Picture Framing Services Now Available!

Chroma Studios Gallery now offers custom picture framing services at wholesale prices. Simple to complex, we can handle any framing job! We can match any color! We beat everyone’s prices! 25% discount off our already low prices when you bring in 5 or more pieces to be framed. We also offer our discount prices to professional artists. We keep our prices low by not having hundreds of frame samples to choose from, but it makes your decision easier. 18 years experience in the business, plus excellent design skills! For more information see the Picture Framing page.

Great time to get an art studio at Chroma!

Several studios are available now!

http://chromastudios.wordpress.com/studios/

Tonight! Holiday Art Sale Opening, 6-10 pm!

Tonight is our First Annual Holiday Art Sale! It is also 1st Friday and we will be open with refreshments and hots drinks until 10pm. Many of our gallery artists have work priced under $250 and everything over $250 is 10% off! We also have gift cards available and you get a free Christmas card with any art purchase, while supplies last!

See you here tonight!

November 1st Friday: Photos

Betty Dore with her Diptych painting

Justin Thor Simenson, one of Chroma Gallery’s art photographers, came up with a wonderful idea for our 1st Friday in November and these are a few of the photos he took during the opening. Justin recently found a wireless memory card for his digital camera that sends photos directly to his computer as he takes them. So for the opening Justin set up his computer and had a slide show playing of the photos as he took them. It was a fun idea and people really got a kick out of seeing the photos he took right away. We will most likely do that again for future openings. Thanks Justin! (Click on images to see larger)

Aaron and Travis in performance space

Watching the photos as they appear on the computer

Looking at the gallery from the back corner

Betty and friends in featured gallery

Entry way looking at and talking about the art

Aaron, Paula and Travis performing

Heather White and Te Zins

Brendan Gould's paintings/drawing

Artist pages in progress

We are finally getting the individual artist pages posted here on the web site. With over 50 artists represented here at Chroma Studios Gallery, it may take a few days or weeks to get them all done! Check back often as I will try to finish a couple artist’s pages everyday. We are wrapping up shooting a cool video tomorrow afternoon! We have an awesome film maker, Reinhard Lorenz, pulling it all together for us. I don’t want to give too much away yet, but once it’s done you will have the chance to get to know some of the Chroma artists much better. Including owners, Paula and Aaron! Not to mention hearing more about how Chroma got it’s start.

First Friday at Chroma on Roma!

November 6th, 6-9pm, is the artist reception and First Friday opening for our November featured artist, Betty Dore, and her show “Mostly Koi”. Betty’s paintings of Koi and water lilies are just incredible! This is a show you won’t want to miss. We also have several new pieces by our gallery artists and a couple of new gallery artists showing with us starting this month. There will be refreshments as always, and live music in the performance space. Make sure to stop by and say hi!

Next week, Intimate Concert Series: Bayou Seco

Thursday, Nov. 5th, Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 7:30pm. $8 in advance or $10 at the door.
Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie are the core of Bayou Seco well loved, long time Albuquerque residents who now live in Silver City, NM. Ken and Jeanie have been making music together since 1978, always with an ear to the regional traditions that capture their interest. This unforgettable evening will be filled with tunes gathered from the source, the direct transmission through human contact and interaction. Rare music from the old country and the new world will fill the air, and stories that go with them. You will hear old Cajun music, New Mexican dance tunes and songs, cowboy songs, and fiddle tunes from the Tohono O’Odham people of Southern Arizona, all played with authenticity and joy. Expect soaring, stellar vocals from Jeanie, growling wool from Ken -Crack fiddling, banjo and guitar, rollicking accordion, cowboy prairie rhymes and ballads, and plenty hijinx from these veterans of the folk music world.
Recently returned from a successful Spring and Summer tour this year in Ireland, England, France, and Germany, they will grace the wonderful Chroma Gallery with their music and stories. Not to be missed!!!!!!!!

Thank You, Albuquerque!

My name is Paula Manning-Lewis and I am the owner of Chroma Studios Gallery in downtown Albuquerque. If you have been to the gallery you have probably met me or my husband and partner, Aaron Lewis.

Chroma Studios represents the art work of New Mexico artists and more specifically, we are dedicated to supporting Albuquerque artists. Unlike most galleries, we only take a 30% commission on sales. We believe the artist should retain the majority of their sales since it was their blood, sweat and tears that created the art in the first place. We are also an artist-owned small business. I have been a working professional artist for almost 20 years and Aaron has been a professional musician for almost that long.

We’re writing today to ask for your support of a great and upcoming local institution. We’d also like to tell you about some of the great things going on and all the benefits you’ll receive by becoming part of Chroma’s work. There’s something for every budget that will add art to your world while bolstering a vital local business that’s contributing to our community.

