May 2025: Celebrating the Route 66 Centennial

2026 marks the centennial of Route 66, the legendary highway known as the “Mother Road.” Stretching roughly 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, this iconic route linked the Midwest to the Pacific Coast and played a central role in American travel and migration. Though it was decommissioned as a federal highway in 1986, Route 66 endures as a powerful symbol of American road culture. Today, many segments are preserved and designated as Historic Route 66.

In Albuquerque,18 miles of Route 66 run through the city along Central Avenue—the longest continuous urban stretch of the historic highway. In celebration of the upcoming centennial, the City of Albuquerque is planning a yearlong series of events and infrastructure improvements along the route, beginning in 2025. Learn more at www.visitalbuquerque.org/route-66-centennial.

My fascination with Route 66, Americana, and the open road began when I was eight years old. In 1965, my family embarked on an epic American road trip from Milwaukee to Disneyland, stopping at national parks, roadside attractions and tent camping every night. That journey sparked a lifelong love for exploring the country by car—and now, decades later, I’m thrilled to be involved in two projects celebrating the centennial of the Mother Road.

The first is a collaborative public art installation I’ve been working on since January with artists Christian Michael Gallegos, Billy Joel Miller, and Samuel Sisneros Espinoza. In partnership with local community groups and the Friends of Orphan Signs, we’re creating a sign-inspired sculpture that will be installed in the new park adjacent to the International District Library on Central Avenue, just east of San Pablo.

The second is the Route 66 Centennial Art Exhibit & Block Party, taking place this Saturday, May 13, from 4–8 p.m. at The Mothership Alumni, an art gallery in downtown Albuquerque. I’m proud to have four pieces from my Postcards to America series included in this vibrant community celebration.

Route 66 Centennial Celebration

Art Show Opening and Block Party

Saturday, May 17, 4-8pm

Below are my artworks included in the show from the Postcards to America series.

They represent the four westernmost states through which Route 66 historically meandered.

NEW MEXICO: The Land of Bombardment, mixed media on paper 32 x 46 inches framed

TEXAS: The Lone Gunman State, mixed media on paper 32 x 46 inches framed

ARIZONA: The Grand Conspiracy State, mixed media on paper 32 x 46 inches framed

CALIFORNIA: The Homeless State, mixed media on paper 32 x 46 inches framed