Community Calendar

The NMSU Art Museum is excited to announce the opening of Mapping Spaces: Selections from the Lannan Art Collection at NMSU. This exhibition will showcase selections from the generous gift of 63 works of art from the Lannan Art Collection to the NMSU Permanent Art Collection in 2024. Mapping Spaces will open in the Contemporary Gallery on Thursday, June 11th, and run until September 5th, 2026.

After almost 65 years, with 27 of those spent in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Lannan Foundation closed in 2024. As part of Lannan’s closure, the Foundation gifted its remaining collection of more than 1,600 objects to 55 institutions, including the NMSU Art Museum. By adding these pieces to the UAM’s collection, this gift deepens the significance of the works by placing them into an academic context, where teaching, research, and public engagement further activate each of them. The NMSU Permanent Art Collection continues to evolve and grow not only as a repository of contemporary art objects, but also as a living resource that invites ongoing dialogue about the role of artists in shaping how the NMSU and Las Cruces communities understand our dynamic border region.

Featuring artists such as Claudia Andujar, Subhankar Banerjee, Max Cole, Pard Morrison, Victoria Sambunaris, and James Turrell, Mapping Spaces brings together a dynamic range of artists whose works explore landscapes and the environment, documentary photography, abstraction, and traditional art historical references. Together, this exhibition features artists at the center of the UAM’s mission, emphasizing the importance of continued support for art, research, and community-engaged practices in cultivating a creative ecosystem across New Mexico.

Join us for the opening reception on June 11th from 4:30-6:30 PM. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm. Admission to all programming is free and open to the public. For more information and a detailed calendar with associated programs and dates please visit uam.nmsu.edu.

Silent Meditation every Mon/Wed/Fri from 12 - 1 pm, located at 424 N Main St., Suite 500

The Las Cruces Really Really Free Market is back, hosted by a group of local volunteers who believe in mutual aid, community care, and resource sharing.

This isn’t a sale or a swap — it’s a free community event where anyone can give or take items like clothes, books, household goods, toys, and more. There’s no money, no bartering — just people helping each other out.

Join us the first Saturday of every month from 10am - 2pm at 1701 Missouri Ave (Peace Lutheran Church).

We do this because we believe our community already has enough — enough resources, enough support — if we just find ways to share it.

If you’d like to get involved, donate, or have questions, email us at lascrucesrrfm@proton.me

The Really Really Free Market takes place every first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1701 Missouri Avenue in Las Cruces. It’s a community gathering built on solidarity, not charity — where everything is free. Bring what you can, take what you need, or just come hang out. There’s no buying, selling, or trading — just neighbors supporting neighbors. Along with free clothes, furniture, books, toys, and supplies, we also offer free bike repairs and so much more! For more information or to volunteer, email lascrucesrrfm@proton.me or call (575)528-8671. That’s the Really Really Free Market, because we have everything we need when we take care of each other.

The NMSU Art Museum is excited to announce the opening of Mapping Spaces: Selections from the Lannan Art Collection at NMSU. This exhibition will showcase selections from the generous gift of 63 works of art from the Lannan Art Collection to the NMSU Permanent Art Collection in 2024. Mapping Spaces will open in the Contemporary Gallery on Thursday, June 11th, and run until September 5th, 2026.

After almost 65 years, with 27 of those spent in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Lannan Foundation closed in 2024. As part of Lannan’s closure, the Foundation gifted its remaining collection of more than 1,600 objects to 55 institutions, including the NMSU Art Museum. By adding these pieces to the UAM’s collection, this gift deepens the significance of the works by placing them into an academic context, where teaching, research, and public engagement further activate each of them. The NMSU Permanent Art Collection continues to evolve and grow not only as a repository of contemporary art objects, but also as a living resource that invites ongoing dialogue about the role of artists in shaping how the NMSU and Las Cruces communities understand our dynamic border region.

Featuring artists such as Claudia Andujar, Subhankar Banerjee, Max Cole, Pard Morrison, Victoria Sambunaris, and James Turrell, Mapping Spaces brings together a dynamic range of artists whose works explore landscapes and the environment, documentary photography, abstraction, and traditional art historical references. Together, this exhibition features artists at the center of the UAM’s mission, emphasizing the importance of continued support for art, research, and community-engaged practices in cultivating a creative ecosystem across New Mexico.

Join us for the opening reception on June 11th from 4:30-6:30 PM. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm. Admission to all programming is free and open to the public. For more information and a detailed calendar with associated programs and dates please visit uam.nmsu.edu.

This summer, the NMSU Art Museum welcomes the return of Louis Ocepek, local artist, former Department Head, and Professor Emeritus of the NMSU Department of Art for his solo exhibition: Homage to Then/Small Worlds. This exhibition opens June 11, 2026 and will be on display in the museum’s Mullennix Bridge Gallery through September 12, 2026. Please join us for the opening reception on June 11 from 4:30-6:30 pm.

Homage to Then/Small Worlds is a two-part exhibition of direct gravure prints, gouache paintings, and digital prints that pay tribute to a history of artistic influences and explore the abstracted physical world. Homage to Then comprises sixteen gravure prints and four gouache paintings, while Small Worlds features an array of acrylic and gouache paintings on paper and chromogenic prints. The detailed selection in Homage to Then/Small Worlds reflects on the aesthetics of time, space, and the perceptions of our physical and metaphysical worlds.

