CSWS Program Calendar

2/11/2013

A Book Review from the Delaney Library

The book collection at the Delaney Library supports the programs of the Center of Southwest Studies and the research needs of its patrons. Some of the books are also on popular topics that community members will find of interest, such as Winging It: A beginner’s Guide to the Birds of the Southwest by family birdwatchers Catherine Coulter, Cynthia Coulter, James Coulter, and Vivian Coulter. It was reviewed by library student worker Tia Flippin:

The mother (Vivian) of the Coulter family and her three adult children compile together their memories, resources, and time to produce this light-hearted guide. An educator (Catherine), a physician (Cynthia), and a businessman (James) all add their unique perspectives to the view of a science textbook author and educator (Vivian). It is a colorfully illustrated book that eloquently mashes pictures, diagrams, stories and facts into a quick and easy-to-read guide of 42 common species of birds in the southwest. The bright colors and childhood stories add an almost childlike feel to the book. However, the emboldened terms, real pictures, and various sketches keep this book grounded in the realm of non-fiction.

Also check out other related books: Watchable birds of the Southwest and Birds of the Southwest.

Related material in the archives: M242 Roy E.Wells collection, Series 6, for information concerning the sales, trade, and usage of endangered and exotic birds among Native Americans and M121 Theodore Hetzel field notebooks for an accounts of the 1917 Migratory Bird Act.

Come by Delaney Library to read this and many other books on southwest topics!

For hours and directions: http://swcenter.fortlewis.edu/visit.shtml

2/01/2013

Woven to Wear textile exhibit opens February 7th

1/25/2013

Spring Program Series to kick off Jan 30th with talk on Regional Education: Historical Perspectives

The Center of Southwest Studies will host a talk, “Education and its Uses in the Southwest: Historical Perspectives” on Wednesday, January 30^th at 6:00 pm in the Lyceum Room.

Join Center director Dr. Jay Harrison at this first event in the Education in the Southwest series for a look at how Southwestern peoples pursued education over the centuries leading to the present. The presentation provides background for the current state of education in the region, and will kick off the Center’s focus on regional educational investments, needs, and potential changes in the coming years. Dr. Harrison will consider early history of American peoples, European influences, and the formalization of education since the expansion of the United States in the Southwest.

Refreshments will be offered beginning at 5:30 pm, with the program to begin at 6:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public.

1/22/2013

Schedule of spring programs

This schedule can also be found on our homepage http://swcenter.fortlewis.edu

12/21/2012

Center volunteer Esther Greenfield cements history in clay

For fourteen years, Center volunteer and avid hiker, Esther Greenfield, has been finding and drawing historic aspen carvings, recording them in a journal during her outings. Her friend and neighbor, ceramicist Mary Kay Harrell, approached Esther two months ago asking if she would like to collaborate on a new pottery project.

Mary Kay uses special Raku clay that can withstand extreme changes in temperature. After creating the pot, while the clay is at the right state of dryness, between wet and dry, called leather-hard clay, Esther chooses an arborglyph from her journal to carve on the pot.
After the pots have dried thoroughly, up to a week, they are bisque fired so that they can be handled without breaking. It is at this stage that the glazing is done. The white crackle glaze is applied with a brush, using three coats to get the right thickness and coverage. The pots are then placed into the cold kiln, the door is shut tight, and the burners are lit, one by one, letting the temperature rise gradually to about 1700 degrees.
When the pots are smooth, shiny and glistening, the kiln is turned off letting the temperature drop slightly. Only when they are completely cooled can they be taken out to reveal the results.
“We hope for the best,” says Esther, “you never know how they are going to turn out.”
Each one is unique and different depending on the glaze application, and the action of the firing and the cooling process, trying to achieve the "crackle effect" that is associated with Raku pottery.
Furthermore, Esther explains why this pottery is more than just pots. They have stories to tell. "This collection of hand-made pottery tells a story of those long-ago days of herders and cowboys who left their messages in the trees. Each pot is absolutely unique and each has carvings that reflect messages from one man to another, love and longing in the woods, wild things in the woods, poignant ‘remember me’ messages, brands and boundary markers. Many are quite old, and sadly, many will never be seen again as the trees, with their messages, are now gone."

These pots are selling quickly, even before the price tags can be placed. To purchase these unique ceramics, please visit Dietz’s Market, the Durango Arts Center or the San Juan Mountains Association bookstore at the Public Lands Center.

12/05/2012

CSWS volunteer and author Esther Greenfield publishes article "A powerful look at power"

Please visit this link to view Ms. Greenfield's article, originally published in the Durango Herald on November 24, 2012:

http://durangoherald.com/article/20121124/LIFESTYLE01/121129801/A-powerful-look-at-power---

12/04/2012

Center Holiday hours and closures

Holiday hours and closures for the Center of Southwest Studies are as follows:

December 10 - 21, 2012
Delaney Library, Mon-Fri from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Museum/ Gallery open, Mon-Fri from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

December 24 – January 1, 2013: CLOSED

January 2 - 4, 2013

Delaney Library, Mon-Fri from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm