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The Roswell Museum Federal Art Center

Student with artwork, 1939

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3. Frank Standhardt, Elevation for the Roswell Museum, September 1936
6. Working on the colcha curtain 1937
8. Colcha pattern 1 Introduced by the Spanish, Colcha embroidery is a traditional New Mexican art form characterized by the use of bright, colorful patterns. During the WPA era, the Federal Art Project in New Mexico encouraged colcha projects as part of its preservation in regional crafts. This pattern is one of several templates in the Roswell Museum archive, although its exact use remains unknown, as it does not match the patterns in the museum's stage curtain. Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
9. Colcha pattern 2 Introduced by the Spanish, Colcha embroidery is a traditional New Mexican art form characterized by the use of bright, colorful patterns. During the WPA era, the Federal Art Project in New Mexico encouraged colcha projects as part of its preservation in regional crafts. This pattern is one of several templates in the Roswell Museum archive, although its exact use remains unknown, as it does not match the patterns in the museum's stage curtain. Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
10. Colcha pattern 3 Introduced by the Spanish, Colcha embroidery is a traditional New Mexican art form characterized by the use of bright, colorful patterns. During the WPA era, the Federal Art Project in New Mexico encouraged colcha projects as part of its preservation in regional crafts. This pattern is one of several templates in the Roswell Museum archive, although its exact use remains unknown, as it does not match the patterns in the museum's stage curtain. Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
11. Colcha pattern 4 Introduced by the Spanish, Colcha embroidery is a traditional New Mexican art form characterized by the use of bright, colorful patterns. During the WPA era, the Federal Art Project in New Mexico encouraged colcha projects as part of its preservation in regional crafts. This pattern is one of several templates in the Roswell Museum archive, although its exact use remains unknown, as it does not match the patterns in the museum's stage curtain. Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
12. Colcha pattern 5 Introduced by the Spanish, Colcha embroidery is a traditional New Mexican art form characterized by the use of bright, colorful patterns. During the WPA era, the Federal Art Project in New Mexico encouraged colcha projects as part of its preservation in regional crafts. This pattern is one of several templates in the Roswell Museum archive, although its exact use remains unknown, as it does not match the patterns in the museum's stage curtain. Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
13. Roswell Museum, Stage and Curtain, ca. 1937 Central view of the stage with colcha curtain. The curtain features a pattern of Maltese crosses capped with stylized roses, and eight double-headed eagles. The eagle motif, initially taken from the Habsburg double eagle, is more specifically referencing Maximilian I's coat of arms. The color scheme included shades of tan, red, green, yellow, and brown. The whereabouts of the curtain remain unknown. Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
16. Ladies Lounge, ca. 1937-1938
17. Ladies Lounge, ca. 1937-1938
18. Roswell Museum Office, 1937
19. Eddie Delgado, Tin Chandelier, 1937
20. Left to Right: Russell Vernon Hunter, Henriette Wyeth, and Paul Horgan, December 1937 Left to right: Russell Vernon Hunter, Henriette Wyeth, and Paul Horgan most likely sitting in front of Wyeth's painting "Victorian Arrangement," which was included in the December 1937 exhibition checklist. Although the museum opened in October, the official dedication did not take place until December, after the interior had been finished. Peter Hurd did not attend the opening event because he was working on a fresco in Albuquerque at the time. Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
21. Looking into the Main Gallery, with Exhibition 241, Index of American Design, on view.
22. Checklist for Peter Hurd and Henriette Wyeth Exhibition, December 1937
23. Henriette Wyeth and Peter Hurd exhibition, December 1937
24. Job Description for Rainey Woolsey
25. Work Hours for Rainey Woolsey Compared to today's 40-hour week minimum, staff members at the Roswell Museum worked fewer hours in the 1930s, reflecting limited budgets and funding. In the case of Gallery Attendant Rainey Woolsey, 30 hours a week, or 120 hours per month, was the maximum amoung allotted, with the workday lasting from 1:30-5:30 pm. The first hour would be spent preparing reports , with the gallery opening to the public at 2. Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
26. Research topics for Rainey Woolsey, 1938
27. Woolsey Report, page 1 Staff members were expected to submit reports reviewing their activities. This report comes from Rainey Woolsey, who served as Gallery Attendant between 1937 and 1938. Transcription: "The Gallery at the Roswell Museum has a new exhibition on drawing showing a variety in style and execution in ink, pencil, crayon, and chalk. This exhibition, assembled in California, is one of many arranged for the federal art centers by (illeg) in Washington, DC. In this show, Nevada and California artists are represented. Several pictures represent (something) for decoration of public buildings, those by Helen Foris and Dorothy Puccinelli are sketches for a mural....
