“The art being made in this region isn’t like anything else,” said Margaret Goehring, art department head and professor of art history at New Mexico State University. “Artists working in Las Cruces and El Paso are making such exciting things. The culture is so rich.”
Goehring, fellow faculty and students will share a hands-on experience with the community with a day of “Open Studios.” From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, visitors are invited to participate in workshops, guided tours and even do some holiday shopping via the student art sale at Devasthali Hall, located at 1308 E. University Ave.
Open Studios offers undergrad and graduate students the opportunity to showcase and sell their work to the regional community. The event is free, family friendly and open to the public.
Devasthali Hall opened on the NMSU campus in 2019 to replace the Department of Art’s aging facilities, providing state-of-the art equipment and art studios for students and faculty. The building also is home to the University Art Museum. Art museum Education and Outreach Coordinator Eva Gabriella Flynn will be on hand to take guests on a guided tour of Devasthali.
Graduate assistants Karly Jean Kainz and Johanna Typaldos will lead workshops in the various studios with public on techniques like laser cutting, metal working and more.
“I love teaching workshops and have always taught a lot of them, since undergrad,” Kainz said. “I think it's just a really fun way to get people out of their comfort zone and try things they’ve never done before. It's cool to see that and see the spark when they realize they can make these crazy, cool things.”
Kainz is leading a screen printing, make-and-take workshop from noon to 1 p.m. Typaldos will lead laser workshops at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to teach participants how to make laser cut and etched pins and textured copper keychains.
Darcy Matthews, an undergrad in studio art is co-hosting the workshop on textured copper keychains. Matthews will be selling some of her handmade jewelry at the Annual Jewelry Sale on Monday, Oct. 30 as well as the Open Studios event.
“I really enjoy doing Open Studios because it's an added time commitment that allows students to experience involvement within the art community and teaches us how to interact as artists, with the community as a whole,” said Matthews.
Ace Gabrentina is leading the glaze-a-mug workshop at 10 a.m. The hands-on opportunity will teach participants how to properly glaze their own mugs, which they can take home with them.
“There's some really cool work being done here and it’s definitely a great opportunity, especially for me,” said Gabrentina, studio art major. “I’ll get more experience teaching and having that instructor role rather than being the student, which is good because one day I do want to teach or have my own studio space.”
The recently opened UAM exhibition, “Celia Álvarez Muñoz: Breaking the Binding” will be open for viewing during the event. The exhibit features more than 35 artworks from the artist, an El Paso native, and gives the community a chance to see a lifetime of her work made in this region. Guests also be invited to participate in a bookbinding workshop inspired by the artist.
Attendees are also welcome to visit NMSU’s retablo collection, the largest collection of 19th-century Mexican retablos in the United States. Three guided tours are available at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.
For more information, visit https://artdepartment.nmsu.edu/arts/resources/open-studios.html. Follow the art museum, metals club, clay club and photo club on Instagram to stay up to date on sales and events.
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CUTLINE: Last year’s Open Studios welcomed children and adults alike to explore Devasthali Hall and take home their own creations made in the art department’s various studios. (NMSU photo by Eleazar Maslian)