by Xochitl Campos
Daily Lobo
To artist Paul RÇ, his home is the embodiment of peace.
"I consider my home as a studio, laboratory and chapel in that it is a very peaceful place," RÇ said.
For that reason, he said, he is donating his estate to UNM's Jonson Gallery.
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His house, property and art archive will be donated to the gallery after his death. His assets will be liquidated to fund the renovation of the gallery's second floor, and his art will be part of a permanent rotating gallery.
In his archives, RÇ will be leaving thousands of layouts for drawings, sculptures and furniture to the gallery.
In the meantime, RÇ is in the process of setting up the Paul Bartlett RÇ Peace Prize.
RÇ said the prize will be given every two years to any student or teacher motivated to create peace within themselves and the people in the community.
Susan Morrison, director of planned giving at the UNM Foundation, said the prize is RÇ's way of rewarding people who work toward peace.
"The peace prize developed out of promoting peace and is a natural outgrowth of his work," Morrison said.
RÇ said peace has been the method applied to his artwork since he began his career as an artist more than 30 years ago.
"I think my work communicates that (peace) to the viewer," he said.
Departments or individuals nominate candidates for the prize, he said.
RÇ is leaving plans in his archives for the construction of some of his sculptures and furniture, he said. People applying for the award can take from those plans to create something, or create something of their own.
He said the ideal candidate for the award would be internally peaceful, as well as promote peace to others around them.
RÇ said the person awarded will receive $4,000.
Since 2003, Morrison said she has worked closely with RÇ to make the donation and prize a reality.
A nominee could create any one of these prototypes to be eligible to win this award as long as they demonstrate that they have developed some sort of internal harmony during its creation and exhibit it outwardly.
On top of the $4,000, recipients of the award will receive a framed certificate that RÇ will design.
RÇ said he hopes his gift will overshadow the instability of the UNM administration.
"I feel that the politics take so much away from the main good things going on at the University," he said. "It is just the opposite of the peacefulness of my work."
