Fray García de San Francisco

Thursday, May 15, 2008

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IN THE NEWS:

Equestrian Dedication Date
The World's Largest Equestrian Bronze to be dedicated on Saturday, April 21, 2007 at the International Airport, El Paso, Texas. The statue, nearly 10-years in the making, was installed on October 31, 2006.

Art Windows Exhibit
Paintings and sculpture by John Sherrill Houser at the El Paso International Airport (Nov. 15, 2006 through May 30, 2007). Exhibit courtesy of the city of El Paso Aviation and Museums/Cultural Affairs Departments and the Tom and Carolyn Diamond Collection.
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Colossal Heads & Gallery
The XII Travelers Heritage Collection features the Colossal Heads from the World's Largest Equestrian Bronze and other limited edition sculptures including the Large and Small Maquettes (models of the monument), Studies and Fragments. Sale proceeds support the creation of the XII Travelers Memorial.
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Latest Bronze Editions
The Heritage Collection features the two bronze maquettes (small-scale models: 33" & 17" high) from The World's Largest Equestrian bronze by Sculptor, John Sherrill Houser, XII Travelers Memorial of the Southwest.
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Collectors News

NEW 17-Inch Bronze Maquette

COLOSSAL HEADS From the Monuments

Meet the Artists - Limited Edition Bronzes

The Mission Grapes

Mission Grapes (The Fray García Monument)

Photo by Jody P. Schwartz

Artist attaches Rosary bead to Fray García's Crucifix

Photo by Jody P. Schwartz

Fray García in Pioneer Plaza

Photo by Jody P. Schwartz

Creating the Fray García Monument

Fray García de San Francisco
Founder of the Pass of the North, 1659

The Fray García bronze, second monument in the XII Travelers series, was created in two years (1994-1996) by sculptor John Sherrill Houser. The enlarging took place in the sculptor's El Paso studio. His son and assistant, Ethan Taliesin Houser, did much of the enlarging. The bronze was cast and installed by MC3 Foundry (Los Angeles, California). The statue was installed in Pioneer Plaza (heart of El Paso, Texas) on September 26, 1996. The 14-foot high statue is the largest standing bronze figure in the State of Texas.

The monument depicts the Franciscan missionary holding a carved wooden lintel beam in one hand and with the other, he beacons his Indian congregation to help build the mission. At his feet, is a Manso Indian basket laden with the Mission Grape, which Fray García introduced to the region.

Fray García's New Patina

Photo by Jody P. Schwartz©

Recent News: Cleaning & Re-patina

In October 2006, the monument (installed in 1996) was throughly cleaned and given a new, beautiful blue/grey patina (color coating applied by fire, acrylic & other chemicals). The new patina replaced the old one that, over the years, had turned the monument's surface from an attractive green to an ashen grey. The traditional patina would have retained its color in a wet climate, but not in El Paso's southwestern desert environment. Thus, the cleaning and re-patina were necessary for aesthetics and as for the statue's preservation, and was spearheaded by the City of El Paso, the Downtown Development Association and the XII Travelers non-profit board, The board is grateful to the City of El Paso, Humanties Texas and the private sector donors for support in this endeavor.

The Making of a Monument
Booklet on the Fray Garcia Statue

The XII Travelers Board offers The Making of a Monument, the 22-page illustrated booklet that describes the creative processes (sculpting, mold making, casting, etc) involved in the making the Fray García bronze as well as the history of the famous missionary who founded the Pass of the North. It is written by Nicholas P. Houser, anthropologist and historian, and includes images by Jody P. Schwartz, board member and professional photographer. They are both board members and project volunteers who live in the El Paso area. Please contact this website to purchase and order this publication. Proceeds go to the memorial's development.

The Origins
of Fray García de San Francisco

He was born in the Spanish province of Old Castile. Little is known about his orgins and youth. His first name, García, is unusual; it may have been his father's surname. His second name signified his religous order.
Fray García
The Missionary of New Mexico
In 1692, he traveled with Fray Antonio de Arteaga, a group of priests and laymen to reinforce mission efforts in the province of New Mexico. García was a lay brother at the time, but soon became a Franciscan priest of the Barefoot Frairs of San Diego.

