Event Details

Join Ranger Daniel for a presentation on Ken Barrick’s vibrant paintings depicting Mesilla Valley’s history and his long career as a professor in New Mexico State University’s Art Department. Barrick’s paintings depict a wide range of subjects including Don Juan de Oñate’s entrada in 1598, the settlement of La Mesilla by Ramón Ortiz in the early 1850s, and the disappearance of Col. Albert Jennings Fountain and his son Henry near White Sands in 1896. Come learn about how Barrick rendered his subjects using oil and acrylic, charcoal and pastel, and the unique formula of paint he developed for outdoor murals that was designed to withstand the extreme light and heat in Southern New Mexico. Visitors will gain a greater appreciation of Barrick’s artistic achievements as well as the historical events that served as his creative inspiration.The presentation will be at Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site in the Reynolds Visitor Store (2350 Calle Principal, Mesilla, NM 88046). Fence Rider and Fountains paintings by Ken Barrick