Wednesday, September 21, 2022

David Caffey and Chasing the Santa Fe Ring


 

Chasing the Santa Fe Ring

During the Gilded Age, from about 1870 to 1900, great enterprises were built, fortunes were made, and opulent lives were lived. One of the features of the day was the appearance of “rings”—combinations of men who collaborated to use the powers of wealth and government for their own satisfaction and enrichment. The Tweed Ring in New York was the first to attain fame for its corruption, but the term was soon applied to cliques across the country. In the West, no alliance was more enduring or broad in its ambitions than the Santa Fe Ring in New Mexico. David L. Caffey set out to examine the who, what, why, and how of the Santa Fe Ring, producing a book, Chasing the Santa Fe Ring: Power and Privilege in Territorial New Mexico, which he will discuss through this illustrated lecture.



David Caffey

David L. Caffey grew up in Abilene, Texas, and became enthralled with New Mexico’s history in twelve summers on staff at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Colfax County. He later lived in New Mexico for thirty-three years, serving as Director of the Harwood Museum in Taos, and later in administration at San Juan College and Clovis Community College. His forthcoming book, When Cimarron Meant Wild: The Maxwell Land Grant Conflict in Colorado and New Mexico, will be published by the University of Oklahoma Press in spring, 2023. He and his wife now live in Lubbock, where they are watching a little girl grow up. 



Friday, March 11, 2022

Bruce Rosenbaum

 


Bruce Rosenbaum has been dubbed the Steampunk Guru by the Wall Street Journal and Steampunk Evangelist by Wired Magazine. Bruce’s functional Steampunk artwork and design has been featured in the Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, Architectural Digest, CNN, NPR and featured on MTV, A&E, HGTV and Netflix. 

Bruce and his wife Melanie recently purchased an 1876 Victorian Church in Palmer MA to convert it into their home, gallery and workshop space. The Rosenbaum’s church conversion project – Steampunk Wonderland (episode 8) – is featured in the Netflix Original docuseries – Amazing Interiors. 

Currently – Bruce’s ‘Discover Steampunk’ Museum Exhibition is on a worldwide 5 year tour premiering at the Museum of Idaho.

Bruce’s company, ModVic, works with clients all across the world to take period, repurposed, personal and meaningful objects, and creatively infuse them with modern technology to transform the ordinary into incredible Steampunk functional art. The Steampunk art and design process celebrates history, while setting a path for a reimagined better future — telling the personal stories of individuals, organizations and places along the way.

He also now travels the country, not only educating others on how to do Steampunk design, but how repurposing and the ‘combination of opposites’ creative problem solving can help repurpose and transform our own lives with meaningful connections to the past, present and future.

Friday, December 3, 2021

About the Author - Lindy Bell

 A project ten years in the making, "Fully Involved" is Lindy Bell’s debut novel and avidly reflects her admiration and love of the fire service. Thoroughly researched, the quest for accuracy for the book led Lindy to participate in the Plano Citizens Fire Academy, attend classes and accompany firefighters on ride outs. With a retired fire chief and a current paramedic/firefighter in the family, Lindy has witnessed firsthand the dedication and humbleness of first responders which fueled the impetus to convey the importance of the legendary fire service brotherhood and create cancer awareness and


its growing effect on the fire service. 

A project ten years in the making, "Fully Involved" is Lindy Bell’s debut novel and avidly reflects her admiration and love of the fire service. Thoroughly researched, the quest for accuracy for the book led Lindy to participate in the Plano Citizens Fire Academy, attend classes and accompany firefighters on ride outs. With a retired fire chief and a current paramedic/firefighter in the family, Lindy has witnessed firsthand the dedication and humbleness of first responders which fueled the impetus to convey the importance of the legendary fire service brotherhood and create cancer awareness and its growing effect on the fire service. 

Lindy’s first book, Jane Austen Celebrates~Holidays & Occasions Regency Style, showcases Regency Era holidays and their impact on modern holiday celebration traditions. A member of the Jane Austen Society of North America and Friends of Jane Austen, Lindy has spoken to a variety of groups and taught Continuing and Adult Professional Education courses at Southern Methodist University (SMU).

A graduate of Hobbs High School and Abilene Christian University, Lindy currently lives in Plano, TX and works from home for a municipal government executive recruitment and training firm. As hobbies, Lindy enjoys volunteering with Plano Fire Rescue Associates, writing, reading an engaging novel, calligraphy, and cross stitching.

Lindy’s first book, Jane Austen Celebrates~Holidays & Occasions Regency Style, showcases Regency Era holidays and their impact on modern holiday celebration traditions. A member of the Jane Austen Society of North America and Friends of Jane Austen, Lindy has spoken to a variety of groups and taught Continuing and Adult Professional Education courses at Southern Methodist University (SMU).

A graduate of Hobbs High School and Abilene Christian University, Lindy currently lives in Plano, TX and works from home for a municipal government executive recruitment and training firm. As hobbies, Lindy enjoys volunteering with Plano Fire Rescue Associates, writing, reading an engaging novel, calligraphy, and cross stitching.