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Another Albuquerque museum field trip (but no art!)

Flag seen on our Albuquerque field trip.
This is the flag that flew over the base at the Trinity Base Camp. New Mexican winds, not the blast, tattered the flag. (The wind is especially brutal here in spring. All the better to spread the pollen…)

 

Last week Tom and I decided that we needed to explore our still newish-to-us adopted city (we’ve been in New Mexico just over a year and a half), so an Albuquerque field trip day was declared. Off we headed NOT to anything fiber-related, not even anywhere remotely art-centric. Nope, we decided that it was time to visit the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History. The website blurbs:

 

The Museum’s mission is “to serve as America’s resource for nuclear history and science. The Museum presents exhibits and quality educational programs that convey the diversity of individuals and events that shape the historical and technical context of the nuclear age.”

Poster seen on our Albuquerque field trip.

We are in New Mexico, and I’m sure you all remember the role the state played in the years leading up to the bombing of Hiroshima at the end of World War II: Los Alamos; the Manhattan Project; the Trinity nuclear test; and so on. The museum takes you back there, certainly, but it also has exhibits on radiation and its history, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Cold War, nuclear power, nuclear medicine, nanotechnology, nuclear waste

Sub sail seen on Albuquerque field trip.
Simple looking compared to all the planes and missiles on the lot, the nuclear submarine sail was my favorite piece. It was massive. But where’d the rest of the sub go?

transportation, and atomic pop culture (Jimmy Neutron, anyone?). Heritage Park is out in the “backyard” and consists of planes, rockets, bombs, cannons, missiles, and other interesting, historical “paraphernalia” to explore.

 

Missile seen on Albuquerque field trip.
That would certainly give me pause.

 

 

Photo of a bomb.
See caption below.

 

Description of a bomb.
Read for yourself. And shiver…

 

 

 

Photo at Nuclear Museum.
My “artsy” shot from the rear of a missile.
Photo of a missile.
Alternatively, this is the shit of nightmares. Can you see Tom standing next to it?

 

Given the tenor of the country these days, not to mention North Korea and its recent antics, I have to say that I looked at the place a little differently than I might have a year ago. And while the building looks modest from outside, there’s much too much to see and learn in one visit; we barely scraped the surface of anything after the Cold War. (The door to the outdoor attractions happens to be there, and you’ll spend a while outside.)

American symbol.
The Nuclear Museum shows an aspect of America that maybe we’d like to forget. Or ignore. That’s at our own peril.

If you’re in the area, after you give me a call or an email to say hello, of course, head over to the Nuclear Museum in Albuquerque. History’s important; you know how we can’t help but repeat it. Not!

 

PS – If you have kids, you can bring them too, especially school age, maybe 9 and older. Little Albert’s Laboratory (as in Einstein; not to be mistaken for FAT Albert’s Laboratory) was hands-on learning about physics. Very cool, though by the time we got there, Tom was getting a little cranky. He only gave me about five minutes to play. Thank goodness we have company coming in May. Back to Little Albert’s Laboratory I go!

 

Tom and sidewinder missile.
Is there anything sexier than your husband of several years posing next to a Sidewinder missile?

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Scoping out Albuquerque’s “other” fiber arts

 

 

Ostinato 1 and 2 by Katie Pasquini Masopust
“Ostinato 1 and 2” by Katie Pasquini Masopust

Since I had to make my monthly Target trip yesterday, I decided to combine it with a fiber arts show I read about in the Albuquerque Journal. Palette Contemporary Art and Craft is currently hosting the exhibit which features “textile paintings” by Katie Pasquini Masopust. One of these pieces to the right ran in the paper inducing me to visit the gallery and see her other pieces.

 

Katie is based north of here in Santa Fe – for now. Apparently, she’s getting ready to move to California. Too bad. As you can see, her quilts – not the kind you’d be putting on your bed! – look like paintings until you get right on top of them.

In this close-up, you can see the stitching that makes this piece a "quilt."
In this close-up, you can see the stitching that makes this piece a “quilt.”

The exhibit describes her work as “textile paintings.” I wouldn’t disagree. Painted pieces of canvas are stitched into the quilt with other fabrics.

