Photos Courtesy of Southwest Regional Museum of Art and Art Center are below.
The Inaugural Outreach Program of Southwest Regional Museum of Art and Art Center has been a positive 2026 learning experience for elementary school children in Animas, NM. Requested of the Art Museum by the Animas School District, this Outreach Program was developed and taught by Claude Smith III, a SWRMA Board Member, WNMU Professor Emeritus, and well known Silver City potter. Smith traveled each week to Animas bringing materials, historic examples, and tools.
Smith talked with and demonstrated for the children how to work with clay, guided them through processes, and engaged and encouraged them in creating their own designs, while also teaching about the history of pots and the ancient Mimbreño and more recent Native Americans who make pottery. Smith also provided contemporary ceramic examples and brought a potter's wheel to demonstrate another way to create with clay.
The Art Museum Outreach Program for the Animas elementary school was supported, in part, by the Ceramics Department at WMNU, which furnished clay for students to work with and kiln time at the University for firing student work that was transported back and forth by Claude Smith. On the last day, students saw their finished work glazed and fired. The pictures show the positive enjoyment and satisfaction of creating while learning.
The SWRMA Outreach Project received glowing reports from The Animas School District. Southwest Regional Museum of Art credits Claude Smith III for his excellence in inspiring learning and making it fun.
Southwest Regional Museum of Art, a 501(c)(3) educational charity is currently raising capital to purchase the old Silver City Post Office on Broadway. In the meantime, the Board has authorized Art Outreach Programs to share the original art in the Museum's Collection. Although its permanent Museum location will always be Silver City, the word Regional in its title means Southwest Regional Museum of Art and Art Center will strive to serve the entire southwest quadrant of New Mexico. The Museum is willing to travel to schools, civic groups, senior centers, and bring art, the history behind it, the life of the artist, and how it got to Silver City! To inquire about a free Museum Outreach program for your group, leave a message on the Art Museum website contact page. www.southwest-art-museum.org
Student holds her clay pot made by continuous pinching of a ball of clay to form a bowl with sides of even thickness.
Teacher Claude Smith describes the next project, "Story Bowls" to students.
Students concentrate while working on their "Story Bowls."
This young artist touched clay for the first time today.
