By Prime Time Staff,
For nearly half a century, the nonprofit Assistance League of Albuquerque has been contributing to the local economy and supporting older creative New Mexicans through a funky little adobe shop with blue-framed windows on the edge of Old Town. Called Blue Portal, it provides hundreds of artists and crafters age 55 and up with an intimate space to sell their creations and take away 100% of the asking price for each piece sold.
The store, which is operated by volunteers, sold about 12,400 items last year alone, for a total of $228,000 back into the pockets of talented seniors. Products include ceramics, gourds, textiles, woodwork, metal, glass, paper, jewelry and recycled artwork, most at a cost of $20 or less. Since the store opened in 1978, it has returned almost $4 million to the community.
Blue Portal began that year when a forward-thinking group of City officials and women from the Assistance League of Albuquerque recognized that as people aged, they needed a sense of purpose, activities and socialization to live their best lives and to stay healthy – namely, opportunities to thrive.
“There is a fountain of youth – it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love,” said store manager Sally Ruscitti. “When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age. Blue Portal celebrates this concept of life and living.”
Located at 2107 Church St. NW, Blue Portal is open noon to 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays and carries a regular inventory of about 2,000 pieces. During the Balloon Fiesta, Dias de los Muertos and the Old Town Stroll, the shop has extended hours. Sometimes, artists can even be seen conducting demonstrations.
“These pieces are one-of-a-kind, and the encouragement given an artist when you purchase one of their pieces cannot be measured,” said inventory specialist Virginia Lawler. “It confirms their work is of value. Artistic expression is the heartbeat of personal identity with its power to allow these individuals to find hope, friendship, a renewal of joy and to honor the potential of the human spirit.”
To learn about Blue Portal’s artist guidelines and application and intake processes, visit https://www.assistanceleague.org/albuquerque/blue-portal/, or send an email with your inquiry to [email protected].
Blue Portal is just one of nine of the Assistance League’s local philanthropic programs. Others support victims of domestic violence, education, the homeless, cancer patients, and more. The organization began in 1959 as the Service League of Albuquerque with 23 members. It is now staffed by more than 300 member volunteers who donate more than 80,000 hours of service annually.
