CIRCLES | March 2025

March Monday, March 17 

Member Monday Talk and Tour Eugenie Shonnard: Breaking the Mold

New Mexico Museum of Art, Downtown Plaza Building

Executive Director, Dr. Mark White, will guide Circles members through the life and work of Eugenie Shonnard, a pivotal figure in the history of art and sculpture in the Southwest. Widely recognized during her time for her contributions to the visual arts, Shonnard has been largely overlooked in recent decades. She also left a legacy by donating her home and studio to the Museum of New Mexico Foundation, where our offices are now located.

Wednesday, March 28 

Photo by Daniel Quat

Circles Behind-the-Scenes Collections Tour with Tony Chavarria Museum of Indian Art and Culture

All National and Chairman's Circle members are invited to join Museum of Indian Arts and Culture Curator of Ethnology, Tony Chavarria, for a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum’s collections storage. Details are forthcoming.  April Saturday, April 26 Member Day Center for New Mexico Archaeology  The Center for New Mexico Archaeology, home to the Office of Archaeological Studies, opens its doors to all Circles members to showcase their work, programs, staff, laboratories and offices. Learn about and try tools like bows and arrows and atlatls; create traditional clay pinch pots; paint replica pot sherds with yucca paint and yucca brushes; and view demonstrations of emerging technologies like 3D printing and photogrammetry that aid the future of archaeological research.

May Friday, May 9 – Sunday, May 11 

Shops Member Extra Discount Sale Five Museum Shops and shopmuseum.org

The spring members-only Museum Shop sale takes place at the five museum shops and online at shopmuseum.org. Circles members save 25% on purchases during this three-day sale!

Friday, May 30 

Makowa Reception Makowa: The Worlds Above Us

Museum of Indian Arts and Culture

All Chairman's Circle members are invited to a one-hour special cocktail reception and tour with Executive Director Danyelle Means, Deputy Director and Co-Curator Elisabeth Stone, and Co-Curator Marlon Magdalena prior to the First Look preview of Makowa: The Worlds Above Us.

Friday, May 30 

First Look Makowa: The Worlds Above Us

Museum of Indian Arts and Culture

All Circles members are invited to preview Makowa: The Worlds Above Us  before it opens to the full membership and the public. Explore the significance of the sky and celestial bodies in the lives of ancestral and contemporary Indigenous cultures of the American Southwest.

Friday, June 14

Circles Cocktails with the Collector Private Home

Circles members at the National Circle level and above are invited to join us for an intimate cocktail reception and art collection viewing at the home of our host Cynthia Dulin. Details are forthcoming.  Saturday, June 21  Member Day Timeless Mucha: The Magic of Line New Mexico Museum of Art, Vladem Contemporary  Circles members are invited to explore Timeless Mucha: The Magic of Line before it opens to the public. Art Nouveau pioneer Alphonse Mucha’s (1860–1939) influence on Art Nouveau art and design has had a lasting legacy, inspiring psychedelic album covers, Japanese manga artists and contemporary street artists.

Friday, July 18 

Photo by Gabriella Marks

Circles Cocktails with the Collector Private Home

Circles members at the National Circle level and above are invited to join us for an intimate cocktail reception and art collection viewing at the home of our host Deborah Fritz. Details are forthcoming.

Tuesday, July 29 

Conversation with the Curator Tour Appearances Deceive: Embroideries by Policarpio Valencia

Museum of International Folk Art

All Circles members are invited to a private, curator-led tour of Appearances Deceive: Embroideries by Policarpio Valencia, the first retrospective of Nuevomexicano artist Policarpio Valencia (1853–1931). His embroidered textiles contemplate serious subjects of morality and mortality with wit and whimsy.

Saturday, August 9

Museum Shops 35th Annual Navajo Rug Auction Palace of the Governors Courtyard

The Navajo Rug Auction is an annual benefit hosted by the Museum of New Mexico Foundation Shops. Bid on one-of-a-kind Navajo weavings in a variety of sizes and styles, including Two Grey Hills, Ganado, Teec Nos Pos, Yeis, Pictorials and Wide Ruins.

Thursday, September 25 

Image: Henri-Mary-Agnes_DSC3437b-72dpi.jpg

First Look Gustave Baumann: The Artist’s Environment

New Mexico Museum of Art, Plaza Building

All Circles members are invited to preview this anticipated exhibition series surveying Gustave Baumann’s artistic career. Best known for his enchanting woodblock prints, Baumann was a prodigious creative who left behind an enormous legacy.

Friday, September 26 

TIA Collection Tour and Dinner

Circles members at the Chairman’s Circle level are invited to join us for a private tour of the expansive TIA art collection, where many items are sourced for our museum exhibitions, followed by dinner at Geronimo.

Saturday, November 1 – Sunday, November 16

Circles Travel to India

All Circles members are invited to join us for an unparalleled experience in the heart of India—a land where timeless traditions blend seamlessly with visionary modernity. On this journey, you'll explore the rich art, architecture, culture and history of this stunning country. For more information, please email Cara O’Brien, Director of the Circles, at cara@museumfoundation.org.

Saturday, November 15

Grand Opening Member Preview Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site

The Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site embodies the rich history, culture and architecture of southern New Mexico. Consisting of three adobe buildings donated by J. Paul and Mary Daniels-Taylor, the site showcases a broad collection of Spanish Colonial, Mexican and New Mexican artwork and textiles. We look forward to sharing this state treasure with members and the community as the eighth historic site opens in the Museum of New Mexico system.

Tuesday, November 25 – Sunday, November 30

Shops Member Extra Discount Sale

Get ahead of holiday shopping and take advantage of the members-only Museum Shop sale, where Circles members receive 25% off purchases at the five museum shops and online at shopmuseum.org.

Thursday, December 3 

First Look Truths Be Told: Artists Activate Traditions

Museum of International Folk Art

All Circles members are invited to preview Truths Be Told: Artists Activate Traditions, an exhibition highlighting international artists who engage with folk traditions to critique social inequities and catalyze social change.

Thursday, December 11 

Foundation Holiday Party

New Mexico Museum of Art, Plaza Building

All Circles members, Corporate Partners, Business Council members, and other special guests are invited to our annual holiday celebration. Enjoy festive food, drinks, entertainment and the company of friends and colleagues while viewing the Gustave Baumann exhibition.