No Rest
Dorothy Gutierrez
Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico
Dorothy Gutierrez of Santa Clara Pueblo has been in the trade of making nativity sets for many years. She is noted for combining buff and polish. Most of her figures show tunics of unpolished light brown buff. Veils and mantels are richly contrasted with polished dark brown slip. The Infant Jesus is placed on a cradleboard, probably a reminder of Dorothy’s Najavo descent. The cradleboard is not a cradle that invites lullabies. It is typical of people frequently on the move. The cradleboard answers a practical need. It allows the mother to carry babies as comfortably as possible. Christian existence is frequently compared to a pilgrim’s journey. The comparison has its origins in Jesus Christ who had no place to rest his head.
