Untitled by Helen Hardin
This untitled mural by Helen Hardin consists of five superimposed masks in shades of brilliant orange, turquoise, red-pinks, and brown. The artist uses these overlapping stylized faces to suggest a ritual chant. She says of her painting, "I am expressing music through color." The contemporary style of this mural is in direct contrast to the naturalistic style of the other exterior murals. The artist signs her paintings with her Tewa name, "Tsa-sah-wee-eh," Little Standing Spruce, followed by a stylized tree symbol.
The Artist
Helen Hardin (1943-1984) is the daughter of Pablita Velarde. She moved away from her mother's traditionalism to develop her own distinctive, contemporary style. Helen studied at the Universities of New Mexico and Arizona and had her first one-woman show at the age of nineteen. Later she won five Grand Awards and two Best-of-Show awards. Her work is in many private collections.