‘Thicket’ by Gloria Sharp
Village Arts News:
Village Arts hosts “Where the Wild Things Are” through the end of March to mark the 60 year anniversary of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book winning the Caldecott Medal. Everyone is invited to step through the doors to where the walls have turned into forests and strange and wild things peer out from between the leaves.
“When we first sketched ideas for shows in 2024, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ was definitely the favorite with the community,” owner Ken Nebel said. With over 40 pieces from artists all over Northern New Mexico it’s easy to see that the theme resonated broadly. It’s easy to see that Los Alamos and the surrounding region value their wild land, wild life, and wild imagination!
Where else but Village Arts would you find Michael Andryc’s Frog Prince hanging out with Sue Ellen Hains’ “Cyclops, One Eyed Intrudor” or dragons by Ann Greene and Fran Stoval? These more fantastical creatures share the spotlight with the wildlife artwork of Mary Cardin, Phyllisha Hamrick, and others. Gloria Sharp’s “Thicket”, Susan Nichols’ “La Cueva East Fork”, Jocelyn Warner’s “Woodland Heart”, and Mary Jo Kelly’s “Wild Plum” series delve deep into the wild environments that offer safe harbor to both the viewer and the creatures that covert between them.
Other artists added a different lens to the show with pieces like “Oops” by photographer Stephen Ledoux and “Ailment and Angst” by ceramicist Darla Thompson who both turn things on their heads. Theresa McPherson’s “Fly Blackbird” pulls together traditional elements with the iconography of the 1960’s and Stephanie Hagelberg’s “Waste Not Want Not” and Katy Korkos’ O.W.L. synthesize all things wild and whimsical by working with fiber, found objects, and color.
Each artist pulled and teased out different interpretations of what it means to be “Wild”, which results in a truly unique experience when they all come together in the same room. Sendak once said, “That’s what art is. You don’t make up stories. You live your life,” and we hope that we’ve done him proud!
Village Arts hopes you’ll come in for some inspiration, to vote on your favorite pieces, or give an artist the ultimate compliment by making a piece your own! Village Arts’ mission is to provide inspiration and tools for artists and hobbyists from start to finish, and custom archival framing for all those memories Los Alamos is busy creating!
Village Arts at 216 DP Road and is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Find out more on social media or www.villagearts. Visit framing.com.
‘Kissing the Frog’ by Michael Andryc. Courtresy/VA
