NEW DEAL ART • NM
New Mexico was one of the most active states during the New Deal era, particularly in the arts. Today it is home to over 100 works of art created through the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration (WPA), which our organization is dedicate to preserving for future generations.
In towns across New Mexico are treasures from one of New Mexico's great artistic periods.
For years they have been hidden away in schools, post offices and court houses.
New Deal Art is Uniquely American
There are over 90 known communities in New Mexico that have their own New Deal public art and/or buildings.
This film, presented by PBS NM, rediscovers our WPA artistic heritage by interviewing some of the remaining WPA artists and by looking closely at the artists and artworks themselves.
Written by NNDPA Executive Director, Kathryn Flynn.
This book will give you directions to New Mexico's amazing New Deal treasures and to buildings and bridges, murals and sculptures, paintings and people who made them.
They have been patiently waiting in our cities, our villages, our parks, rarely witnessed as being ''treasures.'' They were constructed perhaps even by your own artistic ancestors. This book is full of clues. Go sleuthing!
Click Through Our Gallery of New Deal Art from Around the State Of New Mexico
"The Last Frontier", Russel Vernon Hunter, De Baca County Courthouse, Ft Sumner NM
“The Founding of San Juan”, D. Paul Jones, Northern NM Community College, El Rito,NM Restored by NNDPA
"Christmas Eve Taos Pueblo", Gene Kloss, NPS Regional Office, Santa Fe NM
"Aspens", Gene Kloss, City Manager's Office, Gallup NM
"New Mexico Mountain Town", Gene Kloss, Clayton HS, Clayton NM
"Penitente Good Friday", Gene Kloss, NPS Regional Office, Santa Fe NM
"Ranchito", Gene Kloss, Clayton HS, Clayton NM
"The Sanctuary Chimayo", Gene Kloss, NPS Regional Office, Santa Fe NM
"Winter Mass", Gene Kloss, NPS Regional Office, Santa Fe NM
"Mercy", Oliver Lagrone, Carrie Tingley Hospital, Albuquerque NM
"Church in the Rio Grande Valley", Paul Lantz, McKinley County Courthouse, Gallup NM
“The Resurrection”, Patriciño Barela, Museum of International Folk Art – Santa Fe, NM
“Untitled” PWAP, Oscar Berninghaus, Raton City Hall, Raton, NM
“Justice Tempered with Mercy”, Emil J. Bisttram, Old US Federal Courthouse, Albuquerque, NM
“Old Hunter”, Emil J. Bisttram, Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque NM
“Portfolio of Spanish Colonial Design Plate 20”, Elizabeth Boyd, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
“Portfolio of Spanish Colonial Design Plate 21”, Elizabeth Boyd, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
“Portfolio of Spanish Colonial Design Plate 25”, Elizabeth Boyd, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
“Portfolio of Spanish Colonial Design Plate 31”, Elizabeth Boyd, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
“Portfolio of Spanish Colonial Design Plate 32”, Elizabeth Boyd, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
“Portfolio of Spanish Colonial Design Plate 34”, Elizabeth Boyd, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
“Portfolio of Spanish Colonial Design Plate 38”, Elizabeth Boyd, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
“Portfolio of Spanish Colonial Design Plate 41”, Elizabeth Boyd, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
“Portfolio of Spanish Colonial Design Plate 47”, Elizabeth Boyd, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
"Christmas Eve, Taos Pueblo”, Regina Tatum Cooke, Herzstein Museum, Clayton NM
"Taos Chapel”, Regina Tatum Cooke, Melrose HS, Melrose NM
“Tin Chandelier”, Edward Delgado, National Park Service Office, Santa Fe NM
“Navajo Rug Portfolio Plate 8”, Louie Ewing, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
“Monument Rock”, William P. Henderson, U.S. Federal Courthouse, Santa Fe NM
“Taos Mountain”, William P. Henderson, U.S. Federal Courthouse, Santa Fe NM
“The Old Cuba Road”, William P. Henderson, U.S. Federal Courthouse, Santa Fe NM
“Across the Valley”, E. Martin Hennings, Dexter Public Schools, Dexter NM
“Buffalo Roundup”, Velino Shije Herrera (Ma-Pe-Wi) Santa Fe US Indian School, Santa Fe NM
“Untitled”, Nils Hogner, Eastern NM Univ. Music Building, Portales NM
“Conchas Dam Construction”, Odon Hullenkremer, Conchas Dam Site, NM Restored by NNDPA
“Girls on Teeter-Totter”, Odon Hullenkremer, Carrie Tingley Hospital, Albuquerque NM
“Governor Greets the Tourist”, Pablita Verlarde, Bandelier National Monument, NM
“Portfolio of Spanish Colonial Design Plate 37”, Elizabeth Boyd, Branigan Library, Las Cruces NM
“Aztec Museum”, New Deal Building 1936, Former City Hall, Aztec NM
“Boy in Helmet”, Odon Hullenkremer, Carrie Tingley Hospital, Albuquerque NM
“Cottonwoods”, Jozef Bakos, McKinley County Courthouse, Gallup NM
“A Cycle of Science: Art”, Raymond Jonson, Eastern NM University Golden Library, Portales NM
“Old Maxwell Mansion”, Charles Berninghaus, Arthur Johnson Public Library, Raton NM
