Campus Community Archives - Western New Mexico University

Western New Mexico University Hosts Vibrant Slate of National Poetry Month Events

Lorraine Montez — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Western New Mexico University (�鶹ֱ��) celebrated National Poetry Month in April with an event organized by Miller Library and The Humanities Department. ��Additionally, �鶹ֱ�� was a part of a series of poetry events, called, “The Poetry Long Weekend.” This long weekend of poetry events was curated by �鶹ֱ�� Associate Professor and Silver City/Grant County Poet Laureate, Heather Frankland, and co-organized with local libraries, poets, and businesses. The kick-off event was at the Miller Library and extended into the heart of Silver City and Bayard.

The festivities kicked off with the premier event at the Miller Library, “A Celebration of Poetry.” The two-hour showcase featured a diverse lineup of speakers and performers, beginning with an introduction by Miller Library Director Samantha Johnson. Highlights of the morning included �鶹ֱ�� Writer-in-Residence JJ Amaworo Wilson discussing the vital importance of poetry in contemporary society, The Maverick editors discussing the importance of student voice and creativity, composition student presentations of original work, and original readings by Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and Poet Laureate Emeritus, Dr. Jack Crocker, Dr. Gregory Robinson Guerra, Professor Frankland, and local poet Leonore Hildebrandt.

In discussing the event, Professor Frankland stated, “At an event like this, we are able to showcase the importance of poetry and voice from multiple writers on different stages of their writing journey. The center of this event is and has always been the students. Allowing students a chance to share their original creative work is important. Likewise, we can see how poetry can create bridges between people. This year marks the second year where we were part of a series of community events. This shows the connection and opportunities that �鶹ֱ�� has with the larger community.”

The celebration continued at Bayard Public Library, with a hands-on workshop entitled, “Pantoums, Zines, Tankas, and Smash Books Workshop,” where participants explored non-traditional poetic forms and physical media taught by Mimbres poet, Cheryl Howard.

The next day, the focus shifted to The Public Library of Silver City for a poetry reading and book launch. The event debuted��Cacti Fur Collective, a poetry split published by Grandma Moses Press. Publisher Tim Staley joined the featured poets Susan Melinda Morée, Beate Sigriddaughter, Elise Stuart, and Frankland to present the collection.

Further activities started Saturday at Desert Bouquet Studio on Yankie Street with “The True Haiku Workshop” led by Kit West. Later that afternoon, the “Word Cafe” at Tranquilbuzz Coffee House featured readings by local youth poets, coordinated by Shelly Barnett, highlighting the next generation of creative voices in the region.

The events concluded on Sunday, April 12, at Javalina Coffee House. �鶹ֱ�� Miller Library Public Services Manager and Silver City/Grant County Poet Laureate Emerita, Allison Waterman, and Professor Roberta Brown hosted a “Postcard Poetry” session, where attendees combined brief, impactful verses with visual art, providing a creative and communal end to the long weekend.

The series of events was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the poet laureate with several organizations, including SWAG Books & More, �鶹ֱ�� Media Services, the �鶹ֱ�� Humanities Department, Miller Library, The Maverick, Silver City Public Library, Bayard Public Library, Javalina Coffee House, Tranquilbuzz Coffee House, Desert Bouquet Studio, and the Southwest Word Fiesta (SWWF).

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�鶹ֱ�� Artist-in-Residence Claire Fall Blanchette Explores Biological Pulse of the Gila at Gallery Exhibition

Lorraine Montez — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:00:57 +0000

Claire Fall Blanchette is an interdisciplinary artist exploring biology, geology, and human impact. As artist-in-residence at Western New Mexico University (�鶹ֱ��), she focuses on the high desert and the Gila Watershed’s ecological narratives. Ground Truthing, a provocative exhibition by Blanchette, opened at The Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art at �鶹ֱ�� on March 19. The exhibition, which runs through April 9, invites viewers to reconsider their relationship with extractive high desert landscapes through a unique fusion of biological processes, geological history, and local ecology.

