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Santa Rosa Dedicates ‘Bless Me, Ultima’
Rudolfo Anaya Sculpture Park

The “Bless Me, Ultima” Rudolfo Anaya Sculpture Park Dedication