University of California, Santa Barbara

Davidson Library

Department of Special Collections

California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives

 

 

GUIDE TO
Palomino, Ernesto R. Papers
1950-1990

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Collection Number:  CEMA 6   Size Collection:  Two linear feet. (1 box of clippings, 3 sketches, 4 videos, professional portfolio, and 1 slide tray).   Acquisition Information:  Donated by Ernesto Palomino.   Access restrictions:  None.   Use Restriction: Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB.  All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections.  Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.    Processing Information: Processed by Zuoyue Wang, last revision July 1996.   Location: Del Norte

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Ernesto Ramirez Palomino (December 21, 1933- ) is a Chicano artist, educator and community activist.  Palomino was born in Fresno, California and continues to live in the San Joaquin Valley area with his

wife, Joyce Alire Palomino (married August 27, 1967).  Together they have raised five children: Jocylen, Fresno, Joaquin, Billy, and Calvin.  Since the Fall of 1970, Palomino has taught at California State University in Fresno, first in the La Raza Studies Department, then in the Department of Art where he is currently Associate Professor.  Palomino’s artistic media have included masks, drawings, ‘found-object’ sculpture, ceramic mosaics, body art, easel and mural painting, as well as the production of a book and a film.

 

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Palomino participated in the Chicano Cultural Movement by assisting communities in the creation of public murals.  In 1975, Palomino helped found la Broche del Valle (the Brush of the Valley), an interdisciplinary collective of artists in Fresno working with Central Valley communities to produce public murals, theatrical productions, and art exhibitions.  The non-profit organization has a Board of Directors, several full-time employees, and numerous members.  Their program of activities has included art exhibitions, classes, theater productions, publications, and the creation of murals throughout the region.

 

Palomino attended Fresno’s Edison High School where he received artistic encouragement from art teacher Elizabeth Daniels Baldwin.  Ms. Baldwin was instrumental in getting Palomino’s book In Black and White: Evolution of an Artist published in 1956.  This book reproduces much of Palomino’s work done between 1945 and 1955 while he was a youth.  After graduation from high school, Palomino served two years in the Marine Corps.  He then attended the San Francisco Art Institute in 1954, the Fresno City College in 1956, and Fresno State College in 1957.  He also attended San Francisco State College from 1960 to 1965, earning a BA and MA in Fine Arts. 

 

Palomino characterized his work during the years 1957-1965 as gabacho (Anglo) art, referring to the found objects and junk materials incorporated into his sculptures of this period.  A number of these sculptural pieces were included in his autobiographical, animated film “My Trip in a '52 Ford.”  This film, created for his Master of Arts thesis project presented at San Francisco State College in 1966, features his assemblage sculpture as cinematic characters.  Included are Mary ‘52 Ford, “an immortal mother having children after death,” George Go, Dorothy Dresser, Carol Chair, and Steve Stove.  From 1968 to 1969, Palomino worked in Denver for the Migrant Council, became a member of La Raza Unida party, and then returned to Fresno to begin his teaching career.

 

In 1970 Palomino, along with Lee Orona, created the first Chicano murals in Fresno, beginning with Farmworkers Mural.  In 1972, he created for the Madera community the Raza Mural, and in 1974 the Benito Juarez Portrait at the Selma Farmworkers Office.  These murals present Chicano themes such as the UFW Huelga eagle, the calavera, an image of Quetzalcoatl, and a portrait of Juarez, the first liberal president of Mexico.  The public paintings depict the social struggles of local farmworkers and the belief in a new cultural identity for Chicanos.  Art historian Jacinto Quirarte has written that “Palomino, like other Chicano artists, is using the Chicano experience in the valleys of California and in the entire Southwest in general as a point of departure for his work.”  As Palomino explains his artistic efforts, he sought to “help create the new Chicano culture.”

 

An expression of this new Chicano culture was the development of numerous artists’ groups working with and for the people of La Raza.  Palomino’s involvement with activism in the arts includes serving as an artistic director for several school and community programs in the central valley of California.  He worked with the Retired Teachers Organization, the Fresno Juvenile Hall, and Fresno City High Schools to create murals at a school, a hospital, and various public places.  Palomino was a participant in the 1973 National Symposium on Mexican American Art at Trinity University.  In 1973 Palomino became artistic director for “Inner City Mural Project” of Fresno and, through a 1973 National Endowment for the Humanities grant, assisted the creation of the Malaga Community Park mural titled Humanities Mural.  His artistic and community activism gained additional support in 1974 with a second National Endowment for the Arts grant, followed by a California Arts Council grant in 1976.

