A Century of Masters:

A Century of Masters:

The NEA Heritage Fellows of New Mexico
September 27, 2009 - January 31, 2011

Each year, the National Endowment for the Arts honors folk artists, storytellers, performers, and musicians throughout the United States for their contributions to traditional art forms. The National Heritage Fellows demonstrate artistic excellence and a commitment to their art forms through their processes, techniques, and transmission of the knowledge to others that strengthens and enriches their communities.

New Mexico residents are well-represented in this distinguished group of talented artists, especially given the size of the state’s population. The Museum of International Folk Art holds examples of the works of all the Fellows from New Mexico in its collections, from weavings, colcha embroidery and silversmithing, to pottery, tinwork, straw appliqué, hide painting, retablos, and woodcarving.

“The quality and range of artworks created by New Mexico’s National Heritage Fellows is impressive. The exhibit will stand as testimony to the dedication and skill of these talented artists;” said Dr. Joyce Ice, former Director of the Museum of International Folk Art.

A Century of Masters opened September 27, 2009 and closed January, 2011,  and celebrated the Museum of New Mexico’s 100th Anniversary. National Heritage Fellowship Artists from New Mexico featured in this exhibition: George López (artist, woodcarver, deceased) 1982

Margaret Tafoya (Santa Clara potter, deceased) 1984

Cleofes Vigil (storyteller, singer, deceased) 1984

Helen Cordero (Cochiti potter, deceased) 1986

Emilio & Senaida Romero (artists, tinwork and colcha embroidery, deceased) 1987

Frances Varos Graves (colcha embroiderer, deceased)1994

Ramón José López(artist, santero and silversmith) 1997 Roberto & Lorenzo Martinez (musicians) 2003 Charles M. Carrillo (artist, santero) 2006 Esther Martinez (San Juan storyteller, deceased) 2006 Eliseo & Paula Rodriguez (artists, straw appliqué) 2004 Irvin Trujillo (Rio Grande weaver) 2007. The exhibition closed January 31, 2011