1 Gaze at ethereal sculptures.
Spiritual themes appear in the figures carved by late sculptor Patrociño Barela, whose work makes up the new exhibition, Patrociño Barela: I Stand On My Own Feet at the Roswell Museum. Barela often spoke of letting the wood inform his process, which imparts an ethereal essence to his pieces. “He used the wood in particular ways,” says Aaron Wilder, curator of collections and exhibitions at the Roswell Museum. “Like if it had a knot, he made it into someone’s eye or mouth. He didn’t really decide what he was making until he had the wood in front of him. That process translates to the viewer—his works are very dynamic.”
Presented in the Founder’s Gallery, the exhibition includes more than 10 sculptures and three portraits of Barela, which are painted by other artists. The show, which runs through February 11, 2024, represents both the secular and spiritual sides of Barela’s work. “He made all of these religious sculptures without the ability to read,” says Wilder. “So, he didn’t have an in-depth knowledge of the Bible but obviously knew enough about religion to carve these figures.”
2 Buckle up for a county fair.
This weekend, Los Alamos is full of rootin’-tootin’ fun at the Los Alamos County Fair and Rodeo. A summer concert at Ashley Pond by country musician Brandon Saiz kicks things off Friday at 6 p.m. Post up along Central Avenue on Saturday morning for the Harnessing Chaos Rodeo Parade before heading to the county fair at Ashley Pond.
“We are welcoming back the legendary longhorns, who will close out the parade,” says Jacquelyn Connolly, executive director at Los Alamos Mainstreet. “Right after, you can walk over to the arts and crafts fair with vendors from all over the state.”
3 Cruise in the park with lowriders.
Head to Fort Marcy Park, in Santa Fe, where you can see a ton of rad rides at the Lowrider End of Summer Meet Up & Cookout, from noon to 4 p.m. The party includes a BBQ, music, and plenty of artfully created cars that represent the quintessential northern New Mexico art of lowriders. Bring your own grill, food, and drinks for lots of family fun!
4 Tour studios in the mountains.
More than 50 artists show their works in the Questa Art Tour. Held annually since 2015, the tour invites folks into artists’ creative spaces throughout the Sangre de Cristo Mountains for a special peek into their processes and inspirations. Plus: a variety of hubs, including Rael’s Store & Coffee, ArtQuesta Studio & Gallery, St. Anthony’s Church, are set to show and sell works by several artists in one space.
5 See a new exhibit by Steven Yazzie.
The Gerald Peters Gallery, in Santa Fe, opens a solo exhibition of works by artist Steven J. Yazzie (Diné) with an artist Q&A and reception on Friday. A prolific creative who makes works in a variety of mediums, Yazzie focuses on the ways technology, culture, and nature shape our understanding of the world, and being human. The solo exhibition, Throwing Stars Over Monsters, which runs through October 28, includes photography, paintings, and drawings. Based in Denver, Yazzie has shown work around the world, including the Heard Museum in Arizona and Museum of Modern Art and the National Museum of the American Indian, both in New York.
On Friday at 3 p.m., Yazzie will participate in a Q&A with Andrea Hanley, chief curator at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. An opening reception celebrates the exhibition later from 5 to 8 p.m.
Read more: For more things to do, check out our online calendar of events.