This state is called the “Land of Enchantment” for a reason. For over a hundred years artists have been coming here to paint and moving here to live. Some of us were lucky enough to grow up here. Albuquerque has been the home to many well-known and -loved famous artists. You always hear about the art scenes in Santa Fe and Taos, but did you know there has always been a thriving art scene here in Albuquerque? In just the last ten years, Albuquerque has gone up to the top of several national lists. Most prominently for the art scene, we are number 5 on the American Style magazine list of large city art destinations. That puts us in the midst of cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Miami and ahead of cities like L.A., D.C., Seattle and Denver. Albuquerque’s art scene is on the verge of a major national and even international explosion. Here at Chroma Studios gallery we are excited to be a part of that explosion. In May 2009 we were awarded the “Best New Business” at the Downtown Action Team LOOK Awards. We were recognized with a story on Channel 7 news as a “thriving gallery in a time of recession.”

In the years to come we will host some of the best artists of Albuquerque. Currently, we are home to around thirty Albuquerque artists, including Rein Whitt-Pritchette and Herb Goldman, who have already been recognized by the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History. Both artists have pieces in the Museum’s permanent collection. Rein has been honored with inclusion in the Museum’s “Albuquerque Now – Fall” show which opens October 10th and runs through January. This month at Chroma we are featuring the work of Meg Leonard, the 2009 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta poster artist.

We are so grateful to all the people who have supported us and helped to make our dream a reality! Thank you for helping us create such an incredible space! What we ask from you now, our patrons, friends and fellow artists is support to keep our mission going strong. We truly appreciate your attendance at our events, however we need your financial support as well. You don’t necessarily have to buy an expensive work of art, though it would be greatly appreciated. In fact, we have very flexible payment plans to help make larger purchases possible, and we don’t charge interest! We have many smaller affordable paintings, sculptures, glass pieces, jewelry and prints to choose from.

A great way to support us while getting something in return is to become a Chroma Studios member. Only $35 for individuals or $50 for businesses, you get a membership card good for one year, that entitles you to 10% off all purchases, plus two free tickets to any show in our intimate concert series. Businesses also get a link on our website and a mention in our monthly newsletter. These memberships will provide the funds to help us continue our work as a New Mexico art gallery presenting the art, music and poetry of local creative people and putting money back into our local economy.

Follow the links below to become a member today!

Individual Membership $35

Business Membership $50

Sincerely,

Paula Manning-Lewis and Aaron Lewis

October Events at Chroma Studios!

October at Chroma is an event filled month! We have lots of things going on in addition to our monthly First Friday opening. Open Studios, Balloon Fiesta Artist Market, four concerts and a poetry reading.

October Events:

October 2nd, 6-10 pm: First Friday Opening, Featured artist; Meg Leonard “From Earth to Sky”. Meg Leonard, the 2009 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta poster artist will be here to                                             personally sign your posters! Show will be up until October 31st.

October 2nd 6-10 pm & 3rd noon-6 pm, Chroma Open Studios Event, Downtown and Central locations, check out our Artist’s studios where the magic happens!

October 2nd noon-9/10 pm, 3rd, 4th, noon-6 pm: Balloon Fiesta Artist Market. In addition to our fabulous gallery artists, we will have local artists & crafts people setting up booths and                                                                                                   selling their work directly to the public. What a great time to start your Holiday shopping!

October 6th, 7 pm: Intimate Concert Series featuring Eric Hisaw; Singer/Songwriter back from Austin for his second Chroma show! Tickets $8 in advance or $10 at the door.

October 9th, 7 pm: Intimate Concert Series featuring an evening of Poetry & Essays with Tim Anderson & Amy Shea. Tickets $8 in advance or $10 at the door. Part of the proceeds will be donated                                to the Friends of the Public Library for their Children’s Literacy Program.

October 16th, 7 pm: Intimate Concert Series featuring Duende; Local Albuquerque Jazz group. Tickets $8 in advance or $10 at the door.

October 17th, 7 pm: Intimate Concert Series featuring Dave Hoover; Local Albuquerque Harpist. Tickets $8 in advance or $10 at the door.

October 23rd, 7 pm: Intimate Concert Series featuring Wayne Shrubsall; Local Albuquerque Banjo extraordinaire. Tickets $8 in advance or $10 at the door.

We are also proud to announce that one of our favorite Chroma Studios artists, Rein Whitt-Pritchette, will have his serigraph, Odysseus, included in the Albuquerque Museum of Art & History “Albuquerque Now — Fall” show, Saturday, October 10th, 2009 6 - 8 pm.

Would you like to get 10% off ALL purchases, and 2 FREE Intimate Concert tickets? Become a Chroma Studios member today! $35 yearly membership for individuals, $50 for businesses (Businesses also get a mention in our monthly newsletter and a link on our website).

October is a month you won’t want to miss!

First Friday, October 2nd, 6-10pm

Just a little preview of what’s coming up at Chroma in October! Meg Leonard, “From Earth to Sky”, Landscape paintings in oil and pastel.