Carmen Lomas Garza Carmen Lomas Garza was born

Carmen Lomas Garza

Carmen Lomas Garza was born in 1948 in Kingsville, Texas. Garza’s mother was a self taught artist who created pen and ink drawings and painted. Garza loved watching her mother paint and helped her create embroidery patterns and paper cut outs.

Carmen knew she wanted to be an artist early on “I was thirteen years old when I decided to become an artist. I taught myself to draw by practicing every day. I drew whatever was in front of me – books, cats, my left hand, my sisters and brothers, chairs, chilies, paper bags, flowers, anything or anybody that would stay still for a few minutes. I have three college degrees, when I was in high school I could hardly wait to go to college and study art!”

When Carmen was thirteen she knew she wanted to be an artist. Carmen and her sister would lay on her family's roof at night and stargaze, they would also talk about their hopes and dreams of becoming artists one day.

• Carmen first attended Texas A&M University, Kingsville. She even opened her own book store on campus called “Chicanos”. In 1972, she received a Bachelors of Science in art education and a Texas Teaching Certificate at Texas Arts and Industry. During her undergraduate studies, she decided that it was important for her to create art that would be understood by people of all ages. • Later, Carmen received a Masters of Education in 1973 at Juarez-Lincoln/Antioch Graduate School and a Master of Art in 1981 from San Francisco State University.

The Chicano Movement* of the late 1960’s inspired Carmen to dedicate her art to special everyday events in the lives of Mexican. American Culture based on her memories and experiences in South Texas. She saw the need to create paintings that would show recognition and appreciation among Mexican Americans, both adults and children, while at the same time serving as something educational for people who were not familiar with the culture. *The Chicano movement was a Mexican American civil rights movement and helped empower many Mexican Americans. It also enhanced education for Mexican Americans, voting rights, and gave them equal rights in other areas!

“It has been my objective since 1969 to make paintings, prints, installations for Day of the Dead, paper and metal cutouts that instill pride in our history and culture in American society. ” Cutouts:

Carmen’s Artwork Explained https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Pt. TDGMck 3 Ns

• How do the colors affect the mood or feeling of the painting? • What do you feel looking at these colors blue, green, and red?

Art Exhibitions https: //www. youtube. com /watch? v=xupwcsk. Q 3 hc • In 2013, Garza's Cama para Suenos (1985) and Loteria-Tabla Llena (1972) were included in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art. • Garza was also featured in the University of Texas at Austin's 7 th Annual ¡A Viva Voz! where she talked and exhibited her work. • Carmen Lomas Garza: A Retrospective was Garza's first retrospective and featured work from the mid-1970 s to the present. It was organized by the San Jose Museum of Art, where it was on view from January to April 2001; it later traveled to the San Antonio Museum of Art, Texas Institute of the Arts, Ellen Noel Art Museum, National Hispanic Cultural Center, and the Polk Museum of Art.

Awards • Family Pictures/Cuadro de familia: One of the Best Books of the Year, Library of Congress (1990) • Magic Windows 2000 Pura Belpré Award medal • In My Family/En mi familia 1998 Pura Belpré Award honor

Present Day Carmen currently lives in San Francisco, California and still makes her beautiful artwork for people of all ages! She has created 8 paintings for the San Francisco Water Department and a sculpture at the San Francisco

San Francisco Artwork

"Every time I paint, it serves a purpose--to bring about pride in our Mexican. American heritage, and teach others about our culture. " Now it’s your turn to show your pride for your culture and heritage!