TAOS ARTIST SAYS HER ART IS A FORM OF HEALING
Story by
Lynn Pribus and photo by Glenn Pribus
When I first spotted a retablo of Saint Cecilia, the patroness of composers, music and musicians, in the gift shop of the Harwood Museum of Art in Taos, I murmured casually to my husband that my birthday was approaching. After all, I’m a musician. And he’s a sweet husband; Saint Cecilia now hangs on my wall.
The next day, it was an unexpected delight to meet the artist –Lynn Garlick – at a Taos Art Festival. Garlick regularly participates in art shows and fairs. “I really love the contact with people,” she says. “Many are deeply moved by the retablos.”
These icons, painted by laymen called Santeros, date back to the 1700’s when the region was cut off from the church in Rome by distance and war. “The retablos were almost regarded as family members,” Garlick tells me. “Over the years, my retablos have grown into being a form of prayer for me. They are a way of reaching out for help, healing and right thought.”
Among Garlick’s retablos are San Vicente, patron of wine and vintners; Saint Agatha, protector of nurses; and St. Bernard, patron of skiers and mountain climbers. Garlick’s personal favorite is San Francisco Asis (Francis of Assisi), depicted as a cheerful young man surrounded by birds. Her most popular, she says, is San Pasgual – the patron of cooks which features a border of chili peppers.
If you’re looking for a very special gift, these retablos are great. You can write to Garlick at PO Box 1193, Taos NM 87571 (send a #10 SASE for a catalog) or Google “Lynn Garlick retablos” to find several on-line merchants who carry her wonderful work.