Betsy Miller-Kusz/Courtesy photo

ART NEWS

Being born in 1945 in Los Alamos marked a critical moment in the 20th Century, in a historical place that would influence the world from that time forward. Because Los Alamos was a secret city, so were the children born there. About 80 newborns were identified on their birth certificates as having their address as P.O. Box 1663, Santa Fe, New Mexico. One of them, artist Betsie Miller-Kusz, is featured in an installation of her paintings at the Upstairs Gallery in Mesa Public Library, during February of 2020.

The exhibit is called “CONDUIT,” in reference to the quote of Albert Einstein, “Art is standing with one hand extended into the universe, and one hand extended into the world, and letting ourselves be a conduit for passing energy.” Beyond the universe and the world, this artist’s legacy has come from her birth in Los Alamos. She lived here briefly as a baby, while her father worked on the Manhattan Project, and then her parents returned to the Midwest after the end of WWII. But the mythology of this place has influenced her life and  life’s work.

Betsie now lives again in New Mexico, and as part of her exhibition, she is interested in meeting other artists born or raised in Los Alamos, to share their creative experiences. If you would like to participate, please send an email marked “Dialogue” to millerkusz@gmail.com. 

This event is also open to the public, especially other local artists, and promises to be a lively exchange. It is part of the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War II and the Manhattan Project’s part in that outcome.

“CONDUIT,”  an Installation of Paintings by Betsie Miller-Kusz, runs from Jan. 31 – Mar. 1 at the Upstairs Gallery in Mesa Public Library,  2400 Central Ave., Los Alamos, NM, during regular library hours.

“Box 1663 and Me,” an artists’ dialogue, will take place in the library’s upstairs rotunda on Tuesday, February 18th, from 5:30 to 7:00PM. The public is welcome.