremonies. The Empyre Pipes and Drums band will provide music.

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

Who: The New Mexico Watercolor Society
What: Exhibit at the Rio Grande Theatre Galleries 
When: November 2009
Where: The Rio Grande Theatre
Contact: (575) 523-6403

The New Mexico Watercolor Society – Southern Chapter, brings a wash of colors to the Rio Grande Theatre Galleries

The New Mexico Watercolor Society – Southern Chapter, will kick off November with an exhibition featuring the works of 24 local watercolorists, as part of its 2009 Fall Membership Show, in the galleries of the Rio Grande Theatre. The exhibition, featuring large and small works on a wide range of subjects and using varied techniques, will take place in both the El Paso Electric and Carolene de Mesilla Galleries. The show will run through the entire month of November, 2009, beginning with an artist reception on November 6, from 5 to 7pm, as part of the Downtown Art Ramble.

Exhibitors include both new and long-term members; artists with local, regional and even national reputations; and accomplished and aspiring artists.  The show includes work from the following members:  Donna Ayres, Callie Barker, Lynn Berkeley, Pat Bonneau-White, Nancy Frost Begin, Beegee Brandhorst, M. Randall Brown, Gail B. Cunningham, June M. Decker, Juliet De Laricheliere, Penny Duncklee, Mayanna Howard, Melanie Stone Jack, Hope K. Newhouse, Mary McCoy, Marie Siegrist, Penny Thomas Simpson, Lois V. Smith, Arlene Tugel, Janey Walch, Laurel Weathersbee, Donna A. Wood, Phil Yost and Karla Kay Ziehl.

The Southern Chapter of the New Mexico Watercolor Society was founded in 2001 to serve the seven southern counties of New Mexico.  Monthly meetings, which are open to the public, are held in Las Cruces and include interesting and stimulating painting-related programs.  The New Mexico Watercolor Society’s  purpose is to elevate the stature of watercolor as an important painting medium and to educate the public to this effort.  Its ultimate goal is to make New Mexico known nationally for its watercolor artists.  You may get further information about The New Mexico Watercolor Society, Southern Chapter, via the NMWS website at: www.nmwatercolorsociety.org.

The Rio Grande Theatre galleries, located in the lobby of the historic Rio Grande Theatre at 211 N. Main in Las Cruces, are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.  For more information, contact the DAAC office at (575) 523-6403.

Who: Tom Russell
What: Performance at the Rio Grande Theatre 
When: November 7, 2009
Where: The Rio Grande Theatre
Contact: (575) 523-6403

The Dona Ana Arts Council welcomes back Tom Russell – Saturday, November 7, 2009

October 26, 2009 – The 2009/2010 concert season continues at the Rio Grande Theatre, with the highly-anticipated return of American Roots legend, Tom Russell. The singer, songwriter, published author and occasional painter recently made an appearance on the David Letterman Show and is now out on the road in support of his latest, critically-acclaimed release from Shout Factory, entitled Blood And Candle Smoke. After making a brief appearance at the 38th Annual Renaissance ArtsFaire, Tom Russell will be back on the Rio Grande Theatre stage, Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 7:30pm.

Russell was born in Los Angeles, but now makes his home on a 2.68 “badland farm” on the border of El Paso-Juarez. He graduated from the University of California with a Master’s Degree in Criminology and taught school in Nigeria during the Biafran War, before relocating to Vancouver to begin his musical career. Having since had his music recorded by such artists as Johnny Cash, Doug Sahm, Nancy Griffith, Joe Ely, KD Lang, Jeff Walker and many more, Russell has established himself as a vital force in the music industry and is credited, along with Dave Alvin, with inventing the Americana radio format.

His latest release, Blood And Candle Smoke is a collection of powerful observations and deliberations that has media critics and fellow musicians buzzing. USA Today calls the album, “stunning,” while the San Francisco Chronicle proclaims it “is about as perfect as it gets.” Robert Hunter, Grateful Dead lyricist and co-writer of Bob Dylan’s 2009 Album Together Through Life, states that Blood And Candle Smoke is an “excellent record in all respects. Lyrics are jewels, arrangements deeply tasteful, vocals superb.” Maverick UK gives the album five stars out of five, claiming, “The enigmatic Russell raises his songwriting to new and different heights of greatness. There are songs that, on first hearing, you know will remain imprinted on your memory for a lifetime. Album of the Year (so far) hands down. Very possibly Album of the Decade!”

The Rio Grande Theatre is located at 211 N. Downtown Mall, in Las Cruces. Doors open at 7pm and the performance begins at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased via the website at www.RioGrandeTheatre.com. For more information contact Rio Grande Theatre Manager, David Salcido, at (575) 523-6403.

Who: Barbara Jitner & Gregory Nava
What: Screenings of El Norte & Bordertown along with guest lectures
When: November 4-5, 2009
Where: The Rio Grande Theatre
Contact: (575) 523-6403

El Norte & Bordertown with guest lectures to follow Nov. 4 & 5, 2009

October 21, 2009 – Forging a valuable partnership with the Doña Ana Community College, the Doña Ana Arts Council is proud to co-present two powerful films documenting the struggle of our brothers and sisters south of the international border. On Wednesday, November 4th, filmmaker Gregory Nava will present his 1983 film El Norte, then on Thursday, November 5th, writer/director Barbara Martinez Jitner will present the 2008 film Bordertown. Both will conclude with lectures and Q&A sessions with the presenters. The events are free and open to the public at the Rio Grande Theatre, but are being presented by DACC as a working classroom experience for students in the Creative Media Technology program, who will be documenting the proceedings throughout both evenings.

Gregory Nava’s El Norte has come to be regarded as the definitive portrait of the experience of undocumented Latin-American workers in the United States. Released in 1983, Nava’s film has lost none of its lyrical and thematic power as it follows two Mayan Indian teenagers, brother and sister, whose dreams of a better life in America belie the fact they are simply trading one form of dehumanization for another. Nava, the filmmaker of the critically acclaimed movies Mi Familia, Selena and most recently Bordertown, starring Jennifer Lopez and Antonio Banderas, will give a lecture following the screening on Wednesday, November 4th.

Human rights activist, writer, and director, Barbara Martinez Jitner is the inspiration behind the 2008 Jennifer Lopez film Bordertown. The film is based on her research of the Mexican town of Juarez, which is notorious for the murders of over 400 women. Martinez Jitner posed as a factory worker on the U.S./Mexico border in order to uncover a dark world of grueling poverty and sexual abuse. Martinez  Jitner began her career as an award-winning director of commercials and documentaries. Now President of El Norte Productions, Martinez Jitner is currently developing several feature films for Gregory Nava, including Zapata for Disney, and Tattooed Soldier for HBO. She will give a lecture immediately following the screening on Thursday, November 5th.

The Rio Grande Theatre is located at 211 N. Downtown Mall, in Las Cruces. Doors open at 6:30pm and showtime is 7pm for each screening. Admission is Free and open to the public. Donations will also be accepted, benefitting Amigos de las Mujeres de Juarez and DACC Student Clubs. For more information, visit the website at www.RioGrandeTheatre.com or call (575) 528-7310.

Who: The Rio Grande Theatre
What:  Showing of F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu
When: October 31, 2009
Where: The Rio Grande Theatre
Contact: (575) 523-6403

Halloween screening of F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu with live musical accompaniment by the Berman Trio

How do your favorite bloodsuckers fare in the Vampire wars? The Lestat Chronicles? Dandy Boys. The True Blood series? Wimps. The Twilight Books? Poseurs. The first vampire is still the champion! F.W. Murnau’s atmospheric silent masterpiece Nosferatu returns to the big screen, where it belongs, on Halloween night, Saturday, October 31, 2009, with musical accompaniment, live on the Rio Grande Theatre stage, by the Berman Trio. You’ve seen the rest, now experience the best!

The earliest surviving screen adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel has had a long and dangerous life of its own. Almost destroyed by Stoker’s widow because of copyright infringement, this film has outlasted many others of the silent era. Originally released in 1922 as Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie Des Grauens, director F.W. Murnau’s chilling and eerie adaption of Stoker’s Dracula is a silent masterpiece of terror which to this day is the most striking and frightening portrayal of the legend. Combined with a new score, compiled by Nathaniel Berman, Alexandra Aguirre-Berman and Ann Berman, from contemporary chamber works for woodwinds, and played live on stage, the result is an atmospheric reworking of a cinematic classic with the immediacy of a live chamber concert.

