What is Art*o*mat®?

What is Art*o*mat®? Created by Clark Whittington in 1997, Art*o*mat® machines are retired cigarette machines that have been converted to VEND ART! For only $5 you can collect paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography, jewelry, glass, mixed media and more -all the size of a pack of cigarettes. There are over 100 active machines in various locations throughout the country. Victoria Brown (that's me), and El Centro de Santa Fe are proud to host the first machine in New Mexico which debuted in February 2013. There are now 8 machines in northern New Mexico (Santa Fe and Albuquerque area). @ARToMatNM on Facebook/Instagram

Monday, December 5, 2016

Merry Christmahannukwanzaka/Festivus ...and a Happy New Year Too!

The weather has turned cold and it's holiday season already.  Have you finished your shopping yet? Putting your feet up by the fire and sipping something festive? I hope you aren't letting the stresses of the holiday rush get to ya.
If you haven't finished getting those last minute gifts yet don't fret. You know it's the thought that counts. And everyone just wants to know they are loved.  What says "you've been in my thoughts and I want to show you that I love you" more than art from Art*o*mat®? You're right. Nothing.  The compact size and the just-right-price is perfect for stuffing all the stockings in your life. Plus, Art*o*mat® machines are in 6 easy-to-stop-in locations with great hours and great parking!

Let's all just enjoy the holidays, give the Wally World Marts a rest, and support artists and the amazing work they do! Thank you to all my Art*o*mat® friends and fans for making 2016 a great year. Cheers and best wishes for a fabulous 2017!

Peace
Love
Art
-Victoria

Friday, August 12, 2016

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!! Art*o*mat® installed at Caffe Greco on Canyon Road in Santa Fe!


Meet "MATamale:" Newest Art*o*mat® goes to Caffe Greco on Canyon Road in Santa Fe!

Announcing "MATamale!" My 6th Art*o*mat® machine for New Mexico (and my 4th for Santa Fe) is now installed in the amazing New Mexican restaurant, Caffe Greco, at 233 Canyon Road. It's been months of hush-hush planning (so hard to keep a secret!) and waiting for my newest "baby" to arrive.  I call "him" "MATamale" because of the not-so-subtle homage to New Mexican food.  Look closely: can you see the guacamole, pico de gallo, and nacho cheese colors of the stripes? And how about how delicious they look next to the clear-coated natural rust sides that kinda resemble a smooth mole sauce? Then top it all off with a mirror complete with a parade of chiles etched in the glass. Stomach rumbling yet? Good! Because Caffe Greco is your answer to hungry bellies and tired feet after a hike along gallery-infested Canyon Road. No, there won't be anything to eat inside the Art*o*mat® but you won't be disappointed in the art that can be found in the 9 columns of this 1960 era National Brand cigarette machine. I want to give a special thank you to Rita Linder from Caffe Greco for giving Art*o*mat® a chance and to her son-in-law, Lance, for being hot on getting one placed there. Installation pics to follow. Enjoy!
Caffe Greco 233 Canyon Road. Open 7am-7pm, Fri & Sat till 8pm.

Thank you to Laird & Corky Brown and Louis Correll for helping me move "MATamale"  

We contemplate what to order for our celebratory dinner, dining next to Art*o*mat®


"MATamale" Before: Just look at this beautiful rust bucket. Thank you, ravages of time and damp garages!
Owner/Creator, Clark Whittington, presents me with my new machine in Delurk gallery in Winston-Salem, NC
We effortlessly load it into the minivan for its 1,500 mile trip home to Santa Fe! Thanks, mom, for driving the whole way!
"MATamale," like "CaveMAT" and my first machine -the Original "MAT," came to me by way of mom's minivan and another one of our mother/daughter dynamic duo epic road trips.  We raced along I-40 missing a few treacherous rainstorms (but not missing the amazing BBQ, catfish, and deep fat fried pickles) along the way to Winston-Salem, NC to pick up this Art*o*mat® from Delurk Gallery where Owner/Creator/Boy Artist Himself, Clark Whittington, met us and helped load up my SIXTH machine. After a quick lunch and gab session with Clark we hit the road headed west again and made it home in record time. Thank you so much, mom, for those hours and hours of white-knuckle driving during the scary parts (in and out of those Blue Ridge Mountains) and the tediousness of the flat boring parts. I hope my DJ'ing (thank YOU Coast to Coast AM podcasts and Hamilton soundtrack) and navigating made it more fun for you. I love our road trips!

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Special Announcement: "CaveMAT" Art*o*mat® Moves to Inn of theGovernors in Santa Fe!

I'm so excited to announce that my beloved cave-painting designed Art*o*mat® machine will be moving to its new home on the evening of Wednesday May 25th.  Inn of the Governors is very proud to host "CaveMAT" in their lobby area and welcome anyone and everyone to come visit Art*o*mat®! "CaveMAT" will be moving from the convention center and since it is only 5 blocks away I have decided to push it along the sidewalks on its furniture dolly.

If you know anything about me and "how I roll" you'd know that I couldn't just move the machine from one place to another without making a party of it. So I am! If anyone reading this is going to be in the downtown area on Wednesday May 25th at 5:15pm you are more than welcome to join me, some of my peeps, and the PARTIZANI BRASS BAND as they escort us along. We will meet at 5:15 outside of the convention center on Marcy Street and march through town towards the inn. Bring your friends and dress like crazy carnival folk or wear a silly hat and join us!  We will do this the legal way, on the sidewalks only (so for legal reasons don't call it a "parade"), and we won't disturb any pedestrians, traffic, or neighboring businesses... riiiiiiight? Please come!