At the heart of��Ground Truthing��is a radical collaboration with the living world. Blanchette moves beyond traditional representation. She uses “biological participants”—specifically bacterial and yeast cultures (SCOBY)—grown with water drawn from the Gila River. By using these local water cultures, the artist lets the river act as a primary creator, not just a subject.

The exhibition features a striking mix of materials reflecting Silver City’s history. Blanchette pairs rocks from Boston Hill—a site known for its industrial mining legacy—with mycelium. Mycelium, the root-like structure of fungi, can reclaim and repair compromised soil. This pairing creates a dialogue between rigid extraction history and the flexible potential for healing.

For Blanchette, New Mexico’s visible environmental dualities sparked immediate interest. “Having the Gila Wilderness next to a mining town is interesting,” she said. “We have to extract to exist, but we can consider other ways to impact ecosystems.”

The aesthetic of��Ground Truthing��is defined by visceral, skin-like membranes. Blanchette uses hanging panels to show organic textures that metaphorically express the desert’s fragile state. These “skins” were as unpredictable as the environments they represent. During installation, several mycelium panels curled and twisted in reaction to Silver City’s arid, high-altitude air. Blanchette did not correct these movements. Instead, she embraced them, citing the unpredictability of living organisms as central to her method.

“I view these organic membranes as both a protective layer and a symbol of vulnerability,” Blanchette said. “You must be attuned to your materials to fit your concept, especially when working with natural materials.”

Blanchette also connected with local environmental organizations, including the Gila Resources Information Project (GRIP), as part of her research for the exhibition. This community-centric approach mirrors the unique culture she found during her time in the region. Compared to larger urban hubs, Blanchette noted a sense of real community in Silver City and a �鶹ֱ��. “It feels like there are more things happening here—a lot of community events. I’ve never experienced a community so close-knit before,” Blanchette said.

[Pictured: Lightboxes filled with water from the Gila River, spotlighting the live growth of SCOBY (bacteria and yeast cultures), lit from below.]

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The Historic Women of �鶹ֱ�� – Celebrating the Architects of an Educational Legacy

Lorraine Montez — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0000

March is Women’s History Month and Western New Mexico University (�鶹ֱ��) honors the women who made the university what it is today. While the bricks and mortar of �鶹ֱ�� were laid by many, the soul, culture, and academic rigor of the institution were forged by a cadre of pioneering women. Since its inception as the Territorial Normal School, the memories of the women who broke glass ceilings, integrated diverse cultural perspectives, and established a standard of excellence persist today.

Among the earliest luminaries was Fortuna Guerrero, whose presence at the Normal School represented an essential bridge between the institution and the rich Hispano heritage of the Southwest. Graduating in 1912—just months before New Mexico achieved statehood—Guerrero overcame significant systemic barriers to complete the territory’s rigorous teacher-training curriculum. Her achievement was a landmark for the Silver City community, signaling a shift toward a more inclusive educational landscape.

Guerrero’s academic journey eventually led her to become the first Hispanic woman to receive a Master of Arts degree from the institution. This degree in pedagogy served as a foundation for future generations as she dedicated her career to teaching in the rural schools of Grant County. By educating the children of local mining and ranching families, she provided a vital link between the Spanish-speaking community and formal education, elevating local literacy through a lifetime of dedicated public service.

In the realm of physical education and athletics, few figures loom as large as Arlene Kilpatrick. A true trailblazer of the mid-20th century, Kilpatrick was the first woman physical education instructor in the state of New Mexico to earn her doctorate. Her commitment to the “sound mind in a sound body” philosophy transformed the department, ensuring that female students had the same access to rigorous physical training and scientific instruction as their male counterparts. Her legacy is etched into the very gymnasium floors where generations of New Mexican educators trained under her exacting standards.