The Rio Grande Theatre is located at 211 N. Main, in Las Cruces. Doors open at 7:30pm. Live entertainment and a costume contest begin at 8pm, with the screening following at 9:30pm. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased via the website at www.RioGrandeTheatre.com or at the box office, night of show. Receive a $3 discount by wearing a costume! For more information visit the website or call (575) 523-6403.

Who: The Dona Ana Arts Council
What:  Performance by Grammy-nominated Perla Batalla
When: October 21, 2009
Where: The Rio Grande Theatre
Contact: (575) 523-6403

DAAC bringing grammy-nominated Perla Batalla as part of its 09/10 Cultural Series

 The Doña Ana Arts Council proudly continues its 2009/2010 Cultural Series with the highly-anticipated return of Grammy-nominated vocalist, composer and arranger, Perla Batalla. In May 2006, Perla wowed an appreciative Rio Grande Theatre audience, as part of the ASNMSU Cultural Series. Since that time, she has played the Border Book Festival in Mesilla and was the guest performer for the dedication of San Albino Basillica in 2008. This time around, Perla Batalla will perform as a guest of DAAC, back on the Rio Grande Theatre stage, Wednesday, October 21, 2009.

Perla Batalla was born in Los Angeles, CA to a father immersed in music–a radio personality who owned and operated a popular Spanish language record store. Growing up in that environment, she was exposed to an education of non-stop music that cut across genres and languages. Perla first gained international attention as a backup singer for Leonard Cohen who later encouraged her to embark on a solo career. Perla released her debut album, “Perla Batalla” on the Warner/Discovery label in 1994. The critics loved it, calling her singing “sublime” and her talent “stunning”.

Batalla’s mission of honoring her roots and exposing young audiences to the beauty of music and the Spanish language is ongoing in her outreach endeavors throughout many of the poorest communities in the United States. In 2008, Perla was the recipient of the U.N. commissioned Earth Charter Award for extraordinary devotion to social and economic justice. That same year, New Mexico’s Border Book Festival honored her with their special Premio Fronterizo Award for healing work in the world. The homage to her Latin background has opened up an entire world of music and has been an inspiration for some of her finest work.

The Rio Grande Theatre is located at 211 N. Downtown Mall, in Las Cruces. Doors open at 7pm and the performance begins at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased via the website at www.RioGrandeTheatre.com. For more information contact Rio Grande Theatre Manager, David Salcido, at (575) 523-6403.

Who: The Mesilla Fine Arts Gallery
What:  Exhibit & Reception with Artists of the Month
When: November 14, 2009
Where: The Mesilla Fine Arts Gallery
Contact: (575) 522-2933

Mesilla Valley Fine Arts Gallery’s November, 2009, featured artists are Hetty Smith and Lupe Apodaca.

Come to a reception and meet the artists Sat. November 14th, 1-3 pm.  Refreshments will be served.

Hetty has spent a life time in Europe capturing unique designs to compliment her unusual stained glass pieces.  She also offers original infused glass art jewelry at affordable prices.

Lupe retired cosmetologist, instructor, beauty salon manager and owner, now finds joy and inspiration in her rough and simple southwest adobes.

In addition, the 30 artists of the Gallery offer art in many media’s which include original paintings, encaustic, infused glass art jewelry, handmade cards, stained glass, photography, affordable prints and miniature paintings.

The Gallery is located at 2470-A Calle de Guadalupe, across from the Fountain Theatre.  Hours: Monday-Saturday 10-5 pm and Sunday 12-5 pm.  For details call 575-522-2933 or visit our web site:  http://ftp.zianet .com/mvartgallery/home.shtml.

