San Luis Rey Side Altar from the portfolio "Decorative Art of Spanish California" 1935 - 1942

This side altar from the portfolio "Decorative Art of Spanish California" is all flat shapes and soft colors, like it’s been cut out of paper. Imagine the artist choosing these colors: dusty rose, pale blue, beige, and watching the composition come together. I wonder what it was like making this? The artist probably thought about the original altar design, maybe sketching and re-sketching it. What did the original artisan have in mind? I imagine them working closely with the materials at hand, making the most of what they had available. The shapes themselves are so simple—the tulip form, the leaves, even the stylized birds to either side. It's interesting to consider this anonymous artist in conversation with another anonymous artist, both embracing the decorative. Thinking about how different artmaking practices connect and inspire each other across time and space. It’s all one big conversation!