Celebrating Almost 400 Years of American Military Family History
Die neueste Ausstellung im Rathaus von Weil im Schönbuch ist das Ergebnis einer internationalen Zusammenarbeit zwischen kanadischen, deutschen und amerikanischen Künstlern. „The Paladin“ präsentiert Fotografien von Gemälden des kanadischen Künstlers Barry Smylie sowie kreative Beiträge von Ulrike Gotowicz und Circe Olson Woessner.
„The Paladin“ erzählt die Geschichte einer jungen Soldatin, die in der Ukraine im Einsatz ist. Herr Smylie steht seit mehreren Jahren mit ihr in Briefkontakt und hat drei Jahre ihres Lebens beim Militär in einer Serie von zwölf Gemälden dokumentiert. Mit seinen Kunstwerken möchte Smylie die Geschichte einer einzelnen Frau erzählen – wohl wissend, dass jeder Krieg noch viele, viele weitere unerzählte Geschichten birgt und dass es wichtig ist, nicht zu vergessen, dass die Situation in der Ukraine nach wie vor andauert.
Smylie erklärt:
„Das Land wurde durch den ständigen Krieg verwüstet … Der Hass hat sich verfestigt; der Wille zum Frieden wird immer wieder vereitelt … Angesichts der Realität von Leben und Tod unter Beschuss müssen wir uns daran erinnern, dass Soldaten echte Menschen sind.“
Acht der „Paladin“-Gemälde sind in der Ausstellung zu sehen, die noch bis Ende Mai während der regulären Öffnungszeiten des Rathauses zugänglich ist.
The latest exhibition at the Weil im Schönbuch Town Hall is the result of an international collaboration among Canadian, German, and American artists. “The Paladin” features photographs of paintings by Canadian artist Barry Smylie, as well as creative contributions from Ulrike Gotowicz and Circe Olson Woessner.
“The Paladin” tells the story of a young female soldier currently deployed in Ukraine. Mr. Smylie has been in correspondence with her for several years and has documented three years of her military life in a series of twelve paintings. Through his artwork, Smylie aims to tell the story of a single woman—fully aware that every war harbors many, many other untold stories, and that it is crucial not to forget that the situation in Ukraine remains ongoing.
Smylie explains:
“The country has been devastated by constant warfare… Hatred has become entrenched; the will for peace is repeatedly thwarted… Faced with the reality of life and death under fire, we must remind ourselves that soldiers are real human beings.”
Eight of the “Paladin” paintings are on display in the exhibition, which remains open to the public until the end of May during the Town Hall’s regular opening hours.
On Saturday, May 9, 2026, MAMF members met some former UMMC and military-connected folks and toured the Münchner Kindl brewery under construction at the site of the former AAFES gas station in the Perlacher Forst housing area. While no longer a military installation, the many current residents want to preserve the housing area as a protected historical entity, keeping the look and feel of “Little America” alive and well in Munich. A brew master is building a brewery on the site of the former gas station, and hopes to start his first batch of beer at the end of 2026. We were honored to be invited to tour the building and meet the architects and volunteers working very hard to preserve local history.
On Sunday, we were at Giesinger Bahnhof cultural center and met photographer Elvira Auer, who has preserved the former University of Maryland buildings through her photos, and some of the authors who have contributed stories to our latest anthology, Servus!
MAMF Director Circe and Historian Karin Pohl presented on historical and cultural topics, and then the other authors shared some of their writings. Laura Seidel made a short presentation about the 1960 plane crash which killed 52 people, including 12 University of Maryland students. A representative from St Paul’s church (into which the plane had crashed) attended the program on behalf of the parish.
One of the day’s highlights was when David Fanelli played recordings of his opera-singer mother and shared an original US Bicentennial poster. We’d like to thank the wonderful team at Giesinger Bahnhof who hosted us, provided support, and were a welcoming presence.
To read more about the history of McGraw Kaserne and the UMMC, some of the faculty and students, as well as the tragic plane crash in Munich, purchase a copy of Servus!