Who: The Branigan Cultural Center
What:  “Abraham Lincoln: Self-made in America” exhibit
When: November 20-December 18, 2009
Where: The Branigan Cultural Center
Contact: (575) 522-4100

“Abraham Lincoln:  Self-Made in America” Exhibit coming to Branigan Cultural Center

Las Cruces, NM –It is with great pride that Branigan Cultural Center announces that it has been selected as one of forty institutions nation wide to host “Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America.”  The world-class traveling exhibit, organized by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, will be in Las Cruces November 20 – December 18, 2009.  The next nearest stops for the exhibit are in Dallas, Denver, and the Los Angeles area.

 “Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America” was created to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of America’s greatest presidents.  The “We, the People” program of the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal agency, provided major financial support for the exhibition and accompanying programs.  The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation and the History Channel provided additional financial and in-kind support.  

The exhibit covers Lincoln’s childhood, his self-education, his careers as a surveyor and lawyer, his family life, the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, the 1860 Presidential election, the Civil War, the 13th Amendment, the Emancipation Proclamation, his assassination, and other important periods and events in his life.  The reproduction artifacts on display, all modeled from originals in the Presidential Library and Museum, include:  Lincoln’s favorite books; his son Tad’s toy cannon; the nameplate from his Springfield home; his stovepipe hat, which he used like a briefcase to hold important papers; a Presidential campaign banner; an axe that Lincoln used to chop wood; the bloody gloves found in Lincoln’s pocket the night of his assassination; and many other unique and interesting items.            

Abraham Lincoln, the son of a subsistence farmer, came of age during a dramatic transformation in America’s economic life.  Like many of his contemporaries, he embraced a new emphasis on personal initiative, risk-taking, and ambition.  He was only 22 when he left his family home to find his own way.  After enduring a series of personal failures in business, he became a prosperous attorney, devoted husband and father, successful politician, and, finally, the 16th President of the United States.  While Lincoln benefited from close association with a number of powerful friends, his own talents and ambitions combined with hard work and a dedication to self-improvement to produce a unique American specimen – the self-made man. 

The American Library Association of Chicago and the Tribeca Film Institute of New York made strong contributions to the exhibit programming.  Locally, the Branigan Cultural Center will work with Thomas Branigan Memorial Library and NMSU faculty to provide supplemental programming for the exhibit.

For more information about the “Abraham Lincoln:  Self-Made in America” exhibit, visit  www.alplm.org/learning_station/exhibit.html  Additional information will be added to the Cultural Center’s web site, www.las-cruces.org/museums  in the coming months.

Events planned in association with the exhibit include:

November 14, 2009: Screening of 1939 Movie “Young Mr. Lincoln” at Fountain Theater

November 20, 2009: Opening Reception, featuring 1860 Union Army Color Guard escorting President Lincoln (in a Chautauqua performance) and opening remarks by Dr. Dwight Pitcaithley former Chief Historian for the National Park Service and current NMSU professor.

December 2, 2009, “Read More About Him”, a discussion of Abraham Lincoln biographies available that delve deeper into the life of one of America’s greatest presidents.

December 5, 2009 at 1pm, Dwight Pitcaithley will speak on Abraham Lincoln’s connection with New Mexico.  BCC Shannon Room

December 6, 2009 at 3pm, the Las Cruces Friends of Chamber Music will perform a concert of music favored by Abraham Lincoln.  BCC Shannon Room

December 12, 2009 at 3pm, the Las Cruces Friends of Chamber Music will perform a concert of Civil War period music.  BCC Shannon Room

Book displays at Thomas Branigan Memorial Library and Barnes & Noble Booksellers

Who: The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum
What: Calendar of Events
When: October 2009
Where: The New Mexico Farm & RAnch Heritage Museum 
Contact: (575) 522-4100

 New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum October Calendar of Events

Harvest Cooking Class

Oct. 6, 2-4 p.m.

This month’s cooking class features recipes that include red chile, apples and corn. Carol Koenig is the chef and pre-registration is required. $35.

Exhibit Opening & Lecture

Building for the Future: Rural Schoolhouses of New Mexico: 1880-1965

Oct. 8, 6-8 p.m.

This exhibit produced by the museum takes visitors on a winding tour of the state where they will encounter schoolhouses from various small communities. The exhibit tells the story of these iconic structures through a mix of historical images, contemporary photographs of surviving buildings, and objects from the museum’s collections. The reception, which begins at 6 p.m., is free.

