the josé cisneros COLLECTION

Armed with pens, ink, and colored pencils, plus a gifted natural eye for his subjects, a remarkable artist named José Cisneros captured centuries of life in the borderlands—those thousands of rugged square miles sprawling on either side of the present United States and Mexico boundary.

Through his artwork, Cisneros created a unique legacy of handmade images depicting the people who interacted with, explored, colonized, fought for, and settled a rugged and often unforgiving land. His subjects, mostly anonymous, are in keeping with his view that generations of ordinary people—their names often forgotten today—were the true makers of the borderlands’ immense, diverse heritage.

Born in 1910 near Durango, Mexico, Cisneros’ career spanned more than seven decades, mostly in his adopted city of El Paso, Texas, where he passed away in 2009. His illustrations reflect a range of historiographical perspectives. An example is “Riders of the Borderlands,” a series of lively penand-ink depictions of horse and mule riders from Spanish conquistadores to the 1960s. Published by Texas Western Press in 1970, it was this slender volume, with the artist’s descriptions of his subjects, that prompted the Hidalgo County Historical Museum— now the Museum of South Texas History—to contact the artist in 1980 and commission him to do an illustration for new exhibits about regional history. The result was Vaquero de Nuevo Santander – c. 1750, portraying a nameless working cowman of the colonial era on horseback. From the broad-brimmed hat to the ornate cross-stirrups, this iconic figure conveys the Spanish roots of ranching in northeastern Mexico and South Texas.

The museum commissioned two more individual works from Cisneros: Don José de Escandón, colonizer of Nuevo Santander (1981), and a war-weary former Confederate soldier about to start ranching in the post-Civil War Valley (The New Beginning, 1984). Later the museum asked Cisneros about creating an entire series of illustrations depicting the varied history of this region through the centuries. The artist agreed, and in 1986 the museum opened “Images

Through the Centuries” with Cisneros and his wife Vicenta as guests. A follow-up series commissioned in the 1990s covered additional subjects. In 1998 a complete exhibition of the entire collection opened in the Main Gallery (now the River Crossroads exhibit area), accompanied by the new book catalog, “Borderlands: The Heritage of the Lower Rio Grande Through the Art of José Cisneros,” published by the museum. Along with the framed works, the museum included displays of artifacts relating to the eras and subjects depicted.

Currently, the Borderlands series is on view in the 1910 Jail Cell Block Gallery, which closes in June 2023. It is one of the most treasured of the museum’s collections. Today, looking back more than 40 years, this writer recalls the unique privilege of becoming acquainted with Cisneros and being the staff member who not only suggested subjects for the illustrations but also provided historical information and reference pictures to him. Quiet and modest, he was a true son of the borderlands.

Illumina Fest Celebrates The Light Of The World

Photography by Tiffany Miranda

For the past ten thousand years, people across cultures have celebrated light during the winter season. In December, Quinta Mazatlan honored this tradition with their fourth annual ILLUMINA Fest celebrating the light of the world. Guests enjoyed over thirty art and light installations along the trail through the woods. Strolling through the Luminaria Trail with over 3,000 luminarias, the beautiful Ebony Trees, Mesquites, Anacauas, and Sabal Palms—our native valley trees—were spectacularly on display. The outdoor exhibits honored Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Lunar New Year, Diwali, Native American Traditions, and Nature at Night. The ILLUMINA Fest stage featured many performers sharing their light, including fire shows, aerialists, dancers, mariachi groups, choirs, and more.

VALLEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA “DECKED THE PALMS” WITH SOUTH PADRE ISLAND CONCERT

Photography by Michael Sulartz

On December 9, the Valley Symphony Orchestra performed as part of the “Deck the Palms” holiday festival at South Padre Island. The Brass Quintet performed favorite holiday tunes such as “Sleigh Ride” and “Feliz Navidad,” and the 60-member VSO Chorale followed with a program that included Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” and traditional carols. The program was presented with support from the Cameron County Amphitheatre and the VSO’s many sponsors and donors.