Santa Fe, New Mexico Part II

We've completed 7 weeks of working on the road, and 2 weeks here in Santa Fe. There is no shortage of interesting and unusual things to see and do when we're not working.

Santa Fe has a long reputation as an artists' paradise. Bohemians and newsboys dream and sing about coming here (my fellow Broadway nerds will know what I mean). We saw plenty of high end (=expensive) ceramics, paintings, and other art when we browsed the charming shops in Santa Fe Plaza. But we were more drawn to the quirky and unexpected art that abounds in other parts of town.

In the usable art category:

At the Farmers' Market there were beeswax candles depicting the Virgin Mary, Ganesha, Buddha, and Budai, all displayed together. You could buy gifts for your Catholic, Hindu, and Buddhist friends, all at the same time.

In the artist as environmentalist category:

South of downtown, near pretty Santa Fe Community College, there is something you normally wouldn't expect to see in the New Mexico desert, at 7,200 ft above sea level. "Ethyl" is a life-sized sculpture of a blue whale made of recycled plastic.

In the really weird/cool experiential art category:

Actually, it's hard to put this in any category. Meow Wolf is an art collective in Santa Fe, and "The House of Eternal Return" is an immersive art installation in a former bowling alley. We started by entering a house, whose occupants were mysteriously missing, with Ghostbusters-type clues strewn about. Very soon we realized closets, fireplaces, and even large appliances were actually portals pulling us…

…into a multiverse that was by turns a fun house, a jungle gym, and a virtual reality video game. So fun!

The Meow Wolf artists must have had a blast creating this! And guess who dreamed up this crazy experience? George R. R. Martin, whose novels inspired Game of Thrones. I guess Santa Fe is a magnet for all sorts of creative and talented (and quirky) people!