Horacio Valdez

Valdez, a carpenter for twenty-five years, had a nearly fatal job accident in 1974, during which his right hand was crushed. It was then that Valdez began to carve, "just to pass the time." He was fond of saying, "No hay mal, que por bien no venga" (Nothing bad ever happens without resulting in some good). A self-taught carver and painter, Valdez—who recalled being initiated as a member of the Penitente brotherhood the day following his first carving—was a devoutly religious man. Among the prolific artist's many carvings were more than 250 crucifixes.

Jonathan Yorba Arte Latino: Treasures from the Smithsonian American Art Museum (New York and Washington, D.C.: Watson-Guptill Publications, in cooperation with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2001)