1. Celebration Plates Project
The Fair in Reynosa
By Carmen Lomas Garza
Celebration Plates Project
Art Masterpiece
3rd Grade

2. Carmen Lomas Garza
She was born in 1948 and emigrated to the USA with her family from Mexico.
She attended college at San Francisco State University.
Her art focuses on traditions and values in Mexican-American culture with a big focus on families.
Her art is famous and is on display in many galleries including the Smithsonian.

3. Quote by Carmen Garza:
“I was thirteen years old when I decided to become an artist. I taught myself to draw by practicing every day. I drew whatever was in front of me—books, cats, my left hand, my sisters and brothers, chairs, chilies, paper bags, flowers—anything or anybody that would stay still for a few minutes…I have three college degrees. When I was in high school I could hardly wait to graduate so I could go to college and study art….”

4. Vocabulary Words:
Folk Art: images from every day life and surroundings – sometimes appearing 2 dimensional
Color: light hitting the back of the eye and being bent causing different colors to appear
Pattern: something repeating. It is sometimes achieved through use of colors.

5. The Fair in Reynosa
This is painted from a memory of a trip across the border to a fair in Reynosa Mexico with her friends.

6. Color How do the colors affect the mood or feeling of the painting?
What feelings do you feel when you see the colors red, blue or green?

7. Our Art Project Today: Think of a special family event in your home.
Choose colors that represent that celebration.
Paint the background of your plate. (You can paint it all one color or you can make it multicolored.)
Let’s let the background of your plate dry and talk a bit more about the artist and her painting! 

8. What activities do you see happening in this picture?
Do you see someone buying something? What are they buying?

9. Have you ever been to a Fair?
What do you hear when you look at this painting?
How does this painting make you feel?
Do the people look happy or sad?
Do you see tiny details in this painting?

10. Use of patterns: What patterns can you see in this painting?
Garza, used many different patterns to add interest and life to her painting.
What patterns can you see in this painting?

11. Let’s finish our plates!
Now you can add a decorative design on your celebration plate – it can be along the border or all over your plate.
You may want to use black and white paint to help your pattern stand out against your bright background.