International Film Festival reveals official poster artist

It wasn’t until she studied art at New Mexico State University that Las Cruces artist Asiah Thomas-Mandlman realized just how special her art skills are.

“I just remember getting praise for doing art and so then I was inclined to make more things,” Asiah said. “I feel like the time when I actually realized I am good was in college, which seems late, but that’s when I remember drawing something. When I was growing up, I did a lot of tracing, but I didn’t think I could draw anything without tracing, and then I did and that was cool.”

Even now, when she starts a project, there are time Asiah feels like she can’t do it, but “I always end up just fine.”

Thomas-Mandlman has been chosen as the official artist for the 11th annual Las Cruces International Film Festival poster.

“From the very beginning, the festival's really grown and the poster party has been one of the big areas of growth,” said festival founder Ross Marks. “I think the first time we did a poster party we did it at the Glenn Cutter Gallery. It was very small.”

Maybe 50 to 75 people attended that event. Now, the poster reveal party draws 350 or more people and is held at the Farm and Ranch Museum.

“I always wanted the festival to be not just about film, but also about elevating the arts community in southern New Mexico and doing that by identifying a local artist and profiling them,” Marks said. “It’s become a big deal now in town to be the poster artist. This is our 11th poster artist, so we survey the community and ask people about their favorite local artists. We've had a tattoo artist, we've had a photographer, we've had watercolor, we've had oil on canvas.”

Marks gives no specific instructions to the artist, but leaves it to her creativity to develop the idea for the poster design and execute that vision.

“I tell the artist, ‘You do what speaks to you.’ It becomes the look of the film festival, the artwork goes on all our apparel for that year, the t-shirts and sweatshirts and hats, and all our badges and our posters. I let the artist totally create,” Marks said. “One of the fun things for me at the film festival is to come to the poster party and the artwork is underneath a little piece of fabric and we reveal it to the world. I see it then for the first time so it's really exciting for me to see what the artists create. It's always unique and different.

“Asiah is an emerging young artist, so we wanted to bring attention to her and her work and elevate her.”

Asiah was born and raised in Las Cruces. Her mother has been a graphic designer here for three decades. She is excited about this opportunity.

Asiah’s style is about realism. She says she doesn’t do landscapes but then notes that her work reflects perhaps a different kind of landscape. She loves drawing faces and capturing the emotion that is there. She begins with a photo, and the process is enhanced because she takes that photo herself rather than drawing something, for example, she pulls off the internet.

“I've done one with a man laughing and he's got his hand over his face,” Asiah said. “He doesn't move like that in the world usually, but our interaction was that. I felt lucky to capture that. I like people's faces and they're sort of landscape-ish once you get so close. Life is written in those faces.”

Asiah has experimented with many media, the result of her college education, but she prefers to work in colored pencil or charcoal.

“When you're in school, they teach you everything and then you can choose what you like,” she said. “I've learned it all. I've done woodworking, I've done metals, I've done all the things. I don't like washing paintbrushes, especially oil paint. You can't just use water. You have to use spirits and then all your clothes are dirty. I didn't want to do that anymore. Colored pencil is my favorite, and I also really love charcoal. Charcoal is super forgiving and it kind of moves like paint. You can manipulate it, like sculpture, in a way. Colored pencil is the opposite, where it's very not forgiving and you just have to have an idea and put it on paper and if you mess up, you're kind of like screwed a little bit.”

The Las Cruces International Film Festival will reveal its 2026 collectible, commemorative poster from 6-8 p.m. March 6 at the Farm & Ranch Museum. Asiah will be on hand to sign limited edition prints of the poster. The original artwork will be auctioned off at the event. Admission is $30 and includes a signed collectible poster, food, drinks (beer & wine), and music.

In addition to her drawing, Asiah is also an accomplished jazz musician. Marks says it is possible she will fit a couple of musical numbers into her busy signing schedule the night of the poster reveal.

The film festival is Apr. 8-12. At the poster party, LCIFF will be selling 2026 VIP passes at a special rate of $150, $50 off the regular price ($200).  You can only get this rate at the poster party.

For more information go to www.lascrucesfilmfest.com or contact Ross Marks at rossm@nmsu.edu, or (575) 646-6149.