What a wonderful afternoon and evening at Wild Rivers on the rim of the gorge, celebrating seeds!
Over 200 of you came to join us for NeoRio this year:
To experience Kaitlin Bryson’s “Radicle” seed installation, Hollis Moore’s “Pulse Flow” paper mache canoe and Geraint Smith’s beautiful milkweed flags fluttering (click on images for larger view);
Participants explore “Radicle”
Kaitlin Bryson with her “Radicle” installation
View of “Pulse Flow” paper mache canoe from underneath
Hollis Moore with her “Pulse Flow” canoe
“Pulse Flow” Paper-making
Milkweed Pod Flags by Geraint Smith
To touch, smell and shake seeds in the SEED Sensorium;
Arriving at the SEED Sensorium
NeoRio Volunteer, Lacey Chrisco, with Devil’s claw sculpture
Young participants exploring the SEED Sensorium with Katie Woodall, of SEED Taos
To listen to Deborah Hutchison and Gabrielle Herbertson read moving poetry and hear Jonathan Hutchison play wonderful music at the Seed Poetry and Music Salon;
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To jam out to tunes by High Desert Acoustic Duo (Mark Dudrow & Justin Dean) and guest musician Dean Gitter;
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And to share in a delicious fall feast made by Gaea McGahee, Wendy Medina and many other local cooks and bakers from the Questa Farmers Market and beyond;
Serving NeoRio Feast
NeoRio Feast Line
Yum!
Gaea feeding the masses!
Enjoying the feast!
To delve deeply into the arts practices and works presented on site by featured artists Kaitlin Bryson and Hollis Moore with their after dinner artist talks;
And of course, we all shared the majesty of the place together, through the changing light of the afternoon and evening, closing with hot chocolate and biscochitos by fire and star light. (Reminder: click on square images for larger view.)
Arriving at NeoRio
NeoRio Welcome Table
The reason we’re here….the gorgeous Gorge!
Exploring Wild Rivers
Enjoying the NeoRio Feast on the rim
Happy Kids!
Enjoying the feast!
NeoRio Campers
Featured Artist Presentations after dinner
Delicious biscochitos by Flavio Cisneros
Sunset at the Gorge
NeoRio Campfire
NeoRio Main Tent still glowing beneath the Night Sky
Our extensive collection of images from the event can be seen on Flickr HERE.
(Photos used in this post and on Flickr are courtesy of Kelly Butwinski, Carrie Leven, Dorje Gyalsten, Charlie McGarity and Claire Coté)
Thank you to all who helped make NeoRio possible this year – volunteers, donors and sponsors.
A deep thank you to the many dedicated individuals for their time and labor given to make the event a success!
Huge thanks go specifically to: Featured artists Kaitlin Bryson and Hollis Moore for sharing their work at the event and for offering their artist talks. Although we offer NeoRio artists a small stipend to help cover supplies and travel, their time and expertise are donated. Also to contributing artist Geraint Smith, who donated to LEAP the beautiful “Milkweed Pods” that were on display, three of which were raffled to three lucky winners. Without this kind of generosity the past nine NeoRio events would not have been possible.
- Chris Coté for endless moral and logistical support, set-up and take down and providing fire wood for the campfire and shlepping equipment to and from Wild Rivers.
- Martha Shepp for much event logistics, volunteer coordination and graphic design support!
- Timothy and Connie Long for providing the tents for the event, childcare and helping with set-up and clean-up, down to the last details and beyond!
- Gaea McGahee, NeoRio Food Maven, for graceful and delicious food coordination and preparation.
- Sarah Dzieweczynski for event logistics expertise
- Dawn Provencher, Katie Woodall, Olga Gressot and Lily for their invaluable help with set-up and decor.
- Questa Farmers Market Cooks Wendy and Alex Medina and Lacey Chrisco as well as food volunteers, Ethan Jackson, Jeannie Masters, Kate Cisneros, Flavio Cisneros, Krissy Briedenbach, and Alita Randolph for their delicious food!
- Joan Long for cooking delicious lunches for our NeoRio volunteers as well as logistical support.
- Juan Sisneros, Dorota Orozasz, Ed and Lynn Galusky for great help at the event.
- Steve Bishop and Njal Schold for super support with tents and all things set-up and take-down.
- Peggy Trigg and Jean Frey for being warm welcomers and general event help.
- Alberta Bouyer for help with PR.
- Sherri and Daniel at Cerro Vista Farm and the Kostecki-Shaw Family for providing beautiful flowers and foliage to decorate the event!
- All BLM staff and volunteers – most especially to Wild Rivers Manager, Teddy Lucero, and Ranger, Tim Long for many onsite details; John Bailey for coordination, administration and generous support.
- PPC Solar for generously providing solar electricity to power the event.
- Kelly Butwinski for photographing the event.
- Musicians, Justin Dean, Mark Dudrow and Jonathan Hutchison for providing wonderful tunes for the evening.
- Many thanks to the Sunday Morning clean-up crew including Joan Eilers, Chris Cote, Tim and Connie Long, Nyal Schold and generous visitors from Santa Fe and eager pint-sized helpers.
Special thanks to Questa Economic Development Fund, Chevron Questa Mine Community Fund, Taos County, BLm Taos Field Office, PPC Solar, Common Fire, North Star Toys, KRZA Radio, Taos News, Cid’s Market, Cerro Vista Farm, OCHO and especially our parent organization Localogy, and others. It takes “a village” to make this annual event happen!
And last, but certainly not least, thank you to everyone who came to experience and participate in the the event! Your presence and participation provided the alchemy that made it a success. Let’s do it again next year!
We would love to hear what you thought of the event and we are always interested in suggestions, photos and feedback: emailforleap@gmail.com or call Claire 575-224-9066.
Every NeoRio event is a unique collaboration of artists, other area nonprofits, organizations, businesses and our host, the Bureau of Land Management Taos Field Office. This growing circle of collaboration, connections and relationships are an important part of NeoRio and LEAP’s work and we hope to continue to enrich and strengthen these relationships through each project and event! Thank you to all who came to the event or contributed in some way!
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Saturday, September 15, 4 – 9 pm
Discover their unique art installations along the rim of the Rio Grande gorge; explore hands-on, family-friendly activities; take in the afternoon music and poetry salon; and enjoy a delicious, locally-sourced, northern NM fall feast, music, artist talks, evening campfire and more. The combination of contemporary art, wild places and community celebration at NeoRio is a recipe for a fun and exciting event!
As you may remember, 
LEAP’s 2017 events concluded with our third annual 
LEAP is pleased to be partnering with the Questa Creative Council, which was founded in the fall of 2017. 
This year we’re exploring “Roots ~ Raices”
Questa Stories ~ Community Memory Project
is underway!
All are welcome to the third annual Dia de los Muertos celebration hosted in Questa at OCHO Art + Event Space. This year’s celebration offers art and festival activities, and features the “Dead Letter Office” with author Annie Mattingley, and riveting tunes with Questa Mariachi, Questa’s Junior and Senior High School students. The event takes place from 3-7 pm at OCHO Art + Event Space, #8, Hwy. 38 in the village center.
