When history happens we rarely recognize it in real time. But for two New Mexico State University alumni, selected by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, they found themselves right in the middle of it.
Johanna Typaldos, a 2025 MFA graduate and Jennell Juarez, a 2025 BFA graduate, were invited to have their art join 12 other items representing New Mexico for America250, the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
As part of the commemoration, all 50 states placed mementos like art, letters and coins inside a large stainless-steel cylinder time capsule that was then buried at National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, near Independence Mall and the Liberty Bell on July 4. After being ceremoniously buried, America’s Time Capsule will not be unearthed until the U.S.’s 500th anniversary.
For New Mexico, Juarez and Typaldos were each asked to create a two-by-two-inch artwork capturing what the Land of Enchantment means to them. While both were given free reign, Juarez was given one specific request: incorporate local chile peppers.
“The only requirement that I was given was that they wanted chile, specifically, capsaicin,” Juarez said. “I wanted to do something that captured a few different things beyond the chili and me, the artist making it.”
Juarez is a recent graduate of the William Conroy Honors College, where she will return this year as a graduate assistant. The custom ceramic tile she carved, sculpted, painted and fired depicts a woman stringing a red chile ristra. While the tile stands out for its colors and elaborate designs, its deeper meaning reflects Juarez’s core mission for the project.
“For the hands of the woman I was inspired by a picture. It went along with migrant workers and farm workers. My dad was a migrant worker himself, and being a Mexican American woman, I wanted it to be the hand of the woman that was represented,” Juarez said. “In this day and age, with everything centered around AI and technology and stuff, I really wanted to promote that handmade and handcrafted things are still very valuable.”
While deciding on what to preserve for another 250 years requires careful calculation, Typaldos had an intuitive approach. For her, creating art is a subconscious process.
“It [America’s Time Capsule] was so specific that perfection had to come later in the finishing part,” Typaldos said. “They wanted a material that was non-reactive, so it had to be aluminum or stainless steel, which are two materials that we don't work with in jewelry.”
Many artists are known for their ability to overcome obstacles, and it was no different for Typaldos who, through trial and error, had to figure out how to stamp her designs onto an aluminum relief of New Mexico complete with all 33 meticulously detailed counties.
“Where the perfection had to come in is the legibility of it being a state with the counties, with the writing on the backside and all the necessary details,” Typaldos said. “You can see a color difference for Doña Ana County, just to show that's the county where this item originated from. And for the back design, I wanted to make sure to document everything. So, I made sure to say, ‘With love, from the New Mexico State Art Department.’”
Both artists credited their confidence and knowledge to NMSU. When deciding on a major, Juarez never considered art to be her calling.
“The most artistic thing that I knew to do was put on makeup and paint my nails. But I learned everything as far as technical development at the art department, and I credit my professor, Josh Clark,” Juarez said. “The art department not only shaped me technically as an artist, but my entire inspiration and how I go about making art.”
For Typaldos, the art department taught her how to approach the vigorous thought process. For many people, artistry aside, making a decision whether big or small, is an act that can drain time and energy.
“I would say it helps you with the problem-solving process. You don't dawdle so much,” Typaldos said. “Sometimes you don't even want to think. You just want to keep your hands moving then decide why you did what you did later.”
As the capsule rests under the soil near Independence Hall, the two NMSU graduates leave behind a legacy that will wait another 250 years to be discovered. For now, both artists live with the quiet satisfaction of knowing their studio designs have become permanent historical relics. Not just for New Mexico, but for the United States.
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CUTLINE: From left: Jennell Juarez, a 2025 NMSU BFA graduate, pictured in front of America250’s “America Time Capsule” and Johanna Typaldos, a 2025 NMSU MFA graduate. (Photo by Daniel Zillmann and courtesy of Johanna Typaldos)
CUTLINE: The frontside of Jennell Juarez’s ceramic tile depicting a woman a red chile ristra for New Mexico’s contribution to America250’s “America Time Capsule” (Photo by Jennell Juarez)
CUTLINE: The backside of Jennell Juarez’s ceramic tile with a red Zia symbol for New Mexico’s contribution to America250’s “America Time Capsule” (Photo by Jennell Juarez)
CUTLINE: The frontside of Johanna Typaldos’ aluminum carving of the state of New Mexico with all counties etched into it for New Mexico’s contribution to America250’s “America Time Capsule” (Photo by Johanna Typaldos)
CUTLINE: The frontside of Johanna Typaldos’ aluminum carving of the state of New Mexico with all counties etched into it for New Mexico’s contribution to America250’s “America Time Capsule” (Photo by Johanna Typaldos)
CUTLINE: America250’s “America Time Capsule” moments before being buried for another 250 years at the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. (Photo by Jennell Juarez)
CUTLINE: Johanna Typaldos, a 2025 NMSU MFA graduate who contributed to America250’s “America Time Capsule” with her aluminum artwork of the state of New Mexico and its counties. (Photo courtesy Johanna Typaldos)
Jennell Juarez pictured in front of America250’s “America Time Capsule” moments before being buried for another 250 years at the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. (Photo by Daniel Zillmann)