LESLEY ART EXHIBIT TO FEATURE NEW MEXICAN ARTIST

A Lesley art exhibit, "Diversity and Inclusion," opens October 21, on the third floor of Porter Exchange, at 6:30 p.m. Below, Martha McKenna, dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences, shares her experience in discovering the work of one of the artists, now a student at Lesley.

A year ago, I sat in the kitchen of Marie Romero Cash while my daughter Siobhan interviewed Cash as part of her research project for the Lesley course, "Traditions and Cultures of the Southwest." Siobhan was examining leading women artists of the Native American, Hispanic and Anglo traditions in New Mexico, and since Cash is the foremost santera (woman painter of saints) she was one of the subjects in this comparative study. In the course of the interview, Cash shared with Siobhan that in spite of the national recognition for her artwork and several small publications, her lack of a baccalaureate degree was limiting her ability to find publishers for her recent research on the untold story of the santeras in New Mexico.

"As I sat across from the artist and my daughter during the interview, I began to formulate a plan for bringing Cash to Lesley to complete her baccalaureate degree in our Intensive Residency Option Program. I shared this plan with Cash before we parted and promised to forward information on the program on my return to Cambridge. This October, the plan became a reality as Cash entered the Intensive Residency Option Program to pursue an Individually Designed baccalaureate degree in the area of Hispanic art and culture."

On October 21, Lesley will open the art exhibition in Porter Exchange, featuring the work of students, faculty, staff, administrators, alums and trustees. Among the exhibits will be a chess set designed by Cash for Lesley College. This is the second chess set that she has designed. The first is on display in a museum's permanent collection. The Lesley piece reflects her whimsical approach to the time-honored tradition of Hispanic art in New Mexico by combing traditional style and technique with contemporary subject matter.

On Thursday, October 24, Cash will discuss this piece in the context of the santeras tradition of New Mexico. For location and time, call Peggy Barrasso at 349-8634.