About Us
Bernadette Maldonado
My Art story begins at birth. I was adopted, having been born in an orphanage. I have always been told that I was a “gift” to my parents; I grew up with the knowledge of my adoption. I only knew two things about my birth mother: I knew that she was 14 years old, and that she was “artistic”. Having that little piece of information, I felt a tiny connection to the creativeness within me. My body of work grew because of who I am and where I come from.
Growing up in New Mexico, I quickly learned that nothing is nearby; as a matter a fact, going anywhere takes about two hours to get from town to town. Each weekend may family and I would pile in the car and travel from our town of Belen (known as the Hub city or the center of New Mexico) to visit my grandparents in northeast New Mexico in a tiny town called Puerto de Luna, (you might have heard of the book “Bless Me Ultima” by Rudolfo Anaya? That was the town it was centered in). It is a farming community surrounded by mountains of all colors, with the Pecos River running right through my grandparents’ property. My imagination grew with beauty and love for the land around New Mexico; lo and behold, I slowly grew into an artist.
Painting the landscape was a natural choice for me, having had that kind of childhood experience. I moved to the northern part of the state and Las Vegas, New Mexico became my home. I have the San Juan Mountains as my front yard; Helen Keller's words “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart”, so easily describes how I feel when I paint.
"Art" was the only word I was given to tell me anything about my past. Today, art fills a void to help heal pain. Without art in my life, I do not think I would be here at all. My work depicts the beauty I see in the world around me. I want to pay tribute to the land. It is my intent to celebrate the life & beauty of my New Mexico with dignity and love.
Education
06/2018 – 05/2021 MFA Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California
08/2015- 06/2017 Bachelor of Arts, University Studies, Fine Art, Elementary Education, Reading, Special Education, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico
Cum Laude
1999 Certified Ceramic Teaching Certificate, Duncan University, Dallas Texas
Solo Exhibition
2017 “Watercolors” El Fidel Gallery, Las Vegas, New Mexico
2008 “My pottery” Weems Gallery, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Group Exhibitions
2022 Chair for Charity, Kennedy Hall, NMHU Las Vegas, NM
2021 Bazar on Bridge Street Gallery 140, Las Vegas, New Mexico
2021 Local Color Gallery 140, Las Vegas, New Mexico
2021 Alumni & Student Art Exhibit, A Virtual Exhibition set up at various galleries on New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico
2020 Where Edges Meet, Kennedy Gallery, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico
2017 Annual spring show, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico
2016 Annual winter show, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico
2016 Annual spring show, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico
2015 Annual winter show, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico
Commissions
John Maldonado, Four Seasons’
Maria Montoya, Loving Mom
Lucille Zamora, Dad’s Tree
Ron Archuleta, My Personal Sax
Ron Archuleta, The 60's Guitar is mine again
Stephanie & Bob Walters, The Plaza in my eyes
Professional Experience
Curator/Manager, The Corner Art Gallery, Las Vegas NM
Professor, Luna Community College, Las Vegas NM
Elementary Art Teacher, Mora, New Mexico
Grant Writer, Arts for Education Grant
Director, Annual Spring show K8 Mora Independent schools
Independent Art Teacher/ Online Oils and Acrylic Painting
Paint Night Class Teacher, Las Vegas, and Santa Fe, New Mexico
Michaels community class teacher, oil/acyclic/watercolor/oil pastel painting Teaching, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Ceramic Teacher
Cofounder/ Tender Loving Arts and Craft Festivals, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Gallery Representation
The Corner Art Gallery, Las Vegas, New Mexico