Fray García & the Manso Indians
The Pass of the North
In 1630, Fray García was given charge of the Piro Indian mission of Senecú near modern-day Socorro, New Mexico, which had been established the previous year. Also in 1630, the Manso Indians at the Pass of the North requested a resident missionary. The Mansos were probably the most southern of the Río Grande Pueblo Indians. They lived in small family bands along the Río Grande between what is now Presidio, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico and perhaps extended north to the Gila River watershed. The Mansos practiced agriculture (corn, beans and squash), but their subsistence also depended upon hunting and gathering. They fished along the river, gathered tornillo and mesquite beans and hunted water fowl, deer, rodents and rabbits.The men wore loincloths and plastered their heads with cakes of river mud. The women wore deer hide skirts around the waists. The Sumas, ranging from the Rio Grande to the eastern flanks of the Sierra Madres in Chihuahua, were more nomadic, depending on hunting and gathering.

Fray García first arrived as a missionary at the Pass of the North around 1630 and sometime later returned to Senecú, leaving two priests in charge of the new converts. However, the Mansos became hostile and threatened the missionaries. Spanish soldiers rescued the priests, who returned to the northern capital of Santa Fé (New Mexico).

Fray García The Builder
In 1659, Fray García returned to the Pass, determined to establish a mission at this strategic location on the Camino Real. The settlement, on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, included Manso Indians, some neighboring Sumas and ten Piro families who joined together to assist the missionary. On December 8 of that year, Fray García celebrated mass in a newly compelted (stick and mud) structure that was named Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe).

In 1659, Fray García and his converts began to build a large, permanent church of an elevated rocky terrace that was protected from the Río Grande floodwaters. This mission was completed and formally dedicated on January 16, 1668, with Fray García, other Religious, and thousands of Indians in attendance. Fireworks roared across the night sky in celebration of the newly constructed church that was build by the missionaries, Spaniards and Indian artisans, and the Native Americans of the region.

Fray García's Legacy
The El Paso Valley Missions

Today, Guadalupe Mission stands in Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua (sister city of El Paso, Texas) as a beautiful example of the 17th century Río Grande mission architecture. This sanctuary or way station on the Camino Real has withstood flood, rebellion, revolution and war.

Fray García is recognized as the founding father of The Pass of the North, the sister cities of modern-day Cd. Juárez and El Paso. Fray García was a missionary at the Pass for 12 years. He died on January 22, 1673 at Senecú Pueblo in New Mexico.

He introduced to the El Paso region European agriculture, incluidng acequia or canal irrigation, grape cultivation, and livestock. For over 250 years, the Pass was famed for quality wine, potent "Paso Brandy", lush vineyards and bontiful fruit orchards.

Fray García Founds the Pass of the North and the Mother Mission

Fray Garcia founded El Paso del Río del Norte (The Ford of the River of the North) which today includes El Paso, Texas (USA) and Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua (Mexico). This was a result of his efforts to establish Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe) for the conversion of the local Native Americans, the Manso and Suma Indians. This church became the mother mission of the El Paso Valley Indian pueblos that were founded as result of the 1680 Pueblo Indian Rebellion in New Mexico. These missions historically included the following (with respective ethnic affiliations).

On the southern bank (now located in Mexico) were Senecú del Sur (Piro) and San Lorenzo (Manso, Suma, Tlaxcalan and Spaniard). The pueblos on the northern bank (now within the USA) were Ysleta del Sur (Tigua) and Socorro del Sur (Piro). In 1789, San Elizario (San Elceario) Presidio was founded as a Spanish military garrison. The fort had a presidial chapel and a mission for Apache Indians who temporarily resided (ca.1776-1830) in "peace camps" at that location during Spanish and Mexican rule.

Limited Edition Bronzes

The XII Travelers Gallery exhibits and sells limited edition bronzes from the monument, which include the maquette (32" high small-scale model), studies and fragments. The collection also comprises the full-scale monumental head which has been created for outdoor or indoor display. The Mission Grapes from the monument has been especially designed by the sculptor as a separate bronze set in a Moorish quatrafoil analogous to the old Guadalupe Mission. Sale proceeds from the XII Travelers Heritage Collection (project related art) go directly to help sustain the memorials development.

Fray García Maquette

A bronze maquette was permanently installed in 1995 at the entrance of the old Guadalupe Mission (in El Paso's sister city - Cd. Juárez, Chih., Mexico), which was built by Fray García (1662-1668).

In 2002, a bronze maquette was loaned to the El Paso International Airport to showcase the permanent exhibit on El Paso's historic missions entitled "The Path of the Padres".

XII Travelers Memorial of the Southwest Address: Bassett Tower 303 Texas Ave. Suite 400 El Paso, Texas 79901
Tel.: 915.533.6448 Fax.: 915.533.3131 Email: email@12travelers.org