The Millicent Rogers Museum has a brand new look!  Our new logo is inspired by the mountains, mesas, and rivers that surround the museum. 

View of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east of the museum
(Image courtesy of Caroline Jean Fernald)

View from the the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge to the west of the museum
(Image courtesy of Caroline Jean Fernald)

When Millicent Rogers first came to the Southwest, she was awestruck by the beauty of Taos.  In a letter to her son Paul, shortly before her death, Rogers wrote . . . "Suddenly passing Taos Mountain I felt that I was part of the Earth, so that I felt the sun on my surface and the rain. I felt the stars and the growth of the moon, under me, rivers ran." 

Millicent Rogers and friends on a hiking excursion near Taos
(Image courtesy of the Millicent Rogers Museum)

Many of the artworks on view at the Millicent Rogers Museum were created by individuals who were inspired by the landscape of the Southwest, so we thought our new logo design was a fitting tribute to our namesake, our home, and our collection.  

Taos Pueblo by Albert Looking Elk Martinez
(Image courtesy of the Millicent Rogers Museum)

San Isidro Bultos on view in Water that Sustains
(Image courtesy of Caroline Jean Fernald and the Millicent Rogers Museum)

In fact, the majority of our collection consists of works made by artistic families who have lived in the Southwest for generations, and many of the objects on display in our textile and pottery galleries were made using natural materials and dyes sourced from the land.  

View of A Feast for the Eyes: Rio Grande Blankets from the Collections
(Image courtesy of Caroline Jean Fernald and the Millicent Rogers Museum)

Emergence by Michael Naranjo, on loan from the Tia Collection, and Regulus  by Millicent Rogers
(Image courtesy of Caroline Jean Fernald and the Millicent Rogers Museum)

To visit the Millicent Rogers Museum is to be immersed in centuries of Southwest art and culture all while taking in the uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscape, and we hope you like our new look.  We'll be gradually rolling out our new logo beginning in 2019.  In the meantime, I encourage you to check out our new look on our redesigned website, and tell us what you think.

Thank you and I'll see you at the museum!

Dr. Caroline Jean Fernald

Executive Director

 

The Millicent Rogers Museum has enjoyed yet another incredible year!  In 2017, we hosted fourteen exhibits and events including successful fundraisers, such as our Miniatures Show and Sale, Turquoise Gala, and Fall Travel Program.  We were awarded the Best Museum in Taos by the Taos News and are ranked as the best museum to visit in Taos on Trip Advisor.  Our robust schedule of exhibits and events has led to both local and national media coverage in such publications as, The Albuquerque Journal, The Santa Fean,  Art and Antiques, Native American Art Magazine, and Time Out New York.  

Attendance at the museum continues to rise, and our 20th Annual Holiday Fiesta welcomed over 600 Taos County visitors to the museum in a single day.  Our amazing team of volunteers have logged over 2,000 volunteer hours, and our dedicated staff and board go above and beyond to make the museum special.  

We received a generous grant funded by the National Endowment for the Arts from New Mexico Arts and sponsorships from Taos Mountain Casino, Chevron, and Heritage Hotels.  We have also enjoyed exciting new additions to our collection, welcomed new members into our membership program, and raised 60% of our annual fund campaign.  I am honored to have led the museum through this exciting year, and I look forward to what we have planned for 2018.  Help us reach our 2017 fundraising goals by making a donation in any amount to our annual fund so we can continue to further our mission of sharing and celebrating the arts and cultures of the Southwest with everyone!   

Thank you for supporting the Millicent Rogers Museum and Happy Holidays!

Millicent Rogers' turquoise tab necklace is back on view at the museum.  It was recently on loan to the Albuquerque Museum for a special exhibit on the family of Leekya Deyuse, the creator of this amazing piece.  The necklace features 294 tabs of Cerrillos and Blue Gem turquoise mined in the Southwest, and was purchased after Rogers saw it at the 1946 Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial.  To learn more about Rogers' collection of Southwest jewelry, visit us at the museum and pick up a copy of Fine Indian Jewelry of the Southwest: The Millicent Rogers Museum Collection by former MRM director Shelby Tisdale in the museum store.

In 1956, Millicent Rogers' youngest son, Paul Peralta-Ramos saved his mother's vast collection of Native American jewelry, pottery, textiles, and other Southwest artworks from the auction block and used these rare and significant works to found one of the premier museums of Southwest art and culture in the nation.  At the Millicent Rogers Museum, we continue to find inspiration and guidance from both our namesake and founder, and are honored that this legacy has been supported over the years by the Rogers family, the generosity of our donors and sponsors, and the dedication of our board, staff, and volunteers.  Like Millicent Rogers, we are passionate about sharing and celebrating the arts and cultures of the Southwest and our fundraising gala provides the essential resources that make our mission possible.  

