1 Party with a poet. 

As a poet, performer, and musician, Natachee Momaday Gray (Kiowa/Apache) tells stories in many forms. Her debut poetry collection, Silver Box, is a testament to her wordsmithing, which drips with honeyed elegance and poignant punches. The granddaughter of Pulitzer Prize winner N. Scott Momaday, she carries on a lineage of crafting words rich with authentic perspective. 

On Sunday, she presents a new performance, Tatja Lucía’s 30 for 30, at El Rey Court in Santa Fe. “This idea stemmed from the fact that I am turning 30 on the 30th of March,” she says. “It feels like a big milestone for me. I have been working on a lot of new material and shifting focus through new creative ventures.” 

Momaday Gray moved to a homestead in Coyote with her young family, and her new chapter has filled her with the urge to create fresh works. “I’ve felt so inspired coming out of the difficult and raw and beautiful depths of postpartum and shifting into this new life in the country,” she says. “I felt like there needed to be a new opening of a new chapter. What better way to celebrate my birthday than with a big poetry showcase?” 

30 for 30 also includes a musical set. “In the midst of the crazy chaos that’s going on in the world, I wanted to give people a reason to dress up and come celebrate and be part of this vision of dancing and music.” Catch the performance from 7 to 9 p.m. 

Dr. Suzanne Kite's exhibition, "Kite and Wíhaŋble S’a Center: Dreaming with AI," on view through July 13, combines Indigenous philosophy with machine learning and AI. Photograph courtesy of Dr. Suzanne Kite/Angel Origgi.

2 Celebrate two exhibitions. 

On Friday, the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts in Santa Fe celebrates its two newest exhibitions with a double reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Jordan Ann Craig: My Way Home shows works by the Northern Cheyenne artist who takes inspiration from traditional Cheyenne patterns and motifs, infusing them with narratives from her own life experience. A meticulous research process informs her large-scale paintings, which become an exploration of identity. See My Way Home through June 29. 

Indigenous philosophy shines through the pieces in Kite and Wíhaŋble S’a Center: Dreaming with AI, an exhibition featuring work by Dr. Suzanne Kite (Oglála Lakȟóta) who uses machine learning and artificial intelligence in her pieces. This exhibition, on view through July 13, features large-scale installations of performance and video art that explore Lakȟóta cosmology and the importance of dreams in Lakȟóta culture. Dreaming with AI includes an interactive component where visitors can explore AI at stations developed in collaboration with students from Bard College, where Kite is director of Wihanble S’a Center for Indigenous Studies.

Margaret Wood, who spent five years cooking and chatting with Georgia O’Keeffe in her Abiquíu kitchen, will share her memories and O’Keeffe’s favorite recipes at the New Mexico History Museum. Photograph courtesy of the New Mexico History Museum.

3 Hear stories from Georgia O’Keeffe’s kitchen. 

Margaret Wood spent five years with renowned artist Georgia O’Keeffe, cooking and chatting in the late painter’s Abiquíu kitchen. Now an author, Wood speaks at the New Mexico History Museum, in Santa Fe, on Sunday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. as the first speaker in a new series, New Mexico on a Plate with Chef Johnny Vee and Friends. Wood will reminisce on her time with O’Keeffe and share recipes the artist loved. The lecture includes a Q&A and a tasting of an O’Keeffe dish prepared by Vee. The event is free to attend, but space is limited.

The Carrizozo Heritage Museum unveils a new permanent exhibition, "Atomic Dawn: Lincoln County, Trinity, and the Bomb," exploring the impact of the Trinity Test. Photograph courtesy of the Carrizozo Heritage Museum.

4 Step into an explosive moment in history. 

The Carrizozo Heritage Museum debuts a new permanent exhibition, Atomic Dawn: Lincoln County, Trinity, and the Bomb, on Saturday at 10 a.m. Through artifacts, photographs, and interactive installations, the exhibition explores the impact of the Trinity Test—the first atomic bomb detonation—in July 1945. Set off in New Mexico’s desert, the explosion left lasting effects on the region, exposing residents to radioactive fallout. The Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium works to create awareness about this event, and the effects that rippled through the community. Tina Cordova, co-founder of the consortium, will attend the unveiling.

The 14th annual Las Cruces Art Fair, featuring over 80 artists from various mediums and regions, takes over the Las Cruces Convention Center this weekend.

5 Shop an eclectic art fair. 

More than 80 artists are part of the 14th annual Las Cruces Art Fair taking over the Las Cruces Convention Center. Representing mediums from fabric and weaving to printmaking and photography, the lineup includes both seasoned and budding artists. “This is a really high-quality fair with wonderful artists, both local and regional,” says Karrie Porter, executive director at the Doña Ana Arts Council, who sponsors the event. Expect works from artists in Texas, Colorado, and Arizona, alongside many New Mexicans and some ceramicists from northern Mexico. Live music from local groups makes the shopping experience a festive time. “The New Mexico State University Theater Group will be making a surprise appearance too,” Porter says. It’s open Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

For more things to do, check out our online calendar of events.