For those of you planning a trip to northern New Mexico I want to enthusiastically recommend that you get your hands on “The Essential Guide – Santa Fe & Taos” as soon as you land in the state. And before you arrive you should avail yourselves of their website http://www.essentialguide.com/. The new 2012/2013 Guide (it is an annual guide) is just being distributed right now and every one of you should get yours.
It is a free publication that covers galleries/studios/museums, shopping, dining, spas, lodging, attractions, wine tours, special events, recreation and more. It has maps of Santa Fe, Taos, the High Road, the Low Road, Madrid… I’ve mentioned it before in a previous post (see The Business of Being an Artist). It is the one publication that many artists consider, well, essential to be a part of every year. Anna, Bill and I went together and did a spread of two ads promoting Bill Loyd’s Studio and Anna and my gallery, the Anna Karin Gallery.
The Essential Guide has been in existence in one form or another since 1988 when it began as a pamphlet. Trish and Chip Byrd bought it in 2007, trade marking the book, the brand and its square shape at that time. We all celebrate the award winning “little black book’s” 25th anniversary this 2012/2013 season.
Trish and Chip are true art stewards. They had a vision when they took over the book, one that continues to expand into new markets. This year they are offering a Guide in Charleston, SC, Savannah, GA, and the Low Country as well as one in Spokane, WA, Coeur d’Alene, ID and Walla Walla, WA.
But most important to all of us is that the two of them care about us as people and artists. This book is not just a business venture for them. They actively support the community as well as individual working artists. Their book goes a long way toward helping us to sustain our ability to earn our livings following our dreams.
I think the quote embedded in Trish’s personal email communications says something about the kind of person she is; the kind of couple they are: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” — Mark Twain
We are all very grateful that Trish and Chip embody Twain’s words; that they themselves have found a way to “explore, dream and discover,” in turn supporting our dreams by publishing this rich, comprehensive, artful book year in and year out.
Be sure to get yours.
Love to you all,
Jeane
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