Esther Jantzen

*PHOTO ESSAY: Albuquerque’s People’s Art—A Small Sample

ART Exhibits, House-sitting, Local Color, PHOTO ESSAYS, TRAVEL / by

*PHOTO ESSAY: Albuquerque’s People’s Art—A Small Sample

ART Exhibits, House-sitting, Local Color, PHOTO ESSAYS, TRAVEL / by

I’ve encountered nothing but kindness and charm in Albuquerque, NM, and I’ve been housesitting in this city for three months already.

Here in Albuquerque’s North Valley where I temporarily live, I’ve explored several walking trails, for this historic area is criss-crossed by ditches. These acequias, in Spanish, are long old trenches of varying widths and depths that sometime during the year, I’m told, carry water to agricultural fields. Much of the time they are dry and dusty; many are lined by ancient cottonwoods. But what I like is that walkers are welcomed in Albuquerque, so people, dogs, and horses amble along the banks of the ditches and over the dirt trails that weave between fields. Of course, we also meander the paved streets alongside both adobe and contemporary homes.

And, as in almost any place where human beings live, there is much to catch the eye of a walker—folk art, people’s art—simple and complex expressions by residents who create, paint, construct, sculpture, and weld in order to make their communities charming. The goddess Serendipity, I believe, leads me to these places. I’m always glad when I’ve remembered to bring my phone-camera with me so can preserve for myself (and you, dear blog reader) the charm of these works.

Here are a few shots taken on walks within about half-an-hour of my house:

The Virgin of Guadalupe is ubiquitous in the Southwest. I assume the people who live behind this adobe wall are seeking her protection and blessing.
Walking along a ditch, I found this lovely guy, standing all by himself on the edge of a field, still dressed for Christmas. What makes me assume he’s a boy? Hmm.
Here’s a close-up of his (or her) hair-do. Please note the spectacles on the nose.
I passed a community garden, all mid-winter ugly, but protected by this beautiful Bucky Fuller dome made of pallet boards.
I entered the garden dome; it was as beautiful inside as out. Hot, tired gardeners must gather there in the evening to discuss compost and soil and seeds, and perhaps have a beer.
This sign explained the dome’s inspiration and intention. The artist is Nina Dubois. It reads, “Hive (SOUND COLONY) references the visionary architecture of R. Buckminster Fuller, whose research into energy and material efficiency was inspired by universally occurring patterns in nature. Hive functions as a gathering space as well as an acoustic chamber.”
This log, transformed into a bear and a cub (I think), sits in an open area not far from a trail.
If you walk around this creature, you’ll see this rugged, ancient face.
In the same location, this elegant fish emerges from the roots of a tree…
…and also this bird figure. The fowl of the air, the fish of the sea, and the mammals of the forest… someone had fun!

As I finished this walk and neared home, I saw a bench (see below). The sign reads, “Sit here. Relax. Enjoy the Now.” So I did. A woman walked past me with a dog and we chatted for a bit. Then feeling restored, I got up. A voice behind me said, “Thank you for sitting there!” I turned around. It was the home owner who’d constructed the bench, thrilled that someone actually used it.

The “Sit Here” bench.

See what I mean about encountering kindness in Albuquerque?