“Conquistadores”, Tom Lea, NM State Univ. Branson Library, Las Cruces NM
“Street in Taos”, Regina Tatum Cooke, Herzstein Museum, Clayton NM
“First Book about New Mexico-1610”, Tom Lea, Branigan Cultural Center, Las Cruces NM
“Cowboys and Indians”, Nils Hogner, Eastern NM Univ. Music Building, Portales NM
“Old Mesilla”, Tom Lea, NM State Univ. Branson Library, Las Cruces NM
“Convicts Mining”, Odon Hullenkremer, Carrie Tingley Hospital, Albuquerque NM
“NM Ethnic and Fairy Tale Children”, Gisella Loeffler, (restored) at Carrie Tingley Hospital, Albuquerque, NM (restored)
“The Story House”, John Jellico, Arthur Johnson Memorial Library, Raton NM
“Boy”, Hannah Mecklem Small Ludins, Santa Fe Main Public Library, Santa Fe, NM
“Zinnias”, D. Paul Jones, Clayton HS, Clayton NM
“San Ildefonso Kiva”, Helmuth Naumer, Bandelier National Monument, NM
“Raton Middle School”. New Deal Building, 1939 (Former High School), Raton, NM
“Purple and Gold Iris”,Sheldon Parsons, Carrie Tingley Hospital,Albuquerque, NM
“Storage Barn”, Lloyd Moylen, McKinley County Courthouse, Gallup NM
“The Cotton Industry and Farming”, Olive Rush, NM State Univ. Biology Bldg., Las Cruces, NM (restored to original fresco by NNDPA)
“Ruins”, Helmuth Naumer, Bandelier National Monument, NM
“Turtle Fountain Detail”, Eugenie Shonnard, New Mexico Veteran’s Center, T or C, NM
“The Engineer”, Virginia Nye, McKinley County Courthouse, Gallup NM
“Turtle Fountain”, Eugenie Shonnard, New Mexico Veteran’s Center, T or C, NM
“Tin Chandeliers, Furniture”, Edward Delgado, 1930s Officers Club, Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, NM
“Buffalo Range”, Theodore Van Soelen, Portales Post Office, Portales, NM
“Natural History of Plant and Animal Life”, Olive Rush, NM State Univ. Biology Bldg., Las Cruces, NM (restored to original fresco by NNDPA)
“Bear”, Pablita Verlarde, Bandelier National Monument, NM
“Cowboy on Horseback”, Howard Schleeter, Melrose High School Library, Melrose, NM (Restored by NNDPA)
“Flowers”, Pablita Verlarde, Bandelier National Monument, NM
Pottery, Various Artists, NPS Regional Office, Santa Fe NM
“Mountain Lion”, Pablita Verlarde, Bandelier National Monument, NM
“Mesas”, Cady Wells, Eastern NM University, Portales, NM
“Abstract”, Stuart Walker, Eastern NM University Golden Library, Portales, NM
“Cottonwoods”, Willis Brooks, McKinley County Courthouse, Gallup NM
CCC Worker Statue, Reima Victor Ratti, many locations around the USA, more information https://ccclegacy.org/
NEW DEAL ART + PHOTO EXHIBIT
NNDPA has assembled an impressive library of photographs of public art work created by New Mexico’s talented New Deal artists and photographers. Framed reproductions of these valuable artistic pieces of New Mexico history are available for a 3-month rental for community display and enjoyment.
Share the Legacy…
Any group interested in sharing the beauty of this public art legacy is invited to host the photo exhibit, including libraries, schools, learning centers, community groups, history buffs, senior citizen centers and local civic organizations, as well as local banks and businesses with New Deal connections.
There are over 130 color images of murals, paintings & sculptures in our library.
We also have 28 black and white photos that are reproductions of the work done by the Farm Security Administration, by Dorothea Lange and John Collier, Jr.
The rental fee is $150.00 for a three-month showing in an appropriate local community building of your choice
To Arrange for the Exhibit…
We will meet with you to help you assemble the photos, their labels, and other signage.
We will work with you on transportation, scheduling, publicity, supporting material, etc.
Additionally, we can offer a speaker at the opening of the exhibit, or during its showing.
You Select Photos from our Collection…
You customize your New Deal photo exhibit by selecting photos from our Exhibit Catalog.
Each reproduction image is framed , 15” x 18” . Each photo is framed, 11”x14”.
Included with the photos are various other signage about the New Deal and its significance in America’s history.
To make your exhibit more successful, collaboration with other community groups is strongly encouraged. Some of the public buildings in your town may have New Deal furniture, interior tinwork, chandeliers, and other items to show off. Banks have a New Deal program in the form of F.D.I.C., and in rural areas, the REA – rural electric cooperatives – is another New Deal program that still serves its area.
Media on this page
Taos Mountains, HENDERSON WILLIAM US COURTHOUSE SANTAFE
Justice Tempered with Mercy, BISTTRAM EMIL Justice Tempered with Mercy FEDERAL COURTHOUSE Albuquerque
Video “Promises Kept: New Deal Art in New Mexico” by NM PBS
“Buffalo Roundup”, Velino Shije Herrera (Ma-Pe-Wi) Santa Fe US Indian School, Santa Fe NM
“The Cotton Industry and Farming”, Olive Rush, NM State Univ. Biology Bldg., Las Cruces, NM (restored to original fresco by NNDPA)
“Old Hunter”, Emil J. Bisttram, Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque NM