Santa Fe Arts Commission Community Gallery Receives NEA Art Works Grant

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman announced yesterday that the City of Santa Fe Arts Commission Community Gallery is one of 788 not-for-profit national, regional, state, and local organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. The Community Gallery is recommended for a $14,000 grant to help fund the development and fulfillment of two exhibits, “Fine Folk of New Mexico” and “Cumulous Skies.” The 788 Art Works grants total $24.81 million and support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts and the strengthening of communities through the arts.

“Fine Folk of New Mexico: People, Places and Culture of New Mexico Through Art,” October 2012 – January 2013, is curated by Arthur López, a wood sculptor who utilizes traditional Spanish Colonial materials and methods with a contemporary, and often surprising, take on traditional subject matter.  This exhibit will explore the influence of New Mexico’s unique environment on its artists. Rooted in the work of Native and Hispanic artists, but inclusive of the present-day diversity of New Mexico artists, this exhibit will look at how the influences of place, people and culture are manifested in the work of local artists. The exhibit will examine how this innate “New Mexico-ness” both inspires and restricts artists.

“Cumulous Skies,” March 2013 – June 2013, is curated by contemporary painter Larry Fodor and will expand the public’s understanding of the lasting impacts that artists of the Modernist movement such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Willard Nash, Josef Bakos and George Bellows brought to New Mexico. Their presence, influence and work had a lasting impact on the art and aesthetics of the state’s artists, which continues today. This exhibit will showcase art that reflects, translates and sustains this uniquely New Mexican Modernist movement.

Complementary educational programming will accompany both exhibits and include an opening reception, allowing the public to speak directly with exhibiting artists; a curator/artist panel that will explore the exhibit theme more in-depth; and three workshops/demonstrations during the run of these exhibits.

Sabrina Pratt, executive director of the Arts Commission said, “We are thrilled to receive this grant because it allows us to engage with the creativity and world view of two excellent Santa Fe artists.  This new opportunity for the Community Gallery to present work selected by working artists in the role of curators will result in fascinating exhibits featuring the work of artists at many different career stages.”

Community Gallery Manager Rod Lambert states, “We are incredibly honored to have been selected for NEA funding and recognized for our innovative programming among such a large number of esteemed applicants on the national level.  This additional funding will enable us to continue to fulfill our mission of promoting, exhibiting and selling the work of local artists while simultaneously offering exciting and engaging exhibits for the public that cast light on artistic traditions (both old and new) that are distinct and specific to New Mexico.”

The NEA received 1,624 eligible applications under the Art Works category for this round of funding, requesting a total of more than $78 million in funding. For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.

The Community Gallery is located inside the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, 201 West Marcy Street, at the intersection of Sheridan Street.  Public parking is available in the center garage, located off Federal Avenue.  The Community Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.