Nancy Frost Begin — Mesilla Valley Acequia Gate

This original oil painting by Nancy Frost Begin captures a defining feature of life in southern New Mexico: a red irrigation gate beside a tranquil acequia, set amid the golden tones and open skies of the Mesilla Valley. Signed in the lower left, the piece reflects Begin’s plein air sensibility and deep regional insight, honoring the hard-edged beauty and quiet functionality of desert agriculture.

Rendered in oil on stretched canvas and set in a warm-toned professional wood frame, the painting is both regionally expressive and timeless in tone.

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas
Signature: Signed lower left — Nancy Frost Begin
Framing: Professionally framed, wood, without glass, archival quality

This red irrigation gate, painted by Las Cruces artist Nancy Frost Begin is a portrait of life in the Mesilla Valley, where water, tradition, and agriculture have shaped the land for centuries.

Here in southern New Mexico, irrigation is rooted in both Indigenous farming traditions and acequia systems brought by Spanish and Mexican settlers. The local story begins in 1843, when the Doña Ana Bend Colony was established just north of present-day Las Cruces. Settlers hand-dug the first community ditch — or acequia madre — to guide water from the Rio Grande to their fields. They laid the foundation for a communal irrigation system that still flows today.

Each spring, the valley waits for the river’s return. When water is released from Elephant Butte Dam, it travels south, filling the dry riverbed and spilling into a web of acequias like the one in this painting. The check gate depicted here — bright red and functional — is a familiar sight along roads and fields from Radium Springs to La Mesa. These gates mark the moment water leaves the river and becomes lifeblood for pecan orchards, chile fields, cotton rows, and vineyards.

Behind the gate, you can see the Organ Mountains, whose sharp silhouette has watched over this land for thousands of years. Their presence in the distance anchors the scene in place — and in memory. Locals know this rhythm by heart: the smell of wet earth after the first flow, the shimmer of water returning to dry ditches, the rush to plant before the heat sets in.

Nancy Frost Begin’s painting captures all of this with quiet power. It’s a tribute to the enduring relationship between land, water, and the people who call the Mesilla Valley home.

Condition:
Good condition overall. Minor wear to the frame from age and handling. Canvas surface is stable and intact. Wired and ready to hang.

Dimensions:

• Overall (framed): 41 x 41 inches

• Visible image: 35 1/2 x 35 1/2 inches

About the Artist:
Nancy Frost Begin, a Buffalo, New York native, holds a BFA from Syracuse University. Her artistic journey encompasses illustration, fiber, clay, wood, and painting. A signature member of the National Watercolor Society since 2009, she has received numerous accolades, including "The Artist Magazine Award." Begin has exhibited widely, with her works featured in galleries across the country, and she continues to conduct workshops in New Mexico and Florida.

This painting embodies Begin's dedication to capturing the essence of the Southwestern landscape. Its serene depiction of rural infrastructure offers both aesthetic appeal and a connection to regional heritage. An excellent addition for collectors of Southwestern art or those seeking a tranquil, evocative piece for their space.​