MPG Thank You

The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces pays tribute to women making a difference in New Mexico agriculture with a rotating wall display in the central corridor.

The exhibit is called “Her Land: Women in Agriculture” and the new featured exemplar is 21-year-old Sophia Moreno of La Union, N.M.

Sophia grew up on a small, family farm along with her parents, Fred and Sharon, and younger sisters Monique and Nadette. They raise mostly meat, milk, and fiber-producing livestock, as well as horses. Sophia has served as both the Southern New Mexico Fair Rodeo Queen and Miss Rodeo New Mexico Teen.

An ambassador for the sport of rodeo, Sophia and her sisters also participated in 4-H, including horse shows, barrel races, ranch riding events, shooting sports, horse judging, wildlife, hippology, and parliamentary procedure. She received a horse judging scholarship to Clarendon, College in Clarendon, Texas. She is currently in the Ranch and Feedlot Operations program there and will earn an Associates Degree in Animal Science.

Sophia’s plans include becoming a veterinarian specializing in equine and bovine reproduction. She also wants to have a family, which she hopes to raise on her own ranch someday, passing along the skills, knowledge, and traditions that she gained through the first chapter of her life.

The exhibit will be changed about every six months to feature a different woman involved in New Mexico agriculture.

“Museums typically focus on the stories of our ancestors and their incredible accomplishments,” said Museum Executive Director Heather Reed. “We often forget to look around to see that history is unfolding right in front of us within our communities and our state. Her Land spotlights the amazing feats and contributions of modern-day women and showcases the young women working on the future of agriculture. This ongoing project will rotate every few months and will allow us to record history in real time for generations to come.”

The first person featured in the exhibit was Felicia Thal, a longtime rancher in northeastern New Mexico who passed away last year at the age of 92.

575-522-4100. www.frhm.org

The talent of the New Mexico Watercolor Society will be on display in a new art show at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces.

“Seasons of Enchantment: Painting the New Mexico Farm and Ranch” features 28 works of art by members of the society. A public meet-and-greet with the artists is planned for 12 to 2 p.m. on April 23. Entry is free to this reception and the art show only. Admission to see the rest of the Museum is $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and $3 for children 4 to 17.

These watercolor paintings celebrate the daily life of New Mexico farmers and ranchers and their families, evoking a sense of time and place. They elevate the ordinary to extraordinary and reflect the wonder of the landscape and its people.

The paintings include rural landscapes, livestock, farming and ranching scenes, and wildlife.

Artwork from members of both the Albuquerque and Las Cruces chapters of the New Mexico Watercolor Society have been selected by Juror Lynn McLain, AWS, NWS. The Society honors and celebrates the medium of watercolor through the support of highest aesthetic standards, education of the public, promotion of community engagement, and facilitation of member development. The Albuquerque chapter began in 1969 and the Southern Chapter celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

The artists whose works were selected for this show include New Mexico Watercolor Society members John Glass, Laurel Weathersbee, Barbara McGuire, Susan Davis, Patricia Black, Jay Leutwyler, Junko Nakao, Robert Highsmith, Richard Harris, Penny Thomas Simpson, Tina Little, Dorian Clouser, Mark Cirzan, Dave Cook, Tina Stallard, Rachel Murphree, Bonnie Deming, Rebecca A. Johnson, and Nancy Frost Begin. More information about the New Mexico Watercolor Society can be found here: www.nmwatercolorsociety.com

The show will be on display in the Museum’s Arts Corridor through July 30, 2022. www.nmfarmandranchmuseum.org

The New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs. The 47-acre interactive museum brings to life the 4,000-year history of growing food and fiber in this region. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, it features livestock, indoor and outdoor exhibits, barns, greenhouse, gift shop, and demonstrations. 4100 Dripping Springs Road in Las Cruces, N.M. 88011, (575) 522-4100. Hours: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The Museum is supported by the Friends of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.

Pray for Rain by Carissa Samaniego Mullennix Bridge Gallery, University Art Museum – June 10-September 2, 2022

The NMSU Art Museum is pleased to present Carissa Samaniego: Pray for Rain in the Mullennix Bridge Gallery at the University Art Museum (UAM) at New Mexico State University (NMSU), June 10–September 2, 2022.

Pray for Rain is an exhibition featuring recent works by Carissa Samaniego, who will join the NMSU Department of Art as visiting professor of sculpture in the fall of 2022. The selections are from three of the artist’s ongoing projects: the Querencia textile series, Block Pattern Halo drawings, and Americaña research. Through experimentation with varied materials and alternate methodologies, Samaniego explores the cultural histories and socio-political issues of life in the Rio Grande Valley.

Event Address/location: NMSU Art Museum 1308 E University Ave, Las Cruces, NM 88001

Event Times: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm. (Closed on Holidays)

Admission: $0 Free

Event Phone Number: 575-646-2545

Event Website: uam.nmsu.edu