OUR LADY IN THE USA

Daniel Thomas Paulos

Sister Mary Jean Dorcy

There are not many examples of the theme of Our Lady of the Rosary in American art (USA), but here are some of my favorites. 

In May of 2014, I did two Blogs of the art of silhouettes by Sister Mary Jean Dorcy  and Daniel Thomas Paulos. Sister Mary Jean died in 1988, but her artwork has inspired many other artists, including Dan Paulos, who collaborated with her on her last book, “Spring Comes to the Hill Country” (1989).

Our dear friend, Brother Arturo Olivas, OFS, who died November 2017  (see Blog 11/21/17)  did several retablos of our Lady of the Rosary. Arturo was not only an accomplished retablo artist, but he was a Third Order Franciscan, an elementary school teacher, and a gardener, who left a remarkable legacy of loving, learning, teaching, faith and art.

Ellen Chavez de Leitner lives in Chimayo, NM, where she and her family have been producing traditional Hispanic art since 1986, continuing the tradition of their ancestors. She uses traditional materials – hand carved pinewood, homemade gesso, and water based paints made with natural pigments and dyes, and piñon sap varnish. Her main influence is the simple devotional expressiveness of the master santeros of the 18th and 19th centuries, but she also finds inspiration in 11th - 12th century Romanesque art, illuminated manuscripts, and Baroque and Renaissance religious art. 

The Museum of New Mexico and the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, as well as private collectors worldwide have collected works by Ellen and each of her six children.