Asiah Thomas-Mandlman, a woman with three names, an artist with at least three amazing talents and on the road to a creative life wide open in front of her.
She also has three identities.
“I'm a black woman, I'm also Asian and I'm also Jewish,” she said. “All these parts of me I can talk about in my art. I am a political statement, unfortunately, whether I want to be or not. That goes for many other cultures and women. Art tells a story. You can show others who you are through art, but art isn’t intrusive. Art is more elegant that just telling someone ‘This is who I am.’”
Thomas-Mandlman was on the cover of New Mexico State University’s Panorama alumni magazine in spring 2016 along with other art majors.
“She was an absolute delight to have in the classroom,” said Craig Cully, one of Thomas-Mandlman’s professors in NMSU’s Department of Art. “Her ambition was remarkable. In fact, she created the largest drawing of any student I have taught to date. Alongside her drive, she demonstrated exceptional creative problem-solving skills. She found thoughtful and inventive solutions to the prompts I assigned.”
“My professors knew that I liked many things and they did a really good job not limiting me to just painting,” Thomas-Mandlman said. “I think this is the first time as an artist and performer that I am excited for this to be my career instead of just an idea.”
Over the last 10 years, Thomas-Mandlman has gone beyond painting on canvas, to sculpting music with her voice and designing fantastic sets for films.
“I was working in film for a while, which is a whole other artistic beast,” she said. “I was part of the art design team. I did that for about three years and I'm very glad I had that experience. Right now, fine art is taking a rest except for the poster that I did recently for the film festival. I've been singing a lot more and that's been good for me. If you're in film, you don't have time to do other things. So, I also needed to take a break from film and just sing with the band. I sing jazz primarily. I'd like to try other genres, but for now, jazz is great.”
Thomas-Mandlman sings regularly with the jazz ensemble Lush Life Quintet in the El Paso/Las Cruces area and she also has performed with musicians overseas in London, Amsterdam and the Czech Republic.
After graduating from NMSU, Thomas-Mandlman traveled around the U.S. and overseas. She did art residencies. She went to New York, Arizona, California and then to Italy.
She recently returned to the canvas to create an original artwork for the 2026 Las Cruces International Film Festival’s poster. The work was revealed and auctioned off at the LCIFF Poster Party March 6, where attendees received signed copies of limited-edition prints.
"Asiah is a unique and remarkable talent,” said Ross Marks, NMSU film professor in NMSU’s Creative Media Institute and the executive director of the Las Cruces International Film Festival. “She translates her special view of the world into deeply personal and intimate art as all great artists do. Her original artwork for the 2026 Las Cruces International Film Festival is one of our best that is sure to resonate with the audience. She is a great example of the tremendous pool of talent we have from New Mexico State University and Las Cruces."
What’s next? She may get a master’s degree or Ph.D. in Europe, but wherever her artistic talent takes her, Thomas-Mandlman knows she’ll eventually return to the Southwest.
“My main goal is to come back to this area, Albuquerque, Santa Fe or Las Cruces, just come back to the desert with a bunch of new knowledge,” Thomas-Mandleman said. “I always said I wouldn’t mind teaching, but I'd want to teach my students with new information that is always growing.”
“Asiah was a tremendous source of inspiration to her fellow students,” Cully said. “I recall many occasions when others looked to her work as a benchmark of achievement. I deeply admire Asiah, not only as an artist, but as a thoughtful, dynamic and generous human being. I wish there were more Asiahs in my classroom and my life.”
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CUTLINE: Asiah Thomas-Mandlman, local artist and New Mexico State University alumna, is ready to pursue her art wherever it may take her. Whether it’s graduate school in Europe or becoming a teacher, she knows she’ll eventually return to the Southwest. (Photo by Desirea Gurule)
CUTLINE: Local artist and New Mexico State University alumna Asiah Thomas-Mandlman in her studio. (Photo by Desirea Gurule)
CUTLINE: Asiah Thomas-Mandlman sings at the Las Cruces International Film Festival poster reveal party, which unveiled the event’s official poster she designed. (Photo by Sarah Kimmerly)