NM Artists Gain World Class Support

For those in the art community in Albuquerque, it is a point of pride to be home to Tamarind Institute. Not only is Tamarind one of the world’s finest collaborative lithography workshops, it also offers the only printer training program of its kind. In its 60 years of existence, the nonprofit institute has worked with many artists of note—Judy Chicago, Robert Motherwell, and Ed Ruscha all spent time there as artists in residence. To this day, artists from all over the world come to Albuquerque to collaborate with Tamarind’s printers. And this world-class institution is about to get more accessible to New Mexico artists, too.

This year, Tamarind has partnered with the City of Albuquerque Cultural Services Department for their new program Tipping Points at Tamarind Institute, a one-of-a-kind opportunity just for New Mexico artists. Modeled after the City’s earlier Tipping Points for Creatives program, this partnership is designed for local artists who are ready to expand their practice to include printmaking. The idea behind the program—and the basis of the name—is to provide support to artists who are at a point where they can “tip into” the next phase of their career, so to speak. 

For many artists, whether their primary medium is sculpture, photography, fabric arts, or mixed media, adding lithography to their tool belt could help them to both diversify their practice, and increase opportunities for income from their craft. Since prints are a popular and (pricewise) generally more accessible art form for most consumers, the program can open up new market opportunities for artists. Suddenly, gallery sales are complemented by online platforms and local businesses become a venue for sales, as well.

Tipping Points artists, once selected, will spend two-weeks in residence working with Tamarind-trained printers to create a portfolio of work—no printmaking experience required. Additionally, artists will receive a $1,200 stipend from the City. This is truly a fantastic opportunity for rising New Mexican artists.

Each artist will walk away from the program with three artist proofs and a small edition of their own work, plus a complete portfolio of the other participating artists’ prints as well. They’ll also get two pieces of art in the City Public Art Collection, works of art in the Tamarind Collection, and works of art in the University of New Mexico Tamarind Archives, which is housed in the University of New Mexico Art Museum. Sherri Brueggemann, manager of the City of Albuquerque Public Art Urban Enhancement Division, characterized it like this: “In one fell swoop they get to put six great things on their resume.” 

Tamarind and the City of Albuquerque are partnering on this project not just for the benefit of New Mexico artists, though. According to Brueggemann, it gives both of them the opportunity to add more rising New Mexican artists to their collections—artists they might want to work with again in the future. 

Artists interested in applying to Tipping Points at Tamarind Institute should submit an artist’s statement, a CV, and up to ten images of previous work via callforentry.org before the deadline of February 24. They should also specify their availability for the two-week workshop in either May/June 2020 or March/May/June 2021. A committee of people from Tamarind and the Albuquerque Arts Board, as well as one local artist, will select the cohort for Tipping Points, and let the artists know by March 30. 

CONNECT THE DOTS: 

The Arts and Cultural Industries in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County are mainstays of the regional economy. They are estimated to generate over a billion dollars in revenue, over $400 million in wages, and nearly 20,000 jobs, according to a BBER study. The Tipping Points at Tamarind Institute program is an excellent example of what happens when organizations work together: homegrown artists gain more opportunities to succeed. 

Interested in joining forces with great partners like these? City Alive can connect you. Learn more about how.