Amado Maurilio Peña
Amado Maurilio Peña, Jr. was born in Laredo, Texas in 1943. He studied art and education at Texas A & I (now Texas A & M Kingsville), where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees.
Peña was born in Laredo, Texas of Mexican and Yaqui heritage and is recognized as an Artisan of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona--a distinction of which he is particularly proud. He grew up in his father's Mexican-American culture, but as he grew older he learned to incorporate the Pascua Yaqui cultural influences of his mother's people into his art. His art celebrates the strength of a people who meet the harsh realities of life in an uncompromising land, and his work is a tribute to the Native Americans who survive by living in harmony with an adversarial, untamed environment. He was a teacher in his hometown of Laredo as well as in Crystal City and Austin, Texas. He continues to teach as part of the Studio Art League program at Alexander High School in Laredo and is also an adjunct professor in the College of Education at the University of Texas. He has been a presenter at many national education conferences. His artwork is inspired by places such as Canyon de Chelly, Spider Rock, Monument Valley, Enchanted Mesa, Acoma, and Black Mesa. These sites are part of an enduring landscape that speaks of the ancient heritage of a region that is now known as Arizona and New Mexico. |