Artwork has been placed at Mariposa Fire Station and Cabezon Recreation Center through the state of New Mexico’s Art in Public Places program.

 “Distance,” the piece hanging in the lobby at the Cabezon Recreation Center, was created by Tim Keller. The 23 by 31-inch archival pigment print produced from an original photo depicts an evening landscape of a barn on Johnson Mesa, east of Raton.

Adorning a wall at Mariposa Fire Station, 3125 Mariposa Parkway, is Matthew Chase-Daniel’s “Willows in Snow on the Pecos River.” The 48 by 42-inch piece shows a winter landscape with red willows, snow and water and was produced through an archival pigment photo-assemblage process. The art selected for placement at city facilities was chosen by city staff and was picked from an allotment of pieces made available by the state. 

District 5 councilor Larry Naranjo is a supporter of public art projects. His district includes the Cabezon area and he wants to see more art in the city.

“I think public art is a good sign that the city is maturing and moving forward to establish an identity,” Naranjo said. “Like a teenager having that identity crisis, that’s what Rio Rancho is going through. We’re starting to see the city take more of a personality and that’s demonstrated through public art. It’s a good positive thing and it will make our city a better place to live.”

District 2 councilor Patty Thomas agrees that art plays an important role in a city. Thomas’s district includes Mariposa.

“Art’s very important,” she said. “Other big cities have nice art and we don’t have a lot of it, but we will get more once we get some more money.”

Mayor Tom Swisstack said the public art will help the city forge an identity.

“We’re starting to put together the cultural aspect of our community,” he said. “We’re starting to build on the diversity of our community. When our city was left off the artwork in Santa Fe, that made us ask what distinguishes Rio Rancho? What is our symbol?”

Swisstack foresees more public art in the city’s future.

“I think you will see some of this at Hewlett-Packard, UNM and CNM,” he said. “We are starting to develop an identity. This artwork starts to add some of the substance to help establish the social aspect and cultural aspect of our community.”

The Art in Public Places program was created by the Legislature in 1986. The program dictates that agencies receiving capital outlay appropriations for construction or renovation of public buildings in excess of $100,000 must set aside one percent of the funds to acquire public art. The art that is acquired is to be placed on, in, or around the building benefiting from the appropriation funding.

Previously, the city received $300,000 for the construction of the Mariposa Fire Station and $175,000 to build the Cabezon Recreation Center.

This project was made possible by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information visit the New Mexico Arts Web site, nmarts.org.

The public is encouraged to view the art in person. Call the Cabezon Recreation Center at 892-4499 and the Mariposa Fire Station at 867-4586 for viewing times.