Ellen Noël Art Museum features new exhibit by Guadalupe Hernandez

The Ellen Noël Art Museum in Odessa opened a new exhibit, “Con Cariño,” by Guadalupe Hernandez. The exhibit, which translates to “with love,” features themes of family, labor and cultural practices. It is also meant to pay tribute to his parents’ immigrant struggle as they left their home country to pursue the “American Dream” and give their children a better life.

Hernandez uses chisels and punches in his work for this exhibit, something he says, “wields a dual significance in this body of work. The physicality of using the chisel mirrors the repetitive and labor-intensive endeavors of my parents.” He adds that the level of skill, precision and care required to produce the designs also serves as visual representation of the love and admiration he has for the sacrifices his parents made for their family.

As the winner of the Nest Heritage Craft Prize, Hernandez received national acclaim for his effort to preserve the Mexican art form of “papel picado,” which translates to “cut paper.” He served as the artist in residence for the Arts Students League of Denver and has been an artist in residence for the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and the Asia Society Texas Center.

“Con Cariño” will be exhibited at the Ellen Noël Art Museum until Dec. 1. Admission to the museum is free for all residents of the Permian Basin. For more information on tickets and event museums, visit the museum’s website here.