LAMOA Co-Founders Ruth Tatter, left, and Elena Perez. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Los Alamos Museum of Art (LAMOA) has operated for five years. It has kept busy during that time; last year the 501 (c)(3) organization created a series of interviews with local artists and culture representatives called Inside Arts, which was broadcasted on PAC8, and Saturday its art exhibit, which featured selections from its collections, concluded after a six-week run at the Fuller Lodge Art Center.
In addition to these programs, LAMOA is working to achieve a major milestone: securing a permanent home.
LAMOA Co-Founder Ruth Tatter explained that ideally, they would like to find a space that is 24,000 square feet to accommodate their large collection, storage, exhibit, classroom, and programs. Tatter added that it would be great to find a space in the Los Alamos Creative District. She explained that not only would it provide a home for LAMOA, but it would add to the vitality of the downtown. People could visit LAMOA and then check out the nearby stores, restaurants and other museums.
“We envision the museum as a community gateway place creating a synergy with the other museums, art centers, galleries and the Manhattan Project Park,” Tatter said. “During the pandemic we partnered with the History Museum in creating a COVID Poster contest and the winners were shown at the Karen Wray Gallery.”
While the search is underway for a permanent home, there are a variety of ways the community can help support LAMOA. LAMOA Co-Founder and Board Secretary Elena Perez said the organization is part of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Giving Program and employees can select LAMOA as a recipient.
“We appreciate it all,” Perez said.
“Raising money for our programs and future museum space is an ongoing effort,” Tatter added.
Tatter said supporting the arts is important.
Paraphrasing Ford W. Bell, a former President of the American Association of Museums, Tatter said, “In an increasingly virtual world, people and especially children crave the authentic, art encapsulates the history of the world. It reveals where we came from and where we are going. Art essentially is the many stories of that journey.”
LAMOA got started when art collector Robert Wells offered his collection of over 100 pieces of carefully chosen American sculpture to the museum including local and regional artists. Recently a second collection of nearly 1,000 pieces of authentic tribal African and Oceanic art was added by a collector from California.
“Ours is really a collection of collections,” Perez said.
“With the breadth and diversity of our collections, LAMOA could be on the international list of art museums to visit,” Tatter said. “Of course, our initial and primary focus is for our community and all the ages within it: children, young people and our elderly members.”
One of its education programs was held at a local Montessori school, Perez said. Large mattress boxes from a local furniture store were made into a cave and the children studied and then mimicked the cave paintings and handprints of famous cave paintings such as Lascaux. To really get the full effect, Tatter purchased battery powered candles so the children could explore their artwork by flickering candlelight.
Regarding LAOMA’s recent exhibit at the Fuller Lodge Art Center, Tatter said they enjoyed their six-week opportunity to share part of their collections with the community and visiting tourists.
“It’s been wonderful,” she said, pointing out that the exhibit attracted visitors from 24 states and Puerto Rico and 10 countries.
“It’s a pleasure to share the art with others,” Perez said. “Getting to share that with the community – I think that is the most important part.”
If interested in supporting LAMOA, call 505.662.5496 or write to PO Box 790, Los Alamos NM 87544. For more information, visit www.lamoa.us.