In April, Month of the Military Child, MAMF’s exhibit, Dear America, what military-connected children want you to know was launched at Stuttgart High School. Created by high school senior Emily Wheeler, MAMF Student Liaison and Career Practicum student, Dear America was the centerpiece for a month-long celebration of military children. All Stuttgart area schools submitted artwork, essays, and other items to the exhibit. On April 15, the was a huge “Purple Up” event and all the students who contributed to the exhibit were invited. To see all more of Dear America, as well as MAMF’s other projects, click this link.
In May, MAMF collaborated with Canadian artist Barry Smylie and German artist Ulrike Gotowicz to display The Paladin at the library on Patch Barracks and at the Weil im Schönbuch town hall. Both displays run through the end of May 2026.
The jpeg files for Paladin artwork was generously gifted by Smylie to the museum, and people interested in purchasing some of the pictures should contact MAMF at info@militayfamilymuseum.org.
To see all of the Paladin files, visit Smylie’s website at https://barrysmylie.com/galleries/2025/Palidin/pages/gallery2.html
In April 2026, we launched a new exhibit called “Dear America, what military-connected children want you to know.” A high school senior in a Career Practicum program, whom we had been mentoring for the school year, created the exhibit. Teachers and students from all the local elementary and middle schools contributed essays, artwork, oral interviews, and more to the exhibit. While most of the exhibit consisted of student work, that doesn’t mean it didn’t cost anything to produce. Overall, the exhibit and the mid-point community-wide celebration cost about $6,000.
As a small museum in transition, our budget is very limited. Our WorkSpace isn’t open to the general public yet, so we don’t receive revenue from visitor donations. Because the exhibit is outside New Mexico and the continental United States, we are ineligible for state or most federal grants.
We are grateful for those who support the Museum of the American Military Family. Without sponsorship from individuals and organizations, we could not continue our work or maintain our organization.
This year, we are especially grateful for the people who supported “Dear America”: the Stuttgart Community Spouse Club, Kirtland Spouse Club, the Albuquerque chapter of the Military Officers’ Association of America, and all the teachers and community leaders who funded decorations, goody bags, and reception catering supplies out of their own pockets.
Additional sponsors to museum programs were the American Legion Post 117 in Clovis, New Mexico, the Belen, New Mexico, Moose Lodge 1680, and Moose Lodge 2088 in Deming, New Mexico. Our board members regularly donate “time, talent, and treasure” to keep MAMF producing relevant projects and to provide meaningful work-study and paid internships for University of New Mexico and Central New Mexico college students. (In 2026, we provided 4 students with paid work opportunities.)
Because we are a small organization, our all-volunteer board is hands-on, handling editing, social media, mentoring, content creation, displays, accounts, and official reports. This keeps expenses low. We are a very “lean” organization!
Donations from individuals not specifically earmarked for an exhibit or program can be used for general operating costs, to keep a roof over our head, the lights on, and friendly students employed. We are grateful for every contribution: checks, Facebook or PayPal donations, Facebook birthday fundraisers, anthology purchases, or new members through our “Friends of the Museum” program. Each gift supports salaries, rent, internet, insurance, display cases, and conservation supplies.
Support MAMF by taking action—explore the many ways you can help:
To donate via mail, simply send a check to MAMF at PO Box 5651, Albuquerque, NM 87185.
Donate now via this PayPal link: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/QF2CUTEPFNHWN.
Every dollar matters.
Join as a member by clicking here, or sponsor a day through our ‘Today is brought to you’ program—your commitment helps.
A fifty-dollar sponsorship pays 2 ½ hours of one of our UNM student workers’ salaries, our trademark renewal fee, or 6% of our monthly rent. A $250 sponsorship pays for our podcast platform for a year, our library space rental for a month, or 35% of our annual liability insurance. To sponsor MAMF please pay through our PayPal.
Make your tax-deductible gift today—every contribution is appreciated. We carefully steward all donations to maximize impact. Thank you for your support.
