Rock Art - A personal expression that became a public art project
In the January of 2017, I started walking along the earthen dam on the Northeast side of Las Cruces bordering the University Golf Course. A beautiful peaceful walk with many animals for entertainment, hawks, roadrunners, lizards, rabbits, coyotes, butterflies, dragonflies and more. I noticed that on the side of the path there was a row of small rocks that someone had placed as a border. Each day it grew a little longer.
Inspired by the line of rocks, I started creating rock images of animals.
As I worked on the rock art, it grew into large murals that filled the side of the dam. 5 years later, the Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) informed me that the dam was being expanded and the art would have to go. It wasn't supposed to be there in the first place but they appreciated its beauty and gave me a year to move the hundred tons or more of rock to a new location.
With help from volunteers and permission from the University, the rocks were all moved to the hill in front of the NMSU golf clubhouse. 17 month later with 100+ volunteers the project is complete!
Thank you to everyone that helped haul buckets of rocks and place them to create 25 animals, the NMSU logo, a Zia design, double hearts and a rose for the Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Rocks, roofing tiles, and crushed glass from the Las Cruces Recycle Center were for this public art project.
Inspired by the line of rocks, I started creating rock images of animals.
As I worked on the rock art, it grew into large murals that filled the side of the dam. 5 years later, the Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) informed me that the dam was being expanded and the art would have to go. It wasn't supposed to be there in the first place but they appreciated its beauty and gave me a year to move the hundred tons or more of rock to a new location.
With help from volunteers and permission from the University, the rocks were all moved to the hill in front of the NMSU golf clubhouse. 17 month later with 100+ volunteers the project is complete!
Thank you to everyone that helped haul buckets of rocks and place them to create 25 animals, the NMSU logo, a Zia design, double hearts and a rose for the Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Rocks, roofing tiles, and crushed glass from the Las Cruces Recycle Center were for this public art project.
FINISHED JUNE 2024
Donations helped greatly. There were about $6K in donations and the expenses were about $7K One truck load of rock (13 tons) ranged in price from $400. to $700. depending on the kind and size of rocks ordered. 10 truck loads of rock plus all the rock recovered from the Tortugas dam's art were used to make the new designs.
If you are interested in support of this project the Donate button will be active until we meet the goal.
Thanks to everyone that donated.
If you are interested in support of this project the Donate button will be active until we meet the goal.
Thanks to everyone that donated.
MORE NEWS ABOUT MOVING THE ROCK ART
The new location is ideal in many ways:
1. It is on NMSU property and under their protection, which should curb any future vandalism which was a problem at the dam.
2. The hill has been covered with landscape weed barrier cloth. This will maintain a cleaner look with proper weed control. The hill is .57 acres - Art is 165 ft. high x 190 ft. wide. (Visualize over half a 300 ft. football field)
3. The rock are will help with the erosion problems on that location.
4. The location will be more accessible to the public and will be enjoyed by more people. You'll be able to walk or drive to see it.
The best view of the larger animals is at the front doors of the NMSU golf clubhouse
The smaller animals best view is along the road in front of the art. The site can be seen from Google Earth although the current images are from a year earlier when we were starting. Updated images will be in the future. I just check once a month to see.
The new location is ideal in many ways:
1. It is on NMSU property and under their protection, which should curb any future vandalism which was a problem at the dam.
2. The hill has been covered with landscape weed barrier cloth. This will maintain a cleaner look with proper weed control. The hill is .57 acres - Art is 165 ft. high x 190 ft. wide. (Visualize over half a 300 ft. football field)
3. The rock are will help with the erosion problems on that location.
4. The location will be more accessible to the public and will be enjoyed by more people. You'll be able to walk or drive to see it.
The best view of the larger animals is at the front doors of the NMSU golf clubhouse
The smaller animals best view is along the road in front of the art. The site can be seen from Google Earth although the current images are from a year earlier when we were starting. Updated images will be in the future. I just check once a month to see.
ORIGINAL PROPOSAL DRAWING
VIEW FROM GOOGLE EARTH
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There were many changes in the plan as I worked with the larger scale and a different slope to the land. All the animals had to be larger and elongated vertically so that they were proportioned correctly at the view from the NMSU clubhouse doors. .
Two images of the Cougar show the changes in proportions from different view points.
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Site is .57 acres 165' x 190'
Art is composed of rocks, crushed glass, roofing tiles and broken pottery.
Oct 9 2022 Clearing the hill Oct 11 2022 Laying ground fabric
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Oct 29, 2022 Starting the NMSU logo and placing rocks to hold the fabric down.
July 11 2023
Drone photo Aug 23, 2023
Drone photo Nov 23, 2023
Drone photo Dec 27, 2023
NMSU PGA student program Feb 7, 2024 45 helpers for the rock art!
Drone photo Feb 7, 2024
Drone photo Aug 7,2024
Below are slide shows of the original art on the Tortugas dam. They have all been removed from the dam and created larger at the NMSU golf course. Google for directions.
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