FEAT OF CLAY ANNUAL AUGUST ARTIST SHOW

Feat of Clay Artists’ Co-op in Aztec will be hosting a special Featured Artist Show
every August. The show will spotlight the artists living in the towns and cities
located in and around San Juan County. 

The first of these series of shows is Art in Aztec!  This show will feature various artists who live in Aztec, NM.

The show will take place between 3 galleries, Feat of Clay, Teasyatwho Gallery, and Crash Music, all on Main Avenue in Aztec.  The show opening will take place on Friday, August 22 from 5:00pm-7:00PM with opening receptions at all 3 galleries.  Deb Fisher, a batik artist will also be giving a batik demo on Saturday, August 23 at the Feat of Clay Gallery from 10AM-12 Noon.

Artists included in Art in Aztec!

Dale Latta, Toni Trosky, Pip Howard, Jessica Polatty, Therese Yanan, Robert Retherford, Deb Fisher, Beth McClure, Sidney Martin, Bonnie Adams, Tirzah Camacho, Diana Luck, Lou Mancel, Zack Pettijohn, and Jeannie Malandro.

Dale Latta:  Figurative Neo-Expressionism

Using expressionist techniques, I make paintings of people from candid photographs.  Spontaneity, movement, color, and the fluid qualities of paint are important elements in my work.

Robert Retherford's art focuses on nature scenes, and he tries to convey a sense of the sacred in his work.  He has been painting in oils since 2005, and opened his law office in Aztec in 2006.  These two areas combined a couple of years ago when he ran out of wall space at home.  Today, Robert offers prints of his paintings and an eclectic collection of works in his office on Chaco Street, where he practices general civil work with a focus on estate-planning, Social Security disability, collections, and child welfare law. 

Sidney Martin--Sidney Martin is a young artist who enjoys thinking outside the box.  He was born in Farmington New Mexico in 1998.  Sidney grew up in a home that valued art.  As a child, Sidney was always creating something. He made his first art sale at a craft show at the age of 5.  Currently he enjoys working in clay, wood, metal and encaustics, but he’s always willing to take on a new medium!   He enjoys working with his hands and is inspired by his ability to transform raw materials into a piece of art.  His art reveals his humor and his passion for design and form.  He hopes you enjoy his work

As a teenager, Lou Mancel learned the basics of Navajo style silver-smithing. In 2000, she put aside her oil painting when she realized that silver and gemstones are the media that allow her to “get the ideas in my head out in a form that is right for me”.  Lou uses both faceted and cabochon stones as colors on her pallet. Her jewelry is described as a nature-based subject matter with a focus on geometric designs emphasizing her Celtic background. Being a voracious learner, her jewelry continues to evolve as new techniques and ideas emerge.

Lou expanded the horizons of her jewelry in 2011, by taking the fine techniques of jewelry making to larger designer wall art. She uses stones, intricate saw work, stamping, riveting and many types of metals and stones, to push the envelope into bas relief sculpture designs. Many of the ideas portray her Celtic background. “The ability to use other metals besides silver has allowed me to explore the wonders of patina – the coloring of metal using heat and chemicals”.  In 2012, Lou started exploring how to add even more colors on metal with the addition of enamels.

Ever changing, ever progressing in her techniques allows Lou to continually create new and different designer jewelry and wall art.

You can see more of Lou’s work at www.designbylou.com, on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Design-by-Lou/147719545314790?ref=ts  or contact her at Lmancel@aol.com for more information.

Join us for this night of Aztec Artists at all 3 gallery locations in Aztec!  The Feat of Clay Artists Co-op Gallery is located at 107 South Main in Aztec with Teasyatwho gallery just 4 doors south and CRASH Music located at the old Aztec Theater.

Saturday August 23, Deb Fisher will be doing a batik demo at feat of clay from 10am-noon.  Sid Martin will be doing an encaustic demo at CRASH music from noon-2pm on the 23rd as well.  Both of these artists have work in the Aztec art show.

CHACO'S LEGACY AT THE AZTEC RUINS

Imagine being able to use the technology of a video game, combine it with the convenience and simplicity of touch screen, and travel across time to explore the wonder that is the Pueblo people who inhabited this landscape long before us. The Aztec Ruins, along with the Salmon Ruins now have that available. This interactive exhibit allows you to explore the history of these ancient people and see their growth across time; but the truly beautiful part of this display is that from the Aztec Ruins Museum you can experience the Pueblo Bonito, Salmon and the Aztec West Ruin at once.

I had the opportunity to explore this exhibit and was able to navigate it quite well; I was also extremely surprised at the level of detail incorporated in it. To my surprise and delight, I was able to enter each structure and select items at my discretion to view them all the way around; as if I had picked it up myself and also receive a description of the item: relevance, age, construction, etc. This interactive exhibit was a delight to use and is friendly for all ages and knowledge bases. There is no additional fee to explore the exhibit; it is merely a part of the great experience that is the Aztec Ruins National Monument.

