Art Department Chair Sarah Stolar hands baton to Jamie Knight
January 7, 2025
Sarah Stolar
Jamie Knight
With a heavy heart and deep appreciation, UNM-Taos shares the news of Sarah Stolar’s upcoming departure (June 2025) from UNM-Taos after an incredible ten years on campus. This June, Sarah will return to her alma mater as the new academic dean and executive director of Academic Affairs at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.
From adjunct faculty to Art Department chair, Sarah has been a dedicated leader and a true champion for the Taos community. She has poured her heart into building an art program that not only thrives but, also inspires countless students to chase their creative dreams. As she moves on to become academic dean at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, UNM-Taos thanks her for her invaluable contributions and wishes her all the best in this next chapter.
After much discussion with department and college leadership, UNM-Taos welcomes Jamie Knight to the fine art faculty team as Lecturer III in spring 2025. Jamie, a former California College of the Arts professor, has many years of experience as a professional artist and instructor. Jamie will train with Sarah over the spring 2025 semester and serve as Interim Chair for the Academic Year 2026.
Sarah’s presence, incredible contributions, and impact will be missed, but everyone is excited for her as she begins this new chapter.
“Ten years ago, I joined the community at UNM-Taos to teach drawing and art practices as adjunct faculty,” Sarah penned. “When I walked onto the breathtaking Klauer campus, I knew I was part of something special, steeped in history, diversity, and culture. One year later, I became chair of the Art Department and saw an opportunity to create an art program that could provide unprecedented opportunities for the creative community of Taos. With the help of Associate Professor Gary Cook, FDMA Program Coordinator Peter Walker, work-study student Heather Bergerson, and a motivated faculty, we developed an art department unlike any other at its level. We succeeded in establishing a private art school experience for a community college demographic, complete with all the advantages that come with those more privileged spaces. Our students and alumni are BFA and MFA candidates and graduates, major grant winners, gallery and museum exhibiting artists, muralists, successful entrepreneurs, leaders of arts organizations, funded artist residency fellows, and so much more. They are lauded in the press for the exceptional quality of their artwork and their contributions as community builders in the Taos art scene and beyond. Most importantly, the UNM-Taos Department of Fine Arts, Film, and Digital Media is now known as a hub for uncensored creative expression and unwavering support.
“The decision to leave is not an easy one, as my time at UNM-Taos has been immensely rewarding. Working under the leadership of Dr. Randi Archuleta has been an inspiring experience, and I greatly appreciate the support and mentorship she has provided throughout my tenure. I am abundantly thankful for the dedicated administrative staff, advisors, and facilities crew who collaborated with me to help make my many eccentric ideas a reality. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities to grow professionally, build a thriving art program, and contribute to projects that will leave a lasting legacy in Taos.”
The UNM-Taos Art Department holds articulation agreements with two major art schools in the country: the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in NYC and the Art Academy of Cincinnati (AAC). As an alumni artist resident of SVA and the new dean of AAC, Sarah said she is committed to maintaining these relationships. The coming semester will ensure a smooth transition as she ushers in the new AY26 Interim Chair Jaime Knight. As a former professor at the California College of the Arts and with his many years of experience as a professional artist, Sarah is “thrilled to pass him the baton,” stating her confidence that he will uphold the vision and continue to elevate the program.
“I feel very honored for the opportunity to support the Fine Art program at UNM-Taos during this transition; and excited to continue the amazing work Sarah has done over the last decade,” Jamie said. “I’ve been at UNM-Taos for a short time, but I have seen what an incredible group of educators and students make up its community. It is humbling to have such strong support from Sarah, my fellow Fine Arts faculty, and the administration in this new role. I’m excited to become more involved in how the program, and the University overall, can further support the success of its students as they investigate their passions and help lead them to become lifelong learners; as well as how we can help to support and expand the incredible arts community that is here in Taos and the surrounding area.”
