Time for Tradition

Retablo artist Corine Mora-Fernandez passes down techniques to grandchildren

Kay Lockridge | For The New Mexican

7/19/2008 - 7/20/08

Spanish Market is nothing if not tradition, and nothing illustrates this better than the Youth Market. In fact, the Youth Market, whose artists must be at least 7 years old, has "grandmothered" in 6-year-old Isaiah Valenzuela.

The youngster, whose great-grandmother and teacher is the acclaimed retablo artist Corine Mora-Fernandez, participated in the Market last year when children as young as 5 were permitted to show at Youth Market. Mora-Fernandez has mentored numerous grandchildren over the 20 years that she has been in Market.

This year, Isaiah will join seven of his cousins in Youth Market. The Fernandez grandchildren are Jocelyn, 9, Joel Michael, 15, Joelyn, 7, Joey Miklo, 8, Joliaunna, 11, and Jordan Miranda, 12. Eight-year-old Marcos Valenzuela rounds out the extensive family in this year's Market. All the children, like their grandmother, are retablo artists.

They all had to think hard when asked what they liked most about Spanish Market, but agreed that they enjoyed working and spending time with family, learning about Spanish-colonial history and culture, showing and demonstrating their art and earning awards and money for their work.

"The Youth Market is not really about being an artist," said Arlene Cisneros Sena, a longtime retablo artist and head of the Spanish Market Advocacy Committee. "It's about passing on a tradition and knowing who you are and your place in that tradition."

For that reason, Sena added, the market has tightened up the requirements and guidelines for participation in Youth Market. Each young artist must have a sponsor or mentor who is a juried artist in the selected art form in Spanish Market. In the past, relatives such as Mora-Fernandez could mentor as many children as they chose. This year, a mentor may sponsor up to three children.

Application for the Youth Market is made by the sponsor, who guarantees the youth exhibitor will be present both days of market and will show and sell only their own handmade, traditional Spanish-colonial artwork as defined by the Spanish Colonial Arts Society. The sponsor also is expected to instill the culture's history and tradition in the young artists, as well as accepted business practices and pricing guidelines.

Parents are important in this process, too, Sena noted. They are encouraged to be aware of the Market guidelines, as well as chaperone and supervise preteen artists during the two-day market. "We want the family involved in this effort, because family is the core of Spanish-colonial art and tradition," Sena said. She is sponsoring a niece and two nephews at this market.

"What the young people need to know — in fact, what everyone needs to know — is that Spanish Market belongs to Spanish New Mexico solely," Sena said. "That's why every participating artist must be at least one-fourth Hispanic and native to New Mexico or southern Colorado, or have a definite historic and cultural connection to New Mexico, because it is Spanish New Mexican art and the market is the only one of its kind in the world."

While youngsters are not screened into the market as adult artists must be, they may compete for a variety of awards in bultos, retablos, straw appliqué, tinwork, weaving, precious metals and special awards.

The awards are given in three divisions: ages 7-10, 11-14 and 15-17, with cash awards ranging from $25 to $300 for the Grand Prize, which is awarded to a youth in any age group for work in any medium.

Susan Rojas, a volunteer at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art and now in her third year as youth judging coordinator, works with three individuals knowledgeable about Spanish-colonial culture, art and education.

They will not know who created the various pieces they will judge Friday morning. The awards are announced at the preview that evening.

"Our goal is to encourage young artists to jury into the adult market when they reach 18," Rojas said. "We want the kids to have fun creating their art and, at the same time, consider the cultural and historic ramifications of Spanish Market. We need the active involvement of the sponsors and parents to achieve this.

"Not everyone (in Youth Market) will receive an award; in fact, they (awards) may not all be given out. Parents and sponsors, as well as the kids, need to be aware of and prepared for this," Rojas said.

Meanwhile, Mora-Fernandez has been working with her seven grandchildren and great-grandchild for two weeks, readying their retablos for the Youth Market.

It's been more difficult than usual because she lost one of her two brothers just weeks ago; her mother — with whom she had been an artistic colleague for years and her primary caregiver for the past eight years — died last fall.

There is no hesitation, however, when Mora-Fernandez is asked to name the best thing about Spanish Market and working with kids for the Youth Market: "Aside from the fact that I get to spend time with them, we're passing something (tradition) on that matters, that's important. It's a special time for all of us, the kids and me."