The intellectual heartbeat of the university was often found in the English and Humanities departments, led by women of immense stature. Professor Cathie Bower and Mrs. Ruth Myra, an associate professor of English, were more than just educators; they were the guardians of the school’s literary standards. A fierce dedication to critical thinking marked Bower’s tenure, while Myra was known for her ability to connect classical literature to the evolving American experience. Together, they cultivated a campus atmosphere where they treated the written word with the highest reverence.

Similarly, Emma Marble Muir contributed a vital historical and literary perspective to the institution. Her work documenting local history and her involvement in Silver City’s cultural life ensured that the university remained deeply rooted in its geographic context. Muir understood that for �鶹ֱ�� to thrive, it had to honor the unique tapestry of the High Desert. These women ensured that the school was not just a training ground for teachers, but a sophisticated center for the arts and humanities.

The influence of �鶹ֱ�� women extended far beyond the campus gates. Anita Scott Coleman, an alum of the Normal School, rose to prominence as a significant voice in the Harlem Renaissance. Through her prolific short stories and essays, Coleman addressed themes of racial identity and social justice, proving that the education received in the quiet hills of Silver City could resonate on a national stage. Her success remains a point of immense pride for the university, serving as a reminder that �鶹ֱ�� has always been a springboard for world-changing talent.

The women who helped build �鶹ֱ�� also include the unnamed many—the registrars, the librarians, and the student leaders—who kept the university functioning during world wars and economic depressions. Their administrative grit and visionary leadership allowed the institution to evolve from a small teacher-training college into a comprehensive regional university. These women recognized that education was the most potent tool for social mobility and community development, and they worked tirelessly to keep the doors of opportunity open for all.

Associate Professor of Psychology, Jennifer Johnston, Ph.D., analyzed historical rosters of female faculty at �鶹ֱ�� and compared them to U.S. National Center for Education Statistics on gender representation in higher education. She said, “from 1890 to 2025, the percentage of women faculty at �鶹ֱ�� was always higher than the national average. From 1890-1910, more than half of faculty at �鶹ֱ�� were women, whereas colleges across the U.S. had only 20%. In the 1970s, even after including male-dominated majors, �鶹ֱ�� boasted 25% to 31% nationwide. Today, the gap has shrunk, but we have 54% women faculty, compared to the U.S., who is just below 50%. I was pleased to find that women were always leaders and major stakeholders at �鶹ֱ��.”

From the first �鶹ֱ�� doctoral degree in physical education to the poetic resonances of the Harlem Renaissance, these women did more than teach; they built a foundation. They fostered a spirit of resilience that defines the university to this day.

Special thanks to Cecilia Jensen Bell, instrumental in providing photos and materials for the book Celebrating a Century of Higher Education in Southwest New Mexico��for the 1893 to 1993 Centennial. Photos for this article were sourced from this book. Bell is a past president and current Vice President of the Bayard Historic Preservation Society, and is also on the Oregon California Trail Association Board, and previously served as an adjunct professor at �鶹ֱ��.

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�鶹ֱ�� Francis McCray Gallery Unveiled Diverse Talent in 2026 Student Juried Art Exhibition

Lorraine Montez — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:00:20 +0000

The Western New Mexico University (�鶹ֱ��) Expressive Arts Department and the Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art presented the 2026 Student Juried Art Exhibition. A cornerstone of the university’s spring cultural calendar, the exhibition showcased the technical mastery and conceptual depth of the next generation of Southwest artists.

This year’s collection highlights the unique “applied liberal arts” identity of �鶹ֱ��, where students are encouraged to blend traditional craftsmanship with contemporary social and environmental themes.

“The Student Juried Exhibition is a meaningful part of what we do as a teaching gallery within the Expressive Arts department,” said Director of the Francis McCray Gallery Jill Winburn. “It gives students the opportunity to present their work in a professional setting and receive feedback from an outside juror.”

The 2026 awards were announced during the opening reception in late January, recognizing outstanding achievements in various categories. These honors not only validate the student artists but also add vital elements to their professional portfolios as they prepare for careers in the arts and creative industries.