Your support for the only museum solely dedicated to the history and accomplishments of US military families is not only a show of appreciation for those who serve alongside their service member, but also a guarantee that their legacies and stories will be preserved and shared with future generations.
On this International Day of Happiness, we are happy to announce our new exhibit, “Dear America, what military-connected children want you to know.” Beginning in April, you can view our “Dear America” exhibit photos and join the conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MuseumoftheAmericanMilitaryFamily/
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Your Support of our museum is not only a show of appreciation to those who serve alongside their service member, but also a guarantee that their legacies and stories will be preserved and shared with future generations.
MAMF: Honors Military Families •Preserves their Legacies •Shares their Stories •Educates the Public.
In 2026, we invite businesses to join our “Today is sponsored by …” sponsorship program. Your sponsorship will help sustain our programs and provide students with access to history, education, and valuable work experiences. Your business can support MAMF by sponsoring us for a day or a week. Your contribution will fund operating expenses, program development, and student stipends.
Why Support Us? As a sponsor, your business will be recognized on our Facebook, in our members’ newsletter, and, for week-long sponsors, on our Dear America exhibit sponsor panel, (or after February 25, 2026, at our “Host Nation Hospitality” program in Munich, Germany). Your business will also be mentioned on our MAMF MEDIA podcast sign-off for a year. Wherever possible, we’ll acknowledge your support in press releases and media outreach. Your sponsorship will have a lasting impact, as we will feature your sponsorship graphic (one or seven times, depending on level) in a dedicated Facebook album, allowing our followers to see all past and current sponsors. And, above all, we will be grateful for your support.
To sponsor MAMF, please pay through our PayPal platform and write your business name and URL in the notes section. We’ll do the rest! We thank you in advance for your sponsorship! https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/QF2CUTEPFNHWN
On “Giving Tuesday” many organizations will be asking you for a donation. We will be too.
So why donate to MAMF? What does our tiny museum with a handful of volunteer board members do? We have created this graphic to highlight some of our 2025 achievements and their impact on others.
When you donate to MAMF, you’re part of a cycle that honors military families, shares their stories, preserves their legacies, and educates the public.
2025 was a transitional year for us, and we hope to continue rebuilding in 2026. But…we absolutely cannot continue without your support. Please donate via our FB fundraiser https://www.facebook.com/donate/4224809454435746/
or PayPal (https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/QF2CUTEPFNHWN), or by check to MAMF, PO Box 5651, Albuquerque, NM 87185.
Your tax-deductible contribution in any amount is greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Your MAMF team
A beautiful, meaningful way to honor military families all year long ❤️📅
🎨Created by Dr. Ceilon Aspensen, Artist-in-Residence for the Museum of the American Military Family
📸 Features 12 original artworks celebrating the strength, resilience & sacrifice of service members and the families who serve right alongside them.
✨ Stunning artwork inspired by military family stories
✨ Each month features the museum’s mission: honoring service, sacrifice & connection
✨ A meaningful gift for veterans, military families, and supporters
✨ Great for home, classroom, office, or gift-giving
✨ Supports military family storytelling and arts programming
Every calendar sold helps support:
➡️ The work of the Museum of the American Military Family
➡️ The ongoing creative work of Dr. Ceilon Aspensen
🫶 Proceeds are shared between the artist and the museum—your support fuels both creativity and community.
A beautiful way to support a meaningful mission!
In October 2025 the MAMF WorkSpace in Albuquerque will expand. We will be opening a gallery (estimated opening December 2025) and a library/ archive. (Opening dates early spring 2026.) Until this time, the Museum WorkSpace will not be open to the public. We plan to host an open house and present our exhibit, A GI Christmas Carol: Tokyo Army Hospital 1954 in December, 2025, exact dates to be determined. Right now, our board members, WorkSpace Manager, Jacob, and Gallery Manager, Genesis, are coordinating the move and organizing the spaces, so that we can, once again, be opened to the public. We thank you for your patience and look forward to hosting you soon.
