What's Brewing at Las Chivas

Featured Artist | Special Events

LOCAL ART, MUSICIANS AND AUTHORS:The Las Chivas Coffeehouse is a place where the community from Eldorado and surrounding areas gather to exchange information, learn about activities and relax. Las Chivas supports local artists, musicians and authors in Eldorado, New Mexico, just outside of Santa Fe. Our community is a plethora of imagination and talent and Las Chivas recognizes the opportunity to showcase community accomplishments through its rotating monthly art and photographic exhibits, book signings and musical appearances. Visit our coffeehouse. See the article about us in the Pecos River Gazette

COFFEE CONTINENT IN FOCUS: AFRICA

Coffee was first consumed in the ninth century. Discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia, it then spread to Egypt and Yemen, and by the 15th century, had reached Azerbaijan, Persia, and Turkey. From the Muslim world, coffee spread to Italy, the rest of Europe, Indonesia, and on to the Americas.

Since Africa is the birthplace of coffee, Las Chivas is focusing on getting our customers better acquainted with the people behind the coffee they drink every day. Village life in Rwanda is being highlighted in the June Photo Exhibit, "Portraits of Rwanda" at Las Chivas Coffeehouse in Santa Fe, NM.

Las Chivas is proud to sponsor the Solar Electric Light Fund (self.org). All proceeds from the June Photography Show on African Village Life in Tanzania and , with matching funds from Las Chivas, will be donated to The Solar Electric Light Fund.

The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) is fighting climate change and global poverty with solar power. With our and your support, families can lift themselves out of poverty by having clean, safe water to drink; food to eat; vaccinations to prevent disease; light to study and work by; computers at school to help them learn; and power to increase their income. Change a village ... Change the world.

Las Chivas is proud to support their work in Africa through donations for projects in BENIN (CHECK OUT www.self.org/benin2), BURUNDI (CHECK OUT www.self.org/burundi1), LESOTHO AND OTHER AREAS IN SOUTH AFRICA www.self.org/lesotho1 and www.self.org/southafrica2), and RWANDA (www.self.org/rwanda1).

Come celebrate the successes of this organization with us and work with Las Chivas to continue these excellent projects with a generous donation for future projects! Donate now at www.self.org/donate1

We now offer Pura steel-walled water bottles. Disposable plastic water bottles are a critical threat to our planet. 38 billion water bottles go into landfills every year and sit there for hundreds of years before they even begin to decompose. In fact, if these bottles were laid end to end they would circle the Earth 150 times…every year!! If this pace keeps up, where are we going to put the one trillion plastic bottles that will be produced in the next couple of decades? As good stewards of our planet it is our responsibility to stop this insidious non-organic pollution and to start using bottles that can be safely refilled and reused. The water bottles come in 3 sizes - .6 liter ($15.99), .8 liter ($18.99) and 1.2 liter ($22.99).

Gilbert Candelaria. Converting mundane objects into whimsical works of art. www.candelariasart.com

Gilbert officially started recycling junk in 1993. While living in Phoenix, he saw an exhibit where a trashed toaster was laying in a pile of junk and inside was a broken light bulb. He kept thinking about this image, then a few weeks later he borrowed his roommate's tools and voila - a Candelaria art piece was born. Since then he has been expanding his creations to incorporate scrap steel, glass objects and lamp parts. Gilbert always painted on various surfaces except canvas; he painted on textured surfaces or incorporated an idea based on the shape of the object. He says that the constant challenge has made it a wonderful journey.

"Gilbert is an artist who found Magic in creating art from found objects,junk and trash. He loves the challenge of creating art out of something someone would consider trash or junk. All of the art is created one-at-a-time and once the piece is sold a new adventure begins in search of another blank canvas.(Gilbert loves garage sales, swap meets and large trash bins!)"

June 2009
• Coffee Continent in Focus: AFRICA. Special lectures on life in Africa in coffee producing regions.
• Presentation on African Culture: Beauty and Happiness in Small Villages: The Stories Behind the Photos – Jeremy Hammond
• Presentation On African Landscapes And Its Beauty: Kenya And Tanzania - Jim Bellamy - TBA

May 2009
• Poetry Reading TBA and Book Sales

April 2009
• Book signing TBA and Book Sales
• Earth Day Celebration TBA

March 2009
• March 1 - 28, 2009: Jim Jennings Oil Landscapes.
Opening Reception March 1, 2009 1-3pm. Live Music: Celtic Harp by Kate Shane
• Special sales for "Wild Earth Guardians" with artist Victoria Seale

December 2008
Las Chivas Holiday Open House
Wed, December 10th and Thurs, December 11th from 6-8pm
Live Music, Free Food/Coffee

Artisans’ Work:
• Weavings by Lynne Coyle
• Pottery by Bob Coyle
• Quilts by Isabel Mooney
• Recycled Art by Gilbert Candelaria
• Clay Companions by Joretha Hall
• Barrio Tinwork by Tomás Maes
• Earrings by Elena Junes
• Meteaphysical Jewelery by Brian Commerford
• Bolos by Carmen Bisel
• Book Gift Baskets by the Avenida Vista Public Library
• Photographs by Mary Fredenburgh

Live Music:
Wed. 2-5 pm: KATE SHANE, Celtic Harpist
Wed. 5-8 pm: PAUL RICE, Jazz Piano
Thurs. 2-5 pm: LEO SANCHEZ, Folk Guitar
Thurs. 5-8 pm: KATE SHANE, Celtic Harpist

October 2008: Halloween Fundraiser for Eldorado Elementary School

August 2008: Ice Cream Social Fundraiser for Avenida Vista Grande Public Library

May 2008: Eldorado Kinder and First Grade Art Program Fundraiser. Raised $500

April 2008: Environmental Fundraiser for Avenida Vista Grande Public Library

ENVIRONMENTAL FILM Series: November 4, 11, and 18, 2007 at 4:00-5:30 pm

November 4, 2007: "The Great Warming" depicts changes around the world to reveal how a rapidly changing climate is affecting the lives of people everywhere. Neither political nor negative, the film is visually beautiful, uplifting and unique in suggesting that climate change is not only a scientific and economic challenge, but a growing moral, ethical, and spiritual issue.

November 11, 2007: "Who Killed the Electric Car?" is a film with a murder mystery plot: Running only on electricity, General Motors' fleet of EV-1 electric vehicles were so energy-efficient that they were on the brink of altering the future of driving in America – perhaps the world. So why did The General have them abducted from their drivers and killed? You get to be the judge and jury.

November 18, 2007 -- DOUBLE FEATURE:
"Kilowatt Ours" follows Filmmaker Jeff Barrie from the West Virginia coal mines to Florida solar panels as he explores solutions to America's energy-related problems. Along the way we'll see how everyday people are finding ways to harness power from the sun and wind. The film also explains how we all can reduce our own energy bills. "Dimming the Sun" is a NOVA (PBS) documentary that explores the climate scientists' Catch-22 dilemma of air pollution – poor respiratory health –versus increased sun radiation – global warming, climate change. This has led some scientists to suggest that the earth's climate is heating up much faster than was previously predicted. You can be the judge of this unexpected phenomenon.