The Questa Art Tour kicks off its 8th annual event on the weekend of August 12-13, 2023, with studios open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. This is the first tour of the art-tour season that stretches into the autumn here in northern New Mexico. Our Questa tour has attracted more artists each year, and more visitors from more places around the country.
Over 50 local artists this year represent work from the traditional to the modern. There are private, very talented neighbors along with professional artists with gallery representation in Taos, Santa Fe, and Colorado. The Art Tour is a chance to discover the level of skill hiding in this remote part of the southwest, and with a scenic tour route starting in our historic village and running between the Sangre de Cristo mountains and the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, this has become a destination for many intrepid art appreciators and collectors, and lovers of great scenery.
Painting, printing, printmaking, wood carving, quilting, ceramics, jewelry, metalwork, photography, digital art, mixed media, fiber art, and more are represented. The southernmost stop is at Evelyn Coggins’ Cosas Hermosas gallery of artfully repurposed furniture right at the entrance to Questa, and the northernmost New Mexico open studio is silversmith and painter, Jill Kamas’ Ute A.I.R.in Sunshine Valley, with the stunning Ute Mountain for a backdrop. This year, the tour adds a bonus studio just over the border in Garcia, Colorado where Karen Ahlgren will welcome guests to this beautiful spot to view her watercolor and gouache wildlife paintings.
Many of the studios host additional local artists whose own locations would be difficult to reach. Watch for a lot of signs and feather flags that weekend to guide you. Brochure maps can be picked up at all stops along the tour, and at an information table at the Questa Visitor Center. For a downloadable map of hubs, description of artists, and other venues along the tour, visit the Questa Creative Council website, QuestaCreative.org, and choose Questa Art Tour.
The village of Questa and its environs have a long history of artistry, with continuing inspiration from our cultural history and traditions and the dramatic landscape and public lands that surround us on all sides. So mark your calendars, and don’t miss this chance to meet some unique talents, and explore the dramatic scenery of Questa in wild and beautiful northern Taos County.
The Questa Art Tour is a project of the non-profit Questa Creative Council.Our ongoing mission is to strengthen community through arts, culture, history, and education.
Our first ever Questa Quick Draw on June 24 attracted artists from Taos and the greater Questa area, all painting scenes around our historic and scenic village. First-place winner Vanette Harris was inspired by the flag-filled cemetery in Cerro, an acrylic painting that was purchased by an eager Cerro resident. First prize in the youth division went to Destry Taylor, whose parents host a booth at our Saturday Art Market. Cash prizes were awarded and the audience had fun determining the People’s Choice winner. A big thank you to our local project sponsors; TOPPED OUT PLUMBING, MARSHALL CISNEROS, and MY TIA’S CAFE, SYLVIA SANDOVAL, both of Cerro. And in Questa: the SANGRE DE CRISTO MOTEL, WILDCAT’S DEN, and KEITH KELTNER POTTERY.
