The vibe at Galeria de Corrales is pleasant. It’s nestled behind a yarn store on Corrales Road and easy to miss if you aren’t looking. But once you find it, an artist on duty will take you on a tour of the newly expanded gallery, which features about 25 artists. Wildlife and landscape paintings abound, but there’s also a good deal of pottery, art clocks, stained glass, quilts, handbags, sculptures big and small, a futuristic metal kachina, and lots of metal working. For those on a budget, there are relatively cheap prints of paintings and greeting cards. Good gift idea: the mirror lined with beer caps. Another has googly eyes.
Prized Possessions
Immediately upon walking into Prized Possessions, owner Janet Pugh is already breaking out the jewelry, trying to find a piece for your girlfriend/wife/boyfriend. Pugh makes her own pieces, much of it with antique buttons. She started off as a collector and eventually incorporated them into her jewelry. The store also sells antiques, and though it’s small, it is packed. It’s easy to get lost in there. Cigarette holders, opera glasses, a vintage harmonica. There’s a ton of stuff inside this little shop, and Pugh is happy to help find gifts that’ll fit your budget. Vintage, hand-embroidered handkerchiefs start at about $6.
Claywork
Claywork is an unassuming little shop inside the Mercado de Maya in Corrales. It’s mainly the studio of Elaine Bolz. The back area is littered with clay and the tools needed to form it into works of art. The front serves as a small shop where she shows her wares. Animals, particularly lizards and birds, figure heavily into her work. Bolz definitely has style. About $50 can get you a small but impressive clay mask, or there are some small pins for around $10. She also makes tile accents, address markers and tiled tables.
The Studio Naturale
Eric Williams ericwphoto.com
It smells delightful in The Studio Naturale. The day spa offers massage, facials, hair removal, hair cuts, styling, manicures and pedicures—but no coloring, as of now. That’s because the stylists haven’t found an all-natural hair dye they like. And that’s what this place is about: all-natural cosmetics. Big jars of base mineral makeup sit behind a counter, and their contents are blended to match clients’ complexions. Bottles of skin-care products are mixed by owner Carmen Serano and feature fair-trade products imported from Ghana. The Studio Naturale also sells natural bath and body products with custom scents. Makeup lessons are available as well.
