New Moon is set up just the way we want it (for now) and is ready for the public tour, starting from the left upon entering the gallery. The peacock guarding the south window comes from Anna's former venture, Little Maggie's Mercantile, and is an authentic Oaxacan wood carving from the Mendez-Garcia family. The Two Cranes beads and jewelry, Guatemalan beadwork, and handcarved Alaskan salmon pendants lead to a full display of Conne's elegant jewelry along the west wall.
Conne started her finished jewelry line in 2008 to showcase the very best of the beads that she and Dean make in their Magdalena lapidary workshop. Their signature gemstone slide pendants become even more beautiful on Conne's necklaces of gemstones, pearls, and precious metals. Coordinating earrings add a distinctive finishing touch, and Conne offers a great variety at very reasonable prices. She also presents bold and colorful bracelets both from her own workbench and from Guatemala. The window shutters, which Conne stripped and repainted, give the display a rustic feel that nicely complements the adobe building's old-fashioned interior.
Nicole's eye-catching display of tie-dyed clothing and accessories graces the gallery's northwest corner. Her children's clothing is especially popular, and parents can almost always find something to match. Many of Nicole's items, such as the whimsical silk fairy skirts and exquisite velvet dresses, are hand-sewn by local seamstress Jennifer Kent. Contrasting with the summery tie-dyes are Deborah Lear's adorable handknit children's sweaters, which will surely become popular as summer fades. Nicole has provided the colorful backdrop you see throughout the gallery, consisting of both vintage and contemporary textiles primarily from India.
Along the east wall, Anna has set up a mix of her own jewelry, authentic Santo Domingo jewelry by Theodore and Fannie Garcia, several intricate beadwork pieces by local artist Kim Dommer, and a mix of smaller gift items. Many of Anna's and the Garcias' pieces are also currently in the window display, along with a huge rock of mixed crystal and matrix on permanent loan from a friend of the gallery. Anna is almost always working on something when she's here and has been favoring wirework lately, using a mix of thick- and thin-gauge wire to create woven sterling silver settings and accents for the wide variety of gemstones she uses. Conne and Nicole often work on their creations here as well, and we've provided several extra chairs for curious observers.
Deborah Lear's handknit fruit hats for infants and toddlers, shown in the garden basket, have been a big hit, and the steady stream of requests for "grown-up sizes" has prompted Deborah to start a new line of similar hats in wool for the young at heart. Deborah's contemporary realism oil paintings will also be here soon, along with Anna's mosaics in glass and hand-shaped gemstones. We do have some wall space left... for a while, at least. Come in some weekend (we're open Thursday through Sunday, 10 to 5-ish) for the live, guided tour and tell us what you think. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Welcome to New Moon, a collaborative gallery and studio space in Magdalena, New Mexico. Co-founders Nicole Beaudoin, Conne Gibson, and Anna Lear opened New Moon in May 2009 to showcase their unique artistic creations and provide tutorials and workshops to the community. Magdalena's newest art space joins an eclectic mix of galleries, studios, and rock shops featuring many fascinating natural and human-created offerings from this historic area.
New Moon's principals are established artists and community members. Nicole creates her Dancing Rainbows Tie-Dye garments and accessories at home in the mountains just south of Magdalena. During the summer Nicole travels to music and arts festivals throughout the Southwest, and her colorful creations are well-known and represented both near and far. Conne and her husband Dean Crane are professional lapidarists who create beads, cabochons, and other jewelry fundamentals from a wide variety of fine gemstones. Conne's new line of finished jewelry features many of their beads and faceted stones, including specimens of Smithsonite, Aurichalcite, Bacamite, and other stones from local mines. Anna's jewelry uses a wide range of materials, from sterling silver to leather, and often features her intricate wirework, Kumihimo (Japanese braidwork), and other techniques adapted from fiber arts. She has moved her jewelry studio to New Moon and has also begun making mosaics here, taking advantage of the spacious back yard for the messier tasks of mortaring and grouting.
New Moon features selected paintings, prints, jewelry, fiber arts, and other works from several talented local and regional artists. We've also brought in goods from around the world to suit a wide range of tastes and budgets. We are open Thursday through Sunday (and holiday Mondays), from 10 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m., and are also available by appointment. Contact us at conne@2cranes.biz or stop by the gallery at 602 Highway 60 (just across from Alamo Plumbing & Hardware) in hoppin' midtown Magdalena.
