The High Road art tour
THE HIGH ROAD to Taos is a long and winding one, traversing indigenous lands and the colonial remnants of New Spain, and holding wonders around every bend. It’s a landmark road trip whose reputation for beauty, culture and history is well-deserved along each of its 60 miles.
With the landscape changing from green to gold and the air sparkling with an autumn chill, it is the perfect time for a visit and the High Road Artisans annual Studio Tour is giving you just the excuse to do so. Tap in to the excitement and energy that’s being served up for your utmost enjoyment.
Now in its 25th year, the tour begins this Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 17-18) and continues next weekend (Sept. 24-25) during the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Follow the road between Taos and Nambé, through the enchanting villages of Peñasco, Vadito, Picuris Pueblo, Chamisal, Ojo Sarco, Llano San Juan, Las Trampas, Truchas, Córdova, Cundiyo, and Chimayo. Dozens of galleries and studios will have their doors thrown open and ready to welcome you to their smorgasbord of traditional and contemporary arts and crafts.
“This studio tour is like a treasure hunt full of surprises as you set off exploring,” Vadito fine artist Chris Morel affirmed. The award-winning landscape painter is one of 40 artists who will be welcoming visitors to his studio and gallery during the tour.
Treasure hunt, indeed. In addition to Morel’s stunning landscapes you’ll find ceramics, glassware and pottery; metalwork, stonework and sculptures; paintings, watercolors and drawings; prints, monotypes and giclées; fiber arts; photography; jewelry; weaving, textiles, clothing; wood carvings, woodwork and furniture; folk art, tinwork and games; and santos, retablos, and bultos.
After being unavailable to the tour due to COVID, “Sipapu Resort has opened its day room again to host three fine artists — two painters and a ceramicist — which really amps up the excitement again,” noted Morel. “It’s more to appreciate for visitors heading south on the High Road.”
The Ojo Sarco studio of Jean Whettnall and Anne Hendrie is another stop you won’t want to miss, with Whettnall’s evocative and organic paintings and the unconventional furniture which is a collaboration between the two. His talent for woodworking and design combines with Hendrie’s beautiful finishes, resulting in a surprising and accessible combination of whimsy and function.
And this year the studio tour includes several new participants, including artist Tomas Montaño, who recently returned to the region. He noted the nostalgia for his childhood in Peñasco which translates today into his eclectic fine art seasoned with the ancestral line work of early pueblo potters and the modern influences of late 20th century New York street art.
“Tomas is a master painter and printer and a wonderful addition to our art community,” said both Nick Beason and Lise Poulsen, the husband-andwife team behind Gaucho Blue Fine Art gallery.
‘Jour de Fête’ by Mesdames Carton
Beason’s own printmaking similarly draws upon such influences as Jean-Michel Basquiat, making for some of the most compelling imagery you’ll find along the High Road. And Poulsen’s “Bosch” series of felted creatures are a perfect foil for Beason’s monotypes. “We also provide a place where some of the outstanding local artists can show and sell their work.”
Photographer Chuck Jones and his wife, screenwriter/bassist/actor/director Suzanne Birrell, own a studio in
Chimayó showcasing their work: palladium photographic prints tweaked with the couple’s signature artistry. Look for the ChimayóChicken® band welcoming visitors to their exceptional showcase.
The return of the Youth Art Show is yet another highlight of this year’s tour. After a pandemic-induced hiatus, the environmentally focused show — to be held at the Peñasco Theatre — will feature art from local students aged 18 and younger.
Artist Blair Brown explained, “The theme of this year’s show is ‘Protect our forest as in turn it protects us’ and, working with art teacher Alessandra Ogren, students were asked to submit art along with an artist statement pertaining to their work.” Visitors of the studio tour are then encouraged to vote for their favorites and cash awards will be presented to the winners in three age categories.
Last year the tour saw a pronounced uptick in visitors from across the country, thanks in part to The High Road Artisans app that had recently premiered. But whether you are a local or from out of town, the download makes navigating the tour so much easier with its maps and studio information. The app also provides access to cultural, historical, and art-related blogs and links, according to Jones and Birrell, who designed and launched it.
“There is a lot of ground to cover and a lot to see,” said Jones. “The app will help you best plan your visit so you don’t miss anything.”
It’s true that information is empowering: now that it’s yours, relax and appreciate the many cultural intersections you’ll encounter along the High Road trail.