The Chuck Jones Gallery in Santa Fe rang in the holiday season with a festive event held on December 4th.  Exhibiting artwork created by students from Pinon Elementary School, the gallery was filled with the student-artists and their parents as well as collectors from the Santa Fe area.  The party and exhibition coincided with the Santa Fe Film Festival (Mike Bundy, the gallery's director presented the award for Best Animated Film at the Festival's closing day ceremonies) and Santa Fe's First Friday Art Walk–so the streets were teeming with people and the crowd at the gallery was rosy-cheeked and in the holiday spirit! 

Cellists performed classical and contemporary holiday music to the delight of the attendees.  Lisa Stewart (right) and her friend Alison were really in the moment and we thank them for their talent.

Enjoying their children's art are Johnny Barela (left to right,) Susan Rodriguez and Carol Newman, Pinon Elementary 3rd grade school teacher, whose students provided such amazing artwork and were an inspiration to so many that evening.

"A bad day in the snow" by Brian Ortiz was awarded first place in the drawing contest. 

Andy Ortiz, Jr. and his parents, Susan and Andy, bask in the glow of the exhibition.  

Michael Bundy, gallery director, presents a Chuck Jones "Smile" fine art print to Andres Sanchez whose sculpture of an angel drew rave reviews from the crowd.

Mariah Barela's mixed media Grinch Santa Claus was a crowd pleaser too!

Thank you Mrs. Newman's 3rd grade class for creating such magnificent works of art and for being inspired by Chuck Jones' "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas."  It made for a wonderful start to the holiday season in Santa Fe.