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After you explore the digital world of the ruins, you’ll be ready to tackle the real thing! The West Ruin is open for self guided exploration, but if you make it there by 10:00 a.m. daily you can choose to take part in an hour long tour guided by one of the Monument’s very knowledgeable rangers. At 2:00 p.m. there’s a real treat to be had in the Great Kiva if you want to know more about these ancient peoples because there is a ranger talk that takes place there daily. There is also a Heritage Garden that features many native plants and vegetables which can be toured on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:30. For more information visit the Aztec Ruins at http://www.nps.gov/azru/index.htm or call 505-334-6174.

GEO-TOURISM FAIR

This past weekend I had the privilege of taking part in the Four Corners Geo-Tourism Fair at Sky City Cultural Center and Haak'u Museum.

"Sky City Cultural Center and Haak'u Museum rich in cultural architecture, serves as the reception center and museum for visitors to the Pueblo of Acoma. It is the gateway to Acoma “Sky City”. Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico is more than just a tourist destination. It's part of New Mexico's cultural heritage, as the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America and the 28th Historic Site designated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Acoma history is also the story of the Southwest, from its initial role as the home to the Anasazi people, to the thirteenth century founding of the Pueblo, which is still alive and well as a community and touchstone for Native Americans in the area and nationwide."     http://www.acomaskycity.org/home.html

It was a weekend of history, culture, heritage, environment and preservation. It was an exciting time. A part of the weekend included a tour of the Acoma Pueblo.


Christa Romme took some photo's of local dancers, the church and a statue that stands outside the Center.

 

The City of Aztec has participated in the Geo-tourism Fair as well as the Four Corners Regional Geotourism MapGuide council for the last three years.  Geotourism MapGuide also includes a website: A travel guide to the places most respected and recommended by locals. Take a look this website is an excellent resource for trip planning in the Four Corners.  http://www.fourcornersgeotourism.com/

Be sure to check out our new tourism facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/aztecnewmexico?ref_type=bookmark 

 

www.fourcornersgeotourism.com/

SUMMER TIME IN AZTEC

Whether you’re a lifelong local or a welcome visitor there is plenty to keep those smiles shining brighter than the hot New Mexico sun this summer right here in beautiful Aztec. A true family-friendly community, the programs and fun for the kids are already up and running and soon you will be too! If you happen to be here at the right time, you’ll have the opportunity to keep those young scholars sharp for August with the incredibly fun Summer Reading Program at the Aztec Public Library. This free program is easy to register for by going to www.aztecpubliclibrary.org or simply by stopping by the library at 319 Ash Street. For the hot days, you can take those little balls of energy for a “cool” experience at the Splash Park located at 200 N. Park Ave in Minium Park. There is no fee to participate and will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. If you’re interested in reserving a park for a get together, that information can be found at http://www.aztecnm.gov/parks/department.htm. More Public Park related fun is the free movie in the park that is hosted at dusk in Minium Park by the AHS Keyclub. Viewers are encouraged to bring their own blankets as it can get a bit chilly at night, and there will be a concession stand available. The summer schedule is as follows: June 6^th Frozen; June 13^th The Croods; June 27^th Epic; July 11^th Despicable Me 2^nd; July 25^th Monsters University; and August 8^thFinding Nemo. The schedule for this as well as the free lunches can be found at the City of Aztec Municipal Government Offices Facebook page, or by clicking the following link https://www.facebook.com/aztecnewmexico. While the activities for the kids in Aztec are abundant, there are also many events coming up that are perfect for the whole family! Fiesta Days is just around the corner with Bennett’s Amusements Carnival starting up on June 5-8 at Riverside Park where the Fiesta Days Celebration will also be taking place on June 7^th. For a full schedule of events you can visit the Aztec Chamber of Commerce at http://aztecchamber.com/index.php/newsletter. Fiesta Days is one of the annual community events that takes place here in Aztec, for a complete list of events and information visit the Aztec Tourism Website at http://www.aztecnm.com/events/local.htm or call or stop by the Visitor Center at 110 N. Ash St Aztec, NM 505-334-9551.

EARTH DAY 2014

Earth Day is a celebration of the birth of the modern environmental movement that started in 1970. For the first time, differences between different political parties and walks of life were disregarded, and the people of this country and of the world, stood united in the face of environmental threats.　

Once again, spring is in the air and this year Earth Day in Aztec is going to be full of activities and special opportunities you won’t want to miss. On the top of that list is the Spring Fling Clean Up that the City of Aztec’s Public Works office will be kicking off the week of April 21-24. The Spring Fling is a community initiative to kick that spring cleaning into high gear. Citizens will able to schedule curbside pick-up for heavy or large objects that otherwise would require a trip to the dump, talk about a time saver! In addition to this convenient service, the Aztec Recycling Center will be serving as a dumping convenience center for the duration of clean up week; again allowing citizens to get that spring clean up done without filling up their dumpsters or making the drive to the dump. To schedule a pick up, visit the City of Aztec’s Website at http://www.aztecnm.gov/index.html. Many residents though are not physically capable of performing these tasks and the Adopt a Neighbor Program can help. This program is intended to help those who are without the capability to complete yard work by assigning volunteers to assist them. To sign up for the assistance, or to register as a volunteer visit the City of Aztec website above.