Louis Ocepek is an artist and designer born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He studied design and fine art at Wayne State University, and earned his graduate degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He was a professor in the art departments of Montana State University, Portland State University, and New Mexico State University, where he served as Department Head for several years while teaching additional courses in the NMSU Honors College. Ocepek works in a variety of media–exhibiting prints, paintings and hybrid works in national and international group and solo exhibitions. His work is included in the public art collections of Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and Texas. Ocepek is the author of Graphic Design: Vision, Process, Product and his design work has been featured in publications such as Graphis International and The Painter Wow!.

Mutual UFO Network’s New Mexico Chapter has established a Las Cruces program at the Branigan Library. We will be discussing the lesser known Roswell Crash events from 1947 - Nogal Canyon, Plains of San Agustin,WSMR, Mescalero Reservation, and North Roswell. We meet in the Road Runner Room at 11am.
The meeting is free & MUFON membership is not required. Enjoy inspiring thought-provoking discussions regarding aerial phenomena and other high strangeness with like-minded individuals.

The Mutual UFO Network, MUFON invites you to a free meeting that is open to the public where you can share your experience or sighting.
 We meet at 11am in the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library, Road Runner Room
 Opinions are welcome, without judgement come out to enjoy the discussion with likeminded individuals who have interest in this ongoing phenomenon.
 Flying Saucers, UFO , UAP or whatever you call them is discussed with the New Mexico MUFON State Director.
 Library is located at 200 East Picacho Ave. Las Cruces, New Mexico

This summer, the NMSU Art Museum welcomes the return of Louis Ocepek, local artist, former Department Head, and Professor Emeritus of the NMSU Department of Art for his solo exhibition: Homage to Then/Small Worlds. This exhibition opens June 11, 2026 and will be on display in the museum’s Mullennix Bridge Gallery through September 12, 2026. Please join us for the opening reception on June 11 from 4:30-6:30 pm.

Homage to Then/Small Worlds is a two-part exhibition of direct gravure prints, gouache paintings, and digital prints that pay tribute to a history of artistic influences and explore the abstracted physical world. Homage to Then comprises sixteen gravure prints and four gouache paintings, while Small Worlds features an array of acrylic and gouache paintings on paper and chromogenic prints. The detailed selection in Homage to Then/Small Worlds reflects on the aesthetics of time, space, and the perceptions of our physical and metaphysical worlds.

Louis Ocepek is an artist and designer born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He studied design and fine art at Wayne State University, and earned his graduate degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He was a professor in the art departments of Montana State University, Portland State University, and New Mexico State University, where he served as Department Head for several years while teaching additional courses in the NMSU Honors College. Ocepek works in a variety of media–exhibiting prints, paintings and hybrid works in national and international group and solo exhibitions. His work is included in the public art collections of Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and Texas. Ocepek is the author of Graphic Design: Vision, Process, Product and his design work has been featured in publications such as Graphis International and The Painter Wow!.

This summer, the NMSU Art Museum welcomes the return of Louis Ocepek, local artist, former Department Head, and Professor Emeritus of the NMSU Department of Art for his solo exhibition: Homage to Then/Small Worlds. This exhibition opens June 11, 2026 and will be on display in the museum’s Mullennix Bridge Gallery through September 12, 2026. Please join us for the opening reception on June 11 from 4:30-6:30 pm.

Homage to Then/Small Worlds is a two-part exhibition of direct gravure prints, gouache paintings, and digital prints that pay tribute to a history of artistic influences and explore the abstracted physical world. Homage to Then comprises sixteen gravure prints and four gouache paintings, while Small Worlds features an array of acrylic and gouache paintings on paper and chromogenic prints. The detailed selection in Homage to Then/Small Worlds reflects on the aesthetics of time, space, and the perceptions of our physical and metaphysical worlds.

Louis Ocepek is an artist and designer born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He studied design and fine art at Wayne State University, and earned his graduate degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He was a professor in the art departments of Montana State University, Portland State University, and New Mexico State University, where he served as Department Head for several years while teaching additional courses in the NMSU Honors College. Ocepek works in a variety of media–exhibiting prints, paintings and hybrid works in national and international group and solo exhibitions. His work is included in the public art collections of Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and Texas. Ocepek is the author of Graphic Design: Vision, Process, Product and his design work has been featured in publications such as Graphis International and The Painter Wow!.

August 2026 at the Deming Art Center will feature three local artists - Jeff Cooper, Mary Jo Stenson and Jesse Kriegel. These talented artists will each bring their own unique works to the gallery for August exhibit. Jeff Cooper is presenting various coil built pottery pieces and he has also built clay flutes with a Native American sound. Mary Jo Stenson loves painting water – whether it be clouds, rivers, mist, etc., and Jesse Kriegel, one of Deming’s High School Art teachers, will surprise us with his always interesting creations.
There will be a time to meet these talented student artists on Sunday, August 2, 2026, from 1-2:30PM at the Deming Art Center which is located at 100 S. Gold St., Deming, NM.
The gallery hours are 10AM – 4PM Monday – Friday and 10AM – 1PM on Saturday. For more information, please call 575-546-3663, visit our website at www.demingarts.org or see our Facebook page.
This project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts.