Mary Calengor is known for her highly detailed realism painted in oil on linen and canvas.  There is amazing detail in her art, along with an intuitive sense of how she captures the light on her subjects.  This painting is entitled “Symbol of Pride“.  This piece is an Apache Burden basket.  The detail in the basket is amazing!  I added a few additional photos of Mary painting the detail of each stitch.  Note as well the shadow of the basket to left.  It is subtle but adds a nice perspective.

Mary says of this painting:

This handwoven Apache Burden Basket dates back to 1890 and is woven in a twined technique using willow.  Woven by the Apache women, it was a symbol of pride and a great part of Native American culture.  These baskets were used for everyday use, such as gathering food or firewood and cultivating their crops.  Worn on their backs with buckskin straps that went around their shoulders and the forehead to distribute the weight of the “burden”.  This particular basket has beautiful tassels made from deer or cow skin and was likely used for ceremonial purposes. One such ceremony was the Sunrise Ceremony, marking a young girls passage into womanhood.  I discovered this basket on a trip to Santa Fe and knew when I saw it that I had to paint it for its beauty and its history.

Brand

Calengor, Mary

Mary Calengor

My journey as an artist has been winding with peaks and valleys. That has been life's way of shaping me and my art, bringing me to where I am today. Born in Duluth, Minnesota, I grew up in a house filled with art. My father is a painter, and I developed a passion for this creative outlet under his tutelage. At a young age, I worked by his side in our studio, sketching and exploring various mediums. I graduated from the University of Minnesota with degrees in graphic design and fine art, married shortly after that, and had the gift of raising four children. A career in marketing soon followed as my family moved on to their pursuits. During these years, my painting went on hold, and after twenty years, I began to question who I was as an artist. In 2017, with my husband's loving support, I decided to paint again as a full-time artist. I had no idea what my style or focus was going to be. I painted landscapes, still life, loose interpretations, and detailed work, and I felt lost. Then I went to Santa Fe to visit friends, and something happened that I cannot explain. The night we arrived, I woke to see in my mind who I was to be as an artist with such clarity. I knew exactly what subject matter was inside me and how to paint it. My identity as a painter was found.

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