Entertainment

**Meditating Monkey Art Emporium: Where Weird, Good Things Happen After Dark**

A sky-blue building full of eccentric artists, thrift-store charm, and at least one allegedly cursed painting. The Monkey blends boutique-quality art supplies, regional souvenirs, and local vendor marketplaces with live programming that keeps downtown Raton buzzing after hours. Open mic nights, D&D campaigns, youth art competitions, masquerade balls, and collaborations with Trinidad artists—all designed to build a creative corridor that refuses to pretend small towns can’t have nightlife. Co-owner Gary Rife’s mission? “World domination.” Translation: make Raton the place where participation matters more than prestige, and showing up beats gatekeeping every time.

**Meditating Monkey Art Emporium**
136 N. 1st St., Raton, NM
575-707-8865 | meditatingmonkey1984@gmail.com

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Sky-blue building. Eccentric artists. Allegedly cursed painting. The Meditating Monkey Art Emporium is Raton’s new creative chaos engine—part art supply shop, part gallery, part auditorium for open mics, D&D nights, and masquerade balls. Co-owner Gary Rife wants “world domination.” We say: start with the county. Bring your weird, your art, and your appetite for small miracles.

**136 N. 1st St., Raton, NM | 575-707-8865 | meditatingmonkey1984@gmail.com**