I met Jo Whaley in 2014 when she contacted me about the Scottish Rite scenery collection in Santa Fe; the building was being placed on the market for sale. Jo, who understood the significance of the 1912 building and the historic theatre, had decided to document the space before it passed to another owner. The building was sold, but the Santa Fe Scottish Rite managed to get it back. That is a story in itself.
Our initial encountered and discussions morphed in a book by 2015. From 2015 to 2018 Jo and I spent countless hours on the phone, working on the design, text, images, and basic correspondence. We were fortunate to have two other contributors, State Historian Rick Hendricks and the International Folk Art Museum Director Khristaan Villela. Most importantly the Santa Fe Scottish Rite gave us full control over the books contents. We are very grateful to Wes Thorton, Deputy of the Supreme Council, and Dan Ilrich, President of the Scottish Rite Building Foundation, for trusting us to tell their story.
Although it was an incredible amount of work, Jo and I became close friends, as we creatively fueled one another throughout the entire process.
The book, however, is just the beginning. It has led to other opportunities that will allow Jo and I to work together again. I am delighted about this aspect as I look forward. Part of it is that we see and approach things in a similar way. Jo worked as a scenic artist before turning to photography, so we have the same appreciation for historic scenery, as well as picturesque landscapes, and our shared history.
Last night we had the pleasure of accepting the 2109 Ralph Emerson Twitchell Award from the New Mexico Historical Society. This award is given annually by the Historical Society of New Mexico for an outstanding publication or significant contribution to the creative arts, as related to New Mexico history. An email confirming our award described our book as “absolutely amazing,” and explained, “your book does a wonderful job of presenting the accumulated knowledge of New Mexico’s pioneering Masons, as well as the story behind the building’s unique architecture and its rich theatrical legacy.” The award was presented at the Awards Banquet in Albuquerque as part of the 2019 New Mexico History Conference. Jo and I were invited to attend this event that included a book signing.
The entire project has been about the journey. Working with Jo and the other participants has been such a wonderful experience, but it hasn’t end with the publication of the our book. I can’t wait to see where the road leads us now.
To be continued…
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I do not know who you are but certainly you are going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!|