One artist, a home schooled duel-enrollment student at WNMU preparing for her freshman year, the other, a WNMU senior planning for her next steps following May’s graduation, but the connection that has drawn them together is the Western New Mexico University Expressive Arts program. This year’s juried art show at WNMU’s McCray Gallery was judged by local artist, author and radio personality Paula Giesler and included 55 students’ work, ranging from clay and ink to watercolor and oil. This year’s big winners are WNMU senior Patricia Countryman, who took best in show for her sculpture, The House that Built Me, and in-coming freshman Abby Egge-Ogas, first place winner and the recipient of the New Mexico Watercolor Society’s award for her piece, Sakura. Patricia Countryman’s creative process was nurtured through her strict, traditional upbringing in Douglas, Arizona, where she grew up as the eldest of four and used creativity as an escape. “I was always looking for...
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