Plate 34: Our Lady of Light: From Portfolio "Spanish Colonial Designs of New Mexico 1934 - 1942

This watercolor, *Our Lady of Light*, comes from a portfolio of Spanish Colonial designs of New Mexico, made by an anonymous artist. Look at how the colors sit together in this piece – the blues, greens, reds, and yellows all contained by the light beige paper. I imagine the artist carefully laying down each layer, trying to get it just right. There is a slight transparency to the paint which makes me think the artist was letting the image emerge slowly, giving them time to think about their next move. Think of how this artist looked at and translated the world around them! They looked to devotional images and Spanish Colonial art, as well as Indigenous aesthetics from the American Southwest. And here they are in conversation with us, across time.