Awards included:

Phoebe Lawrence Ceramic Award – Erika Cozine, “Depletion”
Light Art Space Award for Photography – Riata Lindley, “Ephemeral and Eternal”
Watercolor Society Award – Sally Tilton, “A strand of Pearls”, Watercolor”
Honorable Mention – Leticia Marquez, “Building Blocks”, Sculpture
3rd Place – Rylee Myers, “All the little things moving in the night”, Drawing
2nd Place – Caleb Macias, “Freaky Fresh Product Line”, Graphic Design
1st Place – Gabe Farley – “Slightly Familiar Channels”, Sculpture

The works on display reflect the region’s geographic and cultural influences while also drawing from a broader and more personal range of experiences.��From experimental ceramic forms to high-fidelity digital compositions, the exhibition serves as a testament to the diverse perspectives fostered within the �鶹ֱ�� Expressive Arts Department.

Winburn noted, “There’s something transformative about seeing your artwork thoughtfully installed on the walls of a gallery — it often shifts how students see their own work and strengthens their confidence as artists.��When that experience is supported by classmates, faculty, family, and the broader community showing up to celebrate them, it becomes even more powerful.”

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McCray Gallery at �鶹ֱ�� Unveils Edwina and Charles Milner Women in the Arts Exhibition

Lorraine Montez — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 15:00:07 +0000

The Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art at Western New Mexico University (�鶹ֱ��) celebrated the opening of the Edwina and Charles Milner Women in the Arts: Eva Gabriella Flynn exhibition on Thursday, October 23, 2025, with a vibrant opening reception that drew students, faculty, and members of the local arts community.

Attendees had the first opportunity to view Flynn’s works, featured as part of the esteemed Edwina and Charles Milner Women in the Arts Lecture and Exhibition Series.

Flynn’s exhibition, which runs through November 20, 2025, showcases her dynamic artistry, emphasizing themes of environmental connection and color exploration. Her work is a captivating addition to the gallery’s commitment to highlighting the voices and perspectives of women in the arts.

The series is a key part of the �鶹ֱ�� Cultural Affairs programming, designed to foster representation and critical dialogue through contemporary art.

The exhibition follows the artist’s engagement with the community, which included a Desert Colors Natural Dye Workshop demonstrating the McCray Gallery’s function as a hands-on teaching and research space.

Gallery Director Jill Winburn expressed gratitude for the robust turnout and enthusiasm for the new show. “It was wonderful to see the community gather to celebrate Eva Gabriella Flynn’s powerful work,” said Winburn. “The Milner Women in the Arts series continues to be an essential platform for showcasing the talent and intellectual depth of women artists, and Flynn’s pieces truly resonate with our mission to connect art and environment.”

Themes in Eva Gabriella Flynn’s Artwork include works deeply rooted in the physical and psychological landscapes of the U.S.-Mexico border region. Her art is a powerful blend of the personal and the political, exploring different themes.

Flynn’s work, which often includes meticulously drawn maps and flags, inhabits the uncertain, permeable space between two nations. Inspired by her own childhood, Flynn’s experience of having a Mexican immigrant mother and a father who was a prosecutor for Homeland Security parallels the tensions of the border itself. She creates a reality where colonial and imperialist borders do not exist.

The theme of environmental connection is critical, particularly through her use of materials. She incorporates natural dyes and pigments forged in the Chihuahuan Desert; the landscape she calls home. These colors—derived from cochineal bugs, onion scraps, juniper bark, and creosote—literally ground Flynn’s art in the organic material of the desert, emphasizing a shared, ancient environment that predates the political line.

Her imagery weaves together historical narratives, personal memory, and icons of the Southwest and Chicanx culture. Flynn parodies tourist ephemera and crashes different iconographies together to confront old myths and generate a collective memory of home, belonging, and the complexities of the region.

