News Release

Valles Caldera Announces 2024 Artists in Residence

Artist working on a painting during the April 2024 Arts in Park event in the park.

NPS/C. Lycopolus

News Release Date: May 28, 2024

Contact: Dave Krueger, 505-412-0826

Jemez Springs, NM – Valles Caldera National Preserve has selected five artists to take part in its inaugural Artist in Residence (AiR) program during the 2024 summer season.

Elizabeth “Izzy” Anderson has a multi-faceted career as a professional musician, an award-winning artist, and a published children’s book author and illustrator.

Rachel Black is a Principal Lecturer and Lead Faculty in the Foundations program at the College of Visual Arts and Design at the University of North Texas, where she has taught for 20 years.

Melissa Fu grew up in Los Alamos, New Mexico and is currently working on a novel that explores the impact of wildfires on Northern New Mexico over four decades through the story of three lifelong friends.

Dr. Heather Heckel, EdD is an award-winning artist and art educator in her eleventh year of teaching public school art.

Lisa Spangler is a former software engineer and current website developer who is happiest when she’s outside painting the natural world around her.

Learn more about each artist at https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/valles-caldera-announces-2024-artists-in-residence.htm.

Through the AiR program, selected artists will immerse themselves in the park’s natural and cultural landscapes to create original artistic works inspired by the setting. During their residencies, they will also share their work with the public through presentations and interactive workshops.

“Valles Caldera is an awe-inspiring landscape,” said Superintendent Jorge Silva-Bañuelos. “We look forward to collaborating with the selected artists to inspire new ways of experiencing and interacting with Valles Caldera National Preserve. People come to national parks for many different reasons, and Artist in Residence programs provide extraordinary opportunities to connect with some of America's most treasured places.”

Visit the park’s Calendar of Events web page for upcoming Artist in Residence programs and interactive workshops (https://www.nps.gov/vall/planyourvisit/calendar.htm).

nps.gov/vall

Valles Caldera National Preserve | About 1.2 million years ago, a spectacular volcanic eruption created the 14-mile-wide circular depression now known as Valles Caldera. The park is known for its huge mountain meadows, abundant wildlife, and meandering streams. The area also preserves the homeland of ancestral native peoples and embraces a rich cultural history. Visit us at nps.gov/vall.

National Park Service | More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 420+ national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at nps.gov.