Elizabeth Gerdeman poses with one of her artworks in the Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art at WNMU. Her exhibition, "A Weather Eye," will be on display from March 20 to April 10, 2025SILVER CITY, NM – For the first time, the Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art at Western New Mexico University will feature a special exhibition of work by an Artist-in-Residence who has been working in the Department of Expressive Arts this academic year. Elizabeth Gerdeman's solo exhibition "A Weather Eye" is rich with meteorological explorations that are approached with a playful wit, compassion, and sense of wonder.

Gerdeman, who holds a BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design and an MFA from the Ohio State University, is best known for examining the often-conflicting ways people conceive of the natural world. Her method is multidisciplinary, working with a range of materials to create mixed-media paintings that are frequently situated as site-based interventions and installations.

During her residency at Western New Mexico University, Gerdeman has embarked on projects that blend atmospheric sciences with traditional nature-based practices, weather lore, and local resources. Using a hands-on approach to the surrounding environment, her new work incorporates painting with site-specificity, found and seasonally sourced materials and collaboration as platforms for local meteorological exploration.

Gerdeman noted that the work presented at the McCray Gallery is very specific to her experience in New Mexico. "I wanted to experiment with new artistic research formats and practices, embrace transdisciplinary and communal learning, create and collaborate with WNMU students, and engage with the greater Silver City community in ways that delve deeper into the interrelationship of art and environment through the lens of weather phenomena experienced in the surrounding area," she explained.

Gerdeman added, "This includes interaction with various perspectives that integrate the area landscapes and architecture and research of local myths and folklore. Also, sustainably integrating materials found locally, such as using native plant dyes and pigments, collecting found and donated fabrics and paint products that have been used here, and the utilization of natural resources in my work such as air, sunlight, soil, and rainwater."

Director of the McCray Gallery Jill Winburn said that she was excited about this special exhibition and what it reveals about the artistic work happening at the university. "This is the first Artist-in-Residence exhibition initiated by the Expressive Arts Department, a milestone in the department's growth," she said. "As part of her residency, Elizabeth has been a guest lecturer in art classes and has worked closely with students, offering them new perspectives on their artistic practices and career paths. It's an exciting first for the Expressive Arts Department, and I believe her show is going to be outstanding."

"A Weather Eye" will be on display at the WNMU Francis McCray Gallery of Contemporary Art, 101-237 W Rhoda Rd, Silver City, NM from March 20 through April 10, 2025. On March 20, there will be an artist's talk at 6:00 PM in Light Hall Auditorium, followed by an opening reception in the McCray Gallery.