Collectors Corner! Ed Sandoval's Newsletter (Taos, NM)

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Collectors Corner!

Ed Sandoval Gallery's Newsletter

119 Quesnel Street, Taos, NM 87571

www.edsandovalgallery.com

edsandovalart@gmail.com

(575) 770-6360

Our Land of Enchantment

It’s the slow season in Taos, so, like last year, my gallery is open by appointment until about mid-March. "By Appointment" shouldn't sound formal – it just means that if I know someone wants to visit, I’ll go in. Simple. I ramp up my painting during this time but also sneak away to explore and have adventures on the open road. I never used to take road trips, but now I can’t seem to get enough of them. For spectacular, stunning beauty, I highly recommend taking the back roads throughout New Mexico.

Our enchanted landscapes are breathtaking, and I’m always amazed and inspired. It truly does me good to immerse myself in the timelessness of nature, to just "be" while looking out upon our mountainous vistas. For this past road trip, we went down to Socorro on I-25, headed west on Highway 60 and stopped for lunch in Magdalena. We knew that driving in remote areas in the middle of winter can be sketchy. Sure enough – while eating a pizza at The Golden Spur Saloon, the dark skies opened up and a sleet/snow mix began to pound down. I mean it came DOWN! The thunderous sound on the tin roof was spooky, and we seriously questioned our trip but decided to carry on SLOWLY.

Rainbow after Emerging from Storm

Golden Spur Saloon (Magdalena)

First Glimpse of the VLA

I'm glad we continued forward. After 30-45 minutes, the snow let up, rainbows appeared, and, under the moody clouds, we got our first glimpse of the Very Large Array (VLA). Yes, that is the actual name of this radio telescope facility. If you saw the movie Contact with Jodie Foster, you know what it looks like. Imposing and sort of surreal...

There are 27 antennas, and each has an 82-foot dish with 8 receivers inside that can tilt up and down and spin around to listen to different parts of space. With a long drive in front of us, we didn’t go to the visitor’s center, where I think you can take a hiking tour to the base of an antenna. Standing there in the middle of nowhere, listening to the howling wind and looking at these VERY large arrays scanning the heavens, you feel eerily connected to the universe.

Moving on, we turned south at Datil, took Highway 12 past Apache Creek and Reserve, hooked up with Highway 180 and headed down toward Glenville. At many points along the way, the scenery was so majestic and awe-inspiring that we kept pulling over to stand in silence while admiring the splendor. Oh my aching heart... the contrast of colors! Layers and distance! And our New Mexico skies... Absolutely drop-dead gorgeous.

Our final destination that day was Pinos Altos, but we wanted to finally visit the Catwalk Recreation Area near Glenwood on the way. I've seen photos – it's a half-mile suspended walkway built along a canyon and over a creek near the Gila Wilderness. Oh I've always wanted to go, and we eagerly turned onto the entrance road. But remember earlier when I mentioned snow? Well, it snowed a LOT that morning, then melted and water was flowing all over the place, including across the entrance to the Catwalk! Aaaarrrg!!!

We decided not to chance driving into rushing water and continued to Pinos Altos, where (of course) we immediately entered the historic Buckhorn Saloon & Opera House for a tasty cocktail. I've written about this incredible place before (opened in the 1860's!), and in the Featured Paintings section below, I've decided to paint this gem of living history.

Another New Mexico Treasure: Mesilla

Our road trip took us into Arizona, where we had all kinds of fun in Bisbee and Tombstone, but I'll wait until next month to talk about those adventures. For now, I want to stay in New Mexico. As a painter of our enchanted land, it's essential for me to fully explore and engage with our villages and vistas with new eyes, to soak up every detail of what makes this place so spiritual and special. And, I might add, although I was born and raised here... and lived my whole life here (except for a few years)... I'm always getting surprised!

Take Mesilla for example. On our way back to Taos, we spent the day in Mesilla (south of Las Cruces) because the historic plaza is so charming. We wanted to go back to La Posta, one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in the Southwest serving within a 150 plus year old adobe. It's HUGE – so many bars, dining rooms and gift shops that you could spend hours wandering (and eating and drinking) and never get bored. I bought several jars of salsa, such as cherry chipotle and green chile peach. Yum!

After lunch at La Posta and shopping, we decided to pop into the Double Eagle for a beer. Holy Culture Shock! Was I in New Mexico or Paris? I spent the next 45 minutes staring at the opulence, hurrying down hallways and peering into every room. I was so taken aback by the lavishness (European oil paintings, crystal chandeliers, gold-leafed columns, marble statues, stained glass, etc.) that I even forgot to order my beer!

I can't really say much more – this is a place you have to personally experience. And if you go to the Double Eagle (which you should!), ask the friendly staff about the ghosts...