Art Walk Through Arroyo Seco, N.M.- Metal And Clay

When the weather gets hot it is nice to head up to Arroyo Seco 

a few miles northeast of Taos on the way to the Taos Ski Valley 

and cool off.

Although the business above seemed closed

 I really like the metal work in the sign.

Door Ideas From Taos, N.M.

Following up on the previous post on Gates And Entryways

let's look at doors.

If you are planning on building doors,

Taos, New Mexico offers lots of ideas.

The door above I saw at a B&B on Kit Carson Rd.,

a block or so from the plaza.

Hoop Houses And An Outdoor Shower In Arroyo Seco, N.M.

Back behind The Abominable Snowmansion Hostel

 in Arroyo Seco, New Mexico they have a beautiful garden area

 but two other things caught my attention.

One was the hoop style greenhouses to extend the growing season

 in this high altitude area near Taos.

The Annual Mudding Of The St. Francis De Asis Church In Ranchos De Taos, N.M.-Part 2

Please refer to the last post:

The Annual Mudding Of The St. Francis De Asis Church

 In Ranchos De Taos, N.M.-Part 1

 to follow along with the annual remudding 

of this famous church by a strong community of parishioners and neighbors.

Just last summer a service was held here for Dennis Hopper

 before he was laid to rest in Taos.

The Annual Mudding Of The St. Francis De Asis Church In Ranchos De Taos, N.M.-Part 1

The day we were leaving Taos I happened to notice in the paper 

that the annual mudding of the San Francisco de Asis Church 

in the Rancho de Taos Plaza was taking place.

We had to stop by.

Inside La Santisima Trinidad Church In Arroyo Seco, N.M.

On our recent visit to the church we were fortunate to run into the caretaker,

 Manuel, who graciously offered to show us the inside of the church.

This is the fourth and last post on La Santisima Trinidad Church:

La Santisima Trinidad Church In Arroyo Seco, N.M. from last year,

The Cross At La Santisima Trinidad Church In Arroyo Seco, N.M.,

and More On La Santisima Trinidad Church In Arroyo Seco, N.M.

Please take a look at the earlier posts.

More On La Santisima Trinidad Church In Arroyo Seco, N.M.

This is the third post on La Santisima Trinidad Church:

La Santisima Trinidad Church In Arroyo Seco, N.M. from last year,

and The Cross At La Santisima Trinidad Church In Arroyo Seco, N.M.

from the previous post.

Please refer to the earlier posts.

The Cross At La Santisima Trinidad Church In Arroyo Seco, N.M.

Last year I did a post, La Santisima Trinidad Church In Arroyo Seco, N.M.

This year we were in the area and stopped by again 

and were lucky enough to be there when the care taker was working

 and we got a private tour.

The next three posts will be on this adobe church

 but for this one I want to show you the cross out front.

Michael T. Levy-Solar Architect

     This winter I have gotten to know Michael Levy and looking over his website (taoshighspirits.com) I can see that he has had quite a career in the alternative building and appropriate technology fields. As a solar architect, design and build contractor, and green builder he has worked and taught building with steel, adobe, masonry, strawbale, and insulated concrete forms (in this case rastra block). Among other things he has designed and built passive solar buildings and underground, both commercial, residential, and remodeling. Check out his website for much, much more. I look forward to catching up with him next time we are in Taos, New Mexico and learning more.

Clay Culture: Plasters, Paints and Preservation

     Since we have been in Alamos, Sonora we were very surprised to run into Carole Crews. At the 2009 Adobe USA Conference put on by the Adobe Association of the Southwest, we took an adobe plastering workshop from Carole and she is truly a master at adobe plastering.

     So I was very excited to learn that she now has a book out: Clay Culture: Plasters, Paints and Preservation. I have not yet seen the book but as soon as we get back to the states I intend to pick up a copy.

     Even though we learned a lot about clay plasters in the workshop, the book will be a huge help in remembering the formulas and recipes that she has developed over a life time of working with adobe.

     Thanks Carol, for all you have done to advance the art and craft of building with adobe.

     

Bamboo Water Features

When we were in Taos, New Mexico this past summer 

we stopped by the Wired Coffee Shop a couple of times

 and admired their gardens around the patio 

which had some nice water features.

In the photo above a slow stream of water fills the bamboo 

and when enough water drips in the extra weight

 will tip the bamboo allowing the water to flow out and down. 

Windows And Doors At Ranchos De Taos Plaza

Since this is my third post on the Ranchos de Taos Plaza

 you can see how much we enjoyed our visit there.

La Santisima Trinidad Church In Arroyo Seco, N.M.

While we are on the subject of adobe churches in the Taos area

 I want to include the church in Arroyo Seco just to the north.

Ranchos De Taos Plaza

Surrounding the St. Francis de Asis Church, which I covered in the previous post, 

is the Ranchos de Taos Plaza,

 which in itself gives a history of building with adobe in New Mexico.

Here is the complete series:

The St. Francis De Asis Church,

Windows And Doors At Ranchos De Taos Plaza,

The Annual Mudding Of The St. Francis De Asis Church In Ranchos De Taos, N.M.-Part 1,

The Annual Mudding Of The St. Francis De Asis Church In Ranchos De Taos, N.M.-Part 2.

The St. Francis De Asis Church

We have been on the road again so I haven't put

 up a post in what seems like forever.

We are in the Taos area and last week we stopped in Ranchos de Taos

 to see the the San Francisco De Asis church.

Mudding The St. Francis De Assi Church

     I ran across this article in the Santa Fe New Mexican this morning on remudding the St. Francis de Assi Church in Ranchos de Taos. This is an annual affair and gives a nice account how this is done. Building with adobe is still an important part of life in northern New Mexico and is not just an oddity enjoyed by the rich or owner-builders.