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Darrel Watchman’s art, a metal brooch entitled “Walking in Beauty,” is displayed on a rock at The University of New Mexico-Gallup campus on Jan. 24, 2025.

91�Թ� student earns honorable mention at juried art show

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Darrel Watchman shares his culture with brooch designed like Navajo ceremonial basket

By Richard Reyes, Monday, April 7, 2025

GALLUP, N.M. — A student from The University of New Mexico-Gallup earned honorable mention in the Runnels Gallery University Juried Exhibition at Eastern New Mexico University with a piece of jewelry that pays homage to his Navajo culture.

Darrel Watchman, 40, of Tsayatoh, New Mexico, earned honorable mention for a 3-by-3-inch metal brooch in the design of a Navajo ceremonial basket.

Watchman, who is set to graduate with an associate degree in human services with a concentration in family studies in May, created the brooch for his Jewelry and Small Metal Construction I class, taught by Lecturer III Kristi Wilson.

He said Wilson informed students about the exhibition and encouraged them to submit their work. Watchman said Wilson helped him prepare and package his brooch as well as come up with an artist statement.

“It was important for me to talk about the story of our emergence,” he said. “I put that on the tag for my artwork when it was displayed. I thought that was one of the coolest things ever.”

A little help from friends

Watchman said he didn’t expect a reply from the gallery, but a few days after submitting his brooch he received an email saying his piece was accepted into the show.

He was also invited to a public reception at the gallery, which is located in Portales, New Mexico, on March 20 and learned his brooch earned honorable mention.

The student club officers raised money during a Valentine’s Day fundraiser in February and collected enough extra funds to pay for Watchman’s hotel, gas and food for his trip.

“The day they told me, I got emotional and almost started crying in front of them,” he said. “I told them, ‘Thank you very much for all that you did and the work that you put in,’ because it did mean a lot to me and does mean a lot to me.”

Wilson also thanked the Art Student Collective officers for their generosity in helping a fellow student attend his art opening.

“We serve the most empathetic students at 91�Թ�,” she said.

Spreading goodness

Watchman said Wilson tasked students in the jewelry class with creating a brooch in the shape of something significant to them, so he chose a Navajo ceremonial basket, also known as a wedding basket.

Watchman and his wife Telena own three baskets and use them to hold their belongings and manifest blessings into their lives.

“It helps bring that goodness into your life,” he said.

The front part of Watchman’s brooch is made of nickel silver, and the backing is made of copper. He added a patina to the copper, which turned it to a yellow-ish color and gave it more visual appeal.

Watchman said making the brooch was challenging because of the complexity of his design and because he was learning new techniques for the first time.

Yet, he was able to create a piece worth honorable mention in his first juried art show, which he credited to his teacher’s advice.

Natural talent

Watchman said he’s interested in taking more art classes in the future, but art is more of an outlet for him at this point.

He remains focused on his goal of becoming a social worker and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Western New Mexico University after he graduates from 91�Թ�.

As a U.S. Marine Corp veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, Watchman uses art as therapy — not to make money.

In his spare time, Watchman works with beads, feathers and threads to make prayer fans and other items for veterans. He often gives away or trades his work. He said creating art helps him to focus his energy on something positive and gives him a sense of balance.

“It’s not just a thing I put together,” he said. “It’s the stories, it’s the names, it’s the prayers, it’s the songs and all these things. Basically, it’s like creating life and bringing something into this world. That’s how I see it.”

In this November 2023 file photo, Darrel Watchman poses for a portrait at The University of New Mexico-Gallup campus