by Daniel Huberman
Daily Lobo
If you happen to stumble into the UNM Art Museum, you will be pleasantly surprised.
In the downstairs level, you will find an exhibit of paintings by Clinton Adams that will take you on an artistic safari through time.
Adams was born in Glendale, Calif., in 1918. By the time of his death in 2002, he had become one of the most prominent names in American art - especially in the field of lithography. Adams authored numerous books and articles and served in a multitude of academic positions. He received many awards and a tremendous amount of public recognition. Many of Adams' contributions to the field of art were made here at UNM, where he served as dean of the College of Fine Arts from 1961-67.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
A co-founder of the Tamarind Lithography Workshop, Adams was integral in moving the workshop to Albuquerque where it became the Tamarind Institute under his direction from 1970-85. Many of his works can be found in the country and around the world in prestigious public and private collections. Thanks to the generosity of Adams and his widow, Mary Adams, you don't have to leave campus to view his art.
"The exhibit spans several decades of American art history," said Michael Certo, curator of education and public programs.
In addition to securing the Tamarind archives at UNM, Adams contributed many of his works to UNM - both for inclusion in the UNM Art Museum's permanent collection and for the UNM Art Museum Adams Fund for Research, Maintenance and Preservation. Pieces from both collections are featured in the exhibit, creating an opportunity for viewers to purchase Adams' work while helping to support and maintain the UNM Art Museum.
Adams began to paint well before his work in lithography started in 1948. He continued to produce art until he passed away. Although Adams is most renowned for his work in lithography, he was a painter as well.
"He considered himself first and foremost a painter," said Linda Bahm, director of the museum.
When viewers enter the exhibit, they will immediately know why.
"The goal of this exhibit is to show the breadth of his work," said Bonnie Verardo, collections manager for the UNM Art Museum.
The exhibit accomplishes this goal in an exquisite manner. The selected pieces span more than 40 years of painting, and the exhibit places an emphasis on his early work - most of which has been less extensively displayed in the past.
