Artist's sketches highlight lives of Native American women
By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers

Jorge Sanchez has always had a knack for creation.

Whether it was in furniture manufacturing, industrial engineering or graphic design, the 68year-old Simi Valley resident's life calling came out through his conceptual and hands-on talents.

But now, almost two years after retiring from his fulltime career in engineering, Sanchez has finally found more time to devote to his original passion- fine art.

"When I paint, I put a lot of my feelings into it," he said. "Back in Mexico, I supported my education by selling my paintings. Eventually people started asking me to paint things for them or make them portraits. I love it."

This weekend, his most recent project- an art showcase titled "The Tribute to the American Native Women"- will come to the Simi Valley Senior Center.

The collection, compiled over the course of about four years, includes 14 original ink drawings, three posters, two murals and one painting that combine Sanchez's art with a lesson in history.

Sanchez was first inspired to create the collection in 1999. He was living in Laredo, Texas, at the time, working as a drafting technician for the city's public works department.

"When I was living there, I met all these families who were telling me about their greatgreatgrandmothers who did special things for the community," he said. "Then later I'd meet another family who would tell me the same thing but about another lady. There were so many stories about these ladies, so I started to do my own research."

Eventually, Sanchez came up with a list of 32 women, spanning from Laredo's founding to present day, who each had made some type of special contribution to the local community. His research was published in a reference book titled "The Historical Women of Laredo2000," which was recognized by local government officials from the city of Laredo and Webb County.

In 2001, the first pieces of Sanchez's tribute to the Laredo women started surfacing in the form of detailed ink drawings. He drew Native American women in historic scenarios- gathering fruit, making rope out of grass and carrying wood on their backs while walking with their young children.

Women's contributions to society are often overlooked, Sanchez said, so he found it fitting to pay tribute to them. In 2004, he showed the complete tribute for the first time during an art expo in Laredo.

His final artistic contribution to the south Texas city before his retirement in 2006 was to design a monument for the Laredo municipal cemetery.

Shortly after completing the project, he and his wife Maria Elena moved to Simi Valley to be closer to their five children.

The opening reception for "The Tribute to the American Native Women" will take place from 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday at the Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi.

Special guests include the Rancho Simi Folklorico Dance Group, the Simi Valley Classics Car Club and the Motorcycle Women's Club. Food and drinks will be provided courtesy of Taqueria Jalisco, Panaderia Garcia Bakery and the Maya Travel Agency of Moorpark.