The Tombaugh Gallery Features Roditti Whimsey

Martha Roditti, a well-known Las Cruces clay artist, will be featured at the Tombaugh Gallery in May. She has created hundreds of charming, whimsical and decorative pieces including a variety of dragons, crows, falcons, pigs with wings, endangered Hawaiian birds, Hawaiian bats and snails, an anatomically correct T Rex (sort of), pandas, roadrunners, and goddesses. Her sculptures have been inspired by a variety of people and animals. Their eyes are always expressive, and their faces have long beaks, snouts or prominent noses.

Her pieces are influenced by current political events, requests, the formation of the clay just speaking to her or an animated conversation in the studio. The size of the critters varies from four foot dragons designed to be outdoor pieces to small singing birds embellishing a piece of wood found in the desert.

Martha began her work 50 years ago in San Francisco, first taking classes at the De Young Museum and then at Sharon Arts in Golden Gate Park. Since 2005 she has taken classes at the Las Cruces Museum of Art, sculpting with Brian Fallstead and Dona Ana Community College.

Visit Martha and meet her clay friends at the First Friday Opening from 5:30 to 7:30 on Friday, May 3rd. Complimentary wine and light refreshments will be served. She will also be available to answer your questions on Sunday after church, May 5^th. The show continues through May 26th.

Gallery Hours

The Gallery, located in the Unitarian Universalist Church at 2000 S. Solano Drive, is regularly open Friday through Saturday, from 10 AM to 2:00 PM and Sunday, 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM.