Original Front Door

The Crowley house has a heavy hand carved front door; the door is signed and dated in 1949.  The carvings on the door depict the life interest of the home owner Sam S. Crowley.  The door was carved by Patricino Barela of Taos, New Mexico.  The Door is dated 1949.

Patricino Barela emerged in 1936 as one of America’s most important artist when he was featured in a show of Federal Art Project artist in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.  He was the first Mexican-American artist to receive such a high degree of recognition.
The artist made his home in Canon, New Mexico outside Taos.  He never learned much about writing, and he spent much of his life working on the farms, and ranches of the Rocky Mountain states.  He lived and died in poverty.  His tragic death by fire took place in the workshop where he had carved some of the most profound art of our time.

The above paragraph was taken from the book SPIRIT ASCENDANT, The Art and Life of  Patrocino Barela, (IBSN#1-878610-46-5) by Edward Gonzales and David L. Witt.

More information on Patricino Barela is available at the following:

The Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution
The Harwood Museum of Art Taos, New Mexico
www.collectorsguide.com/fa/fa046.shtml