Earth Day 2012

Once all that spring cleaning is done, you can look forward to the Earth Day celebrations that will be taking place in and around town. Saturday, April 26 will be a fun packed day of family-friendly activities; starting with the Aztec Trails and Open Space’s "Not Quite 5k Family Fun Run". Registration forms are available at Aztec Urgent Care and this family event will be starting at 9:00 a.m. with registration beginning at 8:00 a.m. After the races, get over to the Aztec Ruins’ Annual Earth Day celebration! There will be exciting presentations, activities, and games for all ages. In addition to the festivities, there will be Pueblo Dancers performing at the East Ruin. So don’t forget to take advantage of this free event and enjoy the cultural and community experiences at the Aztec Ruins!

A Walk Through The Past with Marilu Waybourn

By: Marilu Waybourn and Wilann Thomas

Photos: Wilann Thomas and Marilu Waybourn

Abandoned settlements and cemeteries scattered around San Juan County tell
a story about past residents and our communities.

This past September I took a tour of lesser known areas of the county and visited

several cemeteries. Actually seven sites around San Juan County were visited: La Plata,
Greenhorn, Old Cedar Hill, St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery - Bloomfield, East Hammond,
Old Flora Vista, and Brown Gravesite.

Join us as we travel the county...and take A Walk Through the Past!

Marilu's Notes: La Plata

    Entrance sign spelled wrong.

    Still is open for burials.  Mrs. Gentry McCarty kept the
records for many years. Several interesting stones in this area.

    Among the oldest burials are Lula Virginia Green - buried in
1896, age 4; and Janes Anderson, buried Nov. 1886, age 70.

Marilu's Notes: Greenhorn

    This is private land and belongs to the Montoya family. 
I called to get permission and was told it would be okay.

    The first time we came here there it was nicely fenced and
it seemed there were more headstones.  Also there was an
adobe building nearly melted at the corner - am assuming
that was perhaps the church. Notice the handcrafted
iron fences. The oldest burial I spotted was Antonio G. Montoya,
buried August 1924.  It is still open for family burials and
there are a couple of fairly new graves.

Marilu's Notes: Old Cedar Hill

    First trip here . . . weeds and mud.  Crawl through fence. 
Wade through weeds and the field to find the markers.  No road.

    Much nicer now that it has been fenced off and better kept.

Marilu's Notes: St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery Bloomfield

    The newer of the two cemeteries in Bloomfield.  The older
one is over this hill and on the right.  It was started in
1918 and has some of the old timers of Bloomfield are in it. 
Peter M. Salmon and much of his family are buried there.

    St. Mary’s is the newer of the two cemeteries.  It was
opened in 1949 on land donated by William and Florence Saiz. 

Marilu's Notes: East Hammond

    Hammond community began settling about 1888. 
The group of Mormon settlers were planning to pilot
an irrigation project from the San Juan River. 
The ditch would start in Blanco just below where
the Largo canyon emptied into the river. 
It would continue through Hammond, Bloomfield
and Mesa City and end in Farmington. Floods and
washouts ended the project.  The town was pretty
empty by 1914 and now there is nothing left except
the cemetery.  Which is still open to burials.

    The first burial here was six year old J. Lyman Deaton
in 1901.  His father, Mormon bishop James L. Deaton
was buried beside him in 1902.

Marilu's Notes: Old Flora Vista

    The only markers left are dated 1887.  There was an outbreak
of scarlet fever and many were buried here.  Also many of the
Blancett family whose homestead is nearby were buried here
but were moved to the Aztec  cemetery. The last burial here
was John Sanchez, a baby that was born and died on
Feb. 18, 1958.  The marker read merely “Baby.” 

Marilu's Notes: Brown Gravesite

    First Farmington cemetery was on “First Mesa.”  

Formerly Tibbetts football field.  An irrigation ditch 

overflowed and many of the graves were washed out  

(school story). Dr. Brown, who may have been Farmington’s first

 doctor, said he wanted to be buried somewhere that would 

never flood.  Dr. Brown's son, George, was killed by the 

Stockton gang on Christmas Eve 1880 and Aaron Barker 

for whom Barker Dome and Barker Arroyo are named 

was killed by the Stockton gang March 2, 1881.  So they 

are buried on top of the mesa overlooking San Juan 

College.  There are six graves there including the two

cowboys, Dr. and Mrs. Brown, their son Lee 

and his wife.  Dr. Brown died in 1896.

Cemetery Map Route