Dear MMAC Members
A ho, ho, ho to you this holiday season in honor of a very jolly year thanks to the support and enthusiasm of all you Manzano Mountain Arts Council member elves!
When I accepted the presidency last spring, I told my board I was only willing to do this because the organization was at a place where people were working together, taking a lot of responsibility, and full of creative enthusiasm. Well, that was even more true than I realized at the time, and I am very pleased to be the president of this organization with such a strong, committed membership and a hard working, talented board (thank you Addie Draper, Mary Schultz, Norma Pineda, Nancy Stone, Christine Franks, Lydia Strickland, Kathy Davies, Nancy Townson, Kent Potter and Dianne Doan).
2011 started very “deliciously” with a Sweet Retreat at Alpine Alley where the membership gave valuable feedback to past and future programs. We had a raffle of the fine work of three local artists and enjoyed refreshments made by Mary Childers. Sweet Retreat II is planned for February, 2012 (can you believe it is really going to be 2012?!)
The most exciting accomplishment this year was the opening of Mountain Arts on Broadway – an art center providing space for workshops, classes, and artist studios as well as a venue for informal performances and get togethers. Many thanks to our landlord, Phil Archuletta, who lets us rent the space for a very nominal fee and to all the volunteers who put in many, many hours of work to renovate the space – Tomas Wolff, Celeste Simon (and visiting friend!), Dean Schroeder, Kathy Baur, Elaine Zabor, and Kent Potter were the main workers, but I know there were others who gave their time – thank you all.
“Bach and Brownies” was the fundraiser that assured a strong start to the art center. James Yeager presented a concert on the harpsichord that was amazing and he entertained us with historical anecdotes about the instrument and its composers that made the afternoon one to remember in Mountainair. With James’ and Elaine’s monetary match and the funds contributed, Mountain Arts on Broadway was able to get off to a strong start with a feeling of real community support.
Additionally, the year saw programming that included a June Chautauqua (with Western performer Steve Cormier), a July performance of the Community Chorus, another successful and fun Sunflower Festival in August, the ever popular De Profundis in September, The Palomas Trio fundraiser at Joan Bybee’s and Ira Jaffe’s in October, a delightful performance by Kathleen Clute of some of the pieces on her new album, and a wonderful variety of classes and workshops at the new art center. Thanks to the Bybee Foundation we were able to bring the Santa Fe Opera in for a week residency at the Elementary School in the spring and the National Dance Institute of New Mexico just completed a week residency in December – high quality programming and quite an opportunity for the young people of a small town like Mountainair.
We once again received our major grant from New Mexico Arts – thank you Karen Smith for your grant writing skills. Tomas Wolff applied for and received a grant from New Mexico Clay Association that paid for children’s clay classes this summer. Some wonderful very recent news is that a grant Kathy Davies wrote to BNSF Railroad was successful and they are sending $2,500 our way!
I apologize if there are events and people I have overlooked - we had such a rich and full year! We have new and exciting events planned for 2012. I hope you all will keep communicating your thoughts and desires regarding programming and will continue your much appreciated membership support. Have a safe (take care in all this snow and mud!) and happy holiday!
Anne Ravenstone
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