Geronimo Olivas

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

Born September 30, 1957 in Alamosa Colorado, Geronimo Olivas graduated from Alamosa High School. He attended Adams State College and in 1993 received a BA in Spanish and a minor in art. He has worked in the schools for the San Luis Valley utilizing his degree and art background. He married Lucie Ruybal and has four children: Natalia, Tomas, Andres, and Marisa.

GENERAL BACKGROUND

Geronimo comes from a family of woodcarvers. His grandfather, Abedon Olivas, was a woodcarver and his father, Juan Olivas was a woodworker. When Geronimo was 31 years old he enrolled in an Adams State College class, "Santeros de Nuevo Mexico." Through this class he created his first crucifix and realized he had the talent to carve holy images out of wood. Thus began his life as a santero. In 1992 Geronimo received a Master/Apprentice grant from the Colorado Council on the Arts under the mentorship of santero Rubel Jaramillo.

ARTISTIC BACKGROUND

Under the direction of santero Rubel Jaramillo, Geronimo excelled in making santos. He's participated in many shows and presentations throughout Colorado's schools, museums, and private gallery exhibits. Since 1993 he's worked as an executive board member of San Luis Valley's Indo-Hispano cultural arts organization, Adobe de Oro Concilio de Artes, to sponsor and organize santos workshops. From 1994-96 Geronimo taught Santero Woodcarving classes through Trinidad State College's Alamosa campus. Geronimo continues to research santos through literature on Spanish Colonial Art and the history of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. He makes bultos which tend to have elongated limbs and bodies.

SUBJECTS AND SOURCES

Geronimo works from styles of past santeros of Colorado and northern New Mexico. His research and creations derive from traditional bultos of the area which center around his family heritage, particularly the morada de Nuestro Padre Jesus in Lobatos, Colorado.

MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES

Geronimo uses a variety of woods: pine, aspen, cedar, and cottonwood. He uses traditional woodcarving tools, homemade animal hide and gypsum gesso, piñon sap and everclear varnish, and pigments which consist of plants, minerals, clays. In addition he also uses acrylics and watercolors.

ARTISTIC RECOGNITION

In 1992 Geronimo Olivas received a Master Apprentice award to study under Rubel Jaramillo through the Colorado Council on the Arts. In 1993 was a featured artist for Young Audiences: Artist in Residence Program for the Colorado Council on the Arts. In 1994 he became an Master for the Master/Apprentice program sponsored by the Colorado Council on the Arts.