Felipe Benito Archuleta | |
---|---|
Born | Felipe Benito Archuleta August 23, 1910 |
Died | 1991 (81 years old) |
Nationality | American |
Felipe Benito Archuleta (1910–1991) was an Hispanic artist who worked mostly in New Mexico. Felipe Benito Archuleta grew up poor. He left school at an early age to work as a field hand and later as a stonemason, cook, and for many years a carpenter. [1] His Spanish heritage exposed him to " bulto" making, the shaping of wooden religious figures used in shrines. [2] In 1967, unable to find work, Felipe prayed to God to alleviate his poverty and desperation. His subsequent religious awakening led to his work as a carver of animals. [3] Felipe is best known for his animal sculptures that emphasize the ferocious nature of the animals he portrays by providing them with irregularly carved teeth, wide-eyed stares, and exaggerated snouts and genitals. [3]
Archuleta carved his last major work in the Spring of 1987 due to suffering from arthritis. [4]
Felipe Benito Archuleta | |
---|---|
Born | Felipe Benito Archuleta August 23, 1910 |
Died | 1991 (81 years old) |
Nationality | American |
Felipe Benito Archuleta (1910–1991) was an Hispanic artist who worked mostly in New Mexico. Felipe Benito Archuleta grew up poor. He left school at an early age to work as a field hand and later as a stonemason, cook, and for many years a carpenter. [1] His Spanish heritage exposed him to " bulto" making, the shaping of wooden religious figures used in shrines. [2] In 1967, unable to find work, Felipe prayed to God to alleviate his poverty and desperation. His subsequent religious awakening led to his work as a carver of animals. [3] Felipe is best known for his animal sculptures that emphasize the ferocious nature of the animals he portrays by providing them with irregularly carved teeth, wide-eyed stares, and exaggerated snouts and genitals. [3]
Archuleta carved his last major work in the Spring of 1987 due to suffering from arthritis. [4]