The Inaugural Renderings of Santa Cecilia
La Patrona de la Música
Curator's Statement by Dolores Garcia
At the intersection where art, music, and faith meet, stands Saint Cecilia. Here at this convergence one can find a Rapheal Renaissance masterpiece, a Handel cantata, a Simon and Garfunkel hit single, and a veritable cornucopia of music and art inspired by her story. A story told for centuries in the universal languages of art and music. That of a martyr who skipped out on her forced nuptials to sing songs from her heart to God. An act for which she would be named the patron saint of music and musicians. Indeed it is at this meeting point of art, music, and faith, where her story inspired me. For what other crossroads can take us on such journeys through our own lives and imaginations? This is why I am proud beyond words to be curating an art exhibition in her honor.
La Peña Gallery will host this inaugural exhibition titled, “Renderings of Santa Cecilia: La patrona de la música.” A celebration of Santa Cecilia’s Feast day in The Live Music Capital of The World. This free exhibit will open on Saturday, November 13, 2021 from 7-9 pm and will run through December 20, 2021. La Peña Gallery is located at 227 Congress Avenue, Austin TX. A virtual tour of this exhibit will also be provided at the gallery’s website www.lapena-austin.org.
Featuring a menagerie of works from twenty-four artists from throughout the U.S. and Mexico--through their depictions of Santa Cecilia this exhibit is an exploration into the ways art, music, and faith have impacted our lives and culture. Take a journey through a myriad of times, places, and emotive realities as our diverse group of renowned and emerging artists present their unique takes on the patron saint of music.
In their renditions of Santa Cecilia I find myself transported to another time as they evoke melodic memories--recuerdos de otro tiempo. I am a child bewildered and mesmerized by the frenetic action of my father as he plays his ruby red accordion in the styles of conjunto. I am a teenager watching my brothers jamming in our garage to Buddy Holly and Richie Valens. I am attending mass, singing to the Lord as my brother plays guitar in the church band. I am at home with my husband as songs encompassing our lives pipe through our sound system--Bob Dylan, The Cure, Los Lobos, Gregorian Chant, and La Santa Cecilia among them. I am back in the present, excited beyond expression for having been given the opportunity to present this collection to you in the hopes that you too can be taken on a voyage as we salute Santa Cecilia.
So please join us in celebrating Saint Cecilia’s Feast Day as we showcase the creativity of visual artists and musicians while advancing public engagement in the Austin area. This event is free and open to the public.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank and acknowledge the Santa Cecilia organizing committee for their help in the realization of this exhibition. Members of this committee are: Cecilia Colomé, Scherezade Garcia-Vasquez, Carlos Lowry, Felicia Morin, Fernando Munoz, and Liliana Wilson. We grateful to Josh Hernandez for his assistance in developing our press release.
La Peña Gallery is a 501(c)3 arts organization funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office / Cultural Arts division, and by grants from the Alice Kieberg Reynolds Foundation, the Texas Commision on the Arts, CoYoTe Phoenix, and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, believing an investment in the arts is an investment in Austin’s future. I would also like to extend a special thanks to the following donors for their generous support of this project: Jason Garcia & Jennifer Inumerable-Garcia; Jon and Lauren Garcia; Monterrosa Law Group LLC (Rudy & Cecilia Monterrosa) & Southwest Airlines.
At the intersection where art, music, and faith meet, stands Saint Cecilia. Here at this convergence one can find a Rapheal Renaissance masterpiece, a Handel cantata, a Simon and Garfunkel hit single, and a veritable cornucopia of music and art inspired by her story. A story told for centuries in the universal languages of art and music. That of a martyr who skipped out on her forced nuptials to sing songs from her heart to God. An act for which she would be named the patron saint of music and musicians. Indeed it is at this meeting point of art, music, and faith, where her story inspired me. For what other crossroads can take us on such journeys through our own lives and imaginations? This is why I am proud beyond words to be curating an art exhibition in her honor.
La Peña Gallery will host this inaugural exhibition titled, “Renderings of Santa Cecilia: La patrona de la música.” A celebration of Santa Cecilia’s Feast day in The Live Music Capital of The World. This free exhibit will open on Saturday, November 13, 2021 from 7-9 pm and will run through December 20, 2021. La Peña Gallery is located at 227 Congress Avenue, Austin TX. A virtual tour of this exhibit will also be provided at the gallery’s website www.lapena-austin.org.
Featuring a menagerie of works from twenty-four artists from throughout the U.S. and Mexico--through their depictions of Santa Cecilia this exhibit is an exploration into the ways art, music, and faith have impacted our lives and culture. Take a journey through a myriad of times, places, and emotive realities as our diverse group of renowned and emerging artists present their unique takes on the patron saint of music.
In their renditions of Santa Cecilia I find myself transported to another time as they evoke melodic memories--recuerdos de otro tiempo. I am a child bewildered and mesmerized by the frenetic action of my father as he plays his ruby red accordion in the styles of conjunto. I am a teenager watching my brothers jamming in our garage to Buddy Holly and Richie Valens. I am attending mass, singing to the Lord as my brother plays guitar in the church band. I am at home with my husband as songs encompassing our lives pipe through our sound system--Bob Dylan, The Cure, Los Lobos, Gregorian Chant, and La Santa Cecilia among them. I am back in the present, excited beyond expression for having been given the opportunity to present this collection to you in the hopes that you too can be taken on a voyage as we salute Santa Cecilia.
So please join us in celebrating Saint Cecilia’s Feast Day as we showcase the creativity of visual artists and musicians while advancing public engagement in the Austin area. This event is free and open to the public.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank and acknowledge the Santa Cecilia organizing committee for their help in the realization of this exhibition. Members of this committee are: Cecilia Colomé, Scherezade Garcia-Vasquez, Carlos Lowry, Felicia Morin, Fernando Munoz, and Liliana Wilson. We grateful to Josh Hernandez for his assistance in developing our press release.
La Peña Gallery is a 501(c)3 arts organization funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office / Cultural Arts division, and by grants from the Alice Kieberg Reynolds Foundation, the Texas Commision on the Arts, CoYoTe Phoenix, and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, believing an investment in the arts is an investment in Austin’s future. I would also like to extend a special thanks to the following donors for their generous support of this project: Jason Garcia & Jennifer Inumerable-Garcia; Jon and Lauren Garcia; Monterrosa Law Group LLC (Rudy & Cecilia Monterrosa) & Southwest Airlines.
Participating Artists:
Rene Arceo
Jose Arenas
Veronica Castillo
Cecilia Colomé
Cecilia Sanchez Duarte
Cris Escobar
Sandra Fernandez
Juan Fuentes
Esperanza Gama
Iliana Garcia
Scherezade Garcia
Victor Garcia
Naxieli Gomez
Brian Joseph
Carlos Lowry
Jeffrey Miranda
Celeste De Luna
Malaquias Montoya
Pete Ortiz
Antonio Pazaran
Julia Santos Solomon
Jackie Welsh
Liliana Wilson
Connie Arismendi
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Veronica Castillo
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Cecilia Colomé
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Sandra Fernandez
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Juan Fuentes
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Brian Joseph
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Malaquias Montoya
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Julia Santos Solomon
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Jackie Welsh
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Liliana Wilson
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