 

Palomino has had one man shows at the Fresno Arts Center (1954), the California Legion of Honor, San Francisco (1957), The Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento (1957), Fresno State College (1958), Teatro Campesino, Fresno (1970), and Mechicano Art Center, Los Angeles (1971).  His work has been included in group shows such as Mission Gallery, San Francisco (1963), Sabor a Fresno in Fresno (1976), Chicano Art of the Barrio, Houston (1976), University of Texas, Corpus Christi (1977), Rez Crez Studios, Fresno (1978), Corazon de Aztlán, Santa Cruz (1981), Califas: An Exhibition of Chicano Artists in California, San Francisco (1981), Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation, Los Angeles (1985) and others.

 

Scope Note

 

The contents of the Ernesto R. Palomino Papers reflect the development of a Chicano artist from his 1950s era beginnings as a Mexican American youth through his active participation in the Chicano cultural movement of the 1970s and 1980s.  The material in this collection provides reproductions of all phases of Palomino’s career, including photos of his earliest drawings, his sculpture, paintings, and color photocopies of his murals. Included in the papers are grant proposals and artistic statements that reflect Palomino’s goals, intentions, and breadth of accomplishments as an individual artist and as an activist educator working with students and artists from various communities.

 

The Palomino Papers presently consists of documentation assembled by Palomino for a 1990 tenure promotion review, a draft of Palomino’s 1956 book In Black and White: Evolution of an Artist, a videorecording of his 1966 film My Trip in a ‘52 Ford, three bound notebooks of his sketches, and assorted newsclippings, photographs, and color photocopies of his art work.  The two volume set of tenure review papers created by Palomino, and submitted to California State University in Fresno, includes a curriculum vitae, files documenting his professional activities, syllabi of classes taught, photographs and color photocopies of his community murals, and letters of recommendation for Palomino.  These papers provide information on Palomino’s activities during the years 1950-1990.

 

The records are housed in four archival boxes spanning two linear feet.  The collection will be augmented on a continuing basis.

 

In addition to the Palomino Papers, 8 drawings of Palomino, when he was a child, were gifted by Anne Frank to become part of the Palomino collection. These sketches of Palomino were created when he attended school with Anne Frank’s mother. As of May 22, 2002 they are still to be accessioned but will be added as a separate subseries to the already existing sketches.

 

Series Descriptions

 

The collection is arranged into five series described as follows:

 

Series I Biographical Information, 1950-1988

 

This series consists of three folders contained in box one.   Included here are documents about his education and employment history, early art work, exhibitions, reviews, awards, bibliography, and a short biography.

 

Series II Tenure Promotion Files: This series consists of nine folders contained in box one.  The series maintains the original order of the two-volume-set of papers Palomino prepared for his tenure review at California State University in Fresno in 1990.

 

Series III In Black and White: This series, consisting of seven folders, is contained in boxes one and two.  All folders within this series pertain to Palomino’s 1956 book In Black and White.

 

Series IV Sketche: This series, consisting of eight folders, is contained in boxes two, three, and oversize box four.  The first through third folders contain bound, undated sketch books and are maintained in the order received from the artist.  The fourth folder is a collection of miscellaneous, unbound sketches maintained in the order of receipt from the artist.  The remaining folders contain several large, matted pen and ink sketches.

 

Series V Video, Film, and Slides: This series, consisting of seven folders, is contained in box five and oversize box six.  It includes Palomino’s video-formatted reproductions of his 1966 film My Trip in a ‘52 Ford and several other videotapes.

Container List

 

Series I Biographical Information, 1950-1988

 

Box      Folder              Contents

 

1           1                              Biographical Information

1           2                              Early Career, 1950-1955

1           3                              Miscellaneous Material

 

Series II Tenure Promotion Files

 

1           4                              General

1           5                              Teaching Effectiveness

1           6                              Professional Growth and Scholarly Activities

1           7                              University and Public Service

1           8                              Evaluations

1           9-11                        Artwork (color photocopies) 1948-1989

1           12                            Personal Synopsis

 

Series III In Black and White

 

1           13                            Correspondence

1           14                            Press Clippings, 1956-1957

 

2           1                              Press Clippings Album, and Announcements

2           2                              Sketches

2           3                              Design Layout

2           4                              Draft

2           5                              Galley Proof

 

SERIES IV SKETCHES

 

2           6                              Sketch Book I

 

3           1-2                          Sketch Book II-III

3           3                              Miscellaneous Sketches

 

4           1-2                          Matted Pen and Ink Sketch

4           3                              Matted la Broche del Valle Statement

4           4                              Pen and Ink Sketches

 

SERIES V VIDEO, FILM AND SLIDES

 

 

                                            Video and Film

V0536/VHS                        My Trip in a '52 Ford, Copy 3 1991

V0537/UM                         My Trip in a '52 Ford, Umatic 1991

V0538/R5                            Sony V-30H Video, (contents unknown), n.d.

