TAO EDUCATION PROGRAMS

TAO Summer Arts

"TAO Summer Arts" & "Neighborhood Arts"

For me, one of the best things about being an artist is the freedom to express myself. When I imagine a new piece I think in the round and the symbolic form comes to mind. Do you remember your first art experience? How did this effect your life as a "real" artist. Who were your influences? A parent, a teacher, maybe a trip to a museum? Here in Taos, a group of TAO members who happen to be art teachers are using their influence to enrich the lives of the youth in our community. 

Lorrie Bortner, Jan Haller and I have teamed up together to create "TAO Summer Arts". We wrote grants and actually received a few small contributions to the Program. I had to back out because of limited funds but Lorrie and Jan taught their classes- Mural Painting and Expressive Painting at locations in Taos to youth ages 5-12. The classes were free to the kids and they had a fabulously enriching time. 

The other Program spearheaded by TAO member, Sienna Sanderson , in which Lorrie Bortner, Jan Haller, Barbara Barrett, Jon Greenley, Mary Barnes  and I participated in is the "Neighborhood Arts" Program. This program sponsored by TAO, The Harwood Museum of Art, the Town of Taos and YouthHeartline is also free to youth and brought art making to neighborhoods in Taos. Tents, which became art rooms, were set up in a trailer park behind Walmart and the kids and their families joined together for mask making, collage, murals and painting. What fun we have been having and what a great opportunity to use our skills as artists and teachers to influence the young artists of tomorrow. See the photos above and below. There will be more programs like this in the near future and we will be contacting artists interested in teaching in similar programs. Look for the emails...

Neighborhood Arts

Summer... hot days filled with hot art and artists

TAO 's First Masquerade Ball was a success!  

If you did not make it to the Masquerade Ball, enjoy these photos and see what you missed. Great masks with costumes adorned.  There was food, drinks and plenty of art on view at the Taos Art Plaza- the venue for the Ball. We thank Josie Lenwell (seen in center- photo below) for sharing her photos of the event.

Taos Art School- new brochure

Ursula from the Taos Art School has put a mention of TAO in their new brochure on page 43. It is great to see art groups in Taos working together and supporting each other. They want to offer all of the members of TAO a 15% discount on tuition for any class. check out their web site www.taosartschool.org

SELLING MORE ART

The Michael Shorr Workshop on "Selling More Art: new internet media" was filled with information to move forward on your own. There are two Tuesdays left- April 7th & 21st at Kit Carson conference room 7-8:30 pm. $10-50 (pay what feels right) for the two remaining classes. Don't miss it!! Testimonials from the first class: "Really informative and eye opening. I look forward to delving into the rest of it"-  Bonnie Cooper; " It's an honor for TAO to have Michael Shorr sharing his knowledge, expertise and secrets. He shows us how to use new media to increase our unique profitable communications about our artwork" - WhiteHawk

Check out this link below for more info:

http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/289756/060a4f6e8e/TEST/TEST/

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$$ Opportunity Housing Art Students

Interested in making money housing an adult student for a week this summer. This is a great way to make new friends and earn money at the same time. 

Call Marilynn Nicholson at 758-0207

Marilynn Nicholson Taos School of Metalsmithing & Lapidary Design 

http://www.taosjewelryschool.com

New Mexico Wax

"Waning and Waxing: The Resurgence of Encaustic": an exhibition for New Mexico Wax, a statewide organization for encaustic artists - March 20 - May 2 at Zane Bennett Contemporary, 435 South Guadalupe, Santa Fe. Opening Reception:  Friday, March 20 from 5-7 PM. Demonstrations and Gallery Talk: Saturday, March 21 from 1-4 PM.

Our own Harriette Tsosie is in the exhibition and the founder of New Mexico Wax.

Call to all Artists: Friday, March 6th, 9 AM -5 PM

Museum of New Mexico Foundation
The Taos Artists’ Organization is pleased to introduce an exciting professional opportunity for artists, writers, and musicians living and working in Taos County. TAO will be working in conjunction with the Museum of New Mexico Foundation’s “New Mexico Creates” marketing and sales program to promote economic access for our local creative community to regional, national, and global markets.

The Museum of New Mexico Foundation operates gift shops in the state’s museums where quality arts, crafts, music CD’s, and books by local authors are sold directly to museum visitors. The Foundation also operates a highly successful website at http://www.newmexicocreates.com/.
The jury will consist of three buyers who will assess artwork, music CD’s, and literary work based on quality, authenticity, and salability. They will be looking for mid to high end products. Artists can bring photos, portfolios, samples of their work, a business card, and a bio. Artists, especially jewelers, who wish to have their work purchased during the visit should bring a wide selection of pieces for the buyers to consider. Details of the artist’s contract will be explained at the time of the buyers’ visit.

The team from the Museum Foundation will be at the Taos Visitors Center, 1139 Paseo del Pueblo Sur on Friday, March 6th, from 9 a.m. thru 5 p.m. Please RSVP at the TAO office, 751-0071.

MARCH 1st - General Meeting

On Sunday, March 1st at 3:00 pm TAO is having it's general meeting in the Taos Visitors Center Board Room. Please attend! We will be discussing the Spring Event "That Was Then This is TAO - an exhibition of LOVE". May 16 - June 21 are the exhibition dates, held at the Taos Art PLaza - TAP. Let's discuss LOVE subjects (all and everything) for the show, display, party, open mic nights and what you can do to help in the success of this event.
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ARTISTS ABOUT TOWN


Lorrie Bortner is included in the show March of the Wild Hair - Hare, at Jandreau Art, 105A Quesnal, Taos. Opening: Saturday March 7, 3-6pm, come for a Tea party and fun events. Contact: Lorrie at 751-0493. She is also included in the Millicent Rogers Minature Show.


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Diana Rico...on the Artsist Workshop

Thank you for the opportunity to teach the artist’s statement workshop. The participants’ responses were so heartening, I got inspired and wrote a post for my blog. I will send it in a separate email to the workshoppers, but here is the link, if you want to share it with the general TAO membership:http://theloveartblog.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/try-a-little-tenderness/ And speaking of that, I would like to offer all TAO members $5 off the JumpstART Creativity Workshops I am teaching Saturday 2/28 and 3/7 (I will be covering different material each day, and people can sign up for one or both). These are designed to address any sort of fear or blockage someone is having at any point in their creative process. I’m attaching a flier, if you want to email that to the membership as well. Thanks so much!
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The Boom is Over. Long Live the Art by Holland Cotter
Sunday New York Times, February 15, 2009
I invite all of TAO members to read this article from the New York Times on the future of art [in this economy]. It is a short history of contemporary art as well as a testiment to how we are all in this together.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/arts/design/15cott.html?_r=1&em=&pagewanted=all>

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TAO Networking Party

TAO Networking Party is happening on Thursday, February 12th from 5:30-7:30. Come and find out about what TAO is doing for 2009. Members bring a friend who is curious about TAO. Tables will be set up with information on various Committees including: PR, Studio Tour, Education, Catalogue, Artist Directory and more. TAO Board of Directors will be present to answer questions. Fun for all, refreshments served. Members are asked to bring a napkin finger-food to share. Location: Taos Art Plaza, 223 Paseo del Pueblo Sur.

Artists Speak Out

TAO Member Josie Lenwell participates in a Peace Demonstration in Washington, DC during Barack Obama's Inauguration

"Code Pink and Veterans Against the War formed in 2002, and both groups become well-known nationally for their outspoken tactics"..."even now, the press can count on someone from Code Pink to interrupt General Petraeus when he gives an Iraq progress report." -taken from the Village Voice 

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/01/