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The Arts in Las Cruces
AS CRUCES, NM - Las Cruces’ exciting history and rich culture have always been an inspiration for local artists. Las Cruces and Mesilla have over 40 art galleries, studios, with collections honoring the history, heritage and landscape of southern New Mexico.
The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum offers visitors a chance to relive New Mexico’s 3,000-year-old agricultural history. Museum exhibits feature ancient tools, artifacts, and living quarters dating back to the first farming tribes in the state. Outside, check out longhorn cattle, sheep and donkeys, or visit the dairy barn for more history about the dairy industry in New Mexico.
The Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum provides a tremendous amount of local and regional history, but if 3,000 years is not far enough back, then stop by the Museum of Natural History in the Mesilla Valley Mall. Here, visitors can explore the history of the earth and the sky with exhibits and activities for adults and children.
The New Mexico State University Museum features rotating exhibits focusing on the social and natural sciences, humanities and folk arts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
For a slightly different perspective on southern New Mexico’s past, the Gadsden Museum offers a unique and comprehensive guided tour and account of area history. The museum’s curator is the great-granddaughter of Albert J. Fountain, who was a central and controversial figure in the history of the Mesilla Valley. He, along with his young son Henry, mysteriously disappeared near White Sands during the late 1800s (there is still a reward for information related to their disappearance.) The museum’s tour includes artifacts and information about the Gadsden Purchase, Mesilla, and Las Cruces.
Other area museums include the Las Cruces Museum of Fine Arts, featuring artwork from some of Las Cruces’ finest artists, and historical photos and artifacts chronicling the valley’s past. Located next to Fine Arts & Culture Museum is the Branigan Cultural Center, also displaying and variety of artwork and artifacts crafted by local artisans.
Around town, art lovers can find many private and commercial galleries and studios, showing off the talent and creativity of the Las Cruces and Mesilla art communities such as Diven Art & Illustration, the working studio of nationally published illustrator, artisan and scenic designer, Bob Diven. Like Diven, many area artisans have transformed their homes into studios and galleries, providing patrons with an opportunity to meet the artist or just view their work.
Along with the many private galleries and studios, Las Cruces’ commercial galleries include the Mesilla Valley Fine Art Gallery in the Mesilla Valley Mall, displaying southwestern landscapes, still lifes, paintings, photography, and pottery, and the New Mexico State University Art Gallery in Williams Hall, often considered the largest contemporary art gallery in southern New Mexico with one of the worlds largest collections of Mexican retablos. Other university galleries include the Corbett Center Gallery specializing in the work of graduate and undergraduate students, and the Zuhl Library, home to over $400,000 worth of prehistoric fossils.
Beginning in the spring, the Cinco de Mayo festival is held every year on the Historic Old Mesilla Plaza. To commemorate Mexico’s second revolution, merchants, vendors and patrons crowd the plaza spending two days dancing, eating and listening to music and honoring the sacrifices their ancestors made. And again in September, the plaza comes alive as commemoration of Mexico’s independence once again draws people to celebrate with traditional Mexican Mariachis, food and dancing during the Diez y Seis de Septiembre Fiesta.
Keeping pace with its sister to the south, Las Cruces also hosts several annual festivals and events that cover a range of themes. For two days every January, the Wells Fargo Mesilla Valley Balloon Rally fills the skies over southern New Mexico with over 90 unique and colorful balloons.
In April, visitors can listen to the area’s finest jazz, and sampling the many varieties of wine from New Mexico’s oldest winery, La Viña, at The La Viña Wine & Jazz Thing. Also held in April is Frontier Days at Fort Selden State Monument. Fort staff and local volunteers pay tribute to the fort and its past soldiers with reenactments and demonstrations. The spring season concludes with the New Mexico Wine and Chile War Festival at the Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds in May. This hotly contested chile cook-off pits Texas against New Mexico in a bitter rivalry dating back many years. Alos features are many of the state’s winerys offering guests an opertunity to sample their latest blend.
The fall festival season begins with the Hatch Chile, Hillsboro Apple and the New Mexico Wine Harvest Festivals, all held on Labor Day weekend. These diverse events give visitors a chance to experience southern New Mexico spirit up and down the Rio Grand with each event located less then an hour from one another.
The fall season wraps up with the Southern New Mexico State Fair and the Whole Enchilada Fiesta. Recognized by the American Bus Association as one of the top 100 events in North America in 2000, the Whole Enchilada Fiesta brings people together to enjoy music, food, rides and watching the making of officially the largest enchilada in the world – according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Following the Whole Enchilada Fiesta is the La Viña Wine Festival, and Cowboy Days held at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.
The Renaissance Craftfaire held the first weekend of November, focuses on a juried art show, artisan booths, music, dance and theatrical performances along with food and craft vendors, all presented in a Renaissance theme. And the International Mariachi Conference and Concert brings in internationally know mariachi performers from around the world.
Whether visitors are interested in museums, galleries, art or events, there is something for everyone. Las Cruces offers the chance to experience traditional New Mexican culture combined with an enjoyable relaxing environment perfect for all visitors.
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