Week 5: Carmen Lomas Garza's image Sandía

Carmen’s family played a significant role in her life because they inspired her to become both an artist and activist. During Carmen’s childhood, her mother instilled the idea of becoming an artist by painting watercolors and lottery tablets in front of her. In addition to valuing art, both her parents were strong activists in their community. Her father supported American GI, which assisted veterans against discrimination, and her mother was part of the Forum’s Ladies Auxiliary. Being introduced to activism at an early age inspired her to enhance the position of her community while using her artwork for political change.

Carmen’s family had helped her find her identity, and Carmen shows her appreciation in her painting Sandía/ Watermelon (1986). In this painting, Garza’s family enjoys eating watermelon on their front porch in Texas. The family members are spread out. Her grandmother is sitting on the porch, and her grandfather is sitting on the other end. Children are painted throughout, but the main focus is on Carmen’s father who is slicing the watermelon on a table. The importance of the watermelon is its sweetest part, often known as the core or the “heart”. In Spanish, when a parent says “eras un pedacito de mi corazón,” it means you are a piece of my heart. This saying demonstrates great affection. As a result, Carmen is displaying her father as a symbolic parental role who is providing for his family. Throughout her artworks, the themes of familial unity and affection are illustrated to show how her personal relationships have influenced her own identity.
I value this painting because just like Carmen, my family has inspired me to become the person I am today. If I was good at art, family and childhood memories would also be strong subjects of mine. I love how this image is more than just slicing a watermelon. It reveals a narrative from her past that brings a sense of familiarity to the viewer. The viewer will reflect on his or her past and remember a family gathering like the one pictured.