Distinguished Professor Jim Stone is an exhibiting artist who uses photography. His photographs have been published in three monographs and exhibited internationally; they are represented in the permanent collections of over 30 major museums and public archives. Over the summer, Stone was recently awarded the Outstanding Artist Educator for 2024 by Penland School of Craft. The Penland School of Craft is a national craft education center dedicated to fostering a creative life. Each year, Penland honors an instructor as an Outstanding Artist Educator. These nominations come from the board of trustees and the school’s executive staff. The criteria for selection are as follows: the artist’s long-term and consistent contribution to Penland through teaching or other involvement, the stature of the artist’s body of work in advancing the field of craft, the impact of the artist’s work on others, and finally, the generosity of the artist as a teacher and mentor to others.
Assistant Professor Stephanie Woods is a multi-disciplinary artist working primarily in the fields of photography, fiber, video, and sculpture. Woods cultivates an artistic practice that explores Black American culture and the American South. Her research examines involuntary cultural assimilation, the politicization of afro-hair, and domestic spaces as liberatory spaces that create portraits of alternate realities. Recently, she had a summer residency at Bemis Center for Contemporary Art in Omaha, NE. She developed a new body of work focused on how the cultural exchange during the transatlantic slave trade, specifically the exchange of West African foods like okra, sweet potatoes, and black-eyed peas-shaped Southern American cuisine. The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts facilitates the creation, presentation, and understanding of contemporary art through an international residency program, exhibitions, and educational programs.
Finally, former photography Regents’ Professor Adrienne Salinger recently republished her book, “In My Room: Teenagers in their Bedrooms,” which showcases teenagers in their bedrooms. Salinger revisits her groundbreaking 90s project, offering an expanded glimpse into the rooms and lives of American teens. Her photographs were paired with interviews of her subjects, showing the disparity between what people say about themselves and what the photographs seem to reveal. It was released in 1995, and it was an immediate success, selling nearly 24,000 copies in its first few years.
Incredible work!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
READ MORE about the Outstanding Artist Educator article at https://penland.org/jim-stone-outstanding-artist-educator/
READ MORE about Adrienne Sallinger at https://www.dazeddigital.com/art-photography/article/68415/1/the-story-behind-adrienne-salinger-cult-photos-of-teenage-bedrooms
LEARN MORE about our incredible faculty at https://art.unm.edu/people/faculty
Art Alum, Emmi Whitehorse’s work is featured in the 12th Site SANTA FE International with a piece titled “Cloud Gate” (2025). Whitehorse was born in Crownpoint, New Mexico, and is a member of the Navajo Nation. She earned her BFA in painting here at UNM, and she also went on to get a master’s degree, majoring in both printmaking and minoring in Art History.
We are so proud of our faculty and the incredible achievements, creative projects, and research they’ve pursued over the summer. Their dedication and innovation continue to inspire our community. Here’s a glimpse into some of their recent work. Andrea Polli is currently a Professor and Director of STEAM NM with appointments in the College of Fine Arts and School of Engineering.
Here are this week’s highlights of two alum who have received notable recognition and appreciation for their artistic contributions.
