POSTPONED - History Notes – “New Mexican artist Peter Hurd” March 10, 2011

The “History Notes” lecture on New Mexican artist Peter Hurd talk is postponed until December due to speaker illness.

The substitute presentation will be a short film on Michael Naranjo followed by Art Museum staff tour of the exhibit.

Las Cruces, NM – The Branigan Cultural Center continues its “History Notes” Lecture Series on Thursday, March 10 with a lecture on New Mexican artist Peter Hurd. The talk will be delivered by Andy Albertson, the Branigan’s Curator of Education

Albertson’s lecture will focus on Hurd’s early years in Roswell New Mexico, his higher education and introduction to the visual arts world, as well as his intimate relationship with the famous Wyeth family of artists. Hurd was a student of illustrator NC Wyeth, a close friend of realist Andrew Wyeth and was married to artist Henriette Wyeth for more than 50 years. He lived for most of his adult life and maintained a studio on a ranch in San Patricio, NM, east of Ruidoso.

Hurd’s work is represented in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, the Roswell Museum and Art Center, the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, New Mexico State University Special Collections, among other institutions.

"History Notes” are informal discussions focusing on local and regional history on the second Thursday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Cultural Center. The programs are free and open to the public; no registration is required. The Branigan Cultural Center is located at the north end of the Downtown Mall in Las Cruces at 501 N. Main Street. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact the Branigan Cultural Center at (575) 541-2154 or visit www.las-cruces.org/museums.