Carmen Lomas Garza La familia Carmen Lomas Garza

Carmen Lomas Garza La familia

Carmen Lomas Garza grew up with her family in a Mexican American community in Kingsville, Texas. She wanted to be an artist from the time she was thirteen, when she started drawing every day.

Garza experienced racial prejudice as a Mexican American, but the Chicano movement in the 60’s and 70’s inspired her to love heritage.

When Garza reached college, she began to use her art to celebrate heritage and share her memories of a Mexican American childhood. Her paintings and picture books focus on her childhood and her community's everyday life and celebrations.

Carmen Lomas Garza has exhibited her paintings and papel picado art in galleries and museums throughout the United States and internationally. She lives in San Francisco.

Let’s hear from Carmen Lomas Garza…

How are the following paintings similar and different from your family celebrations and/or traditions?

Empanadas

Tamalada

Cumpleaños de Lala y Tudi

Baile

Sandia

Barbacoa para Cumpleaños

Cakewalk

La Feria en Reynosa

How are these paintings similar and different from your family celebrations and/or traditions?

La familia de Carmen Lomas Garza Mi familia

Quinceañera

The Quinceañera Tradition 5 1 A Quinceañera is the Hispanic tradition of celebrating a young girl's coming of age - her 15 th birthday.

The Quinceañera celebration traditionally begins with a religious ceremony. A reception is held in the home or a banquet hall. The festivities include food and music, and in most, a choreographed waltz or dance performed by the Quinceañera and her Honor Court.

It is traditional for the Quinceañera to choose special friends to participate in what is called the Honor Court. Usually, these young people are her closest friends, her siblings, cousins - the special people in her life with whom she wants to share the spotlight. The Quinceañera's Honor Court can be comprised of all young girls (called Damas), all young men (called Chambelanes) or a combination of both boys and girls.

It is customary for the Quinceañera to receive some or all of the following items for her ceremony: Tiara Cross or medal Bible or prayer book and rosary Scepter

Tiara Denotes a "princess" before God and the world; a triumph over childhood and ability to face the challenges ahead.

Cross/ Bible Signifies faith - in God, in herself, and in her world.

Scepter Symbolizes authority, and more importantly, responsibility for her life, that is now being given to the young woman.

Doll The doll represents leaving childhood things behind. The Quinceañera typically passes on her “Last Doll” to a younger sibling or family member.

High Heels The father or favored male relative ceremoniously changes the young girl's flat shoes to high heels. This is a beautiful symbol of the Quinceañera's transformation from a little girl to a young lady.