You met her here a couple of weeks ago.
Well, little did she know when she arrived in town last week, with zero fuss nor fanfare, just looking forward to a little down time between projects (as per usual), that she’d find herself helping to promote Fandango 2017, the annual Gala event to benefit Taos Historic Museums, with a book signing at the Michael McCormick Gallery (with food, refreshments and live music),the evening before (July 14th) or that she’d be coordinating a Paint With Ed Sandoval event that would happen simultaneously at his Plaza Gallery, making this the biggest Fandango bash ever!
She certainly did not envision a photo shoot at the Martinez Hacienda dressed in black; a cashmere top, broomstick skirt, boots, tons of vintage jewelry, all in the blazing 90 degree desert heat.
Joan is nothing if not a total pro and a good sport. She’s also incredibly spontaneous and is right there when it comes to supporting a worthy cause. Besides she loves Taos and is fully cognizant of its importance as an Art Colony. She once owned the late Taos artist, Rod Goebel’s house with its extraordinary gardens planted by the artist. Goebel was a member of the National Academy of Western Art, and was one of the Taos Six, so when Joan met Margo and heard about the event, she came up with a few ideas to boot!
Hello summer in Taos.
With her old friend Bill Curry behind the lens, and Margo Beutler-Gins (the President of the Board of Directors at Taos Historic Museums) giving them full reign of the Hacienda, the pair created these incredible photographs you see here, to commemorate and celebrate Fandango 2017.
“A new event for a new time!” Margot explains emphatically.
“I am tired of it always being the same old, staid affair,” she says. “I want to bring awareness of Taos’ rich cultural and creative history to a new generation of patrons and supporters of the Arts.”
Margo just happens to be the great-granddaughter of Bert Phillips, (he who waited with the wagon, while Ernest Blumenschein brought the wheel into town to be fixed), the co-founder of the Taos Society of Artists and his wife, Rose Martin (Doc Martin’s sister), and thus has more than a passing interest in the cause. She’s invested in it.
She moved back to Taos after years away, precisely because she feels the weight of personal responsibility in preserving the heritage her Great Grandfather and his friends and fellow artists, created in this tiny and at the time, quite remote,mountain village in the Wild West.
Well times change and Margo, the mother of two sons, one a working musician, likes to keep abreast of those changes.
Music is one way she does just that, and having a kid in the biz gives her an edge. She promises to surprise everyone with very special musical guests who are slated to perform at the Martinez Hacienda on July 15th, for Fandango 2017. If you are a music lover who has never attended Fandango, live here or are just visiting and love to dance, do go! A little bird whispered in my ear and it is going to rock,with former Prince New Power Generation sax player, Adrian Crutchfield and Friends!
The Hacienda’s large courtyard will be tented in case of seasonal rains, and the property, with its stunning views, make it a grand spot to watch the sunset while standing in solidarity with all who wish to preserve the authentic legacy and multi-cultural history of Taos.
The Martinez Hacienda and the Ernest Blumenchein House on Ledoux Street both require constant upkeep. Adobe is a living, elemental medium that needs to be tended to annually. The Museums house collections of valuable antiquities which also need occasional restoration. It’s an ongoing process keeping these historical landmarks in tip-top (working) order.
And Margo takes it personally and brings a personal touch to the mix. The day of the shoot, the women who work at the Museum expressed their appreciation for her, to me. And while I spoke with one of them, Taos educator par excellence, professor (UNM-Taos), writer, raconteur and all round amazing human being, Larry Torres arrived to give a talk to the visiting group Margo had informed us would be there, even as she gave us carte blanche shooting on the property.
On July 14th from 4 – 8pm Model and Actress, Joan Severance will be signing copies of her new book (How To Manifest Your Mate) at the Michael McCormick Gallery. There will be food, refreshments and live music and a raffle.. Also from 4-8pm at the Ed Sandoval Gallery on the Plaza, Ed will have a red-painted canvas on an easel that raffle ticket holders at the McCormick Gallery Event, and the communal painting event at Ed Sandoval’s Gallery, will be invited to paint on. The finished art work (and the paint palette), will be auctioned off at Fandango the following evening. The winner of the raffle ticket will receive an Ed Sandoval enhanced giclee signed by the artist, a rare, signed, numbered limited edition Bill Rane print from Michael McCormick’s Gallery, plus a signed copy of Joan’s book.
Your raffle ticket presented at the door of the Martinez Hacienda the following evening, will get you into Fandango 2017 for $50.00! That’s half off the $100.00 ticket price and includes a sumptuous buffet of traditional New Mexican cuisine. There will be a cash bar at the event along with the live music and other festivities. In order to win the raffle you must be in attendance on July 15th at Fandango at the Martinez Hacienda.
A percentage of all proceeds raised will go to benefit Taos Historic Museums. The following evening Joan will be on hand at Fandango 2017 to assist with the Silent Auction.
Bill Curry shot Joan Severance at the Martinez Hacienda wearing a traditional Martha of Taos broomstick skirt and jewelry belonging to Margot Buetler-Gins’ mother, grandmother and Georgia O’Keeffe. This shoot came together like a dream. Joan had the top and the fan, Margo brought the boots, jewelry and skirt and Bill scouted the property while Joan got dressed.
I think she is just perfect in these images; capturing old and post-modern Taos all at once. With such grace and dignity. With respect.
Beautifully.
For more information about Fandango and the other related events, please visit all the sites linked below this post.
Update: Adrian Crutchfield (Prince’s New Power Generation) is the Musical Guest!
Photographs of Joan Severance by Bill Curry
