Artist Reception This Saturday

By John Bertrand
for the Mountain Mail

A pair of venerable art forms, origami and stained glass, will be brought to life for viewers in demonstrations by practicing artists this Saturday, Oct. 2, at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. The demonstrations, along with the work of other artists inspired by the natural world, will be featured at the Friends of the Bosque del Apache annual Artists’ Reception from 1-4 p.m. in the visitor center.
Origami is the art of paper folding originated in Japan during the 17th Century.  Local artist and New Mexico Tech student Isabel McCoy will illustrate how two small rectangles of paper can become a colorful, durable set of origami earrings.  McCoy, a Socorro native who and home-schooled high school graduate, was introduced to origami through a book on crafts.  Her works were first offered for sale in Socorro at the former Martha’s Black Dog.  The Bosque Nature Store currently offers her crane earrings.

How to create smaller decorative objects from stained glass using modern techniques adapted from thousand-year-old artworks will be displayed in demonstrations by Truth or Consequences artist Candace Michalski. She began learning her craft at an art-glass studio in Redding, Calif., 16 years ago.  Two years ago, Michalski moved with her husband to T or C and built a back-yard studio.  Her works have been displayed in T or C at Celestial Creations.  She was awarded first and second place for entries in both the 2008 and 2009 Sierra County Fairs.  Michalski has designed commercial installations in restaurants and other locations across America.  Her decorative pieces are carried in the Bosque Nature Store and online at www.designs-in-stained-glass.artfire.com.

Pictures: (top) Isabel McCoy
(bottom) Candace Michalski

Photos courtesy of Bosque del Apache NWR

Artist Reception This Saturday