"This art book combines the memoirs of a beloved artist with her art. It is loaded with full-color plates and features previously unpublished and rarely seen paintings.".

"Author Marcella J. Ruch spent many hours with Pablita Velarde and recorded her stories as first-person reminiscences, which the artist endorses. These anecdotal remembrances go back to Pablita's childhood at Santa Clara Pueblo, to her mother's death at a young age from TB, and going to St. Catherine Indian School in Santa Fe at age 5. Pablita recalls her later years at the Santa Fe Indian School, working with Dorothy Dunn to develop her art and painting murals at Bandelier under the WPA.

She reflects on raising her children alone and her eventual fame as a Native American artist. Her story tells of the struggles of a Native American during the 1920s, '30s and 40s, but even more, reveals an artist who triumphed over many difficulties, using qualities of strength, talent and courage that inspire later generations.".

"Each story is illustrated with either one of Pablita's paintings of Pueblo life, a photograph from her personal collection or a historical photograph from the Museum of New Mexico Photo Archives."--BOOK JACKET.