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Marcelina Herrera facts for kids

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Marcelina Herrera
Nationality American
Known for Painting
Painting by Marcelina Herrera 1936
This painting by Marcelina Herrera from 1936 shows her special use of patterns.

Marcelina Herrera, also known as Hawelana or Ha-we-la-na, was an amazing American painter. She was a member of the Zia Pueblo tribe. Marcelina was well-known for her unique "flat" painting style and how she used patterns in her artwork.

Who Was Marcelina Herrera?

Marcelina Herrera was a talented artist from New Mexico. She used two other names, Hawelana and Ha-we-la-na. These names were important to her heritage. She became famous for her paintings that looked different from many other artists' work.

Her Artistic Journey

Marcelina started her art education in 1934. She studied at the Santa Fe Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She learned at a special place called The Studio. Her teacher there was Dorothy Dunn, who taught many Native American artists. Marcelina continued her studies later. She went to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Her Unique Painting Style

Marcelina Herrera's paintings had a very special look. She used a "flat" style. This means her art did not try to show depth or make things look like real 3D objects. Instead, her paintings focused on shapes, lines, and colors. She also used many interesting patterns in her work.

In 1936, Marcelina wrote about her art. She said that modern paintings often showed ceremonies and dances. She also mentioned that artists painted things from their daily lives. She felt that Indian art was becoming more important again. She wrote, "Beautiful paintings are produced more and more which emphasizes that the Indian art is rising again."

Where Her Art Was Shown

Marcelina Herrera's artwork was very important. Her paintings have been shown in famous places. One of these places is the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.. This shows how much her art was valued.

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