Floral arrangements by Mercedes Valdez of Eleganté Floral donated by MRM trustee Christina Peralta-Ramos

It takes many dedicated individuals to make the gala successful, and we sincerely thank all of the underwriters, live and silent auction donors, museum staff, volunteers, and gala committee members who made the Turquoise Gala possible.  A very special thank you is extended to Laurie Mitchell Dunn, the museum's board president and sponsor for the evening's entertainment courtesy of Chris Arellano and Nuevo Americana, Randy and Sondra Phillips, gala committee co-chairs, Don Crum, graphic designer, Mercedes Valdez of Eleganté Florals and Christina Peralta-Ramos for donating the flower arrangements, Kay Baird Harris for planning the preview reception with catering by Earlene's Cafe, and Steven Zick of Christie's for donating his services as auctioneer.  

Turquoise Gala programs and logo courtesy of Don Crum

A Special Thank You to Our 

Turquoise Gala Sponsors!

Blue Diamond

Laurie and Craig Dunn

Cerrillos

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cudd: Cudd Foundation

Jere Robertson

Philip Peralta-Ramos and Shelly Burke

Enchantment

Melinda and Roger Eiteljorg

Robyn and Joseph Miller

Cortez

Pam and B.T. Coleman

Mary Dale and Jim Gordon

Sandra Richardson

La Posada de Taos Inn

Barbara Brenner

Shanti and Yale Jones

Linda and Jay Thomas

Heritage Hotels/El Monte Sagrado

Kay and Gregg Harris

Santa Rita

Peter Balon

Chevron Products Company

Sally Graubarth

Marguerite and Dave Lambert

Jeannine and Robert McFarland

Centinel Bank of Taos

Mr. and Mrs. Roy Coffee

Peggy and John Hamilton

Happy Price

Dr. Richard and Bette Pesikoff

Sondra and Randy Phillips, Home2Taos

Dr. Richard and Annette Rubin

Santa Fe Advisors, LLC

Beth and Barry Rosenblom

Joyce and Donald Rumsfeld

Lillian and Bob Shaw

Azure

Linda and Robert Attiyeh

JonnaLynn Mandelbaum

Andrea Szekeres

Don Crum

Anne and Terry Conner

Nancy and Hiroshi Murata

Wint Winter, Jr.

At this year's event, we were able to raise over $100,000 for the museum! Thanks to everyone who made our gala possible.  You can see some fun pictures from our gala here.  

Artist Ira Lujan, Millicent Rogers Museum Executive Director Dr. Caroline Jean Fernald, and Western Art Collector and Native American Art Magazine editor Joshua Rose at the 2017 Turquoise Gala

Funds from the event support a variety of needs at the museum, which range from simple building maintenance to new exhibition installations.  A portion of the funds raised at this year's gala support Corn: Sacred Giver of Life and Feast Days, A Cycle of Faith, two new exhibits that are now on view at the museum.  

J. D. Roybal, Corn Dance, c. 1960
On view at the museum in Corn, Sacred Giver of Life

We also have our "On the Trail of Buffalo Bill" fall trip coming up soon on September 10-17.  Thanks to the sponsorship of several generous donors, I will be accompanying this year's trip, and will also provide a presentation on the history of the legendary showman and several of the sites we will see during the trip, such as Pecos Pueblo.  You can read more about the trip here, but please note that our due date for rooming lists at several of the gorgeous luxury accommodations we will be enjoying has passed.  If you would like to attend the trip, please contact trip coordinator Nancy Colvert at storemanager@millicentrogers.org to be added to the waiting list ASAP!  

A photo I took at Pecos Pueblo of a kiva next to the site's ruined church

On Monday, August 14th at 6 p.m., I will be giving a lecture as part of the Southwest Seminars series at the Hotel Santa Fe.  I presented similar talks earlier this year for the Taos Archeological Society and for the museum during last fall's Antiques Show and Sale.  My lecture will be based on research I completed for both my Master's thesis and my recently completed doctoral dissertation.

Parrot Effigy Vessel from the collection of the Millicent Rogers Museum

My presentation will cover the history of trade between Mesoamerica and the Southwest and how these cross-cultural connections are evident in art from the prehistoric and historic periods.  I am at a great advantage in preparing for my lecture in that I have access to an incredible collection of prehistoric pottery at the museum and plan to address how certain items end up in museum collections--a topic I discussed in a previous post.  Even if you are unable to attend the lecture, I encourage you to visit me at the museum as I am always willing to wax poetic about Southwest pottery!

Over the weekend, I visited Chaco Culture National Historical Park, which, like Taos Pueblo, is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The majority of the site dates from 850-1250 and includes multiple ruined structures surrounding a small canyon.  These structures were connected to each other as well as several distant sites in the Southwest through a network of roads that are still visible today on some of the backcountry trails.  I discussed an earlier trip to Chaco in a previous post, which includes more photos.

