NM artist Leah Garcia to show her cyanotype works at Casa Rondeña’s winter market
BY ADRIAN GOMEZ / JOURNAL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
PUBLISHED: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2ND, 2021 AT 5:02AM
UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1ST, 2021 AT 5:31PM
“Dazy” print by Leah Garcia. (Courtesy of Yellow Aspen Print Shop)
It’s been months since Leah Garcia has had some downtime.
The New Mexico-based artist has been creating inventory for her business, Yellow Aspen Print Shop.
Garcia will be one of 20 curated artists participating in Casa Rondeña Winery’s Holiday Market from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, and Sunday, Dec. 5.
The event is curated by Colleen Constance Franco and will also feature wine, food trucks and festivities.
Garcia works with the cyanotype process of local flora inspired by the high-desert climate and analog photographic processes.
“It’s like a blueprint,” she says. “That’s the easiest way to explain what I do.”
Garcia has been surrounded by art.
Her mother is a potter from Santa Clara Pueblo, and Garcia was always interested in photography.
“When I discovered cyanotypes, it allowed me to make prints outside,” she says. “It was right before the pandemic, I had a darkroom where I would process my photos. I didn’t have the space anymore and looked for a way to continue my art. Cyanotype allows me to be more flexible with the process, though the process still takes a long time.”
Garcia says working with sunlight to process the photos always has a different outcome.
“To get one good print, I could be working all day,” she says.
Garcia carries her film camera everywhere with her. In recent months, she’s put in more time – often working seven days a week – to get ready for the market.
“I still have 10 rolls of film that I haven’t developed yet,” she says. “I usually develop one roll of film at a time.”
With the holiday market being a new event, Garcia is looking forward to finding a new clientele base.
“I’ve done ArtWalk before in Downtown Albuquerque,” she says. “That has helped me get exposure. This market is perfect for holiday gifts.”
Garcia is bringing along some 4- by 6-inch photographs, as well as T-shirts and tote bags. She’s been collaborating with Blue Rain Print Shop in Santa Fe for many of her products.
“I’ll also have some ornaments and posters,” she says. “This is an opportunity for me to get more people to see my work.”
Adrian Gomez / Journal Arts and Entertainment Editor. “NM Artist Leah Garcia to Show Her Cyanotype Works at Casa Rondeña's Winter Market.” Albuquerque Journal, 2 Dec. 2021, https://www.abqjournal.com/2450888/nm-artist-leah-garcia-to-show-her-cyanotype-works-at-casa-rondentildeas-winter-market.html. 