Western artists win Rounders Award

Witte, Rivera, Evans & Evans

Two New Mexicans were honored Monday for contributing to the rich culture of the West through their body of work: bronze sculptor Reynaldo "Sonny" Rivera and Pat Evans, the editor and cover designer for her husband, the celebrated writer Max Evans. Both Rivera and Mrs. Evans accepted the 2014 Rounders Award from New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte at an afternoon presentation hosted at the Governor's Residence in Santa Fe. The Rounders Award honors those who "live, promote, and articulate the Western way of life." The award was created in 1990 by former New Mexico Agriculture Secretary Frank DuBois. It was named after The Rounders, a classic western novel written by New Mexican Max Evans, who, along with Witte, presented the award to sculptor Rivera. "Sonny has been commissioned to create more than 40 public works of art in New Mexico and all over the country," Witte said. "Think about that: 40 oversized works of bronze, depicting people, animals, and everything in between." The Rounders Award given to Mrs. Evans came as a surprise to both her and her husband Max. "I'm not sure we'd have the Rounders — either the book or the award — without this person's steady influence," Witte said before announcing Mrs. Evans' award...more