New Mexico Books

The artist herself bills her work "Taos Expressionism", and this collection of her various artistic achievements provides many dramatic full-color reproductions of her works. New Mexico author Dispenza provides the biographical introduction to Frank's life, opening for a revealing, involving gathering of her achievements.

This is a huge book (540 8.5x11" pages) with a great deal of interesting material, which I'd split into roughly 3 parts. It should be read by:

- people who want to understand some ideas that economics really needs badly.
Read ONE and THREE, and sample TWO.

- people who work to help less-developed countries, or how in any way help fund such efforts, to understand how such efforts go awry.

ONE: Chapters 1-6 point out many problems with mainline neoclassical economics as having become divorced from the real world of land, the environment, energy, and sustainability thereof. They continue articulating the ideas of *biophysical economics* as better models.

There is substantial discussion of the strong relationship between energy usage and wealth - it is very difficult to raise GDP/person without increasing energy availability. In an era of Peak Oil, this will be nontrivial to accomplish, as even the developed world will have to scramble hard to replace oil&gas as it is, and less-developed world will have trouble bidding for their piece of it. This section also addresses general issues of economic development.

This also included some reasonable introduction to economic concepts, without getting so deep into econ jargon as to be inaccessible.

TWO: Chapters 7-36 offer many case studies of developing country success stories, failures, improved approaches, and ways to test ideas. The developed world has spent a fair amount of money and a lot of dedicated people have worked very hard to improve the lot of less-developed countries, but results, overall, have not necessarily been very good, an in some case, have been very bad.

While "the road to hell is often paved with good intentions", the case studies help understand better ways of understanding where the road is going, see if that's where people really want to go, and perhaps divert its path somewhere else. All of this is hard work.

Just having nice ideas doesn't really work very well. Objective empirical evaluation is critical.

Anyone involved in development work should be able to find applicable cautionary tales somewhere in this section. Anyone who donates money to help can do so also.

THREE: Chapter 37 "The Elephants in the Living Room" is a very nice summary of all the issues in just a few pages. I really liked their concise prescription for good development;

1. Feed the people, with human labor.
2. If possible, reduce the imported energy intensity of the economy (agriculture and otherwise). Fossil fuels are getting more expensive, especially if a developing country has to import them.
3. Educate the people.
4. Successful development can encourage families, so be careful. [If population grows faster than income, there's no way people get richer on average.]
5. Prevent war.

As an old farmboy, all this made good sense to me.

I'm not an economist, but I learned a lot from the book. The disturbing part was the clear fact that a lot of well-intentioned development policies have not generated good results.

There are good graphics, including interesting maps, that might please even Edward Tufte, although a few might have benefited from color, perhaps on a backup website. Most illustrations do work in greyscale.

Anyway, this is fine and thoughtful book, well worth reading.

My definition of a "keeper" of a non-fiction book is one where I can read the notes like a seperate book; and don't need to read the notes to keep track of what the author has said. This book makes no attempt to find the historical "Malinche." Its focus is on the circumstances and historical knowledge we do have and how that would affect a person in her position.
Chock full of data; it suggested over 20 new books for me to add to my already extensive reading list. in addition, I solved two conundrums that had been nagging me for years and clarified where certain actions had taken place. I found, thanks to the clarity of the text a very important book written during the conquest years that had information I thought was not obtainable.
Camilla Townsends strictly academic approach and care in the use of non-english records deserves a very strong round of applause.

This is a wonderful glimpse into the development of detailed maps of Central America. It expresses the necessity of a country to be aware of the resources it possesses and the lengths to which it must go to obtain this information. Another good book along these same lines is "Mapping and Empire" by Matthew Edney, which describes the process of mapmaking the British government undertook in India. Overall, this is a great book.

