Judith F. Baca

Judith F. Baca's oil on canvas Tres Generaciones (1973) caught my eye in the book. I have recently learned that my grandmother is coming to visit towards the end of May, and I have not seen her in six years, so perhaps that is why this image stood out to me since the grandmother is clearly depicted.
Tres Generaciones was a large nonmural work by Baca, where her grandmother is all the way to the right and shares characteristics to a "traditional mestiza woman with Indigenous roots" (25). She has two long braids, a hairstyle that signifies a peasant Mexican woman, and while the entire painting is rather colorful, the grandmother is almost completely a light brown color. Baca also included herself and her mother in the painting. The brown hue in which the grandmother was depicted may represent warmth and wisdom. Perhaps, Baca was hinting at an old age. Baca's mother is depicted in red tones, probably to show her vividness. Baca, on the other hand, depicts herself as a smiling young child in blue color. Usually I would think of the color blue as sad, but it also reminds me of water which can be pacific and calm. All the colors mix and create the current version of Judith Baca.

Through this painting, Baca has given credit to her mother and grandmother for the person she is. I connect with this because I am the person I am because of my family. The experiences shared and the lessons taught all led to who I am today. Our roots, our experiences, and our families create us. Our families and our roots will always coexist with us because it has shaped and defined us.