Multi-Roomed Structure at Pueblo Bonito, one of several structures at Chaco
Part of the site was destroyed by a massive rock fall in the 1940s

Interior room and metate (corn grinding stone) at Pueblo Bonito

Great Kiva, a circular, semi-subterranean ceremonial space

T-shaped doorways demonstrating a possible cultural connection to communities in northern and central Mexico

Petroglyphs located near the visitors center

Contemporary Pueblo, Hopi, and Navajo communities consider the site and the Ancestral Puebloan people who once inhabited it to be linked to their ancestral past, and evidence for this connection can be seen in the continuity of artistic motifs in textiles and ceramics and in oral histories passed down through generations.  The Millicent Rogers Museum's permanent collection houses several examples of Ancestral Pueblo ceramics from a variety of sites in the Southwest, which can be viewed next to historic and contemporary works in our pottery gallery.  I will be discussing some of this history through ceramics at an upcoming lecture in Santa Fe as part of the Southwest Seminars series on August 14th.

Ancient, historic, and contemporary pottery from the Southwest on display at the Millicent Rogers Museum 

Just a few weekends ago, I visited Pecos National Historical Park, which is also a ruin site that was occupied until the early 1800s. The site includes the remains of several multi-room structures as well as a large mission church that was partially destroyed in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.  I visited Pecos in preparation for the museum's upcoming fall trip.  

Kiva entrance with the remains of the mission church at Pecos Pueblo in the background

The interior of the church at Pecos Pueblo

Inside a reconstructed kiva a Pecos Pueblo

Each year, our fall travel program follows a theme and includes related stops, sights, and activities. The MRM fall travel program has hosted Fred Harvey, trading post, Anasazi, and Hopi-themed excursions, and this year's theme is Buffalo Bill.  William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846-1917) was a rider for the Pony Express, a scout in the U.S. Army, and a legendary entertainer renowned for his Wild West show.  His production brought the Wild West to life and featured famous performers, such as Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane, and Sitting Bull, and toured almost every state and numerous European countries.  You can find out if Buffalo Bill's Wild West visited your town here.  In honor of the centennial celebration of Buffalo Bill, our fall travel program will include stops at many sites significant to his history.

Promotional Image for Buffalo Bill's Wild West

Famed Sharpshooter Annie Oakley, a performer in Buffalo Bill's Wild West
Image courtesy of Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave

Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill in Montreal, Canada, 1885
Image courtesy of Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave

Buffalo Bill greeting Millicent Rogers' cousin Bob Coe at his family's home in Wyoming

This year's trip will feature visits to Glorieta Pass and Pecos Pueblo in New Mexico, private tours of several Western art and Buffalo Bill-themed collections in Colorado, a day of fun at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming, exploration and sightseeing at Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks, and more.  A full itinerary is listed below.  Travelers will enjoy the comforts of luxury coach service, historic hotels, and fine dining.  The dates of the trip are Sunday, September 10th to Sunday, September 17th with the cost per person at $2,495 for double occupancy.  Please contact the museum at (575)758-4316 or email me at caroline@millicentrogers.org for more information.  We are only accepting reservations until next week so don't wait too long!

Happy travelers on last year's trip throughout the Southwest

Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming

Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park

The view of the Grand Tetons from the Jackson Lake Lodge in Wyoming

Sunday, September 10th:
Evening cocktail reception, dinner, and lecture on Buffalo Bill by Millicent Rogers Museum Executive Director Dr. Caroline Jean Fernald
Overnight lodging at the Albuquerque Airport Sheraton
Parking for the duration of the trip is included

Monday, September 11th:
Tour a private collection in Glorieta Pass, NM and enjoy a guided tour of the ruins at Pecos Pueblo
Overnight lodging at the luxurious Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver, CO

Tuesday, September 12:
Private tours of Western and Native American art at the Anschutz Collection, the Denver Art Museum, and History Colorado
Overnight lodging at the Brown Palace

Wednesday, September 13:
Guided tour of the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave in Golden, CO
Visit the Pony Express Historic Site in Fort Casper, WY
Dinner at the historic Irma in Cody, WY
Overnight lodging at The Cody

Thursday, September 14:
Special tours with curators at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West
Shopping and sightseeing in Cody's historic downtown
Overnight lodging at The Cody

Friday, September 15:
Tour Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks
Overnight lodging at the Jackson Lake Lodge overlooking the Grand Tetons

Saturday, September 16:
Private tour of the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY
Overnight lodging at the Hampton Inn in Castle Rock, CO

Sunday, September 17:
Farewell luncheon in Las Vegas, NM at the historic Plaza Hotel
The bus will return all travelers to the Albuquerque Airport Sheraton by 3:30 p.m.; return flights should be booked no earlier than 5:30 p.m.

