Artist Ken Nebel (above) has owned Village Arts since 2008. In addition to being an expert on art materials, Ken has taught classes in the arts for many years in the community. He is well-known for his own artwork throughout Northern New Mexico. Courtesy photo
COMMUNITY ART NEWS
Whether you are seeking a piece of art for your home, a place to paint outdoors, a source for your art supplies, artwork by other artists or just places to browse and admire art, Los Alamos has plenty of venues to check out. Take some time out and visit these locations. You will be pleasantly surprised at the wonderful artwork you find.
Village Arts, 216 DP Road, Los Alamos – Art Exhibit, Supplies and Framing Services
Village Arts invites the public to check out “About Face”! With more than 50 pieces on display and two dozen local and regional artists, Village Arts is the only place in town where when you check out the walls you’ll find them peering back at you! Village Arts hosts new exhibits every 6 weeks, where it’s all about community participation! Exhibits are decided by the public and free to enter. Work by artists from age 3 to 93 has been exhibited there.
Artwork for various exhibits at Village Arts is mounted on the wall above the extensive inventory of frames. Courtesy photo
“Village Arts exists to provide inspiration and tools for artists and hobbyists from start to finish,” said owner Ken Nebel.
Custom archival framing is available for all the memories Los Alamos is busy creating! Village Arts is located at 216 DP Road and is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Find out more on social media or www.villageartsframing.com.
Step Up Gallery at Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central Avenue in downtown Los Alamos -One of the Best Public Gallery Spaces in New Mexico
Hundreds of people walk through the doors of Mesa Public Library every day, but not all of them realize there is a breathtaking art gallery on the top level. With its 17-ft. ceilings and 275 linear feet of wall space, Step Up Gallery was designed by New Mexico architect Antoine Predock to show large works of art in their best light.
Diane Stoffel, right, takes a photo of Studio Art Quilt Associates of New Mexico member Gale Oppenheim-Pietrzak at the September 28 opening reception in Step Up Gallery. Photo by Katy Korkos
The exhibit currently installed in Step Up Gallery through the Month of Arts and Culture features art quilts made by regional members of the Studio Art Quilt Associates of New Mexico. “Personality Plus” features portraits of beloved pets and people (and spirit animals). “Telephone Tag” is comprised of 140 small quilts that show how differently people can interpret images.
Katy Korkos, right, talks with SAQA member Janet Steadman at the opening reception for Personality Plus and Telephone Tag in Step Up Gallery. Photo by Diane Stoffel
Step Up Gallery at Mesa Public Library is managed by Diane Stoffel and Katy Korkos. They were granted the contract from Los Alamos County in July of this year. They both bring years of experience with the management of this gallery. Katy managed the gallery on behalf of the library from 2014 to 2019, and Diane managed it, under contractto Los Alamos Arts Council, from 2019 through June 2024. Planning is now underway for exhibits to be held in 2025 and 2026.
Step Up Gallery (https://stepupgallery.org) is on the top level of Mesa Public Library at 2400 Central Ave. The gallery is open the same hours as the library: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday.
Artist Terri Lagerway and her husband at Step Up Gallery in front of ‘The Man I Married’, an art quilt Terri created to honor her husband. Photo by Katy Korkos
The Los Alamos Co-Op Market Cafe, 95 Entrada, Los Alamos
Los Alamos Co-Op Market is currently showing Ann Greene’s beadwork. She has more than 30 pieces of art on display. The community is invited to stop by to enjoy lunch at the co-op while gazing upon the colorful, intricate work of Ms. Greene. Her show will be up until the end of October. Our art shows change every two months. Her show will be up until the end of October. Our art shows change every two months.
“I have always enjoyed the challenge of solving a problem with constraints on the solution. I have delighted in watching a concept materialize into reality,” Green said. “Another passion is putting colors together in creative ways. Beading scratches all my ‘itches’.”
Ann’s bead images, including numerous commissions, are in personal collections across the
country and in England.
‘Before Dark #4, a pastel by Janice Parker Muir at the Karen Wray Gallery/Courtesy photo
Some of the art and gift items on display at the Karen Wray Gallery. Reporter file photo
The Karen Wray Gallery, 1247 Central Avenue, Los Alamos
The Karen Wray Gallery features paintings in oils, acrylics, pastels, and watercolors of New Mexico landscapes, flora, and fauna, photography, pottery and more. For more information, go to https://karenwrayfineart.com/.
Fuller Lodge Art Center, 2132 Central Avenue, Los Alamos
Janet Montoya stands next to some of her work currently on display in the ‘Seeing With Insight’ exhibit at Fuller Lodge Art Center. The exhibit recognnizes Blind Equality Achievement Month. Courtesy photo
Artist Gloria Sharp stands next to some of her work, which is currently on exhibit at Fuller Lodge Art Center. Courtesy photo
Local artists Janet Montoya and Gloria Sharp have brought ‘Seeing with Insight’, a gorgeous show recognizing Blind Equality Achievement Month., to the Fuller Lodge Art Center. The show hangs until Oct 25.
Art for sale at the Fuller Lodge Gallery Shop changes all the time as new artists are discovered. Courtesy photo
The Fuller Lodge Gallery Shop has all kinds of unique artwork for sale – everything from greeting cards to stained glass. Courtesy photo
Each year the Fuller Lodge Art Center hosts a variety of juried and curated shows in the Gallery Exhibit spaces. Designed to provide space for new and established artists alike, their calendar of exhibits is published each year between August and November for the following year. Their juried exhibits feature artists from New Mexico with a focus on Los Alamos and our regional neighbors.
The Gallery Shop at Fuller Lodge Art Center is filled with works by local and regional artists, making it a one stop shop for gifts and art collections alike.