Pins Pins PINS!

I had enamel pins made of my bright orange "Dia de Los MATos" Art*o*mat® machine! I was imagining what I could do to capture the hearts of customers who love the machines themselves and are perhaps more excited by them rather than the gamble of buying the art inside them. Since I don't have any reatail space of my own (all my machines are in venues like restaurants and museums) Clark Whittington, owner of the entire Art*o*mat® program, gave me permission to showcase my machines as art themselves -in pin form. The pins are $5.00, just like any other Art*o*mat® art, and they are available in all EIGHT of my machines in northern New Mexico! This pin features the orange sugar skull machine designed by artist Kim Diloretto. The machine resides in the Range Cafe in Los Lunas, NM. Can't make it to NM? Contact me to find out how you can have one shipped to you.

Announcing New Art*o*mat Location: Range Cafe in Los Lunas, NM

Range Cafe in Los Lunas is the newest venue for Art*o*mat®

As rich and delicious as the red and green New Mexican chile they serve, the news that the Range Cafe in Los Lunas, NM will be home to my orange sugar skull Art*o*mat® machine, really satisfies!

The machine I lovingly call "Dias de Los MATos" (because of its bright Day of the Dead design) used to call the lobby of Meow Wolf Santa Fe home but the pandemic and all of its fun put a stop to that. I will always cherish the memories we made in there in the wacky multiverse.

But looking forward into the future and the possibility of "KERPLUNKING CULTURE" for folks who haven't yet experienced the awesome gift of accessible art made by humans marketing their passions, really gets my Art*o*mat®-Hosting juices flowing. I think Range Cafe customers will really enjoy the uniquely New Mexico aesthetic of this machine, the joy and value of the art it will vend to them, and be inspired themselves. 

Los Lunas is approximately 24 miles (29 minutes) south of Albuquerque, NM. The machine is located near the bar.

Range Cafe in Los Lunas
740 Main St NE
Los Lunas, NM 87031
Open Daily 7am - 9pm

"Dias de Los MATos" Art*o*mat®

Machine (not so) Temporarily Removed From Meow Wolf

 I don't need to tell you how unprecedented these times are when everyone and everything seems to be affected by the pandemic. My Art*o*mat® business is not immune. While most of my venues in Albuquerque and Santa Fe have been open and shut various times through the months (and now remain open with precautions in place), Meow Wolf has finally reopened after a full year of closure.

They do not, however, feel that having an art vending machine on their premises is safe at this time. I don't quite understand why it can't be safely used with a regular wiping-down, but alas, the decision is not up to me and Meow Wolf has made the call. I removed the bright orange sugar skull-adorned machine that I lovingly call "Dias de Los MATos" and it is currently residing at my home until it can safely return to its most popular venue.

In the meantime, the "Art*o*mat® Cat" (pictured above) is on guard, keeping an eye on it. If you visit Meow Wolf in the near future please ask about the Art*o*mat® and let them know you want it back soon!

UPDATE: The machine was permanently removed from Meow Wolf Santa Fe in March 2021.

Enjoy the Little Things: Art*o*mat® is Alive and Well and Waiting for YOU to Ker-Plunk...

 As news changes so quickly these days in pandemic-land, it's been hard for me to guesstimate when any sense of normalcy will return to everyone's lives. Here in New Mexico we've been pretty safe, and I'm glad to report that there are more and more business openings happening. High-touch-factor places like Meow Wolf are still not allowed to open but I have 7 out of 8 Art*o*mat® machines ready and waiting for YOU to visit.

Come to the following venues, be prepared to socially distance, wear a mask if they require it for entry, and get rid of those pesky FIVE and ONE DOLLAR BILLS 'cuz everyone is getting all heebie-jeebie about cash these days anyway. KER-PLUNK your way to a bit of cigarette-box-sized art enjoyment and support artists at the same time!

As they say in the 2009 classic zombie-smashing flick Zombieland, Rule #32 of Zombie Survival: Enjoy the little things... 

So I just had to show n' tell this awesome Zombie Sam L. Jackson painting by Artist in Cellophane Patrick Harris. It is from my personal collection (not for sale) but I thought it would fit perfectly with the zombie apocalypse vibe I got going on in my feelz today. 

Open and Ready for your patronage right now:
(please check with each venue for up-to-date hours and restrictions)

Art*o*mat® in Albuquerque:

1. Balloon Museum ~ Fear not. Balloons will fly this October (but you're not allowed to hang out in large groups to watch this time). The museum and Gift Shoppe are open and strict social distancing rules are in place. The whole place is a nonprofit and they don't charge sales tax for gift shoppe items so drop by and show some support while you ker-plunk the "Up and Away" balloon-themed Art*o*mat®.

