“in the woods, is perpetual youth”
05/12/2023 | Exhibition opens…
We couldn’t have asked for a more incredible start to our student-curated exhibition, “in the woods, is perpetual youth”.
The support and enthusiasm from our community, parents, volunteers, schools, and everyone who has been part of the 9th year of the Hands-On Curatorial Program has truly made the opening event a resounding success.
A special shoutout goes to our generous sponsors who made this exhibition possible: The Roan Mulholland Fund, Gallery Hózhó at Hotel Chaco, Santa Fe Print & Images, Dunn Edwards Paints, New Mexico Arts (a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs), and the National Endowment for the Arts. Your unwavering support has helped nurture the artistic talents of our students and provided them with a platform to showcase their creativity.
To all those who joined us on this momentous day, thank you for gracing us with your presence. Your encouragement and applause filled the air, creating an atmosphere of warmth and celebration.
For those who couldn’t make it to the opening, don’t worry! The exhibition is on display until July 10th, so there’s still plenty of time to experience the magic in person. We invite you to immerse yourself in the captivating artworks brought to life by these talented young minds.
Once again, we extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who played a part in making this event a grand success. Together, we are fostering a community that cherishes and supports the arts.
Below: Exhibition catalog: in the woods, is perpetual youth
Photographs: May 12, 2023 exhibition opening.
04/25/2023 | Hard at work installing…
Our Hands-On Curatorial students are hard at work installing their exhibition “in the woods, is perpetual Youth” for their opening on May 12th starting at 5:30 pm! This event is the culmination of months of hard work and dedication from our talented high school students, who have been working tirelessly to create an immersive and engaging exhibition for all to enjoy.
We invite everyone to come out and support these amazing young artists by attending the exhibition, bringing your family and friends, and experiencing the must-see event that showcases the creativity and passion of our local youth.
Mark your calendars, grab your loved ones, and join us on May 12th for a night of art, culture, and community. Let’s celebrate the hard work of these incredible students and show them the support they deserve! We can’t wait to see you there.
2023 Hands-On Curators (Left to right): Toby Servoss, Net De La Riva, and Gabe Castillo from New Mexico School for the Arts and Himaja Sunkara
from Santa Fe High School. Not present, is Evangeline Miranda, also from New Mexico School for the Arts.
2023 Hands-On curators hard at work
03/12/2023 | Refining the themes and object list…
Over the past several weeks, our student curators have worked hard to refine their exhibition’s themes and object list. With the title, in the woods, is perpetual youth, a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, here is a sneak preview of some of the students guiding questions:
Who and what do you see around you? How can you appreciate nature to its fullest extent? How does your relationship with nature affect your everyday life? How familiar are we with the world around us, and how deep are these connections?
As part of the Hands-On Curatorial Program, professionals in the museum, curatorial, and other relevant fields are invited as Guest Lecturers to help the students with their project further. Devorah Romanek, Ph.D., came to visit the curators on February 21. Devorah is the Curator of Exhibits at the University of New Mexico’s Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. Her long-time experience working as a curator and an anthropologist gave the students important insights into museum careers. Devorah also presented the curators with great questions, such as asking them to think more conceptually and thematically about the direction of their exhibition. The students enjoyed working with her by answering her challenging questions and incorporating some ideas from their discussion into their ongoing work.
We look forward to sharing more about the exhibit in the coming weeks and seeing you at the opening on May 12th!
2023 – Why and How Do Animals Matter In Our Lives?
03/16/2023 | A note from the Hands-On Program Leader
Hello, friends of the Coe Center!
My name is Lillia McEnaney. I come to the Coe Center after living and working in Santa Fe for almost five years. I am thrilled to join the organization as the director of the Hands-On Curatorial Program. I look forward to connecting with the student curators, learning about the Coe Center’s collections, and passing on a love for working in the arts to a new generation.
Program participants come from the New Mexico School for the Arts and Santa Fe High School. Over the next several months, our students will gain practical experience with curatorial research, exhibition design thinking, marketing, and communications. Each student brings a personal perspective to the program, and I feel lucky to work with and learn from them.
2023 Hands-On Curators project meeting underway. February 2023.
02/07/2023 | On-going honing of the project…
Currently, the group is finalizing the items to be included in the exhibition while also refining the themes and narratives that they want to communicate with the public. This year’s theme centers around animals, and we are spending the next few weeks further developing the exhibition’s concept and context—why and how do animals matter in our lives?
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Hands-On program—we are so excited to share their exhibition with you this coming spring! Follow their progress on The Virtual Coe and the Coe Center’s social media platforms.
2023 Hands-On Curators worksheet on Newsprint paper, December 2023
This project is supported in part by the New Mexico Arts a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs and by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Additional support provided by: The Roan Mulholland Fund, Gallery Hózhó at Hotel Chaco, Santa Fe Print & Images, and Dunn Edwards Paints