UPDATE:  Thank you to all who marched with us, watched us go by, danced, and sang along with us.  The band was spectacular and I can't wait for a reason to hire them again.  "CaveMAT" looks perfect in its new home in the lobby of the Inn of the Governors and appears as though it has been there all along. I love it when things work out that way.  Special thanks to the Inn's Sam Gerberding for making us feel welcome and giving us refreshment at the end of our fun and sweaty journey.  Also many thanks to my parents and friends who came and helped.  I can't do this crazy crap without you guys!

Laird Brown pushes as I pull "CaveMAT" along Santa Fe Streets.
The Partizani Brass Band clusters at the crosswalk, ready to walk the last block to the Inn of the Governors.
The stilt walker was the hit of the show!
Even stilt walkers get refreshment in the lobby of the Inn of the Governors!
I'm removing the protective bubble wrap from "CaveMAT" and placing it in its new home in the lobby!
He may be little but he's the biggest fan of Art*o*mat®! 1st purchase at the Inn.

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Meow Wolf Opens! A Look Inside:


Art*o*mat® Machine, "Dias de los Muertos" and his robot friend greet guests at the front door of Meow Wolf



Here I am happy to meet the robot next to my Art*o*mat® inside Meow Wolf.

Today I got to visit Meow Wolf for the first time since it opened to the public this weekend. I'm speechless.  THIS PLACE IS SO FRIKKIN COOL!  My lousy pictures do it no justice. Seriously.  Drop what you are doing and go check this place out.  The exhibit is called The House of Eternal Return and it's a time-bending cross-dimensional mind-eff of the best kind imaginable.  Once again I'm proud to live in Santa Fe and be part of something so awesomely artfully amazeballs. Art*o*mat® fits right in here.  Go see for yourself! Open Wednesdays-Sundays 10am-8pm and later on Friday and Saturday nights. 1352 Rufina Circle, Santa Fe.


Inside the exhibit: The outside of the House of Eternal Return (sorry for the darkness of the pic).

I loved this black and white cartoon-y room.

OMG the tree trunks have eyes!!!

Who doesn't love black lights?

Here's the music venue portion of the exhibit. Lots of upstairs viewing areas and a nice sized dance floor below.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Art*o*mat® "Dias de Los MATos" Installed at Meow Wolf Art Complex!








Meow Wolf opens March 17th!  Hours: Wed-Sun 10am-8pm    1352 Rufina Circle, Santa Fe, NM
Today I got to install my "Dias de los MATos" 20-column Art*o*mat® at the new Meow Wolf Art Complex at 1352 Rufina Circle in Santa Fe!  This is my 5th machine for New Mexico and my third in Santa Fe. I can't express enough how frikkin COOL this place is and what a perfect venue it is for Art*o*mat®.  I am so excited for it to open!

There is still tons of work to be done before the GRAND OPENING: MARCH 17th and Meow Wolf-ers are working around the clock to get it done in time.  I had some help unloading the minivan and moving the machine into the building. Thank goodness for strong young men! Thank you to the Meow Wolf-ers for helping move the machine and to Emily Montoya, who runs the gift shop, for facilitating it all.  And a very special thank you goes out to Laird and Corky Brown for use of the minivan and their never-ending support of my Art-o-mat-nuttiness!
These strong Meow Wolf-ers helped move "Dios de los MATos"
...all I had to do was hold the door. Thanks, guys!





Meow Wolf-er, Emily Montoya, and myself, with "Dias de los MATos" in its new home.
There's still a lot of work to do but it's coming along!
Meow Wolf opens March 17th!


Sunday, January 3, 2016

Special Sneak Peek of Meow Wolf Art Complex!

Greetings Art*o*mat® friends and fans! Happy New Year to you all.  I am excited for this year because I will finally get to install my "Dias de los MATos" Art*o*mat® machine in the Meow Wolf Art Complex which will be open MARCH 17th 2016!!! It's located at the old Silva Lanes at 1352 Rufina Circle in Santa Fe.

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek behind the walls of the new construction and was blown away by how it is all coming along, the sheer creativity vibe that is emanating from the place, and how damn GOOD everything is looking.  Thank you, Vince Kadlubek, for the tour and best wishes for everything getting ready in time for the big Grand Opening.  Buy your tickets here if you haven't already!!! All photos are posted with the permission of Meow Wolf and Vince Kadlubek.
This Robot sculpture greets visitors arriving from Cerrillos Rd.  His arm moves!!!

The latest sculpture to attack the Meow Wolf parking lot is "TaranTula." Fear her awesomeness!

Vince Kadlubek hosts a tour through the new Meow Wolf Art Complex. Hey! That looks like a lighthouse!

The tree house that the coolest dad in the world never built us. It's here!

It's shaping up to be a forest of wonder and awesomeness. Can't wait to wander!


Our first look at the House of Eternal Return.  You may think you have an idea of how cool it is gonna be.  You don't. 
Exterior of the House of Eternal Return. Just an unassuming house in sunny California...

This visitor (me) had an epic time visiting Meow Wolf Art Complex. Don't miss it! 3/17/16!