House Warming
Variety and more exhibits highlight March Arts Crawl

Lyndon Tsosie, artist and owner of the House of Lyndon Art Gallery, admires the artwork on the walls at the House of Lyndon on Thursday afternoon. The House of Lyndon is having its grand re-opening Saturday during the Arts Crawl at the gallery's new location on West Coal Avenue. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Independent]

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Downtown businesses and galleries will be showcasing the talents of a variety of painters, jewelers, photographers, artisans, and musicians during Saturday's March Arts Crawl.

Community members are invited to begin the Arts Crawl at arthaus, located in artist Jutta Stownawski's home at 307 E. Hill. In the past, Stownawski has hosted a reception two hours prior to the Arts Crawl, but now she is extending the invitation for community members to drop in anytime between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Stownawski hosts a potluck gathering for artists and anyone interested in the arts beginning at 11 a.m. on the Saturday of Arts Crawl. The Independent will feature an article about her gatherings at her home/gallery in Saturday's edition.

For the month of March, arthaus is exhibiting the paintings of Jason R. Barnes. "South West 3030," features 31 of Barnes' newest oil paintings. Jewelry by Jennifer Juan is also scheduled to be on display.

The Gallup Performing Arts Center, 1500 S. 2nd St., is hosting a number of art-related events on Saturday. Community members interested in establishing a new non-profit organization for the arts are invited to GPAC at noon for a public discussion. GPAC will also host an open house for its gallery from 3-7 p.m; the Irving Toddy performance art painting will be raffled off during this time.

Student art
Student artwork will be on display in the storefront windows of High Mesa Bikes and Gear, located on the corner of Second Street and Coal Avenue. Gallup-McKinley County Schools art teacher Steve Heil is exhibiting photographs of pinch pots made entirely of native materials and fired with native juniper wood. The pottery was made last month by students in Judy Blomquist's preschool class at Juan de Onate Elementary School. The show will be on exhibit only through Monday, March 12.

Two galleries will kick off the Arts Crawl on Coal Avenue at 6 p.m.

House of Lyndon
Lyndon Tsosie's House of Lyndon will be having its Grand Reopening Celebration at its new location from 6-10 p.m. The gallery moved across the street to 227 W. Coal. The House of Lyndon will feature the work of seven artists for the reopening celebration: jewelry by Cippy Crazy Horse, paintings by Paula Manning-Lewis, jewelry by Kee Yazzie, photographs by Jeri Joanna Poletto, pottery by Kathleen Wall, jewelry by Natasha Peshlakai, and jewelry by Judy Swyler.

Yazzie's Indian Art, 235 W. Coal, will also begin its reception at 6 p.m. Yazzie's will feature the work of Navajo artisan Jay McCray and photographer Gary Langston. McCray makes fine beaded items on leather using #13 cut glass beads. His work will be on display at Yazzie's throughout the day, and he will demonstrate his work from 6-9 p.m. Langston's portraits of Native people and his landscapes from Indian Country will also be on exhibit all day Saturday. The photographer will be at the gallery from 6-9 p.m. to meet Arts Crawl patrons and talk about his work.

Vital Connections
Vital Connections, located inside The Frame Shop at 222 W. Coal, will open at 6:30 p.m. The gallery will show the work of seven artists this month. Lillia Smarandache, a new artist in the gallery, will exhibit her vases and jewelry, along with ceramics by David Montelongo, oil paintings by Angelo Lovato, beadwork by RaeRae, watercolors by Mary Jane Milz, and oil paintings by Greg Collison. Karen Levine's hand knits and felted wearable art continue to be the featured artwork of the month.

The remaining Arts Crawl receptions will begin at 7 p.m., with most concluding at 9 p.m.

The Coffee House, 203 W. Coal, will show "Gallup Downtown Cityscapes," new work by photographer Bill Siebersma.

Crashing Thunder Gallery, 228 W. Coal, will exhibit "More Pictures from Gallup," a show of photographs by gallery owner Milan Sklenar. Crashing Thunder usually remains open until 10 p.m. on Arts Crawl evenings.

Michael's Jewelry Workshop, 205 W. Coal, will once again feature jewelry designs by Leaf Ashley, Michael Schmaltz, Frances Martinez, and Tri-Color Gold from Guadalajara, Mexico.

Peshlakai Vision, 206 S. 3rd St., will be open and will feature the contemporary jewelry designs of artist/owner Norbert Peshlakai.

For those seeking live music downtown, the Coal Street Pub, 303 W. Coal, will host the Back Porch Band from 7 p.m. to about 9:30 p.m.

Away from downtown Gallup, GPAC will host "Dance Freely" with Suzanne Hunt at 6 p.m. and Cowboy Poetry and Music with Ken Moore and Brett Davis. Admission will be charged for those two events.

Editor's Note: Artists, galleries, and businesses participating in the monthly Arts Crawl should provide their art show information and accompanying images to reporter Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola at (505) 863-6811 ext. 218 or ehardinburrola@yahoo.com.