BELLEFONTE — Some of the works of Amado Pena are on display at the Bellefonte Art Museum. Pena spoke about his work on Wednesday, Nov. 7, during a reception in his honor. Pena  is from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona.

 He is recognized as both an important American painter and a honored member and supporter of his tribal culture. His paintings are a tribute to the strength of his people as they worked to make harmony between a harsh unforgiving landscape, their values and their survival.

From the 70’s to the present, Dennis and Marcia Heitzmann and Nancy and Kenneth Toepfer found they were very attracted to two kinds of art made by native people of the Southwest. The Heitzmann’s collect paintings by Amado Pena and the Toepfer’s collect pottery made by Pueblo tribal groups.

The pottery works are excellent examples of Pueblo Pottery from New Mexico and provide a hint of the transition in native art from objects for use to artifact to fine art. Today, pottery made by artists from the pueblos are always considered art and are in great demand.