El Paso Public Library - Archives of Past Events

	Tom Lea Centennial Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Tom Lea’s Birth
	The roots of Tom Lea and his family lie deep in the soil of El Paso and the southwest. Indeed he often expressed his deep satisfaction at returning to his home, whether the trip had been short or long.

During the month of July, the El Paso Public Library will be featuring Tom Lea and his work as reflected in the collections at the Main Library, 501 N. Oregon (on Cleveland Square). For those who know little about the man and his environment and body of work, the library staff has prepared a pathfinder for those beginning such a study. This may be picked up at the Reference Desk which is adjacent to the Great Hall, (Atrium) of the expanded library.

The Main Library will also be displaying a selection of books and other materials to facilitate the study and appreciation of this native son. Tom Lea greatly felt the impact of World War II and a selection of photographs from this period both at home and abroad will be available in the Maud Sullivan Gallery.

"Southwest" by Tom and Sarah Lea

The library’s mural, “Southwest,” was painted in 1956 by Tom Lea and his wife, Sarah, as a gift to the citizens of El Paso. It is the only Tom Lea mural in which his wife participated and it is signed by both Tom and Sarah Lea. Originally painted for the Southwest Reading Room, the mural was relocated to the entrance of the new building in 2006. After completing the mural, Tom Lea wrote: It took its shape simply as a luminous window looking out upon its birth land. It spoke of space, sun, cloud, rain, wind, mountain, mesa, rock, sand, soil, and of living growth nurtured by them. The only human habitant of this elemental landscape was the viewer of the mural; the landscape’s horizon was at the viewer’s eye level when standing on the library’s floor. It was the earth, inhabited only by the viewer’s mind. The study for “Southwest” is in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.

Please call 543-5468 for more information during regular library hours.

July 5, 2007