The Fair in Reynosa

By Carmen Lomas GarzaCelebration Plates Project

Art Masterpiece3rd Grade

Carmen Lomas Garza

She was born in 1948 and emigrated to the USA with her family from Mexico.

She attended college at San Francisco State University.

Her art focuses on traditions and values in Mexican-American culture with a big focus on families.

Her art is famous and is on display in many galleries including the Smithsonian.

Quote by Carmen Garza:

“I was thirteen years old when I decided to become an artist. I taught myself to draw by practicing every day. I drew whatever was in front of me—books, cats, my left hand, my sisters and brothers, chairs, chilies, paper bags, flowers—anything or anybody that would stay still for a few minutes…I have three college degrees. When I was in high school I could hardly wait to graduate so I could go to college and study art….”

Vocabulary Words:

Folk Art: images from every day life and surroundings – sometimes appearing 2 dimensional

Color: light hitting the back of the eye and being bent causing different colors to appear

Pattern: something repeating. It is sometimes achieved through use of colors.

The Fair in Reynosa

This is painted from a memory of a trip across the border to a fair in Reynosa Mexico with her friends.

How do the colors affect the mood or feeling of the painting?

What feelings do you feel when you see the colors red, blue or green?

Color

Our Art Project Today:

1. Think of a special family event in your home.

2. Choose colors that represent that celebration.

3. Paint the background of your plate. (You can paint it all one color or you can make it multicolored.)

4. Let’s let the background of your plate dry and talk a bit more about the artist and her painting!

What activities do you see happening in this picture?

Do you see someone buying something? What are they buying?

What do you hear when you look at this painting?

How does this painting make you feel?

Do the people look happy or sad?

Do you see tiny details in this painting?

Have you ever

been to a Fair?

Use of patterns:

Garza, used many

different patterns to add interest

and life to her painting.

What patterns can you see in this painting?

Let’s finish our plates! Now you can add a decorative design on your

celebration plate – it can be along the border or all over your plate.

You may want to use black and white paint to help your pattern stand out against your bright background.