For Peñasco artist Mary Arose Hines-Martinez, the land of Northern New Mexico holds an especially personal significance, and with the opening of her new gallery — MAH Creative — she is inviting everyone to join her in celebrating both the close-knit family of High Road artists as well as her own generational ties to the region.
Plan on stopping by MAH Creative, located across from the Peñasco post office on NM 75 for the opening reception on Saturday (Nov. 5) from 1 to 4 p.m. The free and family-friendly event is open to all, with light refreshments and works from many of the notable local artists and artisans.
“I had planned to open the gallery with a solo show in 2023, but after seeing the awesome work of local artists here, I felt moved to open the gallery sooner and begin with displaying the community’s work,” she said.
“This show is a blend of fine art and folk art,” she continued. “We are working to provide art across the price spectrum, so that there is something here for everyone. Providing economic opportunities for local creative producers is one of the big goals, while having a venue to showcase what this community has to offer. For me, it’s about diversity and empowering artists to express their unique perspectives, while also honoring the rich heritage of this place."
Rafa Tarín, Jean Nichols, Gloria Maestas, Tomas Montaño, Nancy Davis, Sharon Arellano, Lise Poulsen, Marlene Gray and artists from the Peñasco Artisan Collective are among those included in this inaugural exhibition, which focuses on Dia de los Muertos as its theme.
“It’s been a memory of mine growing up watching my mother create altars for our deceased loved ones during this time of year, and lighting candles for them,” Hines-Martinez recalled, noting that her maternal grandparents were heirs to property in Llano Largo as part of the Santa Barbara Land Grant — which her family still owns.
“This was one of the ways I learned about my cultural heritage, by creating a ritual to remember the ones who have come before us. For example, my grandmother loved chocolate so much she was buried with a chocolate bar in her hand. I will be offering my grandmother a chocolate bar to bring her spirit near,” Hines-Martinez explained, in referencing her installation altar piece included in the show.
It was also not lost on her that the property she and her husband, David Hines, purchased over the summer belonged to the late Peñasco artist, Nancy McLendon, and was the location of McLendon’s gallery, Walking Woman. When first shown the home and gallery, “I could feel a very powerful light and energy inside of the gallery space. It was as if Nancy’s presence was still in the space, and the baton was now being passed to me.”
In addition to her installation pieces, Hines-Martinez will be exhibiting other works including her paintings. “One of my paintings, ‘Land Ablaze,’ emerged in response to the fires burning in the surrounding areas this spring. The painting commemorates the trees and souls lost during the fires,” she noted.
Hines-Martinez received her formal training at Emily Carr University of Art & Design and spent the past decade working primarily as a graphic designer and video producer, she said. “Moving to Peñasco and opening the gallery has inspired me to go deeper into painting, mixed media and installation work.”
"Although Día de los Muertos is traditionally a Mexican holiday, I have seen my mother and many other people from New Mexico celebrate this tradition by creating altars of their loved ones in their homes during this time of year. I figured this would be a great opportunity for us to celebrate this tradition together as a community,” she said.
The exhibition will be available for viewing through Nov. 23, and she noted, “The gallery will be open primarily around the peak hours of the Sugar Nymphs Cafe. If you’re interested in seeing the show outside of those hours, you can set up an appointment by calling 505-577-2066, or just stopping by when you see the open sign.”
It seems MAH Creative will be a welcome addition to the High Road Artisans collective which, for decades, has been promoting the prodigious talent that exists amongst the pastoral villages dotting the landscape between Taos and Santa Fe. Their message continues to grow: do not let the sleepiness fool you. Behind those studio and gallery doors, the creative force is explosive, and welcomes you inside.
MAH Creative is located at 14197 NM 75, Peñasco.
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