Honorary Artist Residency 2020 - 2021
“Art is in our humanity, which demonstrates our most fragile yet significant moments in life. As a child, I grew up in-between modernism and traditionalism, which oftentimes left me confused, and eventually influenced me to know about both aspects of Western life and indigenous heritage: I became eager to know and learn. Through art, I discover myself. As I study more about the history of my people, the Apsaalooké, and learn the language, the rights of passage, and the values of the Crow, I find my works transforming into a vessel that shares cultural experiences and diversity. My ancestors have been my role models and spiritual mentors. I intend to inspire and contribute to Native Community and connect to humanity through Native American contemporary art.”
— Del Curfman Artist Statement
Every Year
Student work with Del Curfman
ARTsmart selects an artist who is distinguished not only in New Mexico but also throughout the world. As part of their mission, the Honorary Artist works with Santa Fe high school students in creating artworks that are auctioned during ARTsmart’s Annual Dinner & Auction fundraiser. Proceeds from the sold works are split between the student artists and, after expenses, their high school. This program connects students with their community while teaching them about the possibility of a career in art.
During the 2020-2021 school year,
ARTsmart committed to supporting Melody Fernandez’s art classrooms at Capital High School with a series of workshops around the themes of Community, Identity, and Culture. ARTsmart Honorary Artist Del Curfman led digital workshops where he and art students discussed identity, storytelling, culture as they developed drawing skills. Please view this video to learn more about what students created and Del’s impact.
“As I study more about the history of my people and try to learn the language, the rights of passage, the values of the Crow, I find my art transforming into a vessel, a passage through which information travels.” D.C.
Del Curfman
Is an enrolled member of the Crow tribe of Montana. Curfman earned a BFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts Institute of American Indian Arts and is motivated to mentor local students. Santa Fe’s Giacobbe Fritz Gallery represents Curfman, and his work was included in a recent exhibition “Apsáalooke Women Warriors” in Chicago’s Field Museum.
Additional collaborative workshops throughout the school year included:
Poetry and art workshops with Noah Cass of REEL Fathers, Israel Haros Lopez and JP Granillo of Alas De Aguas Art Collective, David Sloan of the YouthWorks’ SF Community Screen Printing. Letterpress Artist E. Oscar Maynard printed excerpts of student poems.
El Camino Real Academy students joined Capital High students online to discuss and share their artworks, further building community. Capital High English students created art, and art students wrote poems.
All of this great work culminated in a Vital Spaces window exhibit at the Fashion Outlets of SF.
To see more from past
Honorary Artists Residency Program participants!
Please Visit our Youtube Channel
Join us!
We are always recruiting artists living and working in or around Santa Fe who are interested in inspiring young people and working alongside art teachers. Contact us at info@artsmartnm.org, or fill out the form below if you are interested in sharing your creativity and skills.