A community art and story project comes to fruition
NeoRio cubes made by artists and others reflect the theme of ‘home’
In the NeoRio 2020 project, people responding to the theme of home to reflect together during the global pandemic to deepen understanding of collective experiences at this time.
“This year’s NeoRio project affirms that we each have a unique experience of the world and something valuable to express. As we navigate the turbulent seas of the global pandemic together from our own boats, reflection helps us to make sense of it all,” said Claire Coté, project director, in a statement.
Make sense of it all and share your vision with others as part of NeoRio 2020.
Participating in this project may require some people to step outside of their comfort zone. “This is part of the invitatio – to try something different and stretch ourselves. Project organizers hope that these different ways of sharing parts of ourselves and connecting with others on the theme of home during the pandemic will open doors to conversation and exchange that might not otherwise take place,” according to NeoRio organizers.
There are three platforms for NeoRio 2020: Home. All are free to participants:
• The online exhibition, “Home: Thinking Inside and Outside the Box”;
• NeoRio Roundtable Art and Story Sharings via Zoom;
• The “Home Digital Archive.”
Online exhibition
Over the past couple of months there has been an open call for participation in the NeoRio online exhibition. Nearly 30 submissions have been received from adult practicing artists, but also from kids, teens, parents, grandparents, teachers, graphic designers, entrepreneurs, coaches, outdoor enthusiasts, an herbalist, a medical practitioner, a salon owner and a librarian.
“It’s wonderful to witness the diversity of people who have chosen to take part and fascinating to see and hear their different creative approaches to home during this unprecedented time,” said Coté in a statement.
All participants in the online exhibition were provided with a common starting point: a 7-by7-by-7-inch wooden box with a removable lid, made specially for this project, as well as the prompts, “What does home mean to you? Think inside and outside the box!” Each participant was also asked to submit a short audio reflection or story. Why audio?
“Sharing stories connects us with one another and is an opportunity to be vulnerable and courageous. Hearing a person’s story in his or her own voice deepens its significance and impact and linking unique cube artworks and audio stories is proving to be fascinating,” Coté said.
Explore, appreciate and purchase works for sale at the online exhibition starting Oct. 8 at LEAPsite.org.
Roundtable Art and Story Sharings
All are invited to a dynamic, quick-moving series of community roundtables on Zoom, this year’s version of NeoRio “artist talks” in connection with the online exhibition. Participating artists will share their cube artworks and their home reflections and stories on Oct. 9-11. Choose one, or come to all three Zoom sessions – Friday (Oct. 9) at 7 p.m.; Saturday (Oct. 10) at 4 p.m.; and Sunday (Oct. 11) at 4 p.m. More info and sign-up link at LEAPsite.org.
The online home story-sharing events and archive is a collaboration with Questa Stories ~ Community Memory Project at QuestaStories.org.
Contribute to the ongoing Home Digital Archive
The Home Digital Archive is a more open-ended digital collection point for artworks, creative expressions, writings, songs, videos, stories, poems, memories, reflections, conversations, images and artifacts inspired by or connected to home. Contributions can be created or recorded especially for this project or can be something you’ve made in the past. Organizers are particularly interested in hearing your short home audio stories and reflections.
“By ‘story’ we simply mean a short reflection on a time in your life, a person, place, food, experience, memory, idea or object that relates to or represents home to you. You can use a smartphone to record your story or we are happy to record it for you over the phone,” said Gaea McGahee, NeoRio collaborator and co-founder of Questa Stories.
Submissions of any form are welcome throughout the fall and beyond to be included in the NeoRio 2020: Home archive.
How to contribute to the Home Online Archive
Create a home artwork or other creative expression (see above);
Make it able to be shared digitally: photos, video, scans, Word document, etc. (help provided with this if needed);
And/or record a short audio reflection or story;
Email these with your name and contact info to emailforleap@ gmail.com.
NeoRio is a venue for innovative art, experimental thinking, education, and exchange. For the past 11 years it has been a public gathering and celebration; artists, participants and collaborators have enjoyed thought-provoking art installations at Wild Rivers on the rim of the Río Grande Gorge, a farm-to-table feast, music, poetry and artist talks.
