Rio Grande Books News

SACRED FEMININE Featured in NM Magazine
Award-winning author Judith McLaughlin and her new book SACRED FEMININE are featured in a book review in New Mexico Magazine. McLaughlin won the 2009 New Mexico Book Awards in her category and won a 2010 New Mexico Press Women’s Award for Sacred Feminine. Sacred Feminine examines the role that culture, religion, sociology, art, and gender play in the development of religious, Santero art in New Mexico. McLaughlin also looks at images of women in sacred art in New Mexico.
New Mexico Magazine says:
"Ever since Spanish Colonial times, santos — the sacred folk-art figures depicting Roman Catholic saints that are the objects of daily prayer and community celebration in New Mexico—have helped carry on the faith in this rugged area. Although much research has been devoted to santos, the artists who make them (santeros), and the creation of these devotional figures, little attention has been paid to the role of feminine symbolism and iconography in this tradition. In Sacred Feminine, author Judith McLaughlin helps to remedy this oversight. She explores santeros’ depictions of Mary, the mother of Jesus and the key feminine figure in Catholic tradition, as well as how the glorification of these feminine figures affected the roles of women in Spanish Colonial society. To illustrate the concepts discussed, the book includes many photographs of santos, bultos, and retablos; however, McLaughlin fails to pinpont the connections between the specific pieces presented and the concepts she describes. Additionally, these pieces of religious folk art are presented in black-and-white, which doesn’t allow the reader to fully appreciate their colorful beauty. On the whole, however, Sacred Feminine — which won the 2009 New Mexico Book Award for Best Religious Book—is a fascinating look at this artistic tradition that both scholars and art fans will appreciate."--May 2010
BOOK SIGNING
Sunday, June 20 at 1pm --Treasure House Books, Albuquerque, NM

Connie Gotsch www.conniegotsch.com Host Write On Four Corners KSJE FM, Farmington NM www.ksje.com Author two award winning novels Snap Me a Future and A Mouthful of Shell available at Amazon.com and from me right here.

And now out! Belle’s Star,’ a youth novel from Artemesia Press at http://www.apbooks.net and amazon.com, and through your local book store. Winner 2010 Mom’s Choice Award Finalist 2009 New Mexico Book Awards.