Three Diné artists will have artwork displayed in McKinley County Courthouse
MCKINLEY COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – Three Diné artists from McKinley County are working on separate art pieces that will be installed at the McKinley County Courthouse in downtown Gallup.
Sculptor Tim Washburn is creating a wood-carved sculpture entitled “Eagle Dancer,” which will be mounted on a stone-sculpted base. The work will be placed in the center of the rotunda’s two-story windows and is in honor of the Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial, an important, long-running community event. “I am grateful to be part of the elite group of artists selected for this project,” Washburn told New Mexico Arts, the state arts agency. “I am excited for the challenge of creating a large-scale sculpture.”
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Contemporary painter Jerry Brown is creating a series of large-scale, abstract canvases to hang along the second-floor overlook. These canvases will depict the night sky and will be arranged in a pattern that resembles a paned window. “I am excited to be installing art that is meaningful to me,” Brown told New Mexico Arts. “I feel like it will represent all people of the county.”
Painter and silversmith Monty Claw is working on three mural-sized paintings to hang in the alcoves surrounding the southern half of the rotunda, with scenes representing McKinley County’s cultural history and people. “This project is like a homecoming to me and my art,” said Claw. “This is my first art project with my hometown and community. It’s great to finally create such beautiful works for my community. I’m proud of that.”
McKinley County and NMA AIPP opened a call for artists in February 2023 to submit works that “capture the culture and celebrate the diversity and pride of living in McKinley County.” Brown, Claw, and Washburn were chosen from a pool of more than 40 applicants. Their art will be installed toward the end of the year and in early 2025.
