“Every time I paint it serves apurpose—to bring about pride in ourMexican American culture.”

Carmen Lomas Garza

Baile En El Jardín-Dance at JardínCover Illustration

Carmen Lomas Garza

In My Family/En mi familia Carmen Lomas Garza Children’s Book Press 1996

Grade LevelsK-3Curriculum AreasLanguage Arts • ArtNational Language Arts StandardsNL-ENG.K-12.7 EVALUATING DATAStudents conduct research on issues andinterests by generating ideas and questions,and by posing problems.

They gather, evaluate, and synthesize datafrom a variety of sources [e.g., print and non-print texts, and artifacts].

NL-ENG.K-12.8DEVELOPING RESEARCH SKILLSStudents use a variety of technological andinformation resources (e.g., libraries,databases, computer networks, video) togather and synthesize information and tocreate and communicate knowledge.

National Art Education StandardsNA-VA.4 UNDERSTAND THE VISUAL ARTSIN RELATION TO HISTORY AND CULTURESGrades K–4Students know that the visual arts have both ahistory and specific relationship to variouscultures.

Students identify specific works of art asbelonging to particular cultures, times, andplaces.

Students demonstrate how history, culture,and the visual arts can influence each other inmaking and studying works of art.

ObjectivesStudents may draw upon the ethnic, popularand folk symbols and myths of their culturalheritage for their work.

To introduce to students that celebrations drawupon the influences of other cultures.

Activity Author’s BackgroundCarmen Lomas Garza was born in Kingsville,Texas in 1948. Her family emigrated to theU.S. in order to escape the tribulations of theMexican Revolution early in this century. She isthe second child of five children. At a veryearly age she wanted to pursue her dream ofbecoming an artist. Her family supported herendeavors. Her mother, who inspired LomasGarza, was also an artist. Lomas Garzareceived her M.A. from San Francisco StateUniversity. Much of Lomas Garza's workfocuses on the traditions and daily activities inMexican-American culture.

"I was thirteen years old when I decided tobecome an artist. I taught myself to draw bypracticing every day. I drew whatever was infront of me--books, cats, my left hand, mysisters and brothers, chairs, chilies, paperbags, flowers--anything or anybody that would

stay still for a few minutes . . .. I have threecollege degrees. When I was in high school Icould hardly wait to graduate so I could go tocollege and study art." [Carmen Lomas Garza.1996]

ActivityThe Looking Exercise #1 will provide anintroduction to celebrations in Mexico andMexican American families. [Carmen LomasGarza Teacher Resource Book. Pages 11-12.The San Jose Museum of Art]

LOOKING EXERCISE #1:Barbacoa para CumpleañosBirthday Barbecue 1993Carmen Lomas GarzaIllustration and Text Pages 10-11

This is my sister Mary Jane’s birthday party…

What is going on in this picture? Describeeverything you see. What are the people in thispainting doing? What is the central figuredoing?

Where are they? How many people do yousee? What words would you use to describethe colors used in this painting? Why do youthink the artist chose these colors? How aboutthe patterns? How would you describe them?

What folk arts are depicted? Have you evermade a piñata? Have you been to a birthdayparty where you hit a piñata?

VocabularyMonitosLittle figures in Spanish language. Garza alsouses the term to describe her paintings offamily activities.

Garza's precise and minutely detailed monitos,which act like an oral tradition in visual form,provide a glimpse into the rich and vibrantlifestyle of the largest Spanish-speakingcultural group in American society. In this workthe monitos form a circle around Garza'ssister, the birthday girl, who is playing apopular party game of trying to break a piñata.Each person is involved in his or her ownmoment of watching, cooking, or socializing.The totality of their actions gives the viewer asense of a harmonious and festive gathering.

Garza gives us many visual clues that this is acelebration: a piñata in the center of thecomposition, hanging banderitas made frompapel picado in the background, a birthdaycake, her father and grandfather working onthe barbecue and the very bright and colorfulclothes of the monitos. To the clothes, she hasadded detailed patterns that compliment theintricate cutout designs of the banderitas.

History of the PiñataMexico Connect

Maria Elena 1999About the PiñataThe piñata that usually reminds us of Mexicanand Hispanic heritage actually originated fromChina. Shaped like farm animals and used foragricultural ceremonies, the Chinese piñataswere filled with five different kinds of seeds.The Chinese struck the piñatas with colorfulsticks and then burned them. The saved asheswere considered to bring good luck for theyear. It is thought that Marco Polo introducedthe piñata to the Italians where it was calledpignatta, and where it became very popular.This Italian custom spread throughout Europe.Along with other traditions, customs and thereligion of their homeland, the SpanishConquistadors brought the Christmas traditionof the piñata to Mexico. Mexicans adoptedthese traditions and the piñata soon becameone of their own. Mexican artists found otherways of making piñatas using papier-mâchéand cardboard.

ActivityAbout the Papel PicadoPunched paper in Spanish language, papelpicado is the traditional Mexican folk art of cutpaper. Artists use a hammer and chisel topunch designs out of stacks of layered tissuepaper-up to 40 layers thick. Garza’s papelpicados are made one at a time with scissors.Designs can portray people, animals, flowersand lettering. Individual banners are strungtogether to create festive and colorfuldecoration for the celebration.

