I am not much of one for the visual arts. I like art, of that there is no doubt, but I am quite narrow in my likes so the following list will be reflective of those prejudices. It certainly won’t include some of the most famous artists that drew and painted in New Mexico because I am either not familiar with their work, they were not from the state or, like Georgia O’Keefe, I don’t particularly like their art. So, with all that in mind here they are in no particular order:
Maria Martinez – 1889 to 1980, famous potter from San Ildefonso Pueblo. She was very influential in the modern revival of pueblo pottery.
Lucy Lewis – 1897 to 1992, pottery maker from Acoma Pueblo and very influential in the modern revival of pueblo pottery.
Tonita Pena – 1895 to 1949, Native American artist from Cochiti Pueblo. She was one of the first modern native female painters from New Mexico.
Pablita Velarde – 1918 to 2006,painter who painted with exacting detail aspects of pueblo native daily life, dress and ceremonies. She was from Santa Clara Pueblo.
Allan Houser- 1914 to 1994, one of the most renowned native american painters and sculptors. He was born in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and was a member of the Warm Springs Band of the Chiricahua Apaches that had been imprisoned in Fort Sill since Geronimo’s surrender in 1886. He attended Santa Fe Indian School and after living and working in different places he settled back in Santa Fe and taught at the Indian School. He passed away in Santa Fe in 1994.
Peter Hurd – 1904 to 1984, maybe the most famous of the artists born and raised in New Mexico he was from Lincoln County. He was a prolific painter of scenes from south central New Mexico and in particular the Hondo Valley and the Capitan Mountains.
Bill Mauldin – 1921 to 2003, widely syndicated political cartoonist famous for his work with Stars and Stripes during WW2. He was born in Mountain Park in Otero County New Mexico and raised in Otero County.
Bill Curry – age unknown, prominent Quay County professional painter and muralist. He is primarily a Western artist and is still active in his work.
Gary Morton – age unknown, prominent New Mexico cowboy artist raised in Tucumcari. He was the Director of the New Mexico Office of Cultural Affairs in the 1990′s. He is the manager of a ranch near Las Vegas, NM
William Hanna – 1910 to 2001, one of the most famous of all the animators. He was born in Melrose in Roosevelt County New Mexico. Together with Joseph Barbera he founded the Hanna-Barbera Studios and the rest, as they say, is history.
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