Mineral Earth Painting of a Deer and Mountain Sheep [SOLD]

Santa Clara Pueblo artist Pablita Velarde (1918-2006) Tse Tsan - Golden Dawn worked in water-based paints from time to time, mostly casein, but she is best known and internationally recognized for her paintings rendered in her own handmade paints from mineral sources. She would first draw her designs on Masonite panels that were treated with a coat of pumice. She then used her ground-up minerals as paint to fill in the areas she had drawn. To mix her paints, she combined the pigment with water and glue, and then painted with paint brushes. She would paint each color up to seven layers to gain the consistency she desired. She then would outline the images, once again as many as seven or so times, to insure they were strong in color.

Preparation of paints by Pablita was a very laborious process.  After gathering the materials from many areas of the Southwest, she ground each mineral to a powdery substance on a metate with a mano.  She then stored the various minerals in jars until ready to convert them to paint. Pablita insisted on following this process because that is the way her ancestors made paints for painting on canyon walls and she wanted to continue that process.  She is to be commended for continuing such a process.

Animal dances are performed at the New Mexico Tewa Pueblos frequently, particularly near hunting time.  The dances incorporate men performing as deer, buffalo, and mountain sheep with young boys performing as antelope.  In this painting Pablita Velarde pictured a Deer Dancer and a Mountain Sheep Dancer. The sticks in their hands represent the forelegs of the animals and the men dance in that leaned over position.

A close examination of the costuming of the dancers leaves one enthralled with the ability of the artist to paint such fine detail with paints made from natural materials.  Each needle of the evergreen cinched around their arms and resting on their heads was painted in detail. One can almost count the needles of the evergreens. The white rainbow sashes each man has hanging from his waist clearly illustrates that they are woven cotton.  Take note of the detail of the leggings, bandoliers, necklaces, and reed forehead shields. The ground plane and background were rendered in geometric style by the artist.

The painting was framed in the style used by her daughter, Helen Hardin, for most of her paintings.  Pablita did not often use this style of framing but used three-inch wide flat boards with curved edges painted with commercial paint.  However, this is the original frame from when the painting was purchased from Enchanted Mesa Indian Arts in Albuquerque in the 1980s. The Chases, owners of Enchanted Mesa, had exclusive representation of Pablita and Helen at that time.

Condition: this Mineral Earth Painting of a Deer and Mountain Sheep by Pablita Velarde excellent condition

Provenance: from an Albuquerque resident who purchased it from Enchanted Mesa in the 1980s and has retained it in her collection until now.

Recommended Reading:  Pablita Velarde - Painting Her People by Marcella Ruch

Photo of Pablita Velarde (1918-2006) Tse Tsan - Golden Dawn.  Image Source:  the photo copies (of original polaroids of Pablita Velarde appear courtesy of the person who actually took the photograph.