My knitting hero, I’ll call her “Our Lady of Crafting,” once advised me, “make a hat or a scarf for a boyfriend—never a sweater.” I think her guidance had something to do with commitment. I listened and, last Christmas, made and gave away a hat to a special somebody. By February, the hat was lost. Thing is, I know where it was lost. It was lost at Maria’s in Santa Fe. I know because the hat was with us when we walked in and gone 20 minutes after we left. But it was eventually found, for sale, at Buffalo Exchange. The hat misplacer and I just happened to be shopping that day when I found it (and a $9 price tag). I think they only sold it back to us at a discount to get the crazy lady (me) out of the store. Being crafty is fun, so get your do-it-yourself on or support someone who already has!
Culture Shock: Stitching Without The Bitching Stitching Without The Bitching
From clothing to bedding to kitchen wear, cloth looks better when it’s adorned. Colcha embroidery, which has been around since Spanish Colonial times, is the perfect way to New Mexify your stuff. The stitches in colcha are pretty easy and different from other forms of embroidery as they look better with a little chaos to them. At both 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday, June 18, stitchers can gather in the National Hispanic Cultural Center‘s Pete V. Domenici Education Center (1701 Fourth Street SW) for an informal crafting session. There’s no cost, and if you need more info, call 246-2261 ext. 167.
Culture Shock: Silk Road, Sans Camel Silk Road, Sans Camel
Canvas? Pshaw. The artists of the New Mexico Silk Painters Guild don’t need no stinking canvas. Instead, they use luxurious and smooth silk, dazzle it up with a little color and offer striking results. Dyeing and painting silk is nothing new—the Chinese have been doing it for some 2,500 years—but several guild artists have put an especially New Mexico bent on their work, painting the familiar landscapes of the Southwest onto pieces. Some of the textiles are meant to be worn and others are simply decorative, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find yourself occasionally brushing your face against them, or at least wanting to. The guild’s second annual Silk Road studio tour takes place at three area locations (1609 Los Luceros NW, 10305 Dayflower NW and 11715 Arroyo de Vista NE) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 19. There is more info and a few examples of work at nmsilkpaintersguild.com.
Culture Shock: Everybody's An Artist Everybody's An Artist
Or at least that’s how it feels in New Mexico. For some, though, even stick figures never turn out right. That’s OK. We’ve all got to start somewhere. The Harwood Art Center‘s (1114 Seventh Street NW) Weekly Open Drawing Sessions feature a live model and give budding Picassos a chance to challenge themselves. The drop-in class doesn’t offer any instruction, but the inspiration you’ll get peeking at the work of others should be enough. Bring a few pencils or whatever art supplies you’ve got lying around and $10 (if you fall in love with it, $35 gets you a punch card for five sessions). Easels are provided and Alison at 715-0306 has more info. Classes are from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. every Tuesday.