ActivityCreate a papel picado. Examples of MexicanPapercutting and techniques can be found inthe book, Mexican Paper-cutting: SimpleTechniques for Creating Colorful Cut-PaperProjects by Kathleen Trenchard.

Papel PicadoKathleen Trenchard

Mexican Papercutting: Simple Techniquesfor Creating Colorful Cut-Paper Projects.

New York: Sterling Publishing. 2000

ActivityGarza's art serves as a visual narrativein an oral tradition style. Have students retell astory of a personal experience with their familyor friends by creating a composition of theirown monitos in a painting or a drawing. Havestudents include visual clues of the location,activity and event they are conveying in theartwork. Now have students write a narrativedescription about the artwork they havecreated. Who are the characters and what arethey doing?

ActivityThe Spanish Conquistadors brought overPiñatas, along with other traditions, customsand religion to Mexico. European settlersinfluenced much of what makes up Mexicanculture today. Research the history, cultures ofthe people and region of Ancient Mexico and its

surrounding area before the coming of theSpanish.

ActivityThe Looking Exercise #2 will provide anintroduction to the foods of Mesoamerica. Anumber of cookbooks and recipes are on theInternet.

Ask students to ask parents about a specialfamily recipe, preferably one made for a familycelebration or holiday. Then students will writea story about the recipe, its history, when,how, and why it is made. Students can sharethese recipes and stories with the class.Afterwards, the class collects all the recipesand stories in an illustrated cookbook that kidstake home to their families.[Carmen Lomas Garza Teacher Resource Book.Pages 11-12. The San Jose Museum of Art]

LOOKING EXERCISE #2:Cleaning NopalitosCarmen Lomas GarzaIllustration and Text Pages 6-7

This is my grandfather, Antonio Lomas. He’sshaving off the thorns from freshly cut cactuspads, called nopalitos. Nopalitos are called“the food of last resort.”

Research how nopalitos are used today inmenus.

ActivityPeople have argued for 400 years about thetruth of the story of La Virgen de Guadalupe.But still there is no doubts millions of Mexicanslove her and believe in her. December 12, ElDia de la Virgen de Guadalupe, has become a

national holiday in Mexico since 1859. Readmore about the Virgin of Guadalupe in Pinatasand Smiling Skeletons: Celebrating MexicanFestivals by Zoe Harris.

LOOKING EXERCISE #3:Virgin of GuadalupeCarmen Lomas GarzaIllustration and Text Page 25

The Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to theIndian, Juan Diego, outside of Mexico City in1531.

What is going on in this picture? Read moreabout the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Resources

Carmichael, Elizabeth and Chloe Sayer. TheSkeleton at the Feast: The Day of the Dead inMexico. Austin, Texas: University of TexasPress, 1992.

Cisneros, Sandra. Hairs/Pelitos. New York:Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1994.

Garza, Carmen Lomas. In my Family/ En miFamilia. San Francisco, California: Children’sBook Press, 2000.

Garza, Carmen Lomas. MagicWindows/Ventanas Magicas. San Francisco,California: Children’s Book Press. 1999.

Garza, Carmen Lomas. Making Magic Windows:Creating Cut Paper Projects with Carmen

Lomas Garza. San Francisco, California:Children’s Book Press. 1999.

Harris, Zoe and Suxanne Williams. Pinatas andSmiling Skeletons: Celebrating MexicanFestivals. Berkeley, California: Pacific ViewPress. 1998.

Jablonski, Ramona. The Paper Cut-Out DesignBook. Owing Mills, Maryland: Stemmer HousePublishers. 1976.

Romero, Regina. Flora’s Kitchen: Recipes froma New Mexico Family/ La Cocina deFlora: Recetas de una Familia de NuevoMexico. Tucson, Arizona: Treasure ChestPublications. 1998.

Soto, Gary and Ed Martinez. Too ManyTamales. Paper Star. 1996.

Trenchard, Kathleen. Mexican Paper cutting:Simple Techniques for Creating Colorful Cut-Paper Projects. Ashville, North Carolina: LarkBooks. 2000.

Internet Websites

Carmen Lomas Garza Teachers Guidewww.sjmusart.org/

Carmen Lomas Garza's Webpagehttp://www.carmenlomasgarza.com/

Hispanic Research Center at Arizona StateUniversityhttp://mati.eas.asu.edu:8421/ChicanArte/html_pages/garza17.html

Introducing Illustrators-Carmen Lomas Garzahttp://www.rif.org/art/illustrators/garza.mspx

Kemper Art Museum:http://www.kemperart.org/clgm.htm

North Texas Institute for Educators on theVisual Artshttp://www.art.unt.edu/ntieva/artcurr/latino/clgarza.htm

North Texas Institute for Educators on theVisual Arts-Papel Picado-The Art of MexicanCut Paperhttp://www.art.unt.edu/ntieva/news/vol_7/issue3/96falp11.htm

Questions and Answers about Cascaroneshttp://mati.eas.asu.edu:8421/ChicanArte/html_pages/CarmenIssOutl.html

Smith College Museum of Arthttp://www.smith.edu/artmuseum/spectrum/edgarzafull.htm

Smithsonian Archives of American Arthttp://artarchives.si.edu/oralhist/lomas97.htm

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum ofAmerican Arthttp://nmaaryder.si.edu/webzine/carmen1.htm

Tamalada-Making Tamales image on-linehttp://www.esperanto.com/Legacy/CLGarza.html