Canyon de Chelley, Monument Valley, Spider Rock, Enchanted Mesa, Acoma, Black Mesathese are names that evoke an aura of mystery and hint at the birth of legends. These sites are part of an enduring, rugged landscape that speaks of the ancient heritage of a region known as Arizona and New Mexico. This land, the pwople who live there and their native crafts, are the threads in a rich cultural tapestry that is the inspiration for the works of Amado M. Pena, Jr. Using this trilogy and imagery, Pena studies the interrelation and integration of these entities, giving each equal importance. Pena, a mestizo of Mexican and Yaqui ancestry, celebrates the strength of a people who meet the harsh realities of life in an uncompromising land and his work is a tribute to these Native Americans who survive by living in harmony with an adversarial, intamed environment.
Using bold color, form and the dynamics of composition, Pena communicates his vision of a land, a people, and their art. He is a prolific artist with restless, creative energy that keeps him at work in his studios in Santa Fe and Austin. The drama of his paintings is heightened by an intensity of hue and unexpected spatial relationships.
Although his admirers come from different cultures and traditions, from all ages and parts of the world, the strength of his vision crosses such boundaries and speaks to them of hope, endurance and the unconquerable dignity of man. These are the qualities that are etched into the faces of Amado Pena's art.
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