New exhibit spotlights Diné stories, student animation collaboration

San Juan College’s Henderson Fine Arts Center Art Gallery will open Ma’ii Productions: Celebrating 45 Years of Anthony Chee Emerson’s Painting, Illustration & Film with a reception on Jan. 16 from 4 to 6 p.m. The exhibition runs Jan. 16 through Feb. 13 and presents a mix of traditional and contemporary works that center family, Diné culture, humor and storytelling.

Emerson, a Diné artist from the Four Corners region of New Mexico, brings paintings, illustrations and films together in a show that threads personal memory and community narrative. Familiar figures appear throughout the collection, including Emerson’s dog, Sundance, which shows how everyday life and kinship remain central to cultural expression. The public is invited to view the works during gallery hours, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Beyond celebrating an individual artist’s practice, the exhibition highlights an educational partnership with San Juan College’s Digital Arts program. Emerson collaborated with students on The Band Shandiin, a full-length animated series that will be part of the gallery presentation. That collaboration creates a local pipeline for creative skills, giving students hands-on experience in animation production while amplifying Indigenous storytelling in a format accessible to younger audiences.

For San Juan County residents, the show is more than art on the wall. Representation in cultural institutions supports community wellbeing by validating local histories and offering shared spaces for intergenerational learning. Exhibitions like Ma’ii Productions also point to gaps in arts infrastructure and funding in rural and Indigenous communities, underscoring the need for sustained investment in programs that combine cultural preservation with career training.

Access remains practical: the gallery is at the Henderson Fine Arts Center on the San Juan College campus, and staff can be reached at (505) 566-3464 for details on viewings and any special screenings or events tied to the animated series. Local artists and students who face barriers to exhibiting now have a visible model of collaboration between a community college and a working Indigenous artist.

The takeaway? Make time to see how local stories are being preserved and transformed right here in San Juan County. Our two cents? Bring a neighbor, ask the students about the animation process, and support the artists and programs that keep Diné culture visible in public life.