The dance was really fun. We’ll have another dance the first Friday in April!
When the old Territorial House burned on July 23, 2012, I was saddened by the damage to the historic landmark I had grown up with, worked on, and even performed in. The demolition started last week and the first two photos show all that was left of it at 8:00 am this morning. I took the last photo of the orange barrels on my way to class this afternoon as I imagined the stormy sky marked the time that the last vestiges of the T-House were dumped in a trucked to be hauled away. The site where the 213 year old hacienda once stood was vacant and scraped clean when I passed by on my way home tonight.
I met the artist working on the installation a 2nd and Gold this morning. The installation is Jane Gordon’s MFA Thesis Exhibit called “Gathering.” She describes it as a “Site-based art installation in a public space.” She uses a variety of materials and processes “to explore a personal, historic, and forward-looking narrative of labor, struggle, survival, and hope in a time of ecological and social uncertainty.” The exhibit will be officially open from February 9 — March 30, and there is an opening reception on Saturday, February 9 from 3pm to 6pm.
Film crews often block streets and take our parking in downtown Albuquerque. They had 3rd Street blocked off the between Gold and Central the other night while filming “Force of Execution” with Steven Seagal. While I was making my way out of downtown the same night, I noticed the Kimo Theater’s marque read “Story of Film.”
If you are fortunate enough to live in the Albuquerque area, or if you are visiting during the month of December here are a few things you can do:
On December 1st at 5:00 pm, Quintessence Choral Artists of the Southwest will be performing “A Winter’s Journey” at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1100 Indian School Rd., NE, and at 3:00 pm on December 2nd at St. John’s United Methodist Church, 2626 Arizona NE.
Also starting Sunday, December 2nd and running through December 28th from 10-5 daily is the Annual New Mexico Photographic Art Show in the Fine Arts Building at New Mexico Expo (enter the San Pedro and Copper Gate). Our good friend and fellow photographer Susan Graham got a couple of photos of the demolition of the houses on our property in August in the show.
On December 4th at 7:30 pm, the UNM Symphony Orchestra is performing Mozart’s Grand Mass in C, K. 427 at Popjoy Hall at the University of New Mexico. Suzette, one of the lovely women in Wild Women Wednesday, is singing with the University Chorus.
On December 8th at 7:30 pm, the Central United Methodist Church’s Chancel Choir will be performing Handel’s Messiah with the New Mexico Philharmonic Orchestra, and on Sunday December 9th at 3:00 pm at Central United Methodist Church, 201 University Blvd, NE. My blog The Messiah is Coming has all the details. Laurie, Suzette, and Nicole Larson (all of whom have appeared in Photo of the Day, Etc. this month) are singing the Messiah with the Chancel Choir.
When you think of icons and landmarks you can’t get much better than the painting of the Duke in the Frontier Restaurant across from UNM’s new School of Architecture Building on Route 66 in the Duke City. John Wayne stares, from his large portrait hanging on a south wall in the Frontier, straight out north windows at the new Architecture building across Central Ave (Old Route 66). While I was waiting to cross Central on my way to the Frontier, I heard engines roaring and tires squealing and zoomed my lens toward Girard to capture either a car chase or car race on Old Route 66. One of my clients thinks I need to make another edition of my photo book Route 66 Albuquerque’s Central Avenue After Dark and include images like these. He thinks the book is incomplete without a photo of the painting of the Duke in the Frontier and a photo of the School of Architecture Building at night.