28. Report from Rainey Woolsey, Page 2 Transcription: (First sentence illegible) “This group of drawings will hang until December 15th. Visitors to the gallery will find (illeg) “Roswell Museum Federal Art Center the First Year” by Paul Horgan. Captain Horgan won the Harper Prize of 1933 for “The Fault of Angels”, a novel. He is the author of “Main Line West”, “A Lamp on the Plains”, “The Return of the Weed”, “The Habit of Empire” and many other publications. He is librarian of New Mexico Institute at Roswell, one of state advisors for the Federal Art Project of N.M. Paul Horgan has been active in organizing Roswell Museum Federal Art Center and constantly vigilant in promoting its interests—thru the " (see page 3 for continuation)
29. Report from Rainey Woolsey, Page 3 Transcription: (First sentence illegible) “…the above article is reprinted from the Golden Anniversary of the Roswell Daily Record for October 3, 1938. Captain Horgan is chairman of the recently organized “Roswell Friends of Art” this function of this group is to further the interest of and bring together those who might enjoy art activities at Roswell Museum Federal Art Center. On Wednesday nite December 7 the Archaeological and Historical Society younger members will sponsor a game party at the museum. The idea being to bring your table and game for fun and the museum. Pay a small fee—refreshments will be served during the evening.” (see page 4 for conclusion)
30. Report from Rainey Woolsey, Page 4 Transcription: “There will be a meeting open to the public Monday nite at 7:30 o’clock at the Roswell Museum for the purpose of discussing the work shop plan and to enroll those interested. Mr. Marfyak and Mr. Slifkin artists from the New York City Federal Art Project are here for several months to establish and teach classes for children and adults. Mr. Marfyak and Mr. Slifkin will be present Monday nite and invite your cooperation-” (end of document)
31. Note from Second Grade Class at East Side School to Rainey Woolsey, n.d. This note represents one of the few direct responses from visitors to the museum, in this instance a class of second graders. Rainey Woolsey worked at the Roswell Museum as a gallery attendant between 1937 and 1938. Transcription: "Dear Mrs. Woolsey, We liked our visit at the museum. We learned many interesting things. We thank you for inviting us. Second Grade East Side School." Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
32. FAP Exhibition #241, Index of American Design, with local antiques exhibit, 1938
33. Acceptance/Rejection Form for Local Flower Show, 1938
34. Letter from J.R. Whiteman to Roland Dickey, 1938 Whiteman was a local artist who painted posters and other signage for the Roswell Museum. Dickey would supply him supplies and instructions. Transcription: "Dear Roland, am sending some of the posters--suppose this is the right size? Since I have moved I can't find any more paper--may be out. Can you send 12 cards for the last posters. Hope these will suffice--or sumpin! Sincerely, JRW." Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
35. Side Gallery with religious art exhibition, 1938-1939 In response to complaints about dominating the primary exhibition space, director Roland Dickey curated an exhibition of religious art in the smaller gallery, allowing local sponsors to work in the main space. As director, Roland Dickey often felt frustrated with the sponsor's differing interests, and expressed a sense of self-satisfaction in a December 30, 1938 letter to State FAP Director Russell Vernon Hunter: “The room looks nicer than it ever has, and they [the Sponsors] like it. ” As an example of the often one-sided nature of the archive, we do not have any correspondence from the sponsors themselves explaining how they felt about the gallery spaces. Since everything we know about them comes through the perspective of the FAP staff, we are getting a vantage that privileges FAP objectives rather than local ones. Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
36. New Mexico Military Institute cadets attending an exhibition of Daumier Lithographs, 1939
41. Government Bill of Lading for Drawings from California
45. Note from Second Grade Class at East Side School to Rainey Woolsey, n.d. This note represents one of the few direct responses from visitors to the museum, in this instance a class of second graders. Rainey Woolsey worked at the Roswell Museum as a gallery attendant between 1937 and 1938. Transcription: "Dear Mrs. Woolsey, We liked our visit at the museum. We learned many interesting things. We thank you for inviting us. Second Grade East Side School." Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
46. Visitor Sign-In Book Page, October 29, 1938
47. Left to Right: Tomas Sapiens and Gregorio Dominguez, 1939
53. Cover for promotional brochure about the Roswell Museum, 1939
61. Martha Kennedy, Melrose Art Center Holiday Card
62. Workshop Announcement, 1938-1939 Although education constituted a significant part of the Federal Community Art Center Project, the Roswell Museum did not begin offering classes until late 1938, as the original building included no classrooms. During the first year, the museum provided educational activities through lectures and gallery talks while it secured several spaces around town for classroom use. By late 1938, the museum's first studio instructors had arrived, John Marfyak and Abraham Slifkin, both on loan from the New York Art Project. They remained in Roswell until the spring of 1939. Courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center archive.
63. Student with artwork, 1939
64. Request for Treatment of Injured Employees
67. Basic Museum layout
68. Founders Gallery, 2018
70. Aston Collection of the American West
71. Goddard workshop
72. The Robert H. Goddard Planetarium

