Art during COVID-19

CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Four Native American artists are sharing their knowledge as New Mexico nears the one-year anniversary of the pandemic. Harvey Thomas, Pueblo of Laguna, was the first artist who demonstrated his talents during the 2021 programs that the Double Six Gallery is hosting in Grants. Last Saturday’s two-hour belt weaving program included an in-house live audience of seven people. The program was available to a larger off-site audience via Zoom. Anyone who had registered in advance was able to access the live Zoom presentation, according to Robert Gallegos, Double Six Gallery executive director.

The Cibola Arts Council and Double Six announced that the new series will be available in two formats: advance registration to attend in person and confirmed with an RSVP or by watching the Zoom broadcast.

Cibola County was designated “yellow” last week in the state’s three-tier re-opening process; this designation allows groups of up to ten people to congregate in public settings. Previously gatherings were limited to a maximum of five people.

“This means we can welcome audiences of up to 10 people here in the gallery,” explained Director Gallegos who added that the county’s re-opening status may reach “green” before the May 8 program by Carmen Lewis, Pueblo of Acoma.

Marvin Fernando, a Pueblo of Laguna resident with Hopi ancestors, is next month’s featured artist. His March 13 program is dedicated to the traditions of basket weaving. Joe Lewis, Pueblo of Acoma, presents “Contemporary Native Art” on April 10. The four-month series ends with Lewis’ May 8 presentation, “Traditional Acoma Pottery.”

Gallegos acknowledged that this new series featuring artists’ demonstrations continues the theme of the Native Basket Array, aka “the Windshield Gallery,” which was installed along Historic Route 66.

The CAC, Double Six, Sacred Wind Communications, City of Grants and Village of Milan collaborated several years ago to create outdoor art display, which used large satellite dishes that were covered in vinyl printed with traditional Native American motifs. Three of the installations feature historical basket designs: a Navajo wedding basket that symbolizes a person’s lifeway; another replicates the Apache star pattern; and one duplicates a Chacoan basket and is based on one found in the 1980s by a group of Boy Scouts who were hiking on the nearby lava flows. The original basket is part of the collection displayed at the New Mexico Mining Museum in Grants.

The gallery director recalled discussions with members on ways to further the CAC mission. He said that utilizing technology during the pandemic was an obvious solution. Gallegos, who creates large metal sculptures for outdoor spaces, commented that archiving the Zoom programming will allow more people to view the presentations.

“It’s what makes PBS television so popular,” said the Milan artist.

“You can choose the programs that are of interest.”

He emphasized the gallery’s role in sharing art includes expanding community members’ awareness and “opening the doors to new artists.”

“We want to share this area’s heritage with a larger audience,” explained Gallegos.

“We are surrounded by all these traditional artists and we have famous treasures like Chaco Canyon, a World Heritage Site, and El Morro National Monument on our doorstep.”

“I would be happy to feature Hispanic traditional arts such as santos,” commented the gallery director.

Santos are depictions of religious figures in the forms of bultos (carvings in the round). Other widely recognized Hispanic art forms include retablos (paintings on wooden panels) in addition to gesso and wood relief-carved panels, hide paintings - religious images painted on deer or elk hide, and straw appliqué such as crosses, chests, and boxes decorated with applied straw.

The gallery welcomes any artist who wishes to display their skills. Gallegos said he looks forward to presentations by artists painting with oils and watercolors along with demonstrations of other art forms.

“It’s important to share their work,” said the director who expressed a sense of sadness about how COVID-19 has changed community life. He cited the effects on gallery programming.

The Mount Taylor Exhibit is one casualty of the pandemic, according to Gallegos who acknowledged that the 2020 show remains on display.

Last year was the 15th anniversary of the annual event that has always included a reception honoring the artists and welcoming community members to view their new works.

“New Mexico went into lockdown a week before the reception was scheduled last March,” recalled the gallery director.

He remains uncertain about whether the CAC will host a new Mount Taylor show this year.

Gallegos described some of the other impacts on the gallery and CAC artists.

“The gallery hosted 58 events in 2019 and welcomed 2,221 visitors that year,” he explained.

“We held 14 events in 2020 and had only 775 visitors for the year. Those were probably our lowest numbers in close to 20 years.”

The gallery is located at 1001 W. Santa Fe Ave., Grants.

Email cibolaarts@7cities.net or call 505-287-7311 for more information.