Grants is a community that has gone through its boom and bust cycles and now, like other Western communities, is thinking about how it will sustain its economy for current and future generations.  Creating a sustainable economy involves developing new models of thinking about economic, cultural, and political paradigms. Furthermore, sustainable communities are more driven by human capital and depend on the entrepreneurial spirit to survive. 

Grants is starting to build a foundation of entrepreneurs, especially cultural entrepreneurs, who will be great catalysts to preserve and promote our cultures.  Local cultural entrepreneurs like Ava Peets and Robert Gallegos, leaders with the Cibola County Arts Council and mentioned in my previous posts, are just a few examples of individuals building cultural organizations that contribute to the entrepreneurial economy while creating a vibrant cultural community.

Grants has some other great initiatives including the MainStreet Program led locally by Randy Hoffmann, which is also a statewide initiative.  The New Mexico MainStreet Program is a “highly successful – community-driven, flexible approach to downtown revitalization.  It brings people together, fosters civic pride, economic revitalization, job growth, and restores the heart of our small communities and neighborhoods.”

The development of the Ancient Way Arts Trail supported by the New Mexico Tourism Department and New Mexico Arts has also been a dynamic initiative, led by Tom Kennedy of Zuni Pueblo and modeling how communities can collaborate to create cultural destinations. 

The Ancient Way Arts Trail was created to recognize the region’s uniqueness and is considered to be New Mexico’s first “multi-arts trails”.  Running from Grants to Zuni to Gallup, the trail highlights a variety of cultures including the Navajo, Zuni, Hispanic, Anglo, and Mormon.  The trail has 26 participating sites, representing more than 650 artists.  Along the trail you’ll find independent artists, galleries, museums, shops and so much more amid breathtaking scenery.  Over the next month, you’ll meet some of the artists and locals along the Ancient Way Arts Trail as I visit the area of El Morro.

As I wrap up my posts on Grants, one question remains in my mind.  Do they need more tourists to build the local businesses, or do they need more businesses to attract more tourists?  I’m curious to get your thoughts!

Ava Peets, a lifelong artist, became a professional artist in Grants, New Mexico.  Ava reflected on her joy of living in New Mexico: “It is such good fortune to live in this wonderful state–with all the beauty, cultures, and history, which serve as constant inspiration for innumerable subjects to paint.”

Ava was encouraged to become an artist at an early age by her parents.  She began drawing and cutting silhouettes at six years old.  Later, upon entering Southwest Missouri State University, she studied fine art and commercial art.  Her plans to become a commercial artist were changed when she married and had children, but she still continued to take various art lessons.  She stated, “The desire to pursue my artist interests has never left me.”

Ava had the opportunity to learn the fine art of porcelain painting during the mining boom days in Grants.  She did this for more than six years and then quit the medium completely moving on to pursue an interest in sports and enjoying the beauty of the outdoors of New Mexico.

One of Ava’s greatest loves was cross county skiing on Mt. Taylor, which is nearly in her backyard.  She participated in the Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon and worked out to improve her skiing ability.  However, she injured her shoulders so severely it changed her plans to continue with cross country skiing.  As luck would have it, the opportunity arose for Ava to start painting again as she said, “It is a true joy in my life.” 

She began painting in oils, her favorite medium for about 14 years.  And after so many years she became a professional artist and attributes her success to the Double Six Gallery in Grants.  Most of Ava’s work is Southwestern, and in particular historical buildings, which is her favorite subject.

Even though Grants is a community with many artists and cultural entrepreneurs, Ava admits that it has its challenges.  “Much of it is recognizing that Grants has a large artist community.  Our community is very diverse, but the strong art presence still needs to be known throughout our state and beyond.  There are numerous sculptors, painters, potters, quilters, photographers, jewelry makers, however, this is just not seen or known for the amount of artists who live in the area.  We need a lot of publicity.”

However Ava believes that, “One of the greatest opportunities in Grants is to be able to show at the  Double Six Gallery.  There are other locations of art galleries and artists studios as well.”  Learn more about the Double Six Gallery and the group that got it all going, the Cibola Arts Council, in my next post!