This year a pandemic-responsive, transformed NeoRio takes place through your creative participation at home and online. NeoRio is a project of LEAP in partnership with Questa Creative Council and Localogy.
The free NeoRio event is supported by individual donations, local business and media sponsorships as well as grant support. This project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts, Taos Community Foundation and Drawing on Earth, with additional sponsorships from Questa Economic Development Fund, Questa del Rio News, Questa Visitor Center, Taos Public Library, Zia Event Design, North Star Toys, Questa Lumber and Hardware, Sage Automatic Systems and generous individual donors and volunteers.
Find more information at
Of Questa and a resident of Miners Colfax Medical Center, Raton, NM, passed away peacefully following an extended illness on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Felix was born October 26, 1933, in Amalia, NM, to Epifanio Miguel and Mary Ruth Archuleta who have preceded him in death. Felix is also preceded in death by his brothers Jerry, Cruz, Elivinio, Epifanio, and George, sisters Lucille Guerra and Lillian Duran, cousin and best friend Elias Miera, special aunt Salomé Martinez, and beloved friends Mary Arellano, José “Beto” Herrera, and Jake Tapia. He proudly raised six children who he is survived by; Felix Jr “Tato”, Patsy (Lorenzo) Aceves, Raymond “Dino”, Denise (Edward) Vigil, Deborah Carrol, and Jamie (Renée). Felix is also survived by brothers Jimmy (Dianna), and Rudy, sisters Mildred (Angelio) DeHerrera and Stella (Ben) Martinez, brother-in-law Gilbert Guerra, sister-in-law Nora Lozano, grandchildren Michelle, Lorenzo, Sonya, and Ruby, 7 great-grandchildren, godsons Lawrence “Lolo” Archuleta, Julian Salazar, and Bryan Salazar, goddaughters, Betty DeLatorre and Maxine Mascarenas and many other nieces, nephews, family and friends. Felix was also instrumental and an important part of the lives of the late Mary Arellano and her daughters Angela, Leonora, and Velma, as well as their children and grandchildren, whom he considered as family. Felix lived out his earlier years in Amalia, Cerro, Boone and Pueblo, Colorado, Eagle Nest, and Ranchos de Taos. Felix later moved back to where he considered home in Cerro and Questa. In July 2012, and after many years of hard work, he became a resident of Miners Colfax Medical Center, Raton, NM, where he succumbed to his battle with dementia. A hard worker his entire life, he left school early to support his family, from his early years, working the potato fields in southern Colorado and later making his career in mining throughout Colorado and New Mexico at NORAD, Navajo Dam, and finally retiring from Molycorp Mine, Questa and Summitville Mine, Del Norte, Colorado. He was also an entrepreneur and co-owned and operated several restaurants in Questa, Eagle Nest, and Ranchos de Taos. Felix enjoyed fishing, all sports, family visits, and expressed joy with both prayer and music. Felix was a humble, yet strong and resilient man (by many, he was considered the strongest man who ever worked for Molycorp), and he was loved and respected by everyone who knew him. He will be forever missed. The family is forever grateful to Miners Colfax Medical Center (Long Term Care) who provided 24-hour care to Felix for over 8 years, and who effectively also became an extended family to Felix and his family. There are too many staff members to list, as each one of them played an important part in providing love and care to Felix. The family also would like to thank St. Anthony’s Parish, the Reverend Andrew Ifele and staff, Rivera Funeral Home, and all who visited and prayed for him during his illness. Services with COVID-19 safe-practices and limited attendance will be held at Sagrado Corazon Catholic Church in Costilla, NM on Saturday, October 10, 2020, with Rosary commencing at 10:00am followed by Funeral Mass at 11:00am. Burial with COVID-19 safe-practices will follow at the Amalia Cemetery. Arrangements by Rivera Family Funeral Home. To share a memory, please visit our website at www.riverafuneralhome.com