Margaret L. Archuleta

Margaret Archuleta (Tewa/Hispanic)

1950-2023

The world has very sadly lost one of the fiercest advocates for Native American Fine Art. Margaret Archuleta was singular in her determination to educate about and raise awareness of Native American Fine Art at a time when Native American art was still relegated to anthropology and natural history museums. Her voice was prominent early in the 1980s when she earned her B.A. from UC Berkeley and completed her Master's at UCLA with her exhibition thesis on Harry Fonseca's art titled Coyote: A Myth in the Making.

Upon joining the Heard Museum as Curator of Native American Art in 1987, Margaret initiated many programs designed to elevate the profile and understanding of contemporary Native American Art. From 1987 to 2002, she curated six small group exhibitions titled Biennial of Native American Fine Arts Invitational at the Heard Museum. Acquisitions were also made from the Invitational artists, thus strengthening the Heard's art collection. A major achievement was realized in 1993 with the co-operation of Rennard Strickland - the exhibition and publication, Shared Visions: Native American Painters and Sculptors in the Twentieth Century. This exhibition travelled internationally to both Canada and New Zealand as well as to Washington, DC. In 1997, Margaret further extended the profiles of artists with her exhibition curated in 1997, Twentieth Century American Sculptors at the White House: Honoring Native America. The publication not only included an essay by Margaret but the introduction by First Lady Hilary Clinton.

Margaret's crowning achievement was the exhibition and publication, Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Experiences, 1879-2000, which opened at the Heard Museum in November 2000 and travelled in the U.S. and abroad. As the museum's most successful and long-running exhibition, it still attracts many visitors now in 2023. Margaret had no idea of her prescience as now so many issues have appeared related to boarding schools throughout the United States and residential schools throughout Canada.

Margaret was very active in the early years of the newly-created Native American Art Studies Art Association. She was a member of the Native Advisory Council for the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis and the greatest supporter of that museum's Fellowship for Native Fine Art. Her influence was international for many projects, most specifically for her role as co-organizer for the inaugural Indigenous art residency at the Banff Centre, Alberta (2003). Titled Communion and Other Conversations, Margaret helped direct the program with Brenda Croft (Australia), Megan Tamati-Quennell (Aotearoa/New Zealand) and Lee-Ann Martin (Canada).

Margaret returned to New Mexico, the heart of her heritage and place of birth, in 2003 as Director of the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum (now Museum of Contemporary Native Arts), a position she held until 2004. She continued to work internationally, supporting Native artists across the continent through exhibitions, juries, and scholarship. Her unpublished dissertation focuses on the resilience and brilliance of Native women artists, from Pablita Velarde to Rose Simpson.

Margaret's generosity and informal mentorship built an inter-generational community of artists, scholars, and our families. Heard volunteer Diana Gast, curator Rayna Green, and artist Kay Walkingstick shared their council with Margaret and she brought that caretaking into her everyday life. Luanne Redeye, Suzanne McLeod, Leanne Radicionni and India Young were some of the women who shared our meals, holidays, and life events with Margaret and her beloved dachshund Coco. From 2014 to 2017, Margaret was also sole caregiver for her Uncle Cornelio Archuleta (Junior).

Margaret is preceded in death by her mother, Miquela Archuleta (1932-2005), and is survived by her loving siblings, Rick (Barb) Miller and Catherine (John) O'Hara; five nieces Brandie (Scott), Mandie (Jake), Tawny (Sergio), Carmy and Regan; three nephews Brendan (Sterling), Neal (Allison) and Donny, their children and their grandchildren, all of whom she loved and doted on as her own.

Margaret will be remembered for her deep love of family and heritage, professional integrity and fiery commitment to the elevation of contemporary Native American Art. Margaret's untimely passing has left a hole in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. Per her request, Margaret's ashes will be spread on her New Mexico family ranch land, passed through generations and where she spent summers as a child, in a private family ceremony.

Should friends desire, in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to S.A.F.E. House women's shelter in Albuquerque, NM at safehousenm.org.

Rick Miller

Catherine O'Hara

Lee-Ann Martin

India Young