Rashan has been blowing borosilicate glass in Albuquerque for over a decade. His expertise goes far…read morebeyond typical glass work. He draws inspiration from his surroundings, using the colors of the New Mexico desert. His craftsmanship is only surpassed by his character; a true artist in his own right. Not only a skilled glass blower, he mentors community youth teaching skills of the trade. One can be certain that any business given to Rashan and High Desert Flameworks is an investment in the community.

Love the glasses, and Christmas ornaments I can't wait to find another beautiful piece! Thank for…read morecreating such beautiful work!

This shop has such a joyful and lighthearted vibe. A definite go-to place for charming and unique…read moreitems at great prices. The owner is a glass artist. Lots of colorful fused glass pieces plus she represents a number of accomplished artists in different mediums. From jewelry to glass, soaps to hand carved whimsical animals, this place should not be missed! The owner is delightful and teaches fun and colorful glass classes. If you are in Old Town, don't miss this store.

From the owner: Wild Hare Studio is an inviting and uplifting place where you will find pieces of Handcrafted Art…read moreand Crafts you connect with - art that makes you smile!

La Parada is rumored to have been a stagecoach stop on the historic El Camino route between Santa…read moreFe and Mexico City. If so, I doubt that it looked anywhere near as colorful and beautiful as it does now. The tagline on the 4th Street entrance sign (shared with Farm & Table) is "world decor/gifts/vintage," and it fits the place to a tee. But they easily could have added "flowering trees," "flowing water," "blooming gardens," "radiant sunshine," "world music," "retro chic," or any number of other descriptors. Some of the items here are bulky and best suited for local purchase and use, especially the hand-painted garden planters and exquisite ceramics and wooden sculptures on display inside the store on the first floor. Others, like the funky vintage items in the upstairs "Retro Kitchen," are ideal as traveling gifts for self, friends, or family. It's hard to describe everything else, which ranges from small ceramic suns and moons to day of the dead key rings, blank note cards, bear-shaped coin purses, scarves, gloves, necklaces, and a full compliment of exotic, alluring, aesthetically intriguing outerwear for women and men. Everything is carefully arranged and tastefully presented, but it's not so precious that you'd be afraid to bring your 2-year inside for a look. This isn't a Dale Chihuly gift shop, or a place for showing off 50-year old aged balsamic in Venetian hand-blown glass. The painted birdhouses and potted plant burros, frogs, and chickens are tougher than they might look. If you ever are tempted to convert 100% of your shopping dollars to on-line retail, visiting La Parada may make you reconsider. Like an approaching stagecoach stop that people yearned to reach after days of dusty, sun-baked travel on bone-rattling roads and perilous river crossings, some places are best experienced in person, with the hands and fingers and optic nerves that millions of years of evolutionary history have crafted, one natural selection at a time. Whenever I visit a unique and lovingly-tended place like La Parada, I wonder how many times a particular key chain or coin purse or flower pot has been looked at, touched, talked about, before finally finding a buyer. I imagine the leather being stitched, the ceramic being painted, the face of St. Francis being sanded, the birds on his shoulder being attached, the fabric being woven, dyed, and sewn, the boxes being lined with packing materials in La Paz, Las Cruces, Southern India, Sulawesi, or Isfahan. And then, like magic, they appear within range of your vision. You look, you touch, you ponder, and if the stars align and the price is right, you purchase. And then you pack up your belongings, cast a skeptical glance outside at the dark clouds gathering on the horizon, get back in your SUV-sized stagecoach, say your goodbyes and bon voyage's and vaya con dios's, and you move on to the next stop of the journey, with your new bear-shaped coin purse and painted ceramic sun and moon wrapped up securely next to your seat, no doubt curious about where they will be going next.

One of my favorite shops in the north valley -- no, in ABQ! Lots of treasures and unique finds and…read morethe owner and staff are always warm, friendly, and helpful. If you're looking for a unique gift for someone (including yourself) and a lovely day out at the same time, then make plans to shop here! They've got my favorite dishes (D'Casa), jewelry, and lots of clothes and other unique finds.

