
Artist and Curator Walkthrough
October 16, 2026
5 pm
Artist Marietta Patricia Leis and curator Marisa Sage will lead audiences through the Contemporary Art Gallery, and while they speak on the artworks in Breathing Lessons and their collaboration in developing the exhibition.
Opening Reception
October 16, 2026
5:30 pm
The NMSU Art Museum proudly invites the community to join us in the opening reception of our new exhibitions: Marietta Patricia Leis: Breathing Lessons, Shirley Crow: On the Edge, and Lean In.
Meet the artists, listen to live music, and celebrate with us on October 16, 2026 from 5:30-7:30 pm.
For more information, visit Artist and Curator Walkthrough
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Artist Talk with Marietta Patricia Leis
October 15, 2026
5:30 PM
The Bleachers at Devasthali Hall
Watch online: https://nmsu.zoom.us/j/84531192379
Marietta Patricia Leis shares the themes and concepts that inspired the work seen in Breathing Lessons.
Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1938 and raised in East Orange, Marietta Patricia Leis’s early memories of her grandmother’s gardens continue to shape her sensitivity to hue and atmosphere. After studying dance and painting in New York and Los Angeles, she moved to New Mexico in 1982 to pursue an MFA at the University of New Mexico. There, she developed a visual language that merged drawing, photography, and constructed forms with an interest in public art, education, and mentorship. Leis has exhibited extensively and her artworks can be found in the permanent collections of institutions around the world, including Haegeumgang Theme Museum in South Korea; Fundación Valparaíso, Mojacar, Spain; Rothko Museum, Daugavpils, Latvia; Museo d’Arte Contemporanea - Pinacoteca di Teora, Italy; and the Harwood Museum, Taos, NM.
For more information, visit Artist Talk with Marietta Patricia Leis

Poetry Workshop
October 22, 2026
5:30 pm
Zane-Bennett Study Room in Devasthali Hall (room 106)
Inspired by Marietta Patricia Leis: Breathing Lessons, audiences will be led through a series of short prompts and exercises by Leis and NMSU Professor Rodrigo Figueroa. Participants are encouraged to sign-up for the open mic night on Friday, October 23, 2026.
Visit the Poetry workshop webpage

Open Mic Night
October 23, 2026
5:30 pm
Contemporary Art Gallery
Workshop participants and the public are invited to share their creativity and poetry for an open mic night immersed in the artwork of Breathing Lessons. Light refreshments, journals, and pencils provided. Participants can sign up to perform on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Visit the Open Mic Night webpage


































































































