"Mercato (Play with Emphasis)" by Katie Pasquini Masopust.
“Mercato (Play with Emphasis)” by Katie Pasquini Masopust.
mmmm
“Big Getty” by Katie Pasquini Masopust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were other items in the gallery. This is a painting I loved by Daniel North. It's called "Enso and the Modernist."
There were other items in the gallery. This is a large painting I loved by Daniel North. It’s called “Enso and the Modernist.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s errands about town involved a visit with my rheumatologist who’s based at UNM Hospital. Imagine my happy surprise when Tom and I entered the clinic and found these on the wall:

Tapestries by Linda Geisen.
Tapestries by Heather Gallegos-Rex.

 

I’d known that there was a tapestry show at the hospital, but I thought that I’d missed it. Certainly, had no idea it was in the clinic I use. (And if Tom had known it was there, I’m sure he wouldn’t have accompanied me to my appointment. Ha!)

Works represented several weavers.

 

Katherine Perkins's tapestry "Sirocco Sky Provence" was stunning.
Katherine Perkins‘s tapestry “Sirocco Sky Provence” was stunning.
"Iris III" by Letitia Roller was incredibly lifelike.
“Iris III” by Letitia Roller was incredibly lifelike and had a sparkly, gold background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series of night scenes from White Sands National Monument by Linda Giesen.
Series of night scenes from White Sands National Monument by Linda Giesen.

 

 

 

 

 

I have to say that Albuquerque’s more than met my expectations regarding textiles and fiber arts. They’re all over the city, and their exposure’s only growing. Saturday afternoon I’m hoping to attend a talk by tapestry weaver Donna Loraine Contractor at a gallery in the city’s Old Town. If you follow my Facebook page, you’ll often see her work. Before that, on Friday, I attend my first meeting of Albuquerque’s Fiber Arts Council as my guild’s representative. Bring on the fiber art fiber art!

Do you go out of your way to see other types of fiber arts? Or maybe you DO other types of fiber arts? Either way, please share with us how textiles other than rug hooking influence your art. That’s a blog for another day.

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Field trip to Santa Fe’s Indian Market Place

An artist at the Santa Fe Indian Market, 2015.
An artist at the Santa Fe Indian Market, 2015.

Who can resist a field trip? Especially to Santa Fe, New Mexico, on a lovely Saturday morning in August. Not me! This past weekend, Tom and I headed there – about an hour north of Albuquerque – to attend the annual Indian Market Place. A writer friend from Rhode Island who lived there for a few years insisted that I not miss it. We had no intention.

 

Contemporary glass works by Dan Friday of Fridayglass.com.
Contemporary glass works by Dan Friday of Fridayglass.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those not familiar with the Market, it’s been going on in some form for 94 years. This year there were almost 1000 (!!!) Native American artists, most of them professionals, from all over the United States. There were potters, painters, jewelry and basket makers, weavers, glass blowers, sculptors of all kinds… It was hard to take it all in.

 

 

Sculpture by Cliff Fragua of Singing Stone Studio.
Sculpture by Cliff Fragua of Singing Stone Studio.

If you’ve been to Santa Fe, the plaza was covered with tents/booths as were the sidewalks and streets leading there. Tourists, indigenous folks, museum curators, and serious art collectors thronged, jockeying for good views and to speak with the artists. Suddenly, drums sounded and on the stage or on the street amidst spectators, traditionally clad dancers performed. Wafting on the breeze was the aroma of fry bread. Damn that I’m gluten-free and that I’d cheated (and paid for it later) at last week’s Rail Yards Market in Albuquerque!

 

Contemporary gouache by Benjamin Harjo, Jr., of benjaminharjojr.com.
Contemporary gouache by Benjamin Harjo, Jr., of
benjaminharjojr.com.
Ledger art by Dolores Purdy of dolorespurdy.com.
Ledger art by Dolores Purdy of dolorespurdy.com.
KIMG0104
Offerings from Navajo (Dine) Weavings and Supply. Sorry, their web address doesn’t appear to work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only thing I regretted was not seeing more fiber artists. Sure, there were some Navajo weavers and even clothing designers, but they were few and far between. At least where I was. Maybe there were more in other areas of the market. I hope so.

Enjoy the photos I took. I tried to get artists’ names, but did miss a couple. Next year we’ll hit up the Indigenous Fine Art Market running about the same time in another part of Santa Fe. It’s a little smaller, but sounds good. It’s only a couple of years’ old, but getting plenty of media coverage.

What cool art or other markets are there around your home? What kind of field trip inspires your art – whatever it might be?

My little treat to myself. Pottery by Mel Cornshucker of Oklahoma.
My little treat to myself. Pottery by Mel Cornshucker of Oklahoma.

 

 

Traditional dancer and drummer.
Traditional dancer and drummer.
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