LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS THE WALSENBURG SANTUARIO GROTTO IN SOUTHERN COLORADO ON CHRISTMAS EVE

Laurie Beth Zuckerman wishes all of you a Happy New Year! 2011 ended with a glorious journey to revisit several of my favorite shrines and sanctuaries in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico, as well as discover new ones. Follow along with me in January as I share some of the highlights of my holiday travels. Today's post showcases the Santuario on Highway 160, west of Walsenburg. A fresh snowfall dusts the sandstone grotto with sugar icing. Only one other person had walked to the shrine before me. I hated to disturb the snow to get these photos, but this Virgin Mary is my favorite statue of all. I have been photographing her at this grotto for more than a dozen years. This may be the best she has ever looked.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN RECEIVES NEW MEXICAN STRAW APPLIQUE PENITENTE CROSS

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's husband, Thomas Mathies
designed and built this New Mexican style penitente cross

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's husband, Thomas Mathies
designed and built this New Mexican style penitente cross (detail)

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's husband, Thomas Mathies has just completed his first New Mexican-style cross, in honor of Laurie's milestone birthday, December 12. I had some old photos that I had taken in 1993 at the International Museum of Folk Art in Santa Fe, where we first saw examples of colonial-era wood crosses. I had always wanted my husband to try making me one of these penitente crosses decorated with straw appliqué. Finally my wish came true and Tom was able to spend the last couple of weeks designing and constructing this sensational cross. It is a whooping 50" tall. Truly, it is bigger and better than any cross I have seen in my books or in other museums we have visited, such as the new Spanish Colonial Museum in Santa Fe. Boy do I feel lucky!! My new treasure looks fabulous in our old house.

Here are a few web resources you can follow to learn more about straw applique crosses:

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/localnews/International-Spanish-market-Passion-for-innovation

This website states: Straw appliqué developed from the desires of 16th-century Spanish priests to decorate their churches in the New World with gold items similar to the ones they brought with them from Spain. Since gold was not found in New Mexico, the inhabitants improvised and used other materials. They discovered that local grasses, when dried, almost looked something like gold. "It was called the poor man's gold," Donna Pedace, executive director of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, said. "It was the closest approximation to gold that they could come up with." The process involves splitting and flattening the straw and removing the inside to get very thin, golden-colored pieces. The tiny pieces are affixed to pieces of wood or metal in geometric or figurative designs. The most common items are crosses, frames and boxes.

More about the history of straw applique at this site: http://strawapplique.com/history-of-straw-applique/

"Straw appliqué–an art form practiced around the world–is believed to have originated as an art form practiced by peasants who desired marquetry, a form of decorating wooden items, typically with other wood, ivory or gold. Because of it’s visual similarity to marquetry, or inlay, straw appliqué soon was coined with the term “poor man’s gold.” Passed from  the Moors to the Spanish as early as 700AD, and then practiced as a religious art form, it was brought to the New World and into what is present day New Mexico, where it flourished as an art form in the 1700’s and 1800’s, practiced by Spanish and Natives alike. At the end of the 1800’s, however, it was considered a lost art form."

To see examples of contemporary straw applique artists from New Mexico, log onto: http://newmexicocreates.org/category-26/New-Mexico-Artisan-Work/Spanish-Colonial-Crafts?filter%5Bcategory%5D=145

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTOS OF GUADALUPE FROM CHIMAYO AND TAOS

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Guadalupe statue

in the courtyard outside El Santuario de Chimayo, New Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Guadalupe stained glass window
in the Guadalupe Church in Taos, New Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Guadalupe stained glass window
in the Guadalupe Church in Taos, New Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of a folk art Guadalupe mosaic

in the prayer room inside El Santuario de Chimayo, New Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Guadalupe painting

in the Guadalupe Church in Taos, New Mexico

In honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe's feast day, today, December 12, Laurie Beth Zuckerman is posting these diverse Virgin of Guadalupe images from New Mexico. December 12 is also my birthday, and I am always so honored to share my birthday with the Guadalupe, although she is a lot older than me. She appeared in 1531, and I didn't appear until 1951!! And she is so much more famous and well-clothed.

The stained glass window and the brown and white painting are both from the Guadalupe church in Taos, while the other two images are from the historic pilgrimage site of El Santuario de Chimayo, north of Santa Fe, along the High Road leading to Taos.

