Felix Lòpez
b. 1942
"Being a santero is a calling, a blessing from God. For me it serves to center my life and my spirituality. Carving is almost like breathing. If I don't do it every day, something is missing."
Félix López, as quoted in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and
Latinas in the United States (2005)
Born in 1942, Félix López grew up in the small town of Santa Cruz, NM, where life revolved around religion, family, and community. Spanish was the language of the community, but this was an era when speaking Spanish in school was often discouraged. Perhaps in response to this repression of a part of his heritage, Félix developed an early interest in the Spanish language and went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Spanish and German and a Master's degree in Spanish Literature. Following a short teaching stint in California, he and his wife, Louise, moved back to Santa Cruz where Félix spent the next 21 years teaching at his alma mater, Española Valley High School. "I wanted to teach the Spanish language to our own kids, most of whom could understand it and speak it somewhat but did not know how to read or write in Spanish. I felt that they needed to know more about their own history and culture, to better understand who they are."
Then, in 1975, the death of his father awakened a different desire in Félix. His family held the wake service in the local morada, the meetinghouse of the Brotherhood of Our Father Jesus of Nazareth (los Penitentes). The loss of his father, the wake in the morada with traditional prayers and alabados (hymns of praise), and the historic devotional images that graced the casket, touched López deeply. It was this experience that led him to express himself creatively.
López began to experiment, first with clay and then with carving and straw appliqué. In 1976, he entered his first Spanish Market -- and won 1st Place in straw appliqué. By 1981 he had won his first award for devotional carving. He joined La Escuelita, a group of santeros who banded together to meet informally to carve, talk, and exchange ideas. This kind of camaraderie continues into the present and is part of Félix's working environment; a born teacher, he is quick to share his knowledge of methods and techniques and encourages other artists, his children among them. Becoming involved with carving and straw appliqué proved to be most helpful in teaching about Hispanic culture to his students. "As I began to meet other artists working in other traditional art forms, I would invite them to my classes to talk to my students about their art. It was a positive learning experience that served to instill pride in our rich history and culture."
For López, inspiration comes from his everyday experiences -- what he happens to see or read in a book or magazine, a visit to a church, museum or gallery, people, nature and from travel. Trips to Mexico, France, Spain and Italy have given him new perspectives and ideas for his work. While López bases his santos on traditional subject matter, he is innovative in his artistic interpretations. He believes that he remains true to the spirit of the santero tradition. López's distinctive style comes not only from his skill as a carver, but from his understanding of human emotion. Every image he carves carries an individual expression: serene, pensive, compassionate, determined. His figures are graceful and elongated, and the sometimes exaggerated features, (especially the hands), relate to the overall concept of the image. He captures the power of St. Michael the Archangel, the dexterity and strength of St. Joseph the carpenter and the beauty and grace of the Virgin Mary. His palette of natural pigments-like the New Mexico landscape-- is both subtle and wonderfully rich.
López's artistic career took off following the 1987 traveling exhibition, "Hispanic Art in the United States" organized by the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. Included as one of 30 featured artists, López still receives commissions and calls as a result of the exhibition. But even after receiving national recognition and being included in numerous exhibitions and publications, López remains inextricably tied to New Mexico and to his roots: "Every July, you'll find me in a Spanish Market booth in Santa Fe," he says, "The market inspires me to create, and it reminds me that I should never let myself get too far away from home."
http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/7aa/7aa839.htm
https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/art/saints-alive-master-santero-felix-a-l-pez/article_51cec87f-61d4-5ae8-8681-da7214aa0862.html
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