Carmen Lomas Garza

Out of all the art pieces, the painting named Curandera really stood out to me. This painting was created in 1977 from Gouache on cotton paper. It is 11 x 14 inches. This painting shows healing through spiritual practices. In this piece, the daughter is getting “cleansed” using a ruda plant with copal incense burning. The use of color in the painting calls attention equally to the act and everything that surrounds it in a very detailed manner. This holistic approach connects with the spiritual practices that are holistic in nature. I think this is reflective of Garzas’ focus on family and community amongst her artwork. The religious icons depicted in the back also shows that spirituality and religion are not complete opposites. This painting emphasized that art pieces are often loaded with meaning.