Richard Spivey's large-format book, MARIA, serves as an excellent visual and textual appreciation of the pottery of Maria Martinez, the famous Native American artist of San Ildefonso pueblo in New Mexico. Numerous full-page color photographs of her pottery and B/W photos of Maria at work with her husband and son provide a feast for the eyes. You can almost feel the smoothness of the pottery eased into being by her creative hands. Much of the text is taken from oral interviews and reminiscences by Maria herself, who died in 1980 at the age of 93. In 1907 Dr. Edgar L. Hewett of the School of American Research in Santa Fe, New Mexico began excavating prehistoric Pueblo sites near San Ildefonso pueblo. Julian Martinez was hired as one of the laborers in the dig. When his wife Maria saw the shards of ancient pottery being unearthed, she was delighted by the designs. Dr. Hewett asked her to try to reproduce the polychrome pottery with those designs and was amazed by the beauty of her work when he returned the next archeological season. Julian had helped by painting traditional designs on his wife's new pottery. Dr. Hewett bought practically everything they had made. From that moment on Maria and Julian dedicated themselves to pottery. Over the next few decades, as tourism increased in New Mexico, Maria's fame spread and potters in other pueblos took up the nearly forgotten ancient art. Maria had been attempting to create pottery since the age of seven. There were still two excellent potters in her pueblo (Martina Montoya and Nicolasa Pena Montoya), who encouraged the little girl in her initial efforts. Their pottery was, as it had always been, beautiful utilitarian pieces -- plates, cups for atole, bowls for mixing chili or soup or dough, cooking pots, and large jars in which to wash hair. Clay "ollas" stood outdoors to collect rainwater. Pottery was traded in other pueblos for wheat, corn, or chile, but never for money. However, Maria's pottery would change all that. Over a 40-year period Julian and Maria shared their labor. Julian gathered clay from the earth. Maria prepared the clay, coiled it, shaped it into pottery, smoothed, and fired the completed pots. Then she polished them with stone or sandpaper. Finally Julian would paint symbolic designs around the piece. He became the leading pottery decorator and she the leading potter of her pueblo. Encouraged by the Museum of New Mexico to continue spending more time on fewer but higher quality pieces, Maria and Julian produced exquisite shapes and designs, which included clouds, butterflies, plumed serpents (avanyu), feathers, plants, clouds, turkeys, kiva steps (ceremonial underground centers), and geometric designs. In 1919 Maria began experimenting with her soon-to-be famous matte-black-on-polished-black ware. After perfecting the right combination of matte and polish accompanied by her husband's designs, Maria unselfishly shared her secrets with other potters. The first Santa Fe Indian Market was held in 1922 under the direction of the School of American Research with all New Mexico pueblos represented. "Native clays, pigments, and traditional methods were required in order to participate in the market." Maria began to win the first of many prizes. In 1924 a bridge was built across the Rio Grande near San Ildefonso and tourists came to the pueblo to buy directly from the potters. Withdrawing from its physical isolation, San Ildefonso became "one of the most progressive arts and crafts centers" among Rio Grande River pueblos. Maria and Julian were the primary causes of this new prosperity. Living standards rose in San Ildefonso and other pueblos where arts and crafts were practiced. Income from pottery began to exceed that of agriculture. Domestic problems declined. New houses were built. Maria began teaching classes at the Indian School in Santa Fe. When her husband died in 1943, Maria turned to her daughter-in-law Santana to paint the designs on her pottery. In 1948 Maria's son, Popovi Da ("Red Fox") opened the Popovi Da Studio of Indian Art at San Ildefonso to display and sell outstanding examples of his mother's and other pueblo artists' work. In 1950 he began assisting in the painting of some of his mother's pots. In 1956, after a highly successful partnership with Santana, Maria began working solely with her son Popovi Da ("Red Fox"). He wanted to carry the art further and began experimenting with new designs ("new colors and combinations of colors, new finishes, and a higher level of perfection.") He respectfully intended to wait until his mother's retirement before branching out completely on his own, but his early death prevented our seeing where he would have taken his art. "Gunmetal" silver was one of the new finishes he added to pottery. He was first to add a bit of turquoise to a piece, also. Skunks became a favorite motif that he worked into his designs. After the death of both Popovi Da and Maria, grandson Tony Da picked up the family tradition of pottery and has carried the art even further into modern designs and styles. This beautiful book serves as an excellent visual and textual overview of Maria's exquisite pottery still unmatched in its fine lines, graceful shapes, and simplicity. As an introduction, there is a moving speech ("Indian Pottery and Indian Values") given in 1969 by Maria's son and fellow potter, Popovi Da, at the School of American Research before his untimely death in 1971.

Maria Martinez was an Indian woman from the San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico.The date of her birth is estimated to be between 1881 and 1887. She learned her skills as a potter when she was a child, but went on to perfect her work and become one of the most gifted of the Pueblo potters. Her "black-on-black" style pottery is world famous.