Flynn’s work, such as a long-running painting series of fragmented portraits, explores her “inability to reconcile a body or space in just one location,” reflecting the mixed identity and constant tension of the Borderlands experience. Her flags, for instance, don’t represent a nation, but rather ideals, emotions, and the land itself.

The exhibition is free and open to the public. Gallery hours and more information on the exhibition.

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�鶹ֱ�� Fosters Dialogue on Censorship with Banned Book Week Events

Lorraine Montez — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 15:12:09 +0000

�鶹ֱ�� Fosters Dialogue on Censorship with Banned Book Week Events

Western New Mexico University (�鶹ֱ��) concluded its annual Banned Books Week celebration on October 7, with a series of well-attended events that fostered engaging discussions on intellectual freedom and the power of narrative. The observance, held October 1 through October 7, marked the sixth year of the partnership on Banned Book Week between the Humanities Department and Miller Library, which began in 2019. This year’s events focused on expanded reach by incorporating new elements and a variety of voices.

“This time we did things a bit differently and made the events more robust,” said key organizer and �鶹ֱ�� Humanities Professor Heather Frankland, MFA, MPH. “What was great to see this semester was that we had such a variety of disciplines, experiences, and voices,” she added.

The week’s events provided multiple avenues for participation. The celebration began with Stories That Stick, a sidewalk chalk event hosted by Frankland, where students decorated the campus with quotes and art from banned books.

Events also included a lively discussion on banned books and why they are targeted, led by �鶹ֱ�� Library Director Samantha Johnson and Silver Public Librarian Lillian Galloway, in connection with WILL (Western Institute of Lifelong Learning).

The week culminated on October 7 in the J. Cloyd Miller Library’s annual Banned Books event. Johnson, who was also part of the October 7 event, noted that book challenges are on the rise, with numbers now higher than they were in the 1980s, creating a pressing need for constructive dialogue.

History Professor Scott Fritz, Ph.D., spoke on the banning/challenging of A People’s History of the United States, by Howard Zinn. At the same time, Associate Professor of Reading Catherine Gregorius, Ph.D., shared personal accounts of navigating book challenges during her career.

The Editor-In-Chief of the �鶹ֱ�� undergraduate academic journal, The Maverick, Anais Orantez, presented through a video recording.

The annual event also included a dynamic panel discussion with �鶹ֱ�� faculty, moderated by Alexandra Neves, Ph.D., Associate Dean of the College of Education at �鶹ֱ��. Lisa Taylor, Ed.D., from the College of Education, also sat on the panel, noting the disturbing trend of rising book challenges and bans.

Questions from the audience explored what narratives are lost when we remove books from shelves. Students, in particular, voiced concerns, wondering “what is being kept from me if I cannot access these books?” The discussions touched upon widely challenged works, including the Harry Potter series and Judy Blume’s Forever, which Frankland highlighted in a presentation for its honest portrayal of sex.

Student involvement was a highlight of this year’s observance. Students from the Rhetoric and Composition Workshop deepened their understanding by reading excerpts from Harry Potter and Luis Alberto Urrea’s The Devil’s Highway. Students highlighted regional connections, including the Alamogordo book burning of Harry Potter books in the 2000s and the banning of The Devil’s Highway in Tucson, Arizona.

The core of the conversation consistently returned to the purpose of literature. As Frankland noted, studies increasingly show that books act as a mirror or window, helping readers connect with others and test higher for empathy after reading character-driven works.

“Many people hung around after the panel discussion to talk further,” Frankland said. “While the subject matter can feel disheartening, enthusiasm and passion from the presenters brought a feeling of hope.”

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“Thinking Like a Mountain”: �鶹ֱ�� McCray Gallery Hosts New Exhibition

Linda Brown — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:30:56 +0000

When Aldo Leopold published the essay “Thinking Like a Mountain” as part of the collection “A Sand County Almanac” in 1949, he coined a phrase that continues to reverberate today.

For Leopold, the naturalist who first proposed setting aside a half-million acres surrounding New Mexico’s Gila River as wilderness, “thinking like a mountain” meant appreciating the profound interconnectedness of the elements of an ecosystem.

That interconnectedness is demonstrated and meditated upon in a new exhibition at the Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art at Western New Mexico University. Flagstaff-based artist Shawn Skabelund used elements of nature to create a mixed-media installation that takes full advantage of the gallery’s space.

“For over thirty years,” Skabelund said in his artist’s statement, “my work as an artist has been to ‘collaborate with a place’ as I prepare for exhibitions and installations all over the United States.” For the exhibition at the McCray, Skabelund took inspiration from the landscapes along the route between Flagstaff and Silver City.

His materials are gathered from the forest and include everything from a burnt tree to Ponderosa pine pollen to a mummified hummingbird. These natural elements are assembled to create four place-based installations in the gallery.

The exhibition, said Skabelund, “is my rumination on the life of Aldo Leopold as it intersects with my art, which has focused on land health, land ethics and justice for over thirty years.”

Development of a land ethic is central to “A Sand County Almanac,” in which Leopold claimed that there were two things that interested him: “the relation of people to each other, and the relation of people to the land.” These relationships are what Skabelund explores in the exhibition at the McCray.

“I believe that to think like a mountain is a creative process akin to collaborating with a place,” said Skabelund. “Driving through the landscape of the Mogollon Highlands along U.S. Route 180 helped me focus and develop the four place-based installations in this exhibition. The drive, or the route, became my studio, and the landscape out my car window, where Leopold once lived and worked, the place.”

The exhibition, “Thinking Like a Mountain,” will be on display until October 2. Gallery hours are Tuesday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

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Lines of Perception: New Mexico Ceramic Artist Leads CLAY Festival Workshop at �鶹ֱ��

Linda Brown — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:30:03 +0000

SILVER CITY, NM – Ceramic artist Bianka Groves credits her high school art teacher for setting her on her current path. “I was considered a ‘bad kid’ in school, getting into in-school suspension,” explained Groves. “My teacher would come and rescue me out of in-school suspension and put me to work in the clay room, cleaning, scraping shelves, mixing glazes, etc. I loved it. I spent every free moment in that room, and it took over my life.”

Groves, who was a featured artist at this year’s Silver City CLAY Festival, continues to be grateful to her teacher for helping her discover the medium that would become her life’s work. “I am thankful for her every day,” she said. “I didn’t really understand that I could actually be a ceramic artist until after I tried almost every occupation under the sun. I decided to go to art school because no matter what I was doing with myself, I always gravitated back to clay.”

“It’s been about 15 years since I decided I would never work another job again unless it had something to do with ceramics,” added Groves.

As a CLAY Festival featured artist, Groves served as juror for the exhibition “Perception” at Light Art Space, and the gallery also featured an exhibition of Groves’ work, titled “It’s a Fine Line Between…”. In addition, Groves led a week-long workshop on the Western New Mexico University campus focused on “Tatooing Fine Lines on Round Pots.”

The use of lines as surface decoration is a signature feature of Groves’ ceramics. “Playing with line creates subtle elements of designs from landscapes and architecture,” Groves explains in her artist’s statement. “This creates a movement that brings us closer to the object outside of its utility. Decoration and adornment are kept minimal while still allowing an elegant style that embraces its function for daily life.”

Working largely in porcelain, Groves said that the medium itself helped her discover her artistic direction. “It took a few years, but once I started working in porcelain, after years of internal arguments with glazes, realizing there is more to surfaces than glaze, I found my voice in what I do now,” she said.

Influenced by the restrained yet powerful aesthetic of post-WWII potters like Lucie Rie and Gertrud Vasegaard, Groves chose to focus her workshop at �鶹ֱ�� on helping students hone their wheel-throwing skills as well as on introducing them to some of the techniques she uses in her own work, such as using inlay designs as surface decoration in a manner that is similar to tattooing.