This is Day 12 of "A Virgin a Day" hosted by Rebecca Brooks. To witness all the other wonderful contributions by artists around the country, log onto Rebecca Brooks site: http://www.corazon.typepad.com/

To read more about the world famous El Santuario: http://www.elsantuariodechimayo.us/

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S MADRE DOLOROSA AT SANTUARIO DE ATOTONILCO, MEXICO

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of life-size Madre Dolorosa
in Santuario de Atotonilco, Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of life-size Madre Dolorosa
at the left of main altar in the  Santuario de Atotonilco, Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Santuario de Atotonilco, Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman shares her photos of the most sorrowful and powerful of Madre Dolorosa statues in the Santuario de Atotonilco, in the countryside outside of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. This historic church is exquisite in every single way, and ranks as my all time favorite church in colonial Mexico.

This is Day 11 of "A Virgin a Day" hosted by Rebecca Brooks. To witness all the other wonderful contributions by artists around the country, log onto Rebecca Brooks site: http://www.corazon.typepad.com/

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTO OF ROSARIO MADONNA IN ATOTONILCO CHURCH, MEXICO

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of a blue-robed Madonna and Child
in the Atotonilco Church, outside of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of a blue-robed Madonna and Child
in the Atotonilco Church, outside of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of a blue-robed Madonna and Child
in the Atotonilco Church, outside of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of a blue-robed Madonna and Child
in the Atotonilco Church, outside of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

A few years ago, Laurie Beth Zuckerman visited San Miguel de Allende and photographed the El Santuario de Atotonilco church near the colonial city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. At the time I was not entralled with this Madonna statue, but I thought I would share her this week, as her altar is simply glorious and this famous penitente church is so holy. It is known as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas, and was begun in 1740.

To read more about Atotonilco's church, log onto this website: http://www.experience-san-miguel-de-allende.com/atotonilco.html

This post is my Day 10 entry to "A Virgin a Day" hosted by Rebecca Brooks' at her blogsite. To witness all the other wonderful contributions by artists around the country, log onto Rebecca Brooks site: http://www.corazon.typepad.com/

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTO OF MADONNA IN CHURCH IN CHAMA, COLORADO

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photograph of Madonna, Chama, Colorado

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photograph of Madonna at church altar, Chama, Colorado

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photograph of old Catholic church, Chama, Co

Laurie Beth Zuckerman photographed this wonderful old Catholic church in the town of Chama, Colorado. This sweet and very simple altar contains this lovely Madonna. No telling how old she is. Her condition is perfect. I love her blue robe against the turquoise blue wall. I love turquoise blue walls!!!

This is Day 9 of "A Virgin a Day" hosted by Rebecca Brooks. To witness all the other wonderful contributions by artists around the country, log onto Rebecca Brooks site: http://www.corazon.typepad.com/

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTO OF MADONNA'S HANDS IN SAN MIGUEL, MEXICO

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of a life-size Madonna in San Miguel de Allende

What could I possibly say that would add to this image?!

Please enjoy Day 8 of "A Virgin a Day." To witness all the other wonderful contributions by artists around the country, log onto Rebecca Brooks site: http://www.corazon.typepad.com/

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTO OF SORROWFUL MADONNA AT RINCONADA CEMETERY NEAR TAOS, NEW MEXICO

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of a Madonna in

Rinconada cemetery, Northern New Mexico near Taos

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of the Madonna
and Jesus in the Rinconada cemetery 

Laurie Beth Zuckerman photographed this roadside shrine and cemetery near Taos several years ago. I have never seen such a majestic backdrop to a simple Camposanto cemetery.

This is my Day 7 entry for "A Virgin a Day." To witness all the other wonderful contributions by artists around the country, log onto Rebecca Brooks site: http://www.corazon.typepad.com/

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTO OF MADONNA AT VIEJO SAN ACACIO CHURCH, CO

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Madonna at the
Viejo San Acacio Church in Southern Colorado

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Madonnas in the

window of the adobe Viejo San Acacio Church 

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Madonna and Child
stands by the altar of the Viejo San Acacio Mission

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of the altar reredo screen
painted by Marie Romero Cash at the Viejo San Acacio Mission

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of the Viejo San Acacio Mission, Colorado

