Roosevelt County resident Gayle Walker never attended Eastern New Mexico University, but four of her five children have, as well as a son-in-law and her daughter Janet's boyfriend.
Gayle, who lives east of Portales a few miles past the store-less hamlet of Arch with her husband, Bill, is a talented artist who paints rural scenes. In addition to selling her work, her art has appeared on the calendar for the Roosevelt County Rural Electric Cooperative.
Gayle's son-in-law, Chris Hanoch, graduated from ENMU with a degree in fine arts with an emphasis in photography and is now a master photographer. His wife and the Walkers' daughter Sara received a master's in curriculum and instruction from ENMU and now teaches in an alternative education school using creative curriculum.
They are parents of the Walkers' grandchildren Ryan, a freshman in high school, and Abbi, a freshman at the University of New Mexico.
Albert Hernandez, Janet's boyfriend, has a degree from ENMU in biology with a focus on microbiology and is now pursuing his master's. Janet has a fine arts degree with a focus in animation and digital art and is working toward her master's degree in communication at ENMU. Janet also works in the ENMU Housing Office.
Janet said, "Considering I have a bachelor's degree in fine arts, Eastern has been very accommodating in letting me work on a master's degree in communication. It has been a great experience."
The Walkers' son Nathan is working toward an agricultural science degree at ENMU.
Gayle said, "He is fortunate to have some great advisors helping him navigate some changes in degree plans and keeping him encouraged while he learns. He is enjoying his senior year.
"Our son Seth totally enjoyed his time as a student at ENMU when he was working on a history degree. Doc Elder inspired him! He had an offer to work as a wind turbine technician and safety coordinator on a wind farm in Missouri that was too good to pass up and loves it there, literally greener pastures."
Seth, his wife, Kristal, and their "energetic" twin daughters live in Maryville, Missouri.
Gayle said, "It's a smaller college town not unlike Portales, except that it is very green and surrounded by a lot of water."
The Walkers' daughter Karen Patterson and son-in-law Andrew and their two "active" sons live in Albuquerque. Karen is an associate professor in the Department of Organization Studies at the Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico. Andrew is a Ph.D. electrical engineer at Sandia Labs.
"ENMU has been a good fit for our family and extended family," Gayle said. "It's small enough to encourage participation both in and outside of the classroom, yet big enough to expand their views.
"ENMU has helped refine their definitions of who they want to become in this world and helped guide them in their fields of endeavor."
Of living in a rural environment, Gayle said, "Some days the geography seems infinite and spiritual and other days desolate and harsh."
She loves her two sisters dearly, but they do not share her love of the outdoors. "I was the closest thing to a son my father had," Gayle laughed.
Born in Portales, Gayle and her family moved to Texas, Colorado and California.
After graduating from high school in California, she came to Portales to spend the summer with her grandparents. While there, she was introduced to Bill. His mother and her aunt worked together at the telephone company.
Bill was stationed in San Diego and was home on leave. Conveniently, San Diego was only a couple of hours from where she lived in California.
"He actually called my parents when he returned to California to ask permission to date me," Gayle said. "Good move, they loved him before they even met him!"
Gayle says they agree their greatest accomplishment during their 47-year marriage is their five kids, all now successful adults.
Gayle's hobbies include sewing, crafts and gardening. "In this arid environment all I can say about gardening is…challenge accepted!" she smiled.
The Walkers' farming environment is reflected in Gayle's art.
Her parents moved back to Portales in 1973. At Christmas, they gave her a beginning art set.
"So, my journey into the artist world began," Gayle said. "I started painting landscapes because I like being outside. It's where my world is, and it's what I know on a daily basis."
She now paints a variety of subjects, primarily in oil, but still loves landscapes.
"I love researching, the process of creating and, of course, the selling or gifting," Gayle said.
"I try to glean all I can and sift to the most common thread."
Gayle says she has mixed emotions when a painting is finished. "Is it really finished? I also feel as if I have accomplished something pleasant.
"When my works are purchased, I like watching the buyer. They usually circle back to the painting several times and then relate the reason they want the piece.
"I like hearing their story and seeing the emotion it evokes. It always feels good to see someone get a painting and be happy."
Gayle thinks any form of art provides the perfect ground for civil interaction between people with different political views.
"Art is subjective. There is something about every piece that we can appreciate," Gayle said. It gives the opportunity to communicate on an idea without the absolute of right or wrong.
"In our social climate today, art can be a safe place. It is where all people of any age, culture or socioeconomic status can share. I am so thankful that New Mexico has such a rich artistic history. Our learning institutions, museums, libraries and art, in general, need to be supported and encouraged by us as a way to show the next generation how to be appreciative of differences in people.
"Art has allowed me the opportunity to meet people from many different backgrounds. Visiting with people while researching projects has been a pleasure. I have been sworn to secrecy with some stories and laughed until I cried with others. We have some amazingly resilient people in our area. Everyone has a story, and my life has been enhanced by the generosity of those who have shared their story.
"It really is okay to have a difference of opinion and still be civil and maybe even accepting of another view. Is believing everyone should agree with us all the time not pretty arrogant?"
Gayle says her past, present and probably future jobs are all related to being a farmer's wife, a mother, grandmother and "all of the experiences that this chosen life provides.
"Bill taught his city-girl bride the unusual art of irrigation with a siphon tube, to drive an open-air tractor, a grain truck and to pull peanut trailers.
"I have been through culture and occupational shock several times. Family pulls you through it or sometimes pushes. Whatever it takes to keep going forward. Fun times!"
Gayle inherited her artistic talent from her parents.
Her father, Wayne Wallace, was a painting and drywall craftsman, as well as a woodcarver.
"He was a true artist with wood," Gayle said.
Her mother, Nelda Wallace, was an artist and art teacher.
Her classes were "lessons in art and in life. They really do transcend," Gayle said. "Lessons such as 'Make it work' when there is a problem; 'Take a different approach and fix it.'"
Gayle's mother taught her to "'Paint what you see, not what you know.'
"Most of us don't know what we think we know. And my favorite, 'Mix purple,' with translates in life as, 'Go back to the basics and think it through.'"
Gayle says she and her siblings were blessed to have parents who loved learning. Neither went to college but took continuing education classes.
"I truly believe they gave me a balanced childhood, some country, some opera, some hamburgers, some steak and lobster, some museums and campgrounds," Gayle said.
"They did the best they could with the tools they had. They tried to make us the best version of ourselves we could be. I hope my children can say the same of me."