Open 9-5 Wednesday through Sunday
9201 Balloon Museum Drive, Albuquerque

2. Range Cafe, Central Ave. ~ Blink and you could've missed it, but the Standard Diner is now a Range Cafe. The widely popular chain by co-owner Matt DiGregory is unstoppable and he's taken advantage of the pandemic to do some remodeling and has plans for more growth on that block (live music, grab and go food). They even created a special featured nook, fitted with electrical outlet, just for Art*o*mat® to live.

Don't worry if you were gaga for Standard's bacon-wrapped meatloaf. It and several other winners are still on the menu at that Range Cafe location.

Open daily for outdoor and limited indoor dining, take out.
320 Central Ave. SE, Albuquerque

3. Range Cafe, Rio Grande Blvd. ~ Still open and still going strong. Plenty of parking even though they acquisitioned some of the parking lot for an outdoor seating area.

Open daily for outdoor and limited indoor dining, take out.
1050 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque

4. Range Cafe, Bernalillo ~ Still open and still going strong. Plenty of parking even though they acquisitioned some of the parking lot in back (including the handicapped spaces) for an outdoor seating area.

Open daily for outdoor and limited indoor dining, take out.
925 Camino Del Pueblo, Bernalillo

Art*o*mat® in Santa Fe:

1. Inn of the Governors ~ The good folks at this downtown hotel didn't take a break all pandemic long and have definitely gotten creative with their outdoor parking lot-turned-dining-area for Del Charro Saloon. The Art*o*mat® machine is still in the lobby so visit and grab a green chile cheeseburger too.

Open daily, Del Charro open for outdoor and limited indoor dining, take out until 10 pm.

101 W. Alameda Street, Santa Fe

2. El Centro De Santa Fe Gallery Mall ~ Some galleries in the mall have since closed/relocated since the pandemic but it's not a total ghost town. The turquoise Art*o*mat® stands strong in the hallway, ready for ker-plunking, so please visit and wave to the hardy gallery folk neighbors who are making the best of their situations.

Open Daily until 5 pm, Sundays until 4 pm.

102 E. Water Street, Santa Fe

3. Caffe Greco ~ Since they have a great patio on Canyon Road, these folks have been able to keep on keeping on through the waxing and waning of art-loving tourists coming to town.

Open Wednesday through Sunday until 5 pm for outdoor and limited indoor dining, take out.

233 Canyon Road, Santa Fe

Art*o*mat® Gives Back

Did you know that when you buy original art from my Art*o*mat® machines in northern New Mexico that you're helping give back to great local causes? You can feel extra good when you KER-PLUNK!

Part of the lure to get venues to allow Art*o*mat® to "live" in their space is that I give an annual donation, in their honor, to their favorite charities. I've been doing this since I hosted my first machine.

Here are some of the local nonprofit agencies that have received donations from your Friendly Neighborhood Art*o*mat® Host:

• Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum Foundation
• ARTsmart New Mexico
• Chimera
• Espanola Humane
• Special Olympics New Mexico

And one more thing: Since social media is the bestest way to reach the most people these days, Art*o*mat® is much more active and up to date on Instagram than the blog. Find us and follow: @ARToMatNM

New Art*o*mat® Brochure for 2019

Santa Fe Art*o*mat® side

Albuquerque/Bernalillo Art*o*mat® side

I've got a new brochure for 2019! 

It has all EIGHT Art*o*mat® machines featured with one side for Santa Fe and one side for the Albuquerque area. Many thanks to Alex Hanna of Invisible City Designs for his creative eye and his never-ending patience (with me). You can find them in Brochure Distribution locations (restaurants, hotels, retail establishments, etc.) all over Santa Fe and next to all of my Art*o*mat® machines.

Santa Fe cover

Albuquerque/Bernalillo cover

8th Art*o*mat® in NM Installed! At Range Cafe on Rio Grande in Albuquerque

Art*o*mat® Installed at Range Cafe on Rio Grande in ABQ

Today is the day! We finally got our EIGHTH Art*o*mat® machine installed in northern New Mexico! This gorgeous graffiti-ed vintage National brand cigarette machine has been placed near the foyer inside The Range Cafe On Rio Grande at 1050 Rio Grande Blvd NW in Albuquerque.

Come on down to the Range Cafe On Rio Grande, have a bite (don't forget dessert), and be sure to visit the newest Art*o*mat® while you're there. A noted graffiti artist that goes by the name Hieronymus is responsible for the striking paint job on this machine. And you'll find great original works of art by Art*o*mat®'s "Artists In Cellophane" inside it -for only $5! Open daily 7am-9pm. For other Art*o*mat® locations in northern NM click here.
Special thank yous to Louis Correll, Laird Brown, Corky Brown, and the Range's Constance Banuelos. I appreciate you all so much!

Range Cafe manager Constance Banuelos buys the first piece of art!

Louis and Laird helped move it. Thanks!

Placing Art*o*mat® in the restaurant

Like all Range Cafes there's plenty of art to see.

1050 Rio Grande Blvd NW Albuquerque, NM