Making Las Madres

The larger than life size sculptures, each figure a high relief made from cast cotton rag, was wholly invented by trial and error, and entails over 20 separate processes in the construction. Materials used to build Las Madres include discarded Denim and khaki jeans, found burlap, bast fiber from Yucca plants, Sonoran desert grasses, Nopales Prickly Pear mucilage (as a binder), wire & steel, plaster, natural resins and beeswax, and sand from the wash.

The sculptures were created in artistic collaboration with Arivaca sculptor Antonia Gallegos, Amado sculptor Cesar Lopez &Tucson mixed media artist Deborah McCullough.

“Las Madres; No Mas Lagrimas” is a highly experimental work. As far as we know, no one has used non-traditional materials like these in the creation of sculpture for an outdoor installation.

It takes a village to complete a project of this nature and included almost everyone in the immediate neighborhood and the artist’s circle of friends and family. Special thanks go to volunteer artist-participants including papermaker Catherine Nash, mask maker Lauren Raine, Sculptor and painter Charles Spillar, curator Thelma Smith and her husband Sam, Deborah’s family especially her husband Ed… all of whom volunteered their time and talent when many hands were needed. Neighbors included the entire Rodriguez family, Jim, Kenny, furniture maker Chris Bleek and contractor extraordinaire Mike Hanlon. Friends visiting from Northern California; Linda Schoppert, Pam King, Judy and Eileen pitched in at the outset.

"The Mothers; Las Madres Project; No Mas Lagrimas; No More tears," has been documented from its inception to completion.  If you are a public artist, a sculptor, fiber artist or a supporter of the arts for social and spiritual change and would like to know more about the mythic origins of Las Madres, the collaborative process, and the materials employed in the making of The Mothers, email us and let us know of your interest.

The Demold Crew