V0539/F1                            Film reel, (contents unknown) n.d.

V0540/VHS                        My Trip in a '52 Ford, Master n.d.

V0541/VHS                        My Trip in a '52 Ford, Copy 1 n.d.

V0542/VHS                        My Trip in a '52 Ford, User Copy n.d.

V0543/F1                            Cine Go -- My Trip in a '52 Ford n.d.

 

                                            Slides

5           1                              Slides of sketches, paintings, murals, installations, sculpture and exhibits

                                                   01   (slide developed May, 1991)     

                                                   02   (slide developed May, 1991)

03      (slide developed May, 1991)

04      (slide developed May, 1991)

05      (slide developed May, 1991)

06      Mural #47, Antonio Bernal, 1969, extinct, Del Rey California

07      (slide developed January, 1986)

08      Gutter Bottle, detail

09      Madera Mural

10      CENTRAL CAL.,  Chicano Art, Boys Club, Pueblo, Colo., 1975

11      Dup., Gandi 

12      Willie Herdon, Los Angeles (slide developed 1974)

13      Off Ramp, San Diego California, People Park

14      RCAF, SACRA, Chicano Parque Murales, San Diego, 1975, Juanishi Orosco, © RCAF

15      Southern California, Chicano Murals, San Diego

16      Mural: Riverside, Calif., Artista: Roglio Duarte

17      Mural (slide developed May, 1978)

18      Front: RCAF, SACRA.  Back: Southside Parque Amphitheatre Mural, 1977, “Fiesta de Colores”, acrylic, 14’ x 110’, March 1980, Centro De Artistas Chicanos, © RCAF

19      Front: RCAF, SACRA.  Back: Crocker Art Museum, “Mural in Progress Show”,  Dymistifying Chicano Art, Artists: Montoya, Favela, Orosco, Villa, June 1983, © RCAF

20      Front: RCAF, SACRA. Back: “Metamorphosis”, Artists: Villa, Orosco, Padilla y Favela, Acrylic Mural, 6’6’’ x 65’6’’ x 4 panels, 1980, © RCAF

21      (slide developed in March, 1984)

22      Edison High, Fresno, 1949, 7^th grade

23      Collon Picker, detail

24      Fresno Murals 70, 88- U.C.L.I., Galeria Campesina

25      (slide developed August, 1986)

26      Front: Funded Parks Recreation.  Back: Summer 1985, Tulare & F, Fresno, Artists Dicki – Playground

27      (slide developed August, 1984)

28      (slide developed August, 1984)

29      (slide developed Septmember 1985)

30      Tellaz, Sanger, Mural/Church

31      (slide developed August, 1984)

32      (slide developed August, 1984)

33      (slide developed October, 1984)

34      (slide developed October, 1984)

35      (slide developed Auguest 1978)

36      “In Blk & White”, E. Palomino, Age 21, S.F, 1956

37      Chair – Dolo

38      Retired Teachers Mural, E. Palomino, 1979, CAC (Grant)

39      CSUF Mural, Fence Mural, Spring 87, “reli art”

40      (slide developed January, 1988)

41      (slide developed November, 1985)

42      (slide developed May, 1991)

43      (slide developed May, 1991)

44      (slide developed May, 1991)

45      (slide developed May, 1991)

46      (slide developed May, 1991)

47      (slide developed May, 1991)

48      (slide developed May, 1991)

49      (slide developed May, 1991)

50      (slide developed May, 1991)

51      (slide developed August, 1986)

52      (slide developed May, 1991)

53      (slide developed May, 1991)

54      (slide developed May, 1991)

55      (slide developed May, 1991)

56      (slide developed May, 1991)

57      (slide developed May, 1991)

58      (slide developed May, 1991)

59      (slide developed May, 1991)

60      (slide developed May, 1991)

61      (slide developed May, 1991)

62      (slide developed December, 1985)

63      Wakefield School, Lobby, La Brocha, 1978

64      (slide developed January, 1984)

65      (slide developed January, 1984)

66      F.C.C., Streets, Charcoal, 54

67      JUV. HALL FRESNO, C.K.Wakefield, La Brocha, Wakefield School mural, 1974

68      Chicano Junk, Jukebox, 78

69      (slide developed January, 1991)

70      12/90

71      (slide developed January, 1991)

72      (slide developed October, 1983)

73      (slide developed December, 1987)

74      (slide developed October, 1983)

75      (slide developed January, 1984)

76      Portrait, Mechanico, 7 x 11

77      (slide developed August, 1987)

78      PARLER LABOR CAMP, Chicana Women, Mural, Detail, 1975

79      (slide developed November, 1985)

80      CSUF Musical Mural, Caos,