New Mexico has its distinct treasures. Beautiful landscapes, gorgeous sunsets, a rich mix of cultures, and that occasional to-die-for green-chile cheeseburger are just a few things that come to mind. But most significantly, the state boasts countless talented individuals engaged in all kinds of pursuits, particularly in the arts and sciences, who have been recognized nationally and internationally.

For those who need to be reminded about the state's human and cultural assets, the exhibition A Century of Masters: The NEA National Heritage Fellows of New Mexico is just the ticket. Currently on view at the Museum of International Folk Art, the show features more than 250 handcrafted and originally conceived works by 15 New Mexico artists who have earned this prestigious award. Close to half of the objects on display are from the museum's collections, while the rest are on loan from public and private hands. Nicolasa Chávez, curator of MOIFA's Spanish Colonial and Contemporary Latino/Hispano collections, organized the exhibit in consultation with former museum director Joyce Ice.

"These artists and their works are further examples of the very rich multicultural heritage in our state. Not only multicultural in that they represent Native American and Hispanic artists, but the art forms themselves represent the cultural mestizaje [mixing] that has taken place in New Mexico for centuries," Chávez told Pasatiempo in an e-mail.

Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Heritage Fellowship is the nation's top award given to individuals who exemplify and carry on the best of folkloric and craft traditions in the United States. On an annual basis, a multitude of work in various mediums are considered and no more than a dozen people, including groups, are recognized. Pottery, metalwork, weaving, storytelling, santos, and regional music are examples of work that has been singled out. Since the award's inception in 1982, 327 artists from across the country have been honored, including 15 recipients from New Mexico. "The biggest challenge in curating the show was that many of these wonderful artists are no longer with us," said Chávez.

George López (1900-1993), a woodcarver from Córdova, was among those honored in 1982, the first year of the program. Other New Mexicans who have received the fellowships are Santa Clara Pueblo potter Margaret Tafoya (1904-2001) and musician and storyteller Cleofas Vigil (1917-1992) of Arroyo Hondo in 1984; potter Helen Cordero (1915-1994) of Cochití Pueblo in 1986; husband and wife Emilio (1910-1998) and Senaida (1909-2001) Romero from Santa Fe for their tinwork and colcha embroidery in 1987; Frances Varos Graves (1910-1999) of Arroyo Seco for her colcha embroidery in 1994; santero and metalsmith Ramón José López of Santa Fe in 1997; Roberto and Lorenzo Martínez of Albuquerque for their music and song-writing in 2003; husband and wife Eliseo (1915-2009) and Paula (1915-2008) Rodríguez of Santa Fe for straw appliqué and painting in 2004; Esther Martínez (1912-2006) of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo for linguistics and storytelling and santero Charles M. Carrillo of Santa Fe in 2006; and weaver Irvin L. Trujillo of Chimayó in 2007.

"To me, the award is a recognition of heritage in a folk art and a contribution to our culture," Trujillo said. "This exhibit represents about four to five years of my life. To get enough new pieces for an exhibit takes years, and my new pieces sell as fast as I can produce them." In 2005, the Spanish Colonial Arts Society gave Trujillo its Master's Award for Lifetime Achievement.

A seventh generation weaver, Trujillo was formally introduced to the loom by his father, Jacobo Ortega Trujillo, when he was in the sixth grade. "My father would come home from his job and start to weave. He made a lot of noise at his loom, and I went to see what he was doing. His process was fascinating, and I worked alongside him for about a week. He set me up a loom of my own. It beat watching soap operas on TV.

"I'll always remember my father saying, 'Try to weave something different each time, and you will learn the process eventually.' He didn't teach me designs with drawings or photographs of his work; he taught me philosophies for designing. I have learned peace and meditation from what he said."

With assistance from his father, Trujillo and his wife, Lisa, established the Centinela Traditional Arts studio in Chimayó in 1980. Its purpose is to promote the weaving tradition in Northern New Mexico and to give guidance to those committed to weaving as a means of earning income. "I work with people who want to make a living from their weaving, not the hobbyist," he said. "There are many more talented instructors that can teach techniques. But how to make a living from weaving is a different story." Asked what he possibly might be if he had not made weaving his profession, Trujillo's reply was pragmatic: "An engineer with retirement and paid health insurance."

Santero Carrillo never had a mentor, kin or otherwise. "I met a couple of older guys — and this is what really got me going as a santero — who were making modern versions of colonial santos," he remarked. "Out of curiosity, I asked them what their formula was for paint and if they could show me their techniques. They absolutely refused, telling me it was a trade secret. In truth, they were afraid I would become their competition. So I decided I'd let the real masters be my teachers, by looking at the santos in museums."

Carrillo did a bit more than that, earning a doctoral degree in anthropology and archaeology from The University of New Mexico. "That's half the reason why I got the award," chuckled Carrillo, "because I spent so many years teaching, researching the history and techniques of santos, and trying to revitalize the tradition. I don't mean to brag, but close to half of the santeros at Spanish Market nowadays were my students. When I first went to Spanish Market in 1978, there were fewer than 40 artists. Today, there are close to 400, and it seems like half that are santeros."

Although he is self-taught in his craft, Carrillo's education was paramount to his development. "My parents were educators," he said. "My dad always believed that an
education for anybody was the best thing they could do, even if it did not lead to a living; but it would show them the door to success. I was lucky enough to have grown up when this country was in full swing in the culture movement and people had a voice. I learned that we all need to have a voice, as artists and as academicians. Being Hispanic, we needed to have our own voice, so I followed our own artwork but also got a good education. The Heritage Fellowship simply verified everything I've done in my life."

details
A Century of Masters: The NEA National Heritage Fellows of New Mexico; through April 22, 2011
Museum of International Folk Art, 706 Camino Lejo, Museum Hill
By museum admission; call 476-1200 for information