Thursday, October 30, 2008

Art Historian Matthew Palczynski to Speak at Rio Grande Theatre

In conjunction with the exhibit “Rodin: In His Own Words; Selections for the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation,” currently showing at the Las Cruces Museum of Art, art historian Matthew Palczynski will be presenting his lecture “Rodin in Context” on Saturday, November 15 at 12:30 pm. The lecture will take place at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 North Main Street, in Las Cruces. Admission is free.

Matthew Palczynski is the full-time Staff Lecturer for Western Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, internationally known for its Rodin collection. He has taught art history at the university level since 2000, including advanced courses in 19th and 20th century art at Temple University this academic year. Upcoming lectures by Palczynski will occur at such institutions as the Rodin Museum, the Fleisher Art Memorial, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia.

The gallery hours for “Rodin: In His Own Words” are as follows: Monday through Thursday 10 am to 5 pm, Friday 10 am to 7 pm, and Saturday 9 am to 5 pm. The Las Cruces Museum of Art is located at 491 N. Main St., on the north end of the Downtown Mall. For more information on exhibits or our Studio Programs art classes, please call (575) 541-2137 or visit http://museums.las-cruces.org

Friends of Chamber Music to Perform at Las Cruces Museum of Art

In celebration of the exhibition “Rodin: In His Own Words; Selections from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation,” the Las Cruces Friends of Chamber Music will be performing “Musical Reflections on the Life and Times of Rodin” at the Las Cruces Museum of Art on Saturday, November 8 at 1 pm. Admission to the exhibit and this performance is free.

The Las Cruces Friends of Chamber Music, founded by John Pleasant, Joseph Sylvan and Barbara Toth, is a local not-for-profit organization. Committed to sharing the joy of music across Southern New Mexico, the group combines skilled musicians with an intimate setting. “We are delighted to have the Las Cruces Friends of Chamber Music performing music inspired by Rodin as part of this historic exhibit,” said Exhibitions Curator Joy Miller.

The gallery hours for “Rodin: In His Own Words” are as follows: Monday through Thursday 10 am to 5 pm, Friday 10 am to 7 pm, and Saturday 9 am to 5 pm. The Las Cruces Museum of Art is located at 491 N. Main St., on the north end of the Downtown Mall. For more information on exhibits or our Studio Program art classes, please call (575) 541-2137 or visit http://museums.las-cruces.org

La Charreada: Fotos de ¡Los Charros Magnificos! opens at Branigan Cultural Center

Photographer David Shaw happened on a procession of pick-up trucks and horse trailers traveling down a dusty road in Encinitas, California, and on impulse followed them. This lead to Shaw’s discovery of the world of La Charreada, the Mexican Horse Rodeo. An exhibit of silver gelatin prints celebrating the people, Los Charros, and the event, La Charreada, is the culmination of three years of travel into this centuries old competition and exhibition of horsemanship. The exhibit opens on Friday, November 7, 2008 with an artist reception from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at the Branigan Cultural Center in Las Cruces. “La Charreada: Fotos de ¡Los Charros Magnificos!” remains on display through December 27, 2008.

Supplementing the photography will be information panels providing the history of La Charreada and describing the various events and feats. The panels will be presented in both English and Spanish.

David Shaw has been involved in photography for over forty years. Inspired by Edward Weston’s Daybooks, he began working in black and white using a 4x5 view camera. For the Charreada series, Shaw used a twin lens Mamiya camera. Now settled in Las Cruces, he has established Estudio Azul and continues exploring new subjects with his camera.

The Branigan Cultural Center, 501 N. Main Street, is located at the north end of the downtown mall in Las Cruces. The exhibit and reception is free and open to the public. Galleries are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information about exhibits, contact the Branigan Cultural Center at (575) 541-2154 or visit the Center’s web site at http://museums.las-cruces.org.