Since its founding in 1956, the Millicent Rogers Museum has maintained a close relationship with Taos Pueblo, which I discussed in more detail in a previous post.  Millicent Rogers' youngest son, Paul Peralta-Ramos, founded the museum in memory of his mother and established several practices in our bylaws that further honored his late mother's affection for the people, customs, and artistic traditions of Taos Pueblo.

Taos Pueblo by Albert Lujan, 1945
Gift of Brad and Fran Taylor

First, the museum must always reserve an honorary position on the board of trustees for the current governor of the Pueblo.  Second, the museum will be closed to the public on September 30th each year in honor of San Geronimo Feast Day, a celebration of the Pueblo's patron saint, so that the museum's staff, volunteers, and visitors can attend the festivities.  In addition, the museum has hosted the Taos Pueblo Artists Winter Showcase for the past five years.  At this event, select artists are invited to participate in a weekend-long show at the museum during the Pueblo's ceremonial closure for religious observances.  The lack of tourism at the Pueblo during the closure affects the artists' main sources of income, and so the museum hosts this event at no cost or booth fee to the invited artists as part of our ongoing partnership and commitment to supporting Taos Pueblo.  For the past several years, Taos Mountain Casino has also generously sponsored the event.

Solitude by Debbie Lujan, 2016
featured work from our 2016 Taos Pueblo Artists Winter Showcase

The permanent collection of the Millicent Rogers Museum includes many works by Taos Pueblo artists and several artists are also represented in the museum's store.

Three Horses by Albert Looking Elk Martinez, c. 1945
Gift of Brad and Fran Taylor

Taos Pueblo pottery by Dawn Antelope, Juanita DuBray, Sharon Reyna, R. Espinoza, and Virginia Romero

Navajo Shepherdess by John Suazo, 1985

John Suazo sculptures in the museum store

In 2012, the first year that the museum hosted the Taos Pueblo Artists Winter Showcase, a weekend-long fundraising gala was held at the museum that incorporated many of the artists mentioned above. A short video about the event can be found here.  At this event, the late Tony Reyna posed for a live portrait with artist Sherrie McGraw and Ira Lujan presented a glass blowing demonstration in the museum's courtyard.

Tony Reyna posing with his unfinished portrait by Sherrie McGraw

Ira Lujan presenting glass glowing techniques

Tony Reyna (1916-2016) was a revered Taos Pueblo elder, two-term governor of the Pueblo, veteran, survivor of the Bataan death march, and former Millicent Rogers Museum trustee.  He was a long-time supporter of the museum and would often attend our annual Taos Pueblo Artists Winter Showcase.

Sherrie McGraw painting a portrait of Tony Reyna at the Millicent Rogers Museum in 2012

Tony Reyna, An American Hero by Sherrie McGraw, 2012
featured auction item for this year's Turquoise Gala
donated by a private collector

The portrait of Tony Reyna that was completed at the museum in 2012 was donated back to the museum by the collector for this year's Turquoise Gala fundraising auction.

Deer Jar by Ira Lujan, 2017
featured live auction item in this year's Turquoise Gala
donated by the artist

Ira Lujan, who participates in our Taos Pueblo Artists Winter Showcase each year, has donated work to our fundraising gala in years past, and is represented in the museum store, recently submitted the sculpted glass piece shown above for this year's event.  It will be a featured item in our live auction and more information can be found here. Our silent auction will also have works by Debbie Lujan, whose work is shown at the top of this blog post and below, and celebrity designer Patricia Michaels.

Winter Solstice by Debbie Lujan, 2017
featured silent auction item for this year's Turquoise Gala
donated by the artist

Patricia Michaels presenting on her fashion designs at our Taos Pueblo Artists Winter Showcase earlier this year

Another work that will be included in our Turquoise Gala live auction that is significant to the museum's connection to Taos Pueblo is this painting by Albert Lujan.  The scene depicts the dance plaza at the Pueblo on the Feast Day for San Geronimo.  Lujan, along with Albert Looking Elk Martinez and Juan Mirabal, was part of the "Three Taos Pueblo Painters," three artists who learned how to paint in the western (European) style using oils.  The Millicent Rogers Museum's permanent collection houses dozens of works by these talented artists and this painting would make a wonderful addition to museum if anyone should wish to bid on it at our gala (hint! hint!).  Last year, we were fortunate enough to have a generous donor purchase a painting discussed in a previous blog post, so one can dream! If you are interested in more information about our gala or any of the works featured in this post, please contact me at caroline@millicentrogers.org or at (575)758-2462, ext. 205.

San Geronimo Feast Day by Albert Lujan, c. 1945
donated to our Turquoise Gala live auction by Ray Trotter of the RB Ravens Gallery