We had a friend from Ohio visiting to help us recover from injuries from a car accident. We aren't…read moreable to drive ourselves yet so she took us to Hotel Chaco to enjoy the view from the rooftop to lift our spirits. We stumbled on this beautiful gallery as we were leaving and had a wonderful tour. The director of the gallery is very knowledgeable about our New Mexican artists, has assembled a marvelous collection, and took the time to give us a thorough understanding of the artists, their work and techniques. Our caregiving friend was particularly struck by a glass canteen by Ira Lujan. When we were home, a considering all our friend has done e for us we wanted to acquire the canteen as a gift, but weren't sure how to get it before she had to leave for home. Suzanne, the gallery's director, went above and beyond! She arranged for us to choose the exact one that caught our friend's eye, packaged it and have it delivered to us the same day. Our caregiver was so surprised and truly moved when she opened the package. She's collected many pieces of art in her international travels but she said none so special as Lujan's canteen. If you are ever in Albuquerque, we highly recommend a visit. You are in fir a treat!

When I saw Ira Lujan's amazing lavender wedding vase I knew right away that it was the perfect…read moregift. I had been looking for the perfect gift for my son and his girlfriend for quite a while. When I saw that vase in the window I was so drawn to it. When I went into the gallery and met Suzanne she told me about the vase and Ira, and gave me space to get to know the vase. When I did decide that I had to buy it for my son and his girlfriend Suzanne agreed to ship it for me, but that's not all. She even wrote a very personal letter to them telling them about Ira and his background, and how the vase was made. Fortunately it arrived in San Francisco unbroken and they were delighted. Thank you Suzanne for making the whole experience so wonderful. I will come to see you whenever I am in Albuquerque.

Masterful Mosaics is listed as a gallery but is actually a house in a residential area. Felt a…read morebit awkward approaching the door as there were no signs directing to art space vs living space. The artist in resident was not home nor able to reach by phone. Disappointed because the mosaic photos look impressive. I will try to reach them again next time I am in ABQ. The location is very easy to find.

From the owner: Custom and fine art stained glass tile mosaic: wall art, murals, window hangings, housewares,…read morebusiness signs, entryways, kitchen, bath, and more...

I went on a Friday night to support my friends Pat and Lee from Buster Brown Art Co's showing. I…read morewas greeted upon entering and immediately felt welcome. The layout of the gallery has a nice flow. I really liked the diversity of the featured artists.

From the owner: Fine local art gallery owned and operated by the artists. A friendly atmosphere to browse our…read moreone-of-a-kind art. Come to our First Friday receptions with refreshments, and meet our Featured Artist(s) of the month. All types of local art by New Mexico artists. We have glass, ceramics, oils, pastels, acrylics, wood, watercolors, and jewelry. Reasonable prices because it’s owned by the artists—no middle man. Shipping is available (it’s up to the artist).

Great art and a great frame shop. I often conclude that the Weems Gallery has the best art work…read morerepresenting New Mexico artist.

I recently purchased two pieces of fine-art paintings on canvas. I saw the pieces online and knew…read morewhat I was looking for when I walked into the Weems gallery on Wyoming for the first time. I looked around for a few minutes and found my pieces. The price was right as they were on sale. So, I purchased them. I was happy to own these beautiful works of art, but my experience with the woman who condescended me left a bad taste in my experience there. She treated me with no more respect than as though I were an ignorant gorilla seeking to purchase something that was above my unrefined, know-nothing inabilities. All I wanted to do was make my purchase and leave quickly, as her contempt towards me for my not having a doctorate in contemporary fine art was palpable. To the very end, she disregarded my concern about wrapping the one-thousand-fourteen-hundred-dollar paintings, dismissing my inquiry because they were sale items. I will never walk into a Weems Gallery again: Precisely because of her.