Charles Ross’s Star Axis + Dwan Light Sanctuary Art Excursion
June 14 + 15, 2025
September 6 + 7, 2025
Star Axis (1971 - still in progress) Looking north at Star Axis, 1.5 hour time lapse star trails.
© 2024 Charles Ross / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Charles Ross.
Harwood Museum of Art invites art lovers on a rare and unforgettable overnight experience. Join us for an intimate field trip exploring the work of Charles Ross—one of the most visionary artists of our time—through two of his most iconic, site-specific installations in New Mexico.
This special Art Excursion is offered in celebration of Harwood Museum of Art’s current exhibition, Charles Ross: Mansions of the Zodiac, and Ross’s deep connection to the New Mexico landscape and sky.
Limited to 20 participants
Harwood Museum of Art Director’s Circle Art Excursion is expected to fill quickly. Reserve now to secure your place on this extraordinary artistic journey.
Director’s Circle: $1,000 (1 guest)
Non-Member: $1,500 (1 guest)
Tour Sponsor: $2,500 (2 guests)
Artist Sponsor: $5,000 (4 guests)*
*Includes signed copy of Charles Ross: The Substance of Light, Radius Books, 2012 and seating with the artists at dinner)
You may also call 575-758-9826 x121 to purchase tickets today.
Tickets are inclusive of transportation, meals, drinks, overnight accommodation, and special events associated with the Charles Ross experience.
Tickets are tax-deductible less $500 per person. All proceeds support Harwood Museum of Art.
Star Axis (1971 – still in progress) Looking north up the Star Tunnel stairs. © 2024 Charles Ross / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Charles Ross.
Charles Ross in the Dwan Light Sanctuary, United World College, Montezuma, New Mexico. © 2025 Charles Ross / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Photo by Jeremy Frechette.
Itinerary at a Glance
Saturday
- Tour of Charles Ross: Mansions of the Zodiac with Curator Nicole Dial-Kay (1:00 pm, in case you have not yet had the opportunity)
- Transportation provided from Harwood Museum of Art (2:00 pm – parking available overnight)
- Begin your journey at Dwan Light Sanctuary on the campus of United World College in Montezuma. This luminous circular space, designed by Charles Ross, Virginia Dwan, and Laban Wingert, bathes visitors in rainbow prisms of refracted sunlight.
- Enjoy a private cocktail reception inside the historic Montezuma Castle, a 19th-century Queen Anne-style landmark perched above the hot springs.
- Conclude your evening with an intimate three-course dinner alongside artists Charles Ross and Jill O’Bryan.
- Overnight accommodations are provided at the beautifully restored Castañeda Hotel in Las Vegas, NM—the first of Fred Harvey’s iconic railroad hotels and a stunning example of Mission Revival architecture.
Sunday
- Begin your day with a private breakfast hosted by Harwood Executive Director Juniper Leherissey and Curator Nicole Dial-Kay.
- Enjoy a guided tour of Star Axis, Ross’s monumental 11-story naked-eye observatory carved into the mesa and aligned precisely to the earth’s rotation and celestial coordinates.
- Following the tour, visit the studios of Charles Ross and Jill O’Bryan for a behind-the-scenes look at their creative practices.
- The trip concludes with a farewell luncheon in Las Vegas, capping off an inspiring and art-filled weekend.
- Return to Harwood Museum of Art in Taos.
*Please note that walking and stair climbing are required. Star Axis is not ADA accessible. Participants are required to sign a waiver.
If you wish to join us from a location other than Taos, please let us know and we will provide information on how to join us.
Charles Ross: Mansions of the Zodiac Sponsors
