Guadalupe Arenas, member of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, lived and worked in the Coachella Valley during the late 1800's and into the 1900's.
Subject matter from the baskets created by Guadalupe Arenas, her serious look, and the palette are all symbols of a life led in harsh conditions while creating beautifully spectacular baskets. Is she strangled by her situation? Certainly Arenas created her baskets as a means to finance her life, during the Curio Trade, while living in a harsh desert environment. The choice of the deep reds and golden tones mimics the actual materials used in her basket work. The soft, more feminine tones, inspired by the fact she was female, provide a sharp contrast to the rest of the symbolism.
With these portraits I want to bring focus and attention to the women who lived in harsh conditions creating beautiful vessels under the tutelage of their mothers. Baskets which were originally utilitarian became collector items during the early 20th century disappearing into private collections. Guadalupe Arenas was one of these basket weavers whose baskets are highly valued today.
Guadalupe Arenas, member of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, lived and worked in the Coachella Valley during the late 1800's and into the 1900's.
Subject matter from the baskets created by Guadalupe Arenas, her serious look, and the palette are all symbols of a life led in harsh conditions while creating beautifully spectacular baskets. Is she strangled by her situation? Certainly Arenas created her baskets as a means to finance her life, during the Curio Trade, while living in a harsh desert environment. The choice of the deep reds and golden tones mimics the actual materials used in her basket work. The soft, more feminine tones, inspired by the fact she was female, provide a sharp contrast to the rest of the symbolism.
With these portraits I want to bring focus and attention to the women who lived in harsh conditions creating beautiful vessels under the tutelage of their mothers. Baskets which were originally utilitarian became collector items during the early 20th century disappearing into private collections. Guadalupe Arenas was one of these basket weavers whose baskets are highly valued today.