The workshop has helped participants to hone their surface design skills, said �鶹ֱ�� student and workshop participant Victor Vasquez. “We have learned a new style of decorating our pieces,” he said. “It has been really great. We have been introduced a new type of wax [resist], and it has helped me to decorate better…. I have really enjoyed it. It is a lot easier, faster and cleaner than the other methods I do.”

Veteran and retiree Jim Pool, who traveled from Tucson to attend the workshop, said that Groves had helped him to develop further as a potter. “She is a great instructor,” he said. “When you do something right, she tells you, and if you do something wrong, she just explains it and makes it easier.”

For Groves, teaching is a natural extension of her own relationship with her medium. “Clay is meditative,” she explained. “It’s such a special part of our world. It comes from the ground, and arguably, anyone who has any kind of attachment to nature—whether it’s walking in the woods or desert, sticking your feet into a freezing mountain stream, or even tending to houseplants—working in clay brings such a peaceful feeling throughout your whole body.”

She added, “It doesn’t matter if it’s earthenware, stoneware, or porcelain; working with it in your hands to create something from beginning to end is sacred, and it calms the mind. I encourage everyone to play with clay.”

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Advancing Scholarship in the Arts, �鶹ֱ�� Develops Catalog of Its Permanent Art Collection

Linda Brown — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:30:47 +0000

SILVER CITY, NM—Adding a new app to a computer or phone might seem everyday business for most people, but for Jill Winburn, the director of the �鶹ֱ�� Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art, adding an app called CatalogIt has been revolutionary.

The McCray Gallery is home base for the university’s permanent art collection, and CatalogIt has allowed Winburn, who serves as manager of the collection, to finally get a handle on the scope of the university’s holdings.

Prior to subscribing to CatalogIt, the inventory for the permanent art collection was kept on an Excel spreadsheet. Now, it is growing into a robust catalog that includes photographs of the artwork, detailed notes, inventory numbers and more.

Winburn explained that the lack of a complete inventory was due to the way that art has been collected over the decades. “What would happen is that something would get donated or [the university] would purchase something, and it would go [into storage], and they would not record anything about it,” she said.

Eventually, said Winburn, Expressive Arts faculty member Cecil Howard, who directed the gallery for three decades, compiled the spreadsheet that has provided Winburn with a starting point. Winburn and the student workers in the McCray have been taking the information in the spreadsheet, entering it into CatalogIt and adding any additional information about the artwork that they can glean.

The process has involved quite a bit of sleuthing, online research and careful scrutiny of handwritten information, such as signatures on paintings, explained Winburn.

As she has been working her way through the collection, Winburn has also become familiar with specific artists’ styles, which has helped her identify some unsigned pieces. “When you are doing this,” she said, “you get to know the work of the artists.”

So far, 744 items have been cataloged. “It has been quite a task,” said Winburn, “but sometimes it is fun. It is like a treasure hunt.”

CatalogIt has been especially helpful to Winburn as she has cataloged the art that is displayed in campus buildings outside the McCray. “The best thing about it is that it is in the cloud—it’s online—so we can get to it from anywhere, and people can collaborate,” she said. “It is mobile, so we can use it from any device, anywhere.”

In addition to recording information such as the artist’s name, the title of the artwork and the year it was created, Winburn has also been recording information about how the work was acquired—when that is known—to establish the provenance of each piece.

Winburn said that having a thorough, searchable catalog will make it easier in the future to properly preserve and exhibit the university’s collection. In addition, because one of the data points in CatalogIt is the estimated value of each work, the catalog can provide the university with information that could be useful for insurance purposes.

Most importantly, having a robust catalog will make the collection more accessible to students studying art, said Winburn. Eventually, she said, the information entered into CatalogIt can be published to a website, making the university’s permanent art collection available digitally to both students and the general public.

