First NMSU art student accepted to prestigious summer residency program

Studio art major Citlali Delgado has become the first New Mexico State University student to be accepted to Yale Norfolk School of Art’s Summer Residency Program. This summer, she will join 24 upcoming seniors from all over the country in an intensive six-week program at one of the top fine arts institutions in the nation. (Courtesy photo by Jennell Juarez)

May 9, 2024

Source: NMSU News Release
WRITER: Chloe D. Dunlap, 575-646-1614, chloedun@nmsu.edu

Studio art major Citlali Delgado is the first New Mexico State University student to earn a competitive spot in the Yale Norfolk School of Art’s Summer Residency Program. This summer, she will join 24 upcoming seniors from all over the country in an intensive six-week program. The cost of the program includes housing, meals and studio space as the students participate in the lecture series.
 
“The Yale Norfolk School of Art’s standing and prestige underscore the significance of Citlali’s accomplishment,” said art professor Craig Cully. “This opportunity, coupled with a substantial scholarship from Yale, is a profound acknowledgment of the hard work, talent and dedication cultivated by our students and faculty at NMSU.”
 
The Yale Norfolk School of Art, established in 1948, is the number one institution for painting and drawing in the nation and is within the top ten fine arts institutions globally. Students must be nominated to be considered for the residency. Cully nominated Delgado.
 
Attending college while staying close to home has been important for Delgado. Born and raised in El Paso, the self-described Chicana artist draws inspiration from the social, cultural and political issues she sees in the border region.
 
“NMSU has really allowed me to flourish with my work and sink into what drives me,” Delgado said. “Attending this university has allowed me to be where the issues are and authentically advocate for my community.”
 
Delgado showcased her artwork at the NMSU Art Museum’s Juried Student Show in March; where she was awarded Best in Show, the Dean’s Award and the Mary Lawbaugh purchase award. “Coatlicue,” is a 54-inch by 42-inch oil painting inspired by the Aztec goddess of the same name. El Paso-born artist Celia Álvarez served as juror of the show and personally chose Delgado’s “Coatlicue” as the 2024 Best in Show recipient.
 
“Winning Best in Show for “Coatlicue” was a dream come true,” Delgado said. “Having one of my paintings be chosen by a fellow El Paso artist who has inspired some of my work felt like a full-circle moment.”
 
Another of Delgado’s works, “Profile Patrol,” received the Dean’s Award at the Juried Student Show. “Profile Patrol” is an oil painting inspired by the recent events surrounding Texas’ Senate Bill 4, which became law in 2017, which bans “sanctuary cities” in Texas and allows police officers to question a person’s immigration status, even at a traffic stop.
 
“It’s important to me to speak about these issues and advocate for the border community,” Delgado said. “These awards validate the long hours I’ve spent day and night in the studio, but as for the subject matter, the recognition comes within the communities being depicted and affected. With the stroke of a brush, I like that I can change visual narratives and I hope that eventually, I can change reality through this creative activism.”
 
Currently, her painting titled “Xolos Unidos” is on display at the El Paso Museum of Art for the Border Biennial 2024 exhibition. This marks another big accomplishment for Delgado as she is the youngest artist in the exhibition and her work was written about in the Texas Monthly.
 
Some of Delgado’s recent pieces are available for purchase through her Instagram account @artecitlali.
 
Although the border region informs her work and sense of self, Delgado recognizes the Summer Residency Program in Connecticut as an opportunity that will open a lot of doors for her, and young artists like her.
 
“Representation matters,” Delgado said. “As the first person from NMSU to be accepted, I know I’m there to represent my heritage, my hometown and my college. I want this to be a trend for future students because we deserve to be in these spaces.”