Thanks to the suport and overwhelming enthusiasm of our museum visitors and the generosity of our talented artists, this program continues to feature a plethora of works from a variety of artists.
Each artists' work will be on display during his/her designated month. On the FIRST Sunday of each month, visitors to the Museum will enjoy FREE ADMISSION and the opportunity to meet personally with the artist of that specific month. The artist will be on hand from 12:30-4:30 p.m. to mingle with visitors, as well as to provide demonstrations and sell his/her unique collection of art or crafts.
Julio Castillo presents pastel and oil paintings of the indigenous people of Mexico. Castillo was born in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. He started drawing by the age of nine and was enrolled in the School of Fine Arts by the age of 10. Unfortunately his family resources were little, so he had to quit the fine art school by age 12. Julio continued his studies on his own, studying books, magazines and cinema images as he slowly perfected his technique.
On June 3, the Museum will be free to all patrons who are coming to view Whitfield’s paintings, primarily of landscapes. Whitfield’s work in pastels is a new medium for her. Previously well known for her photography, she is gaining local prominence for her paintings. In addition to her showing in the gallery, Whitfield will conduct a special presentation at 2:00 PM: Ancient Messages: Native American Rock Art of the Purgatory. Donations are suggested during this special presentation and will be used to fund the Pińon Canyon Expansion Opposition Coalition.
Carla Romero, a Folwer native, is a self-taught artist who discovered water colors in 1987 and that opened her eyes and spirit to a whole new world of expression. She is best known for her peaceful snow scenes, Southwest landscapes and wildlife and mountain scenes. Her spirituality and love of Native American and Southwestern culture come alive in her paintings, which are gaining more notoriety and value every year. She is pleased to be displaying at the Koshare Indian Museum, a place she remembers fondly as a young student.
Currently, Carla Romero’s artwork is exhibited in galleries throughout New Mexico and Colorado, and her paintings are part of commercial and private collections throughout the United States and abroad.
carlaromero.com
Donna graduated from Rocky Ford High School where her art instructor was James Meek (who later owned a gallery in Taos, New Mexico). She graduated from Otero Junior College, instructed by Marge Blevins, and then from CSU-Pueblo with a degree in Fine Arts. Donna continued her education by receiving a Masters Degree in Creative Arts Education from Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She taught school for 18 years at the La Junta Middle School, after doing her student teaching at La Junta High School under Bonna Hammond’s tutelage.
Still a Rocky Ford resident, Donna believes that everyone is an artist. It just takes tapping into innate talents, using the right side of the brain and lots of hard work and study. She prefers painting in oil, but has worked in watercolor, gouche, pastel and pencil.
September Featured Artist
Manyik Family
The Koshare Indian Museum is very pleased to announce that the Manyik family – Sherry, Jay and Jeremy – will be the September Artists of the Month and will show their works on Sunday, September 9 between 12:30 and 4:00 PM. Every month the Museum welcomes artists to display their works so that the Museum can profile accomplished and emerging talents for the enjoyment of their patrons and education for the students in the Koshare dancer program. It also gives patrons of the arts an opportunity to purchase wonderful pieces of art in a local setting.
The Manyik family holds a special place in the Museum’s heart because not only are all three gifted artists, but each has ties to our Koshare program. Jay and Jeremy were Koshare Indian Dancers from age 11 until they graduated from the program at the age of 18.
On Sunday, October 14, the Koshare Indian Museum will be host Eldon Warren as the month's free day artist. Eldon Warren is an impressionist oil painter of the western landscape. He was born in Nebraska in 1952 and now makes his home in Colorado. He ended up at Colorado Boys Ranch, at La Junta, Colorado, in 1967. Growing up, there wasn't money to buy paint and brushes and the other things a young artist needs so Eldon spent most of his time with a pencil and paper drawing the things around him. The Ranch Administrator's wife, taking an interest in the development of Eldon's artistic skills, took him to town and bought oil paint, brushes and canvas. This marked the beginning of a life long career as an artist.
The Koshare Indian Museum will dig several pieces of artwork not seen by the public for several years to be displayed through the months of November and December.
