Archive for February, 2010

Who: Blues Messiah
What: ”Every Other Tuesday” Performance 
When: February 9, 2010 
Where: Rio Grande Theatre
Contact: (575) 523-6403

Rio Grande Theatre’s “Every Other Tuesday” Presents Original Blues Rock Band, Blues Messiah
 
The Doña Ana Arts Council continues its popular Every Other Tuesday showcase in the Rio Grande Theatre with the premiere performance of local legends, Blues Messiah. The four-man group–made up of founder and lead singer Lawrence Montes, his son Michael Montes on drums, Baldomero Garcia on rhythm guitar and Jesse Gutierrez on bass—has been playing in and around Las Cruces for 16 years, released two albums and are repeatedly invited to play both the Silver City Blues Festival and the Ruidoso Blues Festival. Blues Messiah will take the stage at the Rio Grand Theater on February 9, 2010.
 
Officially formed in 1991, Blues Messiah had many incarnations beforehand, going all the way back to 1973 when founder Lawrence Montes made the decision to follow his passion by writing and playing original blues rock. Since that time, Blues Messiah has toured extensively in the Southern New Mexico/West Texas region, opening for such groups as The Guess Who, Christ Duarte, Sue Foley, Molly Hatchett, Barry McGuire and Joe “King” Carrasco. Their three releases “Caught In Between,” “Ice Cold Blues” and “Beyond The Sun” have garnered critical acclaim and helped build the band’s loyal fan base. Though much of their music is original, they have been known to celebrate their roots by dropping in a Classic Rock hit by the likes of the Allman Brothers and the Isley Brothers, among others.
 
“Every Other Tuesday” is a free performance series produced by the Doña Ana Arts Council beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Historic Rio Grande Theatre on the Downtown Mall in Las Cruces, NM.  For more information contact DAAC at (575) 523-6403 and for a list of upcoming events go to www.RioGrandeTheatre.com.

Who: Billy Name
What: Photographs on display 
When: February – April 2010 
Where: Las Cruces Museum of Art
Contact: (575) 541-2137

Billy Name Photographs at Las Cruces Museum of Art
 
The “Warhol & Pop Art” exhibition, now showing at the Las Cruces Museum of Art, includes photographs by noted photographer, and member of the Warhol entourage, Billy Name.  Name was Andy Warhol’s in-house photographer and he recorded daily life at Warhol’s studio, the Factory.   
 
In 1963, at the request of Andy Warhol, Billy Name began documenting life at the Factory, where he also lived.  Name’s photographs offer rare insight into the glamorous life lead by Warhol and his associates. “We are excited to include Billy Name’s work in this exhibition,” said Museum Manager Lisa Pugh. “It offers us a behind-the-scenes look at Warhol’s New York City studio and his ‘Superstars’.”  Name was also responsible for the silver decorating scheme of the Factory. 
 
Organized by the Las Cruces Museum of Art, “Warhol & Pop Art,” features twenty works by Andy Warhol as well as art by Robert Rauschenberg, Jim Dine, and Roy Lichtenstein, is on display from Friday, February 5 through Saturday, April 3.  Photographs by Billy Name are on loan from the artist and are available for sale through the Museum of Art.
 
Funded by the City of Las Cruces, the Las Cruces Museum of Art is located at 491 N. Main Street, at the north end of the downtown mall.  Exhibits are accessible and free of charge.  For information, call (575) 541-2137 or visit the website http://museums.las-cruces.org
 
In addition to the exhibition, there will be a large number of events, throughout Las Cruces and Mesilla, as part of, “For the Love of Arts month,” sponsored by ArtForms. “For the Love of Art month,” will include a variety of special art exhibits, performance art events at area restaurants, galleries and businesses that are expected to take place throughout the month.
 
“There will be arts in all forms for this celebration,” said Cheryl Fallstead, event coordinator. “You can find jewelry, collage art, photography and sculpture, just to name a few.”
 
An ArtForms member show, featuring paintings, sculptures, photography and multi-media works, exemplifying the variety of art created by artists in Las Cruces, will be held at Branigan Cultural Center, located at 500 N. Water Street, on Feb. 5 at 5 p.m., and will run through Feb. 27. 
 
In conjunction with the month long event, artists all over the city will be opening their studios and galleries, offering new works for sale the weekends of Feb. 13 and 14 and Feb. 20 and 21. The public is encouraged to visit the studios, view art, meet artists and see demonstrations. Maps and venue lists are available at the Las Cruces Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, located at 211 N. Water.
 
Fallstead said “For the Love of Art Month,” began when a group of ArtForm members got together and came up with a way to promote the arts in Las Cruces.
 
“We really wanted to make Las Cruces a destination location for the arts,” said Fallstead.
 
For more information, contact the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau at (575) 541-2150, or by email at media@las-cruces.org
 

Who: Judy Bess
What: Artwork on display 
When: February 2010 
Where: Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau Lobby Gallery
Contact: (575) 541-2150

Local acrylic artist chosen as artist of the month for the Convention & Visitors Bureau’s visitors lobby gallery
 
LAS CRUCES, NM – During the month of February, a collection of Judy Bess’s work will be on display and available for sale, in the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau lobby, located at 211 N. Water Street.
 
Self-titled a contemporary colorist, Bess uses a rich variety of colors which “capture the vivaciousness and beauty of the desert southwest,” in a distinct style all her own.
 
After teaching art at the high school level, Bess entered the corporate world, where she spent 28 years in a variety of corporate and managerial positions. Despite being in the business world, Bess continued to cultivate her love of art by creating illustrations for a number of civic organization publications and even drawings for a children’s book.
 
Bess returned to painting after she retired and moved to New Mexico. Bess’s work encompasses a variety of subjects from landscapes to historic buildings and is featured in galleries in Mesilla, NM and Ozona, TX. Bess’s work can also be found in a variety of national and international private collections.
 
Bess received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree at Wayne State University and her Master’s of Arts degree at Oakland University. Bess has also recently studied with Annetta Hoover and Nancy Frost Begin.
 
Each month the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau features artwork from a local artist in the visitors lobby gallery. The Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau is located at 211 N. Water Street in Las Cruces, NM. For more information contact the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau at (575) 541-2150.