J.R. Willis: Postcard Artist and Gallup Arts Entrepreneur by Joe Sabatini

Hosted by gallupArts and OFPL, librarian and local historian Joe Sabatini will review the life and career of John Roy “J.R.” Willis (1876-1960) who was once a prominent Gallup and Old Town Albuquerque artist.

Willis came to Gallup in 1917, operated a camera store and photography studio and helped start the Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial.  He also published hundreds of beautiful postcards of Native Americans and the Southwest.

Join us LIVE on Facebook, @galluplibrary or @gallupArts on Saturday, September 18th at 3:00 PM.

Email bmartin@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.

Summer Reading Block Party

Join OFPL for an end of Summer Reading Block Party on Friday, July 30th at 3:00 PM outside the Children’s Branch near the playground.

  • Play OFPL’s Minute to Win It mini-challenges and win PRIZES.
  • Participate in Chalk the Walk and make your own colorful sidewalk chalk art.
  • Assemble your own Artist Trading Cards and exchange them with other community members.

Stop by for a fun filled afternoon for all ages.

Email aprice@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information. 

Art Demo: Glamazoning the Gods

Join us LIVE on Facebook, @galluplibrary on Friday, May 28th at 1:00 p.m. for a make-up demonstration featuring Goldie Tom.

Goldie is a war paint specialist, a licensed cosmetologist, and a makeup artist who works freelance in the Gallup area. She does not limit herself to one talent; she knows she is capable of adapting and challenging herself in every aspect of her life.

Goldie is VERY passionate, dedicated and LOVES putting everything she has into her work. Watch Goldie demonstrate her techniques in a Livestream and listen to her story.

Email jwhitman@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.

Slow Look at Lloyd Moylan’s Allegory featuring GallupARTS

Join us on Facebook, @galluplibrary or YouTube on Wednesday, May 26th at 2:00 p.m. for a Slow Look at Lloyd Moylan’s mural Allegory featuring GallupARTS.

Email aprice@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.

Art Demo: Visual Storytelling through Abstract Art

Join us on Facebook, @galluplibrary, or YouTube on Tuesday, May 25th at 1:00 p.m. for an art demonstration featuring OFPL’s own, Beth Kuiper.

Beth will be delving into various art techniques to convey both storytelling and emotion through abstraction. Also, dissecting several works from various local artists and discussing how to create your own abstract art for home.

Email jwhitman@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.

Visions of America A Photographer’s Search for America

Join us LIVE on Facebook, @galluplibrary on Saturday, May 22nd at 12:00 p.m. for a discussion with Joe Sohm.

Visions of America is an ongoing multimedia project dedicated to capturing the American spirit in print and media presentations. Sohm is an American history teacher turned photo-historian.

Over 30 years he has published his images more than 50,000 times in such publications as National Geographic, Time, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. He will show his latest video production with vintage and modern-day footage of Intertribal Indian Ceremonial.

Email tmoe@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.

Art Demo: 30 Day Watercolor Painting Challenge

Join us LIVE on Facebook, @galluplibrary on Friday, May 21st at 4:00 p.m. for an art demonstration featuring OFPL’s own, Joshua Whitman.

During his spare time, he is an artisan and graphic designer creating both digital and physical artworks in the following disciplines: painting (oil, acrylic, & watercolor), drawing (graphite & ink), and digital photography.

Josh will be demonstrating his approach to watercolor painting as an amateur and challenges the community to a 30 Day watercolor painting challenge.

Email jwhitman@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.

Art Demo: Random Drawings Tell Stories

Join us LIVE on Facebook, @galluplibrary on Thursday, May 20th at 3:00 p.m. for an art demonstration featuring OFPL’s own Jesica Adeky.

She will be using shapes and lines to depict different objects or animals to tell a story. Drawings are not planned to show the audience the power of visuals using simple drawings as a medium.

Stories may come before or after a drawing is done. Audience interaction is encouraged and suggestions will be accepted.

Email jwhitman@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information. 

Workshop: Creating ‘Moxie’ Inspired Zines

Join us LIVE on Facebook, @galluplibrary on Friday, May 14th at 4:00 p.m. for a creative workshop featuring Youth Services Librarian, Anne Price.

Netflix film Moxie, based on the novel of the same name, is about a teenager who begins publishing an anonymous zine calling out sexist behaviors in her high school. Zines are the ultimate in punk rock publishing. With pen, paper, and a Xerox machine, you too can be a zinester. Join us for this hands-on workshop and learn the history of zines.

Email aprice@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.

Art Demo: Adventures of Rezmo in Dinéland & Further

Join us LIVE on Facebook, @galluplibrary on Thursday, May 13th at 4:00 p.m. for an art demonstration featuring Tasha Martinez.

Tasha’s artist name is Rezmo who works as a graffiti artist in Arizona. She incorporates her heritage as both Diné and Mexican into her graffiti work. Rezmo has worked on several art projects in her local community and created fundraising merchandise to help the Navajo Nation during the pandemic.

Watch Rezmo create art and talk about the challenges of being a contemporary graffiti artist.

Email jwhitman@gallupnm.gov or call (505) 863-1291 for more information.