Not far away from the San Ildefonso Pueblo is an ancient village site where the Anasazi Indians had lived. Dr Edgar Lee Hewitt led an archaeological expedition to the Anasazi site in 1908. The archaeologists found caves with artwork on the walls and also discovered pieces of Anasazi pottery. Julian Martinez, Maria's husband was one of the local men to be employed working for the archaeologists on that site. He used his drawing skills to copy the Anasazi drawings. Dr. Hewitt asked if Maria could try to duplicate the ancient pottery and he enlisted the help of Julian to paint the Anasazi designs on her work. Over the years, Maria and Julian created a lot of beautiful pottery. After Julian died in 1943, other members of the family worked with Maria creating the beautiful pieces that are cherished today. Maria Martinez died in 1980.

There are some great photographs of Maria, Julian and other members of the Martinez family at work on their pottery. Maria received many honors and acclaim during her life. In 1934, Eleanor Roosevelt invited her to be her guest at the White House.

My great grand mother would have been pleased to see the delight this story brings to her great great grandchildren's faces. The artwork brings back many fond memories. Pat Mora couldn't have chosen a better subject . Children will love the pictures and the simple tale this book has to offer.

Written by an anthropologist who tells Maria's story through short stories as told to her by Maria. This book begins with Maria's accounting of pueblo life during her childhood. You learn of her life with her artistic, but alcoholic, husband Julian. An interesting accounting of their work which earned world acclaim for the unique pottery they produced. This book is a window to a time long forgotten and into the soul of a creative artist. The community spirit of the pueblo is well described and inspiring. You can't put this down once you begin. It's a great read!

I just got my copy of this book. It's been twenty years coming too. Recently, thinking of my old art teacher from college days, I decided to put up a webpage in memoriam.

The book, well, I've only read the pages directly relating to Stephen Naegle. It told me what happened with him and his family since I knew them in the early seventies. Stephen was a master watercolor painter. The book chronicles the last few decades of his life.

Thanks to Mary Carrol Nelson for compiling and writing this book. It blessed me to catch up with my old friend and teacher.

Anyone may view my effort to describe this great individual, Stephen Naegle, American Watercolor Painter, 1939-1981 on this website: (apparently the website link was removed).

Just use a search engine and search on these parameters and you will find the site where "In Memoriam" I talk about my old art teacher: Stephen Naegle, American Watercolor Painter, 1939-1981, thanks

Matt Field, a middling actor down on his luck, sickly, rejected twice by two different women when he proposed marriage, decided in 1839 to take a trip to Santa Fe with one of the trading caravans headed to that city from Independence, Missouri. Accompanied by a few friends, he steamboated from St. Louis to Independence, where in July he joined a small (18 men) caravan and set out across the plains. Going through Council Grove on to Bent's Fort, he continued over Raton Pass after which he left the main caravan and followed a trail to Taos and then down to Santa Fe. Thoroughly enjoying his stay in Santa Fe, but fearing a winter crossing of the plains, he left the capital late in September, took the Cimarron Cutoff, and made it back to Independence by the last day in October.

Fortunately for posterity, Field kept a journal of his trip, which is included here; he was also later hired by the New Orleans Picayune to write a number of articles based on his travels and experiences (they also are included here and make up the main portion of the book). A budding poet as well as an actor, Field turned his outward-bound journal into a long epic poem (the return leg remained in typical diary form). Though his poetic skills are not very good, this poem remains a unique document in the annals of western literature. The newspaper articles are another matter; they are superbly written and fascinating to read. The articles were meant to entertain readers, and hearsay and embellishment abound, but their bases are in fact and in what Field experienced. Everything seemed to be worthy of his attention and subsequent relating, from sights along the trail to humorous anecdotes related to him by others he met along the way. There is the obligatory grizzly bear story and thunderstorm-on-the-prairie story, but also more personal items such as a funeral in Taos and a wedding in Santa Fe. The articles ran for two years in the Picayune and as they still do today must have brought much enthusiasm to their first readers. The trade along the Santa Fe Trail was in decline by 1839, and to have Field's first-hand impressions of what it was like then is remarkable. It's among the half-dozen most important original works regarding the trail and the trade and the people who were involved with both, and it's a delight to read. Highly recommended.