Scene from 2019 Los Alamos Arts Council Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
LAAC News:
Los Alamos Arts Council (LAAC) hosts the 54th Annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Los Alamos Middle School. This fair is part of a special weekend Holiday Craft Fair Crawl. The crawl will feature several different craft fairs and art events happening all over town.
For instance, Karen Wray will have a gallery opening on the evening of Friday. Fiber artist Valentina Devine will host an Open House at her home on Big Rock Loop Friday and Saturday. Also, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church will host the Knights of Columbus Fair Saturday.
Additionally, businesses in town such as Village Arts will present an art show featuring works from various artists. Jeweler Teresa Starr, a local favorite, will be at Village Arts Friday and Saturday. The Fuller Lodge Art Center will host the Affordable Arts Show. Additionally, photographer Ted Greer will have his work on display in the art center’s Portal Gallery.
LAAC has presented the Holiday Fair every year since 1967, (includes a virtual fair in 2020) and considers this year’s fair will be one of the best. LAAC is excited to bring nearly 55 of the finest artisans in New Mexico to the community. The fair offers both traditional and contemporary art forms. All items displayed are handmade or hand crafted and originated in New Mexico or nearby states. The Arts and Crafts Fair will feature items such as pottery, weavings, clothing, wood workings paintings, jewelry and more.
LAAC is planning some special additions to the fair this year. The Girl Scouts will launch the holiday gift giving season with several tables in the cafeteria that will feature handmade items for sale. The Girls Scouts will also offer a special table for children to make crafts. Donations will be accepted. There will be some festive music provided by the Flute Group.
Food and beverages will again be sold at the Arts and Crafts Fair by Chartwells Food Service. There will be breakfast burritos, salads and sandwiches for lunch along with beverages and cookies.
Dora Platero will also be there with Navajo Fry Bread and Navajo Tacos veggie tacos, burgers and chips. She will have bottled water and Coke product soft drinks.
Customers will note many new artists at the fair this year. Among them is Leslie Colley who makes throw pillows from vintage Navajo rugs and Spanish weavings. Be sure to visit Evan Fife who makes one-of-a- kind handmade hats and will share a booth with Dacia Curtis who makes handmade bath salts, body scrubs and more. If searching for leather goods, stop and visit Michelle Martinez who makes a variety of leather items as well as those made of wood.
Artists who have regularly participated in past fairs will be spotted, too. They represent all categories including jewelry, pottery, metal work, wood working, fiber arts and more.
Gary and Corrine Louis, award winning artists from the Pueblo of Acoma who carry on the family tradition of making pottery, will be at the fair. Their four children also work in the family pottery business. Gary and Corrine invented the style of what is now called Horse Hair Pottery. It took many years of trial and error until they mastered this technique, which has become very popular. They also do other traditional styles of Acoma pottery.
This year, the Arts Council will sell tickets for a drawing of one of three small works of art, which will be displayed at the registration table. Each small picture would make a wonderful gift. LAAC also will have a few of its popular 50th Anniversary tote bags for sale. People will find them useful to carry home their purchases. These sales will help the arts council continue to bring programs and events to the community.
Proceeds from booth rental fees are used to present cultural programs throughout the year. In the past year, the nonprofit council has presented dozens of arts related programs, which include an annual Art/Flight Kite Festival, Missoula Children’s Theatre, noontime Brown Bag performances at Fuller Lodge, seasonal celebrations such as the Los Alamos Pumpkin Glow, Scarecrow Contest and Holiday Open House at Fuller Lodge. LAAC feels fortunate resume presenting in-person events although with some COVID restraints.
LAAC hopes everyone comes out and supports the artists who traveled from all over New Mexico to this fair. The fair provides an opportunity to shop for special, unique items not normally found locally. This season in particular the Holiday Fair offers the chance to complete one’s seasonal shopping without the worry of whether items ordered online will be delivered in a timely manner, if at all.
Anyone wishing to directly support the Los Alamos Arts Council by becoming a member (individual memberships are $35) is invited to drop by the registration table during the arts and crafts fair or call the office. For more information about the Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair, call 662-1635 or check out the LAAC web site at https://losalamosartscouncil.org/.
Be sure to check out Holiday Fair flyer at https://youtu.be/l3hvGkMflzQ
