THE ARTIST:
THE TIMES:
William Penhallow Henderson (1877-1943) American painter, architect, and furniture designer.
The artists that settled in the New Mexico area in the 19 th century embraced the culture of the Native Americans that lived there. They built homes of thatch and mud, called adobe, much like the native tribes. Rooms were small, but added onto, spreading out over time. Furniture was made by artisans from wood and painted in the bright colors natural to the area. William Henderson was an architect, (building designer) and a furniture designer. He designed the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was built as a place to study the Navajo religion. Today it houses collections that document Navajo art and culture as well as other Native American arts. Henderson based his design on the round hooghan, the traditional Navajo home, also referred to as a hogan (Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian). Today many people visit the Taos and Santa Fe areas to view the art, architecture, and the culture that developed in New Mexico from the beginning of the 19 th century to today. They also visit traditional Pueblos and see the arts of the Native American communities that have lived in the area for much longer. Their art includes pottery made from local clay, small carvings, jewelry, and paintings on paper.
William Henderson studied in Europe for two years, completing many studies of the Old Masters works. Returning to America, he taught art in Chicago. In his late 20’s , he traveled with artist Carl Werntz by train, into Mexico and Arizona. There he completed thirty works which included his first Hopi subjects. Later in life he would live in New Mexico and paint the Hopi tribe ’s lifestyle and landscapes. These paintings are the ones he is remembered for, as well as many private portraits. He and his wife illustrated Anderson’s Best Fairy T ales . Many artists in the area illustrated books as well as making paintings. Henderson was one of the first artists to work and live in the area, which quickly become popular as an artist community. He was able to capture the vivid colors of New Mexico. He became a founder of the New Mexico Painters Society.
MAKE AN IMAGINATION DRAWING! Paint an imaginary landscape scene using secondary colors. To paint, tape the edges of a piece of watercolor paper to a drawing board with masking tape. Draw a picture and fill in the objects or spaces with color. Dip a brush in clean water. Then brush onto the paper. Blend colors on the paper. Dab the brush onto a paper towel to absorb excess moisture when needed.
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