Tom Lea Trail Extension passes key vote in NM Statehouse

Category: Non-Local News Releases Non-Local News Releases
Published: 12 February 2018 12 February 2018

Historical society promotes El Paso artist’s cultural impact throughout
the Southwest

Santa Fe, New Mexico --- On February 10, 2018, a proposed extension of the Tom Lea Trail passed a key legislative hurdle in Santa Fe. The New Mexico Senate unanimously voted in favor of SM 18, legislation instructing New Mexico’s cultural affairs and tourism departments to work with the Tom Lea Institute and Texas officials to officially continue the cultural trail from Texas into The Land of Enchantment.

"Tom Lea is part of Texas and New Mexico's shared cultural heritage and history," said state Senator Mary Kay Papen, who introduced this legislation in the statehouse. "It is an honor to help future generations learn about his work, the history of our region, and the contributions his work had on American art and history."

The Tom Lea Trail (tomlea.com) connects 11 cities and nearly two dozen locations in Texas; as well as the cities of Ciudad Juarez in Mexico and Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and Mesilla in New Mexico. The trail honors Lea’s work as a muralist, World War II correspondent, illustrator, historian, and writer.

“We are delighted that the New Mexico legislature is moving quickly in response to Austin’s decision last year to establish the Tom Lea Trail as one of the first and only artistic cultural trails in the country,” said Tom Lea Institute Executive Director Lisa Pugh. “The fact that they are prioritizing this bill during their short legislative session speaks to the public’s overwhelmingly positive response to efforts to preserve Tom’s unique legacy.”

Last month, the founder and president of the Tom Lea Institute, Adair Margo, presented on the Tom Lea Trail at the Texas Historical Commission’s Real Places Conference in Austin, Texas, followed by a roundtable discussion with key influencers in Texas.

“It is great to see a new generation discover the art of Tom Lea,” Margo said. “The Tom Lea Trail takes visitors along the US/Mexico borderlands, offering them a window into each region’s unique history.”

“The Texas Historical Commission is excited to work alongside preservationists in both Texas and now New Mexico, to educate heritage travelers on Tom Lea’s contributions to our state’s rich history and culture,” said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the Texas Historical Commission.

Lea, who died in El Paso in 2001 and lived in New Mexico from 1933-1936, was described by Pulitzer-winning biographer Robert Caro as “an unsung genius of our time who made it purely on the quality of his work.” President George W. Bush displayed Tom Lea’s paintings in the Texas Governor’s Office and in the Oval Office of the White House. Most of his work is in the southwest region where he lived, remaining predominantly in private collections.

*****
The Tom Lea Institute is located at 201 E. Main Street in El Paso, TX. For more information about the Tom Lea Trail and other programs, please visit http://tomlea.com/ or call 915-533-0048.

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.