ENMU Dedicates Casa del Sol Event Facility

PORTALES, NM – Might 27, 2022 – Thanks to a generous donation from ENMU Alumna Dr. Gay Su Pinnell (BA 66) of Dublin, Ohio, Jap New Mexico University formally committed the new Casa Del Sol occasion facility on Friday, May well 20, 2022.

The ENMU alumna, who grew up in Portales and grew to become a globe-renowned early childhood literacy education skilled, acquired the home at 1401 West 17th Road in Portales in 2017. Pinnell fell in love with the adobe-model home constructed in 1948 intended by famed Santa Fe architect John Gaw Meem and regarded in the community as Casa del Sol (Home of the Sunshine) located south of the ENMU Vetville Tennis Courts.

“I had fond memories of attending many dinners and receptions at Casa del Sol and in the stunning yard,” Pinnell said. She was struck immediately with the eyesight to renovate and modernize the residence into an ENMU party house that includes two visitor flats.

“Casa del Sol has a very regular New Mexican style and design, including the kiva fire as the center of the residence. Historically, a kiva is a put for close friends to conversate. I assumed, ‘wouldn’t it be good if I could assistance ENMU by acquiring and renovating it to be a location for people today to keep, be at ease, and produce a devoted cozy natural environment for gatherings?’

“Just after all the renovations and patience around these earlier 4 decades, we now have a serene, beautiful New Mexico house that is correct and secure for the modern-day-working day and continues the custom of gathering about a kiva,” Pinnell concluded.

The Greyhound Household further more impacted this job as the standard contractor and the inside designer are really ENMU graduates and sisters who hail from Portales. Megan Hamilton (BS 05), the basic contractor, and Cassidy Self (BBA 07), the interior designer, aided renovate the residence prior to and for the duration of the pandemic. They labored to remain legitimate to the architect’s initial aesthetics, while reconfiguring the place for ENMU to host seminars, small gatherings, receptions, poetry readings, and a lot of other education-related events.

The home also includes two cozy residences for going to dignitaries, distinguished scholars, and guest artists. Lots of in the Portales and ENMU group are acquainted with the house, formerly owned by Dallan (MA 69, BS 61) and Mickey Sanders, as it was made use of to host alumni and College activities. Later on, their daughter, Dr. Penny Sanders (BS 84), transformed the dwelling into a Bed and Breakfast right before selling the family’s beloved Casa del Sol.

ENMU President Dr. Patrice Caldwell stated at the determination, “I would like to say that the home was restored to its previous glory, but it is much better than it has at any time been. We contact it the House of the Sunlight, but we’ve considering that recognized it is the house of a visionary and soulmate.”

Lance Pyle, President of the ENMU Board of Regents, formally recognized the assets on behalf of ENMU.

“I have no better privilege as regent of seeing this homecoming of generosity from an alumna who sets ENMU on the street to remaining a greater establishment, additional responsive to our mission and our legacy to teacher training,” Pyle claimed.

“I didn’t come from a famous place or go to a renowned university. But I consider this will grow to be very well acknowledged. It is good to be from here,” Pinnell acknowledged. “People today are solidly invested in collaborations to grow generations focused to supporting this town prosper.”

Several works of art by ENMU alumni are on show at the residence. The Casa del Sol first welcomes site visitors with the Kokopelli and Zia image dual impression outdoor sculpture by Santa Fe artist and jeweler Danny “Woody” Woodward (BBA 82). Inside, an award-profitable Navajo rug, developed by ENMU alumnus and seventh-generation Master Weaver Irvin Trujillo (AS 74) from Chimayó, is prominently displayed following to the kiva fireplace. There is also an unique watercolor portrait of Dallan Sanders painted and donated by Jill Bukowski (BS 82) of Hewitt, Texas.

The property has been a portion of the University’s record since 1947 (only 13 limited several years after the campus opened). Former chemistry professor Dr. Bartlett Taggard Dewey and his spouse Evelyn crafted the adobe house by themselves as a place to entertain buddies and enjoy being surrounded by gardens. In accordance to the ebook Casa del Sol: A Dream Dwelling on the Llano published by Evelyn Mature Helm in 2001, the pair researched and sought out “the greatest architect they could locate,” who took place to be American architect John Gaw Meem IV. Mr. Meem who was primarily based in Santa Fe and is most effective known for his instrumental position in developing and popularizing the Pueblo Revival fashion. He is regarded as one particular of the most vital influential architects to have labored in New Mexico.

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