NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, June 21, 2023: The GCAS monthly in-person general meeting returns to the Roundup Lodge in San Lorenzo (Mimbres Valley) near the junction of Highways 152 and 35. Members and general public invited. Our customary summertime potluck starts at 5PM with your own plates/utensils/beverage & a dish for yourself or to share. Brief business meeting at 5:45PM followed immediately by our Featured Speaker, the GCAS's own archaeologist Marilyn Markel who will describe Ridge Ruin: an Extraordinary Sinagua Site and a Story of Repatriation. Join us for a unique presentation! In order to offer our members a safe and comfortable experience the GCAS follows CDC and New Mexico Department of Health guidelines for indoor gatherings including masking, distancing, and vaccinations. We recommend all attendees follow the same.

NEXT FIELD TRIP: Sunday, June 4, 2023: Meet at 10:00AM sharp at the Mimbres Culture Heritage Site to carpool to the Mitchell, Montezuma, and possibly also the Beauregard sites on the the Nature Conservancy's Upper Mimbres Preserve about 5 miles north. To get an accurate head count for carpooling in hi-clearance vehicles, GCAS members please email [email protected] or telephone Marilyn Markel at 575-536-9337 ahead of time to let us know to expect you.

Mark Your Calendars for July's Community Conversation at the Silco Theater!
GCAS Monthly Meeting In Person With Featured Speaker: ENMU's Dr. Robert J. Stokes

Plan Now for the October Southwest Kiln Conference in Silver City

Swkiln2021-3Big News! Friday, October 7 through Sunday, October 9, 2022, marks the 2022 Southwest Kiln Conference in Silver City, sponsored by the Western New Mexico University Museum under the leadership of museum director Danni Romero. The public is welcome and the conference is free. WNMU will provide outdoor space for firing up of the kilns and the museum will host conference room space for presentations. Attendees will also want to visit the WNMU museum itself, which includes the largest and most complete collection of Mimbres materials in existence from a single prehistoric Mimbres site, and the largest and most comprehensive permanent interpretative exhibition of Mimbres pottery and artifacts in the world. Read on for more details:

"The Southwest Kiln Conference attracts a diverse group of people with a shared interest in better understanding prehistoric southwestern pottery. Expect to meet potters who work in a variety of ceramic traditions, making replicas of Anasazi, Hohokam and Mogollon pottery. The conference will offer glimpses of the entire process from collecting raw clay, to forming pots and of course firing. All are welcome and the conference is free and open to the public."

Bob Casias of SW Kiln says the group is especially interested in meeting students of all ages because, "Education of prehistoric pottery making and the cultural preservation of ancient societies' artifacts is a theme we hope to imbue in...young people. We would encourage...local students to attend and learn about what we do as artists, archeologists and just folks interested in SW prehistoric peoples."

SW Kiln is also seeking people who would like to present subjects on prehistoric pottery making on Friday, October 7. Now is the chance for our local artists to share their knowledge!

SW Kiln continues,

"We are excited to be hosted by this premier Museum and have lined up 4 great lectures focused on Mimbres culture and pottery, but we are still looking for a couple more presentations if you have an interest in presenting. We will hold presentations on Friday October 7, between 9:00-4:00 followed by a tile painting workshop put on by Wayne Keene at 5:00, with potential for the Watershed students to conduct painting session using organic paint for small pieces that may be put into Saturday's trench kiln. On Saturday we will conduct firings in the morning and will have a tour of the Museum collection at 2:00. A silent auction will be held, starting at 12:00 on Saturday and artists can list a minimum bid for pieces entered, we'd also like to ask artists to donate 50% of these proceeds to a local educational organization. Dinner will be catered at 6:00 and is estimated at $25 (menu and other specifics to come). An after dinner activity will be planned and may include a trade blanket, where folks can bring items for trade. We'll open the trench kiln on Sunday morning and discuss successes from the previous day's firings as well as the trench kiln.

Camping is available as are RV sites: Mesa Campground (3.6 miles), Cherry Creek Campground (13.2 miles), Silver City KOA Holiday (5.9 Miles), McMillan Campground (26 miles), Manzano RV Park (5.2 miles), Rose Valley Ranch (2.4 miles), Gila Hot Springs Ranch (40 miles). Please make your plans early and we hope to see you all again in Silver City."

Interested parties should contact SW Kiln as soon as possible with a note on the subject they may want to present.

Check out more photos from the 2021 SW Kiln Conference, and learn about the pottery workshops they offer here.

Let's go -- and bring along your favorite student!

/s/ webmaster

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