Bandelier National Monument

“This period of my life at Bandelier, I figure, I’ve learned more about my own people…than I would have…and I appreciate what the old ones have tried to pass on…I want the earth to remember me through my work…”

A young Pablita Velarde of Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico, was commissioned to create scenes of traditional Pueblo culture for the museum at Bandelier. From 1937 to 1943, she produced over 70 paintings to help visitors understand the ancestral Pueblo sites at Bandelier National Monument. Velarde has said that these are some of her most meaningful works.

At five, Pablita Velarde attended St. Catherine's Indian Boarding School in Santa Fe. She transferred to the Santa Fe Indian School where she was a student of Dorothy Dunn. Dunn had established the first fine arts program and painting department at the school. Verlarde was one of the first female students in the program. She was encouraged to develop her artistic ability, even though in her culture at that time painting was not considered a suitable career for girls. Pablita Velarde wanted to be a painter like Tonita Peña of San Ildefonso Pueblo.
Pueblo life, its people, buildings and childhood stories fueled her artwork. Velarde combined elements from different pueblos. Her work shows the many roles within Pueblo society in the early- to mid-1900s. They provide a window into traditional Pueblo life.

The paintings are casein on Masonite board and glass. Later, Velarde used a variety of techniques and media. These included tempera, watercolor, oils, and natural pigments that she collected and ground herself. Velarde opened doors for other artists, especially Pueblo women. As of 2005, she continues to make crafts in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Casein paint is a water-based paint made from casein, a protein precipitated from milk. Casein is the basis of cheese. It is used to make plastics, adhesives, foods, and paint. Casein paint is used on paper or board for light impasto, underpainting, and wall decoration. It dries quickly with a waterproof surface. It is not used on canvas.