Laurie Beth Zuckerman photographed a touching image of the Madonna and Child in the window of the old church in San Acacio, is the oldest adobe mission church in Southern Colorado, built in the early 1860s. It appears that each of the religious window designs was a gift from members of the church community. Inside the church has been well-restored and contains a beautiful statue of the Madonna and Child. The reredo altar screen was painted by New Mexican artist, Marie Romero Cash. It is in the style of the reredos seen in so many of the famous mission churches in Northern New Mexico. To read more about Marie Romero Cash, click on this website: http://sacredartpilgrim.com/collection/view/47

This is my combined Day 5 and 6 entry for "A Virgin a Day." To witness all the other wonderful contributions by artists around the country, log onto Rebecca Brooks' site: http://www.corazon.typepad.com/

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S MOTHER OF SORROWS ALTAR TO BLANCHE ZUCKERMAN

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's Mother of Sorrows altar to her mother, Blanche (at right)

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's Mother of Sorrows altar to her mother, Blanche

Laurie Beth Zuckerman home ancestor altar to her mother Blanche Kleid Zuckerman began in 2001 just weeks after Blanche's death from ovarian cancer. Today would be my mother's 89th birthday had she survived. A special birthday wish to you, Mom!! Can't express how much I miss you and how much you have inspired depth in my altarmaking over these past ten years.

These altar photos were taken in my home just before this Mother of Sorrows altar was exhibited in my 2009 solo retrospective at the Loveland Museum/Gallery in Northern Colorado.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTO OF MADONNA STATUE AT SANTUARIO DE CHIMAYO

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's Madonna photo from the world famous Sanctuario de Chimayo 

Laurie Beth Zuckerman photographs Madonnas and Christs in every church and sanctuary she visits in the Southwest and Latin America. This beautiful Madonna statue is still one of my most favorite images I have found on my travels to document spirituality. This is today's pick for Day 4 of "A Virgin a Day" hosted by artist, Rebecca Brooks at: http://corazon.typepad.com/recuerda_mi_corazon/

El Santuario de Chimayo is known locally as the "Lourdes of America" lures over 300,000 people to visit every year. The Prayer Room, which is located in the sacristy of the church (next to El Posito, the "sacred sand pit"), is filled with discarded crutches, braces, and scary, handmade shrines.

To view more of my earlier spiritual photos from New Mexico, click on:

http://lauriezuckerman.blogspot.com/2011/01/laurie-zuckermans-spiritual-photos-from.html

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTOGRAPHS MADONNA AT SANCTUARIO DE CHIMAYO, NORTHERN NEW MEXICO

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Madonna
at the Sanctuario de Chimayo, Northern New Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Madonna

at the Sanctuario de Chimayo, Northern New Mexico

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of Madonna

in the window of the Sanctuario de Chimayo

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's has photographed the famous Sanctuario de Chimayo many times over the years since the early 1990s. Hopefully this life-size bust of the Madonna is still resident to the chapel. She's a true beauty!! She is my pick for Day 3 of "A Virgin a Day" a collective of artists impressions of the Madonna, located at the following website for the first 12 days of December: http://corazon.typepad.com/recuerda_mi_corazon/

El Santuario de Chimayo is known locally as the "Lourdes of America" lures over 300,000 people to visit every year. The Prayer Room, which is located in the sacristy of the church (next to El Posito, the "sacred sand pit"), is filled with discarded crutches, braces, and scary, handmade shrines.

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTOGRAPHS MADONNA AT ROADSIDE WALSENBURG SANCTUARIO, SOUTHERN COLORADO

Laurie Beth Zuckerman photographs a long-standing Madonna
at the Walsenburg Sanctuario in Southern Colorado.

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's photo of the Virgin Mary is always changing every time I visit her. This picture is before the big cleanup at the grotto. She is my pick for Day 2 of "A Virgin a Day" located at the following website:

http://corazon.typepad.com/recuerda_mi_corazon/

LAURIE BETH ZUCKERMAN'S PHOTOGRAPHS MADONNA FROM HER HOME IN FORT COLLINS

Laurie Beth Zuckerman's concrete garden Madonna

Laurie Beth Zuckerman collected this concrete Madonna years ago at a flea market in Fort Collins. The statue apparently came out of Santa Fe yard and has a lovely "chippy" patina. She is the guardian of my turtle pond. This Madonna is my photo pick for "Day 1: A Virgin a Day" located at the following website:

http://corazon.typepad.com/recuerda_mi_corazon/