05/19/2026
Here’s the trimmed version:
2026 Award Recipient
Barbara Kurcaba Kunz
2026 Paul Bartlett Ré Peace Prize Recipient
Barbara Kurcaba Kunz, a 1972 University of New Mexico graduate in psychology, has spent decades transforming reflexology from a traditional practice into a globally recognized field grounded in research, education, and healing. Alongside her husband, Kevin Kunz, she has led workshops around the world since 1980 and authored dozens of books translated into numerous languages. Barbara authored and illustrated the first comprehensive textbook on reflexology, making the practice more accessible to practitioners and patients worldwide. Her work bridges scientific rigor with artistic sensibility, reflecting the spirit of Paul Bartlett Ré. She is currently engaged in a five-year fMRI research project studying reflexology’s efficacy and continues expanding understanding of how healing practices can improve quality of life for those facing pain and illness.
About Paul Ré
Paul Ré is an Albuquerque-based artist, author, and humanitarian whose work explores art, science, peace, and transcendence. A California Institute of Technology graduate in physics, Ré has spent more than four decades creating art reflecting themes of interconnectedness, harmony, and the shared origins of life and the universe.
Ré is recognized for The Dance of the Pencil: Serene Art by Paul Ré and his celebrated Touchable Art exhibitions for both blind and sighted audiences. His work has been exhibited across the United States, including at the Albuquerque Museum, the UNM Jonson Gallery, and the Karpeles Museum in New York, drawing praise from Georgia O’Keeffe and Nobel laureates Richard Feynman, Kip Thorne, and Roger Sperry. Blending art with physics, philosophy, yoga, and meditation, Ré developed hybrid hand-digital works known as “Réograms,” through which he advocates for peace, environmental stewardship, and humanity’s shared connection to the natural world. He established the Paul Bartlett Ré Peace Prize through the UNM Foundation to recognize individuals whose work advances peace across disciplines and communities.
For further details and full biographies, visit www.paulre.com
