The Rio Grande County Museum and Cultural Center enriches people’s lives by helping them to understand Rio Grande County’s past, to appreciate the present and to embrace the future. 
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There is hope on the horizon for a better year in 2021 than 2020. The museum will be looking forward to again being able to be open with less restrictions and have some events. The “Holiday at the Museum” 2nd Annual art show was successful and planning for the 3rd Annual art show is taking place. There were fourteen artists in the show, two of whom were students. The art show had more sales this year than last. People were shopping at home and helping to support the local artists and the museum. We are all thankful for that support. On January 26th the museum was featured as the program for the Monte Vista. A great opportunity to let the community know what we are doing. 
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As we look forward, the focus on student and young people is continuing. April 28th the second annual Del Norte School art show will open with work from Kindergarten through High School being shown. The reception may have to be modified to be within Covid guidelines, but the show will go on!! It will run for two weeks so there will be time for parents, families and the community members to drop in and see what our children are doing. 2 

A young man from Del Norte will be working with the museum staff to put up the World War II exhibit. He will bring an aspect to the exhibit which will not only show his art work, but bring a different perceptive as a young person interested in the history of this period of time.

My name is Joseph Hunter Trujillo. I was born on the 27th of October, 2006 in Alamosa, Colorado to Leroy J. Trujillo and Kathryn Trujillo. I was born with a full head of dark hair and brown almond shaped eyes. I was a whopping 8 ½ pounds which shocked the doctor and the nurses especially because they had told my mother they were sure I was going to a be a 6 pound baby. I am a native to Del Norte, Colorado as is my father. My mother was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico before marrying my father and coming to Colorado. My family has a rich history in the San Luis Valley and dedication to the country. Raymond Trujillo is my great -great uncle and his name is on the brass plaque in the Rio Grande County House and in the story of the military deaths in Rio Grande County done by the museum staff. Both of my great grandfathers are buried at the local cemetery with military headstones. My mother’s father with his seven brothers all served in a different branch of the service and were discharged with honors. 

I was born a middle child with an older brother who took after my grandfather and father with the name of Leroy. My sister, Julia, is 3 years younger. She was named after Julia Roberts who my mother loved since she was a child. I started enjoying and creating art at a very young age. I attended the Del Norte Head Start at the age of 3. I wasn’t content being at school so arrangements were made for me to attend half days. I was lucky enough to have a stay at home mother at that age and I was glad to be home with her the rest of the day. I began building with blocks, 3 ​drawing and painting. I found that I was pretty good at it and it gradually turned into a passion of mine. 

I don’t remember the first time I drew a picture about the military or how my fascination with the service started, but I have quite a collection of artifacts at home. I would beg my parents for airplanes, plastic army men and tanks to play with as young as age 5. I told anyone who listen that I was going to join the Army and I dressed up as a service member for Halloween for at least nine years. My drawing has continued and expanded into painting, wood work, stop motion movies and 3D printing. I have volunteered for the VFW to help hand out pin wheels for the 4th of July Parade, visited at Home Lake and still have intentions of joining the service. 
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I am grateful for the opportunity to showcase my work at the Rio Grande County Museum in Del Norte. I have only previously had my art on display during the school art show. In 2017 I won 2nd place in the San Luis Valley Conservation poster contest which consisted of ten schools in the valley competing to win the contest.

​The WWII Tribute at the museum is more meaningful than any other art presentation I have participated in because of my passion for the subject. I hope this inspires other to pursue their pass and live life to the fullest.

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $84 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment’s second major funding announcement for the fiscal year 2020. Included in this announcement is an Art Works award to M12 STUDIO for our Landlines Initiative. This is one of 1015 grants nationwide that the agency has approved in this category.

“These awards demonstrate the resilience of the arts in America, showcasing not only the creativity of their arts projects but the organizations’ agility in the face of a national health crisis,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “We celebrate organizations like M12 STUDIO for providing opportunities for learning and engagement through the arts in these times.”

Additionally, M12 STUDIO is thankful for the support from our neighbors at Arts in Society and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

About the M12 STUDIO Landlines Initiative:
Landlines is a two-year interdisciplinary art initiative developed by M12 STUDIO in order to stimulate collaborative projects between M12 and visiting researchers, artists, and writers. The initiative is focused on Colorado’s rural San Luis Valley and additionally partners with citizens, farmers, ranchers, and landowners in the area to create site-specific artworks, events, and art publications. The research, events, and artworks produced draw on a range of interests and expertise including architecture, agriculture, history, photography, physiogeography, traditional and contemporary community life, and environmental phenomena.

With Gratitude,
M12 STUDIO
More news coming soon!  Make sure to check back in!

While you are waiting check out their ongoing project:

"The Conejos Fieldwork Site is located outside of Antonito, Colorado, on a 10-acre historic adobe ranch between the Rio Grande river and BLM land. The site is part of a multi-generation family ranch of nearly 500 acres, where the Rael family grows hay, grazes cattle, manages historic acequias, and preserves historic adobe structures." read more...

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