The Grace of Imperfection

"Mas vale la gracia de la imperfeccion, que la perfeccion sin gracia"

"The grace of imperfection is more to be valued than perfection without grace"

-woven sampler, Espanola Fiber Arts Center

In The Sacred Hoop Paula Gunn Allen explains that Native American cultures assume all people are creative. To boast of one's creativity as personal attribute would be  insufferably egotistical; the gift of art was given to all people to serve the earth, its creatures and communities by reflecting back to the them the beauty and knowledge of all creation.

This perspective helps to explain that intangible something about New Mexico. The entire state is a work of art, light and color, thrown by volcanoes and the crushing drift of tectonic plates, carved by wind and water, fired by sun, framed by ancient human cultures who signed the land to mark their own passage and cosmos. Who rather than claim ownership, were owned by the places they inhabited.

And so it is no surprise that artists of all persuasions have been drawn to the Southwest and born of it. What follows is a very partial list of those whose works and names were shared among us in Espanola and an active  list of others whose works continue now to speak to and teach us. Contributions welcome!

Emile Nolde









Mabel Dodge Luhan

 Z.Z. Wei




 

 Georgia O'Keeffe