When and Where to See Art in Las Cruces
When and Where to See Art in Las Cruces
Las Cruces is rich in art if you know when, where, and how to look. If you happen to be here on the first Friday of the month, the Downtown Ramble on Main St. from 5 – 7 pm is festive, fun, and free. The recently restored Downtown comes alive as artists and art-lovers take to the streets, galleries, restaurants and theaters. There’s no telling what you’ll see, but M. Phillips Gallery is interesting for conservative tastes, MVS Studios for contemporary work and extraordinary pottery, and the Rio Grande Theater Lobby for the unpredictable. To plan your art viewing, check our local art paper, “The Ink,” found free around town at places like Coas Books (the best used bookstore in the state), The Bean (coffee shop in Mesilla) and International Delights, also good for an after-Ramble bite.
Las Cruces has a fine Art Museum, also located in the Downtown Mall. Check online for exhibits and hours, and if you go, don’t miss the Brannigan Cultural Center, just across the plaza, which offers artistic, cultural, and historical exhibits, often of great interest and quality. Both venues are free to the public. There’s also a good gallery inside the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum, at the base of “A” Mountain.
There are several excellent private galleries around town. The Adobe Patio is located in the Mesilla Mercado Arts District, just north of the Mesilla Plaza. It features fine contemporary work by local artists in a lovely setting and has an interesting gift shop. Art Obscura, in Mesilla Park, is the trendy place for young artists to break out. There may be music or some wild event, check online. Quesenberry Farmhouse Gallery is a historical adobe on the west side of town in the auto body district, kitty corner from Aamco Transmission Shop at 825 Quesenberry Street. If the restored historic farmhouse weren’t reason enough to go, the artwork is. This is the home/studio/gallery of BD Mandoe, colorist oil painter, art educator, (and author of this article.) Call first, the gallery is often open, but has no posted hours, 575-523-9760.
How to Look at Art in Three Easy Steps
- Put yourself in an interesting art place.
- Gravitate first towards the pieces that catch your eye, then move on to the rest. See what you can learn about the art you like most and the art you like least. Ask questions. Keep an open mind. Trust your own judgment.
- Explore other galleries or exhibits in the same way, identifying your own preferences and attempting to learn about what you see. That’s all there is to it.
C 2016 BD Mandoe