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Classes

Exhibitions, while diverse and frequently changing, constituted only one part of the Roswell Museum’s programming. Public education was equally important, if not more so, to the Community Art Center Project. The Roswell Museum began offering gallery tours and talks soon after its opening, but the FAP strongly encouraged it to organize art classes as well. Although the museum's local sponsors at the Chaves County Archaeological and Historical Society preferred to focus their energies on history-based exhibitions, the staff started preparing for classes by seeking out potential community collaborators.

After considerable planning and negotiation, the museum started offering classes in late 1938, with courses covering subjects such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and interior design. Since the original museum building did not include classroom space, instructors taught at different locations around town, with sites including the Armory building, the Junior High School, and the San Juan School in Chihuahita, Roswell's Hispanic neighborhood. The museum’s first art instructors, Abraham Slifkin and John Marfyak, were from New York, as part of an exchange program with the New York Art Project. Local art instructor Juanita Lantz also began teaching at the San Juan site in 1939.

By December 1938, the Roswell Museum had posted the following class schedule:

Child Sculpture: Monday, 3:30-5:30 pm, San Juan School, Abraham Slifkin
Child Drawing: Monday, 3:30-5:30 pm, San Juan School, John Marfyak
Adult Sculpture:: Wednesday, 7:00-9:00 pm, Battery A, Abraham Slifkin
Child Sculpture: Thursday, 3:30-5:30 pm, Battery A, Abraham Slifkin
Drawing and Design: Thursday, 7:00-9:00 pm, Battery A, John Marfyak
Home Planning: Wednesday, 2:00-4:00 pm, Jr. J.S. R206, John Marfyak
Home Planning: Friday, 7:00-9:00 pm, Battery A, John Marfyak

Surviving checklists span from December 1938 through March 1939, with each class lasting four weeks. The sculpture classes focused primarily on clay modeling with an armature, making plaster castings, and other additive techniques, though several students did express interest in carving wood or stone. The home decorating class provided an overview of interior design. Students saved clippings from magazines and newspapers as examples, and their final project consisted of making a scale model of a room.

Surviving attendance lists show that a core of consistent students attended the classes, with women comprising the majority of enrollment. The average enrollment number for the classes taking place in January, February, and March 1939 was 13. Of the three sites, the San Juan School experienced the highest attendance numbers, with an average of 22 students participating in each class between January and March 1939. The lowest-attended course was Home Planning with only 5 students attending each class on average. The museum would continue to sporadically offer classes throughout the remainder of the FAP period, although these attendance lists do not survive. Today, art classes and other public education initiatives constitute a significant part of the museum's operations, with the facility now including classrooms, an auditorium, and a clay studio.

References

Grieve, Victoria. The Federal Art Project and the Creation of Middlebrow Culture. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2009.

Art in Action: American Art Centers and the New Deal. Edited by John Franklin White. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, 1987.

All other documents come from the Roswell Museum and Art Center WPA Archive.

Robert Sprague, “Museum is of Real Cultural Value to City,” Roswell Daily Record, July 9, 1938.
Russell Vernon Hunter to Robert Sprague, March 21, 1938.
Roland Dickey to Russell Vernon Hunter, December 6, 1938.
Roland Dickey to Russell Vernon Hunter, October 23, 1938.
Roland Dickey to Russell Vernon Hunter, February 9, 1939.
John Marfyak to Harry Knight, January 16, 1939.
FAP Forms F-C: Instructor’s Class Records, for December 1938, January 1939, February 1939, March 1939.
Attributed to Abraham Slifkin, “Notes About Sculpture Class,” ca. 1939.