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Carlsbad museum presents retrospective of renowned artist Roderick mead!
Carlsbad, NM — September 5, 2025 — Carlsbad Museum is honored to celebrate the life and work of one of Carlsbad’s most distinguished artists with the upcoming exhibition, Roderick Mead: An Artist in Four Mediums. The retrospective will be on view in the Museum’s Atrium and Temporary Galleries from October 10, 2025, through January 3, 2026.
Roderick Mead (1900–1971) was born in South Orange, New Jersey, and studied fine arts at Yale University before continuing his training at the Art Students League in New York. In the 1930s, Mead traveled to Paris, where he joined the legendary Atelier 17 printmaking studio and worked alongside artists such as Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso. It was during this time that Mead met Jarvis Kerr, who would later become his wife. After World War II, the couple settled in Jarvis’ hometown of Carlsbad, New Mexico, where Mead found endless inspiration in the Chihuahuan Desert landscape.
Throughout his career, Mead mastered a range of artistic styles and techniques. From expressive oil portraits and luminous watercolors to experimental abstract prints, his work reflects both a cosmopolitan sensibility and a deep connection to the American Southwest. His art has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Roswell Museum, and, of course, the Carlsbad Museum.
The exhibition will feature more than 40 works spanning Mead’s career, including early character studies, groundbreaking abstract prints, and vibrant depictions of his travels and desert surroundings. Together, these works highlight Mead’s versatility and lasting influence as an artist who bridged continents, styles, and eras.
An opening reception will be held on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Carlsbad Museum. Guests are invited to enjoy hors d’oeuvres, refreshments, and remarks from special guest speaker Gregory Most, former Chief of the Library Image Collections at the National Gallery of Art. The event is free and open to the public.
Carlsbad Museum invites the public to experience Roderick Mead: An Artist in Four Mediums and discover the remarkable range of an artist who left an indelible mark on both his hometown and the wider world.
Exhibition Dates: October 10, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 11, 2025, 5:00–8:00 p.m.
Location: Carlsbad Museum, Atrium & Temporary Galleries
Admission: Free and open to the public
For more information, please contact:
Carlsbad Museum
www.carlsbadmuseum.org
575.887.0276
museumstaff@cityofcarlsbadnm.com
Barbecue 1945 oil on canvas
View of Menton c. 1968 pencil on paper
Photograph of Roderick Mead in his studio
Dispersion 1962 lithograph
Mark Smith on the Smith Ranch c. 1945 oil on board
In Memory of Dr. John Andrews
Celebrating a legacy of scholarship, community, and cultural leadership.
Dr. John Andrews was a Carlsbad native whose impact on literature and the arts extended globally. He served as chair of the Mayor’s Cultural Development Council, helped establish the Carlsbad Cultural Task Force, and co-founded the Carlsbad Hall of Fame. His lifelong commitment to the arts—and to his hometown of Carlsbad—left an indelible mark on both the local and international cultural landscape.
Following his passing, Dr. Andrews’ family expressed a desire for memorial contributions to be directed to the Carlsbad Museum. To honor their wishes—and to continue the work he cared so deeply about—we have established a donation link here on the Carlsbad Museum’s website.
Donate in memory of Dr. John Andrews
(Please note “In memory of John Andrews” in the donation memo.)
All contributions will support the Carlsbad Museum’s endowment fund at the Carlsbad Community Foundation. These gifts help ensure the museum’s long-term vitality and support exhibitions, educational programming, and cultural events—continuing Dr. Andrews’ legacy for future generations.
Thank you for helping us honor a remarkable individual whose passion for the arts and for Carlsbad continues to inspire.
