Artist Market

We’re thrilled to invite you to the 2nd Annual Artist Market, part of the Harwood Museum of Art  and Ledoux Street Block Party! This vibrant event celebrates the incredible talent of local Taos and Northern New Mexico artists who partner with the Harwood Museum of Art Store. 

What to Expect: 

• Meet the artists behind the work 

• Learn about their creative process and inspiration 

• Purchase original art directly from the makers 

• Enjoy music, food, and community in celebration of creativity! 

 Featured Artists (Alphabetical Order with Citations): 

• Laurie Balliett – “From the beaches of Cape Cod, where she began her painting career, to the mountains, canyons, and rivers of Taos, Laurie’s plein-air and studio oil paintings present her passion for wild places both east and west. Her intuitive sense of color harmony and skillful use of impasto allows her to capture the exhilarating immediacy of iconic environments.”
  

• Erica Collins – “Erica Collins is a printmaker and painter whose deep connection to the natural world is rooted in childhood walks with her mother and geological adventures with her father. Her work is shaped by her time in Hawai’i, where she studied Japanese woodcut techniques, and now reflects the vibrant contrasts of the New Mexico landscape.”

• Suann Davin – “Suann Davin is a mixed media artist and accomplished jeweler, potter, and painter. She has worked as an artist assistant to Kathleen Wall and Tony Abeyta. Her unique style offers an intimate insight into her worldview, often exploring themes of universal existence.

• Merle Derse – A dedicated potter who works primarily on the wheel to create functional, utilitarian pieces. Inspired by her time at Los Angeles Pierce College and later at UNM-Taos, Merle exhibited numerous shows and contributed to community projects like the Empty Bowls Project.

• Amber Bigbee– Also known as “faith,” Amber is an 18-year-old self-taught artist and costume prop maker best known for her 3D-printed dragons. Her journey began with a donated printer and a spark of curiosity, leading to a thriving creative business that brings joy and imagination to life.
• Kate Henke – “My work is a reflection of a diverse and experimental approach to art making. I utilize a range of mediums, from oil paint with cold wax to acrylic, ink or watercolor, and printmaking to create pieces that capture the essence of nature, whether through figurative, still life or landscape”. 

• Kimmy Henkel – “My passion for the outdoors and creative object making go hand in hand. I love working with rocks and metal. All the bronze and silver is recycled metal. All the rocks I work with I get directly from American mines and miners. Also, many of the stones are collected locally in our Taos area!”

• Samantha Platero – “Samantha Platero is the founder of DINEH Jewelry. She is a Navajo designer born in the U.S. and raised in Europe. Her family’s silversmithing legacy dates back to her great-grandfather Pablo Platero. Samantha collaborates with Navajo silversmiths to create jewelry that honors traditional craftsmanship while embracing a modern aesthetic.”
  
• Kyle and Bob Remiger (Magic Square Productions) – “We have been living in Taos, hiking, camping, rafting, skiing, horse-packing and exploring the mountains, deserts and canyons of the Southwest for over 45 years. Each of these varied landscapes offer their unique forms of beauty.” Their collaborative work, including the book Who Love These Mountains, is a visual tribute to the wilderness of the Southwest.  
• Melanie Ritter – An aging artist with a colorful past, Melanie lives simply in Northern New Mexico, where she has rediscovered her love for batik. Influenced by the Fauves and German Expressionists, her work is a celebration of color and the magic of the medium. A printmaking major at The School of Visual Arts and The Art Institute of Boston, she later studied with master printers in NJ and Denver. After years in fashion and family life, she returned to Batik in Taos, where she now exhibits her vibrant, expressive work.
   
• Rachael Saum – A full-time studio potter based in Taos, NM. Her handmade ceramics are inspired by nature, Scandinavian heritage, and the vibrant colors of New Mexico. She creates functional pieces meant to bring beauty and joy to everyday life.

• Taos Wood-fire Ceramic Artists – A collective known for their use of traditional wood-firing techniques to create unique ceramic pieces.

• Jonathan Warm Day Coming (JWDC) – “Jonathan Warm Day Coming is a Taos Pueblo artist and author whose paintings reflect the traditions, stories, and daily life of his people. His work has been exhibited in museums across the country and is known for its narrative quality and vibrant depiction of Pueblo culture.”
  Source: jwarmdaycomingart.com 

• Izumi Yokoyama – “I create intricate line drawings and time-haunted installations. My art embraces the mystery of life and death within the context of nature, while containing transcendental motifs… These universal themes of life, death, and the beauty of existence make my art relatable and engaging to a broad audience.”