Arts and Entertainment at the 2022 Gila River Festival

Gili Yalo Concert, hosted by WNMU Cultural Affairs

Thursday, Sept. 22nd, 7:00 pm, The Gardens at Light Hall, Free

The Ethiopian Israeli International musician, Gili Yalo, combines an Ethiopian musical legacy with genres such as funk, jazz, & soul.

Gili Yalo’s music embodies his own personal story, and what a story he has to tell: Operation Moses was the covert evacuation of Ethiopian Jews from Sudan during a famine in 1984. These Ethiopian Jews fled from their native land on foot to refugee camps in Sudan.

Together with his family, Gili Yalo made this perilous trip, walked through the desert towards the “Promised Land” and sang to his beloved ones. In the course of this exhausting and emotional journey, the music encouraged Gili and his family to keep on moving. Gili Yalo’s band is made up of five musicians, including guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, and trumpet. An entrancing rhythmic motion is apparent when listening to Gili’s music, from the groove, beat and flow, and up to the lyrics, concept and style of the project. Today Gili Yalo’s music gives a new meaning to traditional Ethiopian music. The expression of his story through an advanced music production represents his own personal triumph.

Dance of the Mountain Spirits, with the Fort Sill Apache Fire Dancers with the Gooday Family

Saturday, Sept 24, 6:00 pm, WNMU Regents Square, corner of E Street and College Street, Free

For many generations, the Chiricahua Apaches, now known as the Fort Sill Apache Tribe, have performed “the Dance of the Mountain Spirits" to drive away sickness and evil and bring good health and good fortune. The "Dance of the Mountain Spirits" is performed yearly and during other sacred occasions.

The Fire Dancers are a traditional group and rarely perform for the public.

Social dances will take place prior to the Dance of the Mountain Spirits. The Dance of the Mountain Spirits will start at dark.

Please bring a lawn chair.

Photo: Bruce Bloy

The Beauty of Land and Water: A One-day Workshop to Learn the Art of Photopolymer Gravure, with Karen Hymer of Light Art Space Studio

Sunday, Sept. 25th 10:00am – 5:00pm, Participant limit: 8, Fee: $185.00 (includes all supplies)

Meet at Light Art Space Studio, 209 W Broadway St, Silver City, Register through Light Art Space.

Transform your landscape images into stunning etchings. Learn the art of photopolymer gravure printing in this one-day intensive workshop! Using light-sensitive steel-backed Solarplates, participants will create 4 x 5 gravure etching prints from their photograph. This environmentally-friendly process translates photographic detail into ink on paper with unparalleled beauty.

No prior experience with printmaking is required. All necessary aspects of printmaking will be discussed including choosing inks, papers, and wiping material. Wiping and inking techniques will be covered. Be prepared to marvel at the way your photograph is transformed through ink on paper!

Ages 14 and up welcome, no experience needed.

Karen Hymer earned her BFA from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Tufts University, and her MA and MFA in Fine Art Photography from the University of New Mexico. Karen actively exhibits her work both nationally and internationally. Her work is in several public collections, including the Center for Creative Photography and the Polaroid International Collection. Dark Spring Press released the first book of her work in April 2018. Karen is the owner of Light Art Space at 209 West Broadway in Silver City. The space features galleries, wet darkrooms, a sculpture garden, a printmaking studio, and teaching space. Karen offers workshops and private sessions in Photopolymer Gravure and alternative photographic processes.

After the Fires, presentation with landscape photographer Michael Berman

Saturday, Sept. 23rd, 10:00 am; In-person at the Silco Theater, 311 N Bullard St, Silver City, $10 suggested donation at the door. No one turned away for lack of funds. This session will not be offered online.

For a century we did a damn fine job of putting fires out in the Gila. The problem was when we got good at putting out all the small fires, we set things up for very big fires. Some folks would like to tell you that everything went to hell in a hand basket up there.

If you want to see what happens after a fire, put on your boots, and head up pretty much anywhere in the Gila. Don't bother with the trails - many of them are gone or fizzle out anyway. Or you can grab a cup of coffee and come to the Silco for a little verbal ramble through the post-fire Gila Wilderness with photographer Michael Berman.

Michael P. Berman wanders the terrain of the American West and Mexico Norteno. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2008 to photograph the Chihuahuan Desert for "Trinity" the third book of a border trilogy with writer Charles Bowden. His most recent book, published by Museum of New Mexico Press, is "Perdido: Sierra San Luis". His photographs are included in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Amon Carter Museum and the Museum of New Mexico. He has received grants for environmental work from the McCune and Lannan Foundation. In 2013, he was honored with the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in New Mexico. Michael as born in New York City in 1956 and now lives in the Silver City in Southwest New Mexico.