In conjunction with the opening, former State Representative J. Paul Taylor will speak at 7 p.m. in the museum’s theater. Born in Chamberino, Taylor is perhaps best recognized for his public service, working tirelessly for the preservation of arts and culture and on behalf of the poor and disabled, both as a citizen and during his almost two decades as a State Representative from Mesilla. Taylor’s profession, however, was in education, serving more than 30 years in the Las Cruces Public Schools as a teacher, principal, and associate superintendent; this following his youth spent as a student attending rural schools in the Mesilla Valley. Taylor will reminisce about his childhood education and changes he has seen in New Mexico schools during his lifetime. Admission to the lecture is a suggested donation of $2.

Ghosts of the Past

Oct. 22-24, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This extremely popular annual event provides visitors an opportunity to step back in time and visit with characters from New Mexico’s colorful past. There are three specific tours available – two outdoor and one indoor, and the characters are different for each tour. Visitors will be able to interact with the characters, see them in their own environment and hear their stories in their own words. Each tour lasts about one hour and the starting times for the Cobweb Tour (indoor) and the Scarecrow Tour (outdoor) are 6:00, 6:15, 6:35, 6:55, 7:15, 7:40, and 8:00. The start times for the other outdoor tour, the Scythe Tour, are 6:25, 6:45, 7:05, 7:25, 7:45, 8:05 and 8:20. The Scythe Tour deals with mature themes so it may not be appropriate for all ages. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children 17 and under. Tickets will be sold for each specific tour time.

Attendance for this family event has doubled over the past two years, so the museum is offering advance tickets this year to help streamline the evening festivities and shorten the wait. There are a limited number of tickets available for each of the one-hour tours. The tickets that aren’t sold in advance will be available for sale at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. Ticket holders are encouraged to arrive at the museum at least 15 minutes before their specific tour is to begin. For more information on the characters, visit our website at www.nmfarmandranchmuseum.org.

Fall Plant & Tree Sale

Oct. 22-24, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Don’t miss this opportunity to shop at our new Greenhouse. Our fall sale features shrubs and trees (including pine trees), as well as seasonal flats. For more information, call (575) 522-4100 and ask for Raul or Alfredo.

For more information, or to sign up or register for a class, please call (575) 522-4100.

New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum

4100 Dripping Springs Road

Las Cruces, NM 88011

www.nmfarmandranchmuseum.org

Who: Sue Nichols
What: Rio Grande Theatre October Artist of the Month
When: October 2009
Where: The Rio Grande Theatre
Contact: (575) 523-6403

The Renaissance comes early to the Rio Grande Theatre Galleries! 

Though the annual Renaissance ArtsFaire doesn’t kick off until early November in Las Cruces, one artist has dedicated the month of October to the exploration of that diverse contemporary celebration of yesteryear in the galleries of the Rio Grande Theatre. Alamogordo painter Sue Nichols will present a series of bright, richly textured paintings, entitled Depictions Of The Renaissance, in the El Paso Electric and Carolene de Mesilla Galleries. The show will run through the entire month of October, 2009, beginning with an artist reception on October 1, from 5 to 7pm, as part of the Downtown Art Ramble.

Sue Nichols is a figurative painter who finds inspiration in any number of places, from a casual comment to a song. Or, as in the case with this exhibition, an anachronistic moment in time which has become a cultural phenomenon. “The Renaissance Period captures the modern imagination because it reflects in many ways our own values,” Nichols says of her one-of-a-kind show. “This exhibition explores our contemporary conceptions of the Renaissance and the values we have projected onto it–a dialogue between past and present. The unique aspect of the paintings represents scenes that would have been common 500 years ago. Specifically, it is a depiction of an idealized/ romanticized period which has struck a chord with contemporary society as exemplified by the multitude of Renaissance Fairs and Festivals that are held every year.”

The Rio Grande Theatre galleries, located in the lobby of the historic Rio Grande Theatre at 211 N. Main in Las Cruces, are open Monday-Wednesday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., and 9:00 a.m. – Noon on Saturdays.  For more information, contact the DAAC office at (575) 523-6403.