The Branigan Cultural Center presents Prairie View Furniture, an exhibition of the works of cabinetmaker and artist Doug Ricketts. This display of distinctive furniture opens on Friday, February 7, and concludes on Saturday, March 1. Mr. Ricketts will present a gallery talk beginning at 4 pm prior to the opening reception on Friday, February 7 during the monthly Ramble which runs from 5pm to 7pm.
A native of Oklahoma, Mr. Ricketts was raised in Nevada and New Mexico and remembers “feeling a need to use interesting materials” as a means to explore his creative strengths. He earned his BFA in sculpture and ceramics in 1976 from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma and began his career as a self-employed cabinetmaker in Lipscomb, Texas. In 1997, Ricketts began specializing in pieces that incorporated recycled wood and vintage hardware. His design emphasis “evolved to include the use of newer wood along with found metal objects.” His works have been exhibited in select shows throughout the Southwest.
Mr. Ricketts creates regionally-inspired furniture that incorporates “landscape and weather events, profiles of farm implements and buildings” in his designs. As he said, “Each piece of Prairie View Furniture is a one-of-a-kind sculpture with a story to tell.”
The Branigan Cultural Center is located at 501 N. Main Street. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 4:30m. For more information, contact the Branigan Cultural Center at (575) 541-2154 or visit the Center’s website at las-cruces.org/museums.
Part of the Prairie View Furniture Exhibit at the Branigan Cultural Center
Doug Ricketts work as part of the BCC exhibit in February and March, 2014