Donna Rose

“Sanctuary"

January 6th-February 25th 2012
Helen DeVitt Jones Studio Gallery

Artist Statement

Sanctuary is defined as a place for worship; a place of refuge and protection; a place dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of God. This collection of black and white photographs includes catholic and protestant churches and chapels located from the border towns of the Texas Rio Grande to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico. Many of these churches and chapels remain active and vibrant today, but sadly others have been abandoned and are in various stages of decay reflecting the changes in rural populations. All have at one time served a vital role in the lives of the people and served as an anchor holding firm their communities. Here, in these simple structures, people have gathered together to celebrate their love and friendship, give thanks for blessings, dedicate new lives, and mourn their losses. Here, people have come together to gather their courage to persevere despite hardship.

Today, whether standing alone on the vast plains, nestled among the mountains of the high country, or rising from the bosque, these structures remain a testament to the religious heritage of the Southwest, where communities came together in search of Sanctuary.