Around Taos NM -- Day Seven, 11 August 2010

Of course, in Taos, just getting to anywhere is entertaining because it's a very eclectic and mixed community -- few if any of the gated 4th-home enclaves that other "discovered" places in the West soon start to suffer.  So you see all kinds of stuff just about anywhere -- and that makes it far more interesting.  Annie called it a conscious effort at both cultural and socio-economic integration that makes Taos far more compelling for her than other options in the West.  Zoning regulations don't allow special covenanted developments where people can isolate themselves from their neighbors. 

Dorothy Brett House -- Our first stop was the house of Dorothy Brett -- now private offices and generally not open to the public.  But Annie had an inside track to getting us in for a look. Dorothy Brett was born into British Victorian aristocracy and started painting at an early age.  She came to Taos at the invitation of Mabel Dodge Luhan -- who was a pivot point in Taos literary circles -- in 1924 and quickly became an icon in Taos society.  She eventually became one of those larger-than-life characters in the manner of Gertrude Stein, both in temperament and girth -- rich, outspoken, sarcastic, and a force in Taos society. Brett knew D.H. Lawrence and his wife well, and also met a number of more contemporary artists such as R.C. Gorman, who did the sketch of Brett below, which is at Brett House. Her adobe style house looked cozy and elegant at the same time. An example of Brett's painting is this Pueblo Family oil on canvas recently sold by Robert L. Parson's Fine Art Gallery in Taos.  Her work has been variously categorized as primitive or untrained.  

Millicent Rogers Museum -- From the Brett House, we went to the Millicent Rogers Museum, located at 1504 Millicent Rogers Road, four miles north of the Taos Plaza.  Near the turnoff to Millicent Rogers Road, we spotted a local resident exploring sage.

Urban Taos Resident Burro Explores Sage

Mary Millicent Abigail Rogers von Salm-Hoogstraeten de Peralta-Ramos Balcom, aka, Millicent Rogers, was heir to the Standard Oil fortune and a Manhattan socialite who lived in Switzerland until World War II began in 1939.  She moved to Taos in 1940.   She became an avid art collector of southwestern art, and later in life, an advocate for Native American civil rights.

Entry to Millicent Rogers Museum

We discovered upon entry that visitors can buy a pass to get into multiple museums.  It was a great idea and a bargain.  The museum houses a number of collections spanning genres from jewelry to Native American and Hispanic art.  It's a small museum, but there's a wonderful variety of things to hold your interest.

We took a few representative photos, but these few only scratched the surface of their impressive collections and periodic exhibits.

Millicent Rogers was an avid Native American jewelry collector and had over 1000 pieces, many of which are in the museum. 

Silver Casting and Finishing Progress

Navajo Ketohs (Bow Guards)

Snake Hoop Earring

Turquoise and Silver Necklace

Zuni Rainbird Pendant

Turquoise and Silver Work

Gold and Turquoise Pin

Trading Post Cafe for Lunch -- We headed to Rancho de Taos for lunch with a plan to see the Saint Francis de Assisi Church. Dave directed us to the Trading Post Cafe and Gallery which is next to the mission church. As we drove south toward Rancho de Taos, one of a number of thunderstorms of the day rolled in.

Storm Rolls Over the Taos Plains

We connected with NM HWY 68 and soon arrived at the Trading Post Cafe.

Trading Post Cafe and Gallery

We don't normally take many photos of the inside of restaurants, but this place was so much fun and visually interesting, with great food with an Italian flare and good art on the walls.

Trading Post Cafe Interior from the Front Door

Dave and Louise at Lunch

Looking into the Side Room of the Trading Post Cafe

Saint Francis de Assisi Church -- After lunch we popped next door to see the Saint Francis de Assisi Church.  In the alley we encountered one of those unexpected (at least at first) Taos visual snippets.

Bone Fence

As we parked and walked up to the church, several other interesting details caught our eye.

Wagon Wheel and Flowers Near Saint Francis de Assisi Mission Church

Construction on the church began around 1772, and it was completed in 1815.  Georgia O'Keeffe did several paintings of it, and Ansel Adams photographed it.  It is now a National Historic Landmark.

Saint Francis de Assisi Mission Church

We noticed a hand-painted sign for the parking lot.

Saint Francis de Assisi Mission Church Parking Sign by Lloyd Rivera

A few minutes later we met the artist -- Lloyd Rivera -- who was standing outside the Mission gift shop.

Dave Talks with Artist Lloyd Rivera

We found out that Lloyd is originally from the Mora Valley, but has lived in Taos since the early 1980s. He said he was attracted to art by reading magazines that featured the work of Diego Rivera, Chagall, and Picasso. Spurred by that interest, he attended New Mexico Highlands University and studied art and art history.  He's a founding member of the Taos Hispanic Arts Council.