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.

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

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

Coming in 2018: My Art*o*mat Family Grows by 2

This 20 column cigarette machine from the 60's will soon become an Art*o*mat®

Greetings and Happy Spring Art*o*mat® fans and friends!
I have exciting news to share:  In 2018 I will have two more "members" added to my "Family" of Art*o*mat® machines here in northern New Mexico. I am pleased to report that Albuquerque will be home to both of these machines: one will go to the Range Cafe (Rio Grande Blvd.) restaurant and the other (pictured above) will go to the Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum.

Installation dates for the new machines are undetermined but they will be here in time for Balloon Fiesta (October 6-14). Artist Jennifer O'Kelly has begun work on the Art*o*mat® for the Balloon Museum and it will be covered with her whimsical hot air balloon paintings.

The Art*o*mat® for the Range Cafe Rio Grande Blvd. location has been worked on by painter Hieronymus and he's created an amazing-looking Art*o*mat® in his graffiti style.

Until then... Art*o*mat® is seeking NEW ARTISTS. If you or someone you know is interested in creating art for these repurposed cigarette-machine-turned-mini-art-galleries please visit the Artists' Submission Page at artomat.org and learn how you can market your art by becoming an Art*o*mat® artist.

Attention Holiday Shoppers: Art*o*mat® Art is the Perfect Stocking Stuffer!

Can you believe it's the holidays already?! Time is flying by fast but worry not because Art*o*mat® has got you covered! Art from Art*o*mat® artists are perfect stocking stuffers! Here's just a few of the reasons why to give Art*o*mat® art this holiday season:
- A true piece of original art from authentic artists!
- Only $5!
- Super collectible!
- One size fits ALL!
- Not fattening!
- Environmentally friendly!
- Big Corporations don't really need your money anyway!

And I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, a Wonderful Winter Solstice, a Kick-butt Kwanzaa, a Fabulous Festivus, and a Prospero Ano Nuevo as well!

Coolest of the Cool! Art*o*mat® Neon Sign!

Art*o*mat® in stunning neon! Find this sign next to Art*o*mat® at Range Cafe!

What's cooler than neon? Am I right?! Just adding to the vintage awesomeness that Art*o*mat® provides. This bitchin sign, representing Art*o*mat's royal crown logo, was created by Robert Randazzo of Absolutely Neon in Albuquerque.  It's going to help light the way to my "PlumMAT" machine in the foyer of Range Cafe in Bernalillo so go and have a looksy!

Also... SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday evening, MAY 13th, 2015 6:00-7:00pm
Santa Fe Community Convention Center 201 West Marcy Avenue
Owner/Creator Clark Whittington is coming to Santa Fe to join me in giving a presentation of the Art*o*mat® story along with a workshop for artists interested in SUBMITTING their work to the program. If you've ever been interested in making art for Art*o*mat® or know someone who might be, then THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY!!! Free sample kits and artist guidelines will be available.  Stay tuned for more information.

The new neon Art*o*mat® sign really brightens things at Range Cafe in Bernalillo!

Art*o*mat® Is Now In 4 Locations For You!

Greetings Art*o*mat® friends and fans! I now have four fabulous art vending machines for you to explore and enjoy! Last week I installed two new machines: in the Range Cafe in Bernalillo and in the Standard Diner in downtown Albuquerque.  Scroll down to past posts to see installation photos. Please visit my new locations -and come hungry because they're both really great restaurants. And since it's almost time to jingle those bells remember Art*o*mat® makes great stocking stuffers!

Christmas is coming and Art*o*mat® makes great STOCKING STUFFERS!