Rio Rancho Art on the Mesa
About Us
Rio Rancho Art on the Mesa launched in September 2023. The primary focus is on the process of art, meaning the end product is not the primary focus. The emphasis is on the experience, not the outcome. This program celebrates the discoveries each artist makes while creating their unique artwork. Participants of all ages will learn and work in all mediums and our kids focused programs will teach several skills, from learning about famous artists, colors, and color blending to fine motor skills, cognitive and creative thinking, and more.
Our offerings are organized into two main program areas: youth-focused classes like Mini-Monet and Kids Art Club (starting fall 2026), and our Open Arts Studio experiences, which include Gather and Learn - each designed to support creativity in different ways.
Remember art is for everyone.
Youth Programs
Mini-Monet:
Art history and creative exploration, right in your classroom
Kids Art Club:
Starting Fall 2026!
Open Arts Studio
Gather:
Bring a project, try something new, and make alongside others
Learn:
Build skills, try something new, and grow your creativity
Support the Visual Arts in Rio Rancho
All donations are appreciated - whether you choose to give a one-time gift or set up a recurring monthly contribution. Monthly donations are an easy, affordable way to provide ongoing support, helping Rio Rancho Art on the Mesa sustain its programs and keep creative opportunities accessible to the community.
Meet the Artistic Directors
Listen to our recent interview on KDSK! Click play below.
Jen Doolittle is a professional photographer, arts administrator, and artist with over a decade of experience in creative leadership, community engagement, and program development. She has always believed everyone is creative and that art has the power to heal. Jen fell in love with photography as a child, fascinated by her dad’s camera and the stories tucked inside family photo albums. Today, her work explores identity, memory, and emotion by transforming the familiar into something new. As she continues her BFA in Art Studio with a minor in Arts Leadership and Business, she has expanded her creative practice through drawing, painting, and collage, strengthening the creative and administrative foundations she brings to her work in community arts.
Besides her visual arts practice, Jen has a strong background in theater management and production, supporting and coordinating performances and staged readings that uplift local voices and unite people.
As Artistic Director of Open Arts Studio, she is committed to building a welcoming and accessible community arts hub where people of all ages and abilities can express themselves, learn, and connect through the joy of creating.
Melissa Drymon is a talented artist who has been involved in children’s programming and advocacy for many years. Melissa has been an official photographer for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and is a regular contributor to the #reliefconspiracy, an international Art-Sharing group. Melissa has used her deeply personal art to support other local artists through Timber Studio’s Fundraiser for ABC Mutual Aid, as well as commissioned several pieces locally. She has also participated in the Annual People’s Show. Her children’s advocacy work includes grassroots support for Title I schools and Special Education.
Melissa received her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a minor in Psychology from UNM in 2017, as a non-traditional student raising a family. Her work often “touches on difficult issues, but she approaches with a nuanced delicacy” (Abbey Hepner, UNM and UCCS Art Professor,2016). She has worked with many mediums and her print work has been in nationwide shows. Melissa also has a degree in Early Childhood Development, making her art classes educational as well as fun and engaging.
Melissa’s unique combination of life experience and education makes her an asset to the newly fledging art program. Her passion to bring the arts to children who may not otherwise have access has been proven through her work in the schools. Melissa has long advocated for access in the schools as well as ensuring that Special Education and Exceptional students are treated equally.
