NPS Velarde painted scenes depicting traditional pueblo life, including ceremonies, symbols, and stories, representing the strength and resilience of Pueblo cultural identity. As a child, she attended Santa Fe Indian School where she was a student of Dorothy Dunn. Velarde was one of the first female students in the program. She was inspired to be a painter like Tonita Peña of San Ildefonso Pueblo. Velarde was encouraged to develop her artistic ability, even though in her culture at that time painting was not considered a suitable career for women. Pueblo life, its people, buildings, and childhood stories fueled her artwork. At the height of the Great Depression, Velarde was commissioned by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to create scenes of traditional Pueblo culture to display in the Bandelier National Monument Visitor Center. Between 1939 and 1945, she produced over 84 paintings on various canvases. After her time at Bandelier, Velarde won many regional, national, and international awards and went on to be recognized as one of the most prominent American Indian women painters in the United States. Pablita Velarde was an outspoken advocate for women’s rights and paved the way for many generations of American Indian women to pursue traditional and nontraditional aspirations. Pablita Velarde continued her artistic work to the very end of her life. She passed away on January 12, 2006 at the age of 87. |
Last updated: July 25, 2024