Because multiple users can have access to CatalogIt under one subscription, Winburn anticipates that the app will be equally useful to the �鶹ֱ�� Museum, the Office of Cultural Affairs, and J. Cloyd Miller Library, all of which house collections of university-owned art and artifacts.

“CatalogIt is probably the best investment we have made,” said Winburn. “It allows for searching in so many different ways. … I geek out about it all the time because it has really made our lives a lot easier.”

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El Son de la Gila Mariachi Conference Brings High School Musicians to �鶹ֱ��

Linda Brown — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 16:37:55 +0000

SILVER CITY, NM –�� The sound of mariachi music could be heard throughout the western part of the Western New Mexico University campus June 4-6, as the university hosted El Son de la Gila, its annual mariachi conference. Drawing students and their mariachi directors from across the southwest, the conference provided an opportunity for high school students to learn from master mariachis, and it allowed their group leaders to network and learn from each other.

Organizing the conference was a group effort, involving not only �鶹ֱ�� music faculty and staff, but also the members of the university’s mariachi group, Mariachi Plata de �鶹ֱ��. One member of Mariachi Plata de �鶹ֱ��, Alejandro Salinas, who plays guitarrón, said that Plata members had helped with a wide variety of tasks, from setting up tables to helping the high school students get where they needed to be.

Fellow Mariachi Plata de �鶹ֱ�� member Anais Orantez Middleton added that the team worked especially well this year to organize the conference. “We are blessed to have a really like-minded team this year. We are all working toward the same goal, and it motivates us to work harder,” she said.

One of the benefits of helping to organize the conference is that the members of Mariachi Plata get to learn from the maestros alongside the high school students, said Laisha Vargas Garcia. The maestros are members of Mariachi Estrella de Mexico from Guadalajaro, Jalisco, and they teach both individual and group sessions over the three days of the conference.

“We have learned so much from them,” said Vargas Garcia, “like how to put our whole bodies into mariachi. The performance is not just about … sound.”

Director of Mariachi Plata Bryant Chaffino, who has organized El Son de la Gila for the past three years, said that the biggest challenge this year was a lack of funding. This lack of funding meant that he was not even sure for a time that the conference would go forward. However, the community stepped up to support the conference, Chaffino said. “Last night’s dinner was provided by LULAC,” he stated on the first full day of the conference, referring to the local arm of the League of United Latin American Citizens. “They put on a beautiful, delicious spread.”

Despite the challenges of this year’s event, El Son de la Gila drew in over 80 students from across the region.

Carolina Romero, who leads the music program at Atrisco Heritage Academy High School in Albuquerque, said that she would never miss an opportunity to bring her students to the conference.

Romero stated that she first became aware of Mariachi Plata de �鶹ֱ�� when she saw them perform at Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque several years ago. At that event, she met Chaffino, and they have worked together since. “That was the start of our collaboration,” Romero explained. “We have been working on how to unify our state on mariachi education.”

Since that time, she has brought her students regularly to the conference, and many of them have gone on to matriculate at �鶹ֱ��. Several of the current members of Mariachi Plata de �鶹ֱ�� are Atrisco Heritage alumni who first learned about the university through El Son de la Gila.

“We come to show these students what they can do after high school and to see how great these college kids are—how they are thriving,” said Romero. “It is just inspirational for everybody.”

Romero added that the collaboration between her high school and �鶹ֱ�� has been outstanding. “We are building a bridge between high school and college that is so important for these kids,” she said.

Tamarah Lucero, who directs youth mariachis with both Albuquerque High School and the Santa Fe Symphony, said that she has been bringing students to El Son de la Gila since the conference began. “We like to go to all the conferences that we can, so the students can learn from the different maestros,” she explained. “Conferences bring in maestros from out of state and out of country, so students can learn as much as the can.”

Lucero said that one of the most important things students gain from El Son de la Gila is a sense of camaraderie with students from other schools. “They get to see each other in these different settings and, of course, learn from the maestros,” she added.

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