Placitas Community Library celebrates indigenous art

Placitas Artwork
“Native Visions” displayed lots of indigenous artwork.
Placitas art
A reception was held Dec. 6hosted by the Art Committee celebrating participating painters, basket weavers, jewelers and sculptors.
Placitas art
Artworks in the exhibition will be available for purchase with a portion of sales benefiting the Placitas Community Library.
Placitas art
Artwork inside Placitas Community Library will remain on display until Jan. 2.
Placitas artwork
The Placitas Community Library Art Committee hosted an exhibition entitled “Native Visions” featuring artists who create and build on traditional forms indigenous art.
Daniel Zuniga
Daniel Zuniga Observer correspondent
Published Modified

PLACITAS — The Placitas Community Library Art Committee held a reception to celebrate indigenous art Dec. 6.

The art exhibit “Native Visions” was held in the Gracie Lee Community Room at the Placitas Community Library and featured local art including works by accomplished Placitas artists Althea Cajero (jeweler), Joe Cajero (sculptor) and Lyle Yazzie (jeweler).

“It is the last of the series for the year. We do several exhibitions during the year,” Art Committee Chairman Geri Verble said. “Whether it’s a sculpture, whether as a painting, jewelry, it all has such symbolism.”

Some of the artwork included paintings, weaved baskets, jewelry and sculptures.

“As a female wearer of jewelry, I have to say that the jewelry is so beautiful ... these people are wonderful craftsmen, and the jewelry is exquisite,” Art Committee member Rebecca Cohen said. “It’s a horizontal painting, and it has iconic imagery — Native American imagery — and it’s just so beautiful. They put it back there, and it draws me in frequently.”

Cohen is referring to the painting entitled “Sun Dance” by Felix Vigil, which is selling for $6,350.

Other notable pieces on display include Cliff Fragua’s “Flight to the Turquoise sky,” M. James Goodman’s “Buffalo Thunder” and “When Two Hearts Meet”, and Bobbie Emerson Kitman’s oil painting “Clearing Storm Over Shiprock Pinnacle.”

The Native Visions art exhibit will be featured in the Gracie Lee Community Room until Jan. 2., and the artwork is available for purchase with a portion of sales benefiting their host building.

“The Art Committee plays an important role in fundraising for the Placitas Community Library. The sales that are generated by the variety of exhibitions, a percentage of the sales go to benefit the library,” Art Committee member Colleen Gregoire said.

The 2025 exhibit series will kick off Jan. 4 with “Legacy Artists: Bunny and Leland Bowen,” and every six weeks change to something new. The Legacy Artists exhibit will run until Jan. 30.

If you have any questions about the art exhibits, contact the Placitas Community Library at 505-867-3355 or visit their website.

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