Arte de Descartes XX at the Stables Gallery
Interview with Wholly Rags founder, Melissa Larson
ARTE DE DESCARTES XX, the 20th annual, juried recycled art show, will be featuring an actual opening on Saturday (Sept. 26), from 4-8 p.m at the Stables Gallery, at 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte.
Melissa Larson, can you tell us a bit about yourself, how long you have been in Taos and the work you do?
I’ve lived in Taos for 33 years. I first visited in 1972 then went back and forth from San Francisco to Taos and Mexico for different periods in the ‘80s and finally settled here. In 1995 we established the Taos Community Freebox at the Taos Recycling Yard, as a place to leave, take or exchange old clothes.
Wholly Rags began in 1998 out of the old Smith’s incubator space run by Taos County Economic Development Corporation. Our mission was to conserve the culture of making things from old cloth and save textile material from being dumped and wasted in landfills. By the same token, we encouraged recycling of materials to grow, and for places to incorporate recycling and composting into their systems. Our work at Wholly Rags includes teaching children and others to sew, making products and having people come together and sew here. We also put on Arte de Descartes and an annual quilt show at Taos Public Library. The first Arte de Descartes show was held at Old Martinez Hacienda in 2000.
This is your 20th annual show – congratulations – and you are having an actual, not virtual opening! Tell our readers a little about this year’s event.
The show has evolved over the years and many of the artists we can count on to enter with new offerings to surprise and amaze you. Sculpture of animals made of wood scrap, metal scrap, abstract and realistic sculptures and paintings, collages, quilts, rag rugs, lamps, furniture, jewelry – all types of recycled folk art, some sleek, some funky. The jury rates the first, second, and third prizes and a few honorable mentions, and there is a people’s choice award you can vote on.
These are interesting times to be sure – how has the pandemic influenced and informed the creative choices you are making currently?
I dislike the divisive politics and try to exist apart from the mainstream. I choose to go on making things, teaching sewing, having art shows, because, why not? I want people to have fun and enjoy the outdoor atmosphere around the show, and also to come to our low key reception and enjoy the art.
Tell us about the theme of this exhibit.
Arte de Descartes (art from discards) is always a real variety show. People will have fun viewing the show (it’s good for children, too). Perhaps they will be inspired to recycle more and waste less. This year there are some pieces about the coronavirus, including a story quilt made by different members of the community. The only theme is to use recycled materials to make art, so it leaves room for a lot of freedom.
What’s next for Arte de Descartes?
Who knows what is next? We go about our lives day by day, hoping to see another one. There is nothing guaranteed. We are grateful for all the years we’ve done this show, and we hope to continue to do our thing. There will always be something different as long as people stay creative.