Exhibitions at the Las Cruces Museum of Natural History

EVERY BODY EATS - September 26th, 2008 – January 4th, 2009
What's in the food you eat? Is breakfast really that important? How have food and portion sizes changed over the years? Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables? Families, children, and school groups can find out the answers to these questions and more in Every Body Eats a highly interactive exhibition that explores nutrition and how to make informed healthy choices. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry's newest small exhibit, Every Body Eats. The 800 sq. ft. exhibit will feature hands-on interactives on nutrition that appeal to children and their families. The exhibit will feature bilingual (English/Spanish) text panels.

The LCMNH is free and open to the public. If you need an accommodation for a disability to enable you to fully participate, please contact us 48 hours before the event or program at (575) 522-3120.

The Las Cruces Museum of Natural History is located next to JCPenney in the Mesilla Valley Mall and is funded by the City of Las Cruces. Call the museum at 522-3120 for more information on hikes, exhibits, classes or tours. Our web address is: http://www.las-cruces.org/Public-Services/museums/nmh.stm

November 2008 Business on the Border Forum

The November meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Best Western Mesilla Valley Inn Columbus Conference Center. The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet followed by an update from MVEDA staff.

John Munoz, site director for Sitel, will be the featured speaker for November’s luncheon. Sitel is one of Las Cruces’ major employers and provides customer and technical support services for Direct TV.

Luncheon cost is $10.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. The meeting is open to the public and reservations are not required.

Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance
505 S. Main, Ste. 134 – PO Box 1299
Las Cruces, NM 88004-1299
Tel: (575) 525-2852 – Fax: (575) 523-5707
www.mveda.com

Monday, October 20, 2008

Mesilla Digital Imaging Workshops in Southern New Mexico

The Mesilla Digital Imaging Workshops is in its first season of operation in southern New Mexico, offering 2-5 day intermediate and professional level workshops in all aspects of digital imaging, as well as commercial, aesthetic and composition workshops for photographers and artists.

The Mesilla Workshops are directed by professional staff from across the nation with years of expertise. The faculty is comprised of photographic educators and writers who are widely published and exhibited photographers and artists in every aspect of the medium: aesthetic, technical and studio.

A state-of-the-art digital lab offers large format printers, professional scanners, a Smart classroom, and a commercial studio set-up in a comfortable, professional environment. Educational partners include Adobe, Alien Skin, Canon USA, DXO, Giottos, Lexar, Microtek, Moab/Legion, Photo Techniques magazine and Wacom.

The MDIW facility is part of the Preston Contemporary Art Center, located in Mesilla, NM near the historic “La Mesilla” Plaza and a short drive to White Sands National Monument, where some on-location workshops are scheduled.

Visit www.mesillaworkshops.com for current class schedule and descriptions, faculty bios and easy online registration.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

The October meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum

The October meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum will be held on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Best Western Mesilla Valley Inn Columbus Conference Center. The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet followed by an update from MVEDA staff.

This month’s featured speaker will be New Mexico Deputy Land Commissioner Dennis Garcia. As Deputy Land Commissioner, his duties include negotiations with federal, state and private land owners to protect natural resources, and to generate economic growth when feasible.

Luncheon cost is $10.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. The meeting is open to the public and reservations are not required.

For those that missed last month’s Business on the Border Forum, the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) will be held October 21-24. “Space Week in New Mexico” will kick off with the Leonard R. Sugerman Public Forum on Tuesday, October 21 at the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. This free event will focus on who in the local area is making money now from space related business and current opportunities for local businesses at Spaceport America.

The Symposium will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, October 22-23, at the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, focusing on “Positioning for Profit”. ISPCS registration and information is available on the web @ www.ispcs.com or by e-mail to nmsgc@nmsu.edu.

Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance
505 S. Main, Ste. 134 – PO Box 1299
Las Cruces, NM 88004-1299
Tel: (575) 525-2852 – Fax: (575) 523-5707
www.mveda.com