Archival Interviews from 1963-1965
Conducted by Sylvia Loomis
Courtesy of the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
These interviews were conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts Project, so most of the material is about the WPA. Sylvia Loomis seems to have interviewed dozens of artists around the southwest, and in 2010 the material was digitized. The Smithsonian Institute has posted the first 5 minutes of each audio recording, and a few of the complete transcripts.
Interview with Patrociño Barela
Patrociño Barela was a wood carver who spent most of his life in Taos, New Mexico. He is a highly esteemed Santero, although he did secular work as well. His art became known around the world, and he was hailed as a “great discovery” when his work was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC in 1936. Despite the widespread recognition, he never travelled to attend these exhibitions. He died a few months after this interview was recorded.
This video features an excerpt from the first five minutes of his interview. The complete transcript is also available.
Interview courtesy of the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Photographs courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons. Music by Rube Cordova.
Interview with Jozef Bakos
Jozef Bakos was one of the Cinco Pintores, the famous art collective that helped launch the national fame of the Santa Fe Art Colony. He was one of countless artists who showed up in 1920. The fascinating thing about this excerpt is that he claims without reservation that it was him who established the Pintores group.
This video features an excerpt from the first five minutes of his interview. The complete transcript is also available.
Interview courtesy of the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Photographs courtesy of the Archives for American Art, Smithsonian Institute, UCLA Library Special Collections, The New York Public Library, Wikimedia Commons
Interview with Olive Rush
Olive Rush is perhaps one of the most famous artists from the early Santa Fe Art Colony. She bought her house on Canyon Road from the Rodriguez family in 1920. One notable thing about this excerpt is that she claims that there were not many artists in Santa Fe when she arrived, which is quite different from the Bakos and Shuster interviews. This difference in story-telling may offer some insight into how the myths developed surrounding Santa Fe’s artistic past.
This video features an excerpt from the first five minutes of her interview. Unfortunately, the complete transcript is not available.
Interview courtesy of the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Photographs courtesy of the Rush family. The last photo of Rush on horseback is courtesy of the University of New Mexico, Repository: Palace of the Governors Photo Archive, Neg. No. 019270. Music by Kyle Maier.
Interview with Will Shuster
Will Shuster was also part of the Cinco Pintores Group, and he showed up in 1920 as well. He is known for his hard-partying ways and also for creating Zozobra. It is interesting to note how he speaks with such humor about his arriving in Santa Fe with tuberculosis.
This video features an excerpt from the first five minutes of audio. The complete transcript is also available.
Interview courtesy of the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Photographs courtesy of the John Sloan Manuscript Collection, Helen Farr Sloan Library and Archives, Delaware Art Museum. Music by Kyle Maier.
About Sylvia Loomis
Photograph courtesy of the Historic Santa Fe Foundation
Sylvia Loomis was an arts educator, a historian, and a passionate advocate for historic preservation in Santa Fe.
She was the caretaker of El Zaguán on Canyon Road and did work with Historic Santa Fe Foundation and Old Santa Fe Association.
She compiled the first edition of the book Old Santa Fe Today in 1966.
I would love to include more about her, but there is not much available about her online. If you have stories or more biographical information you can share with me, please email me and I will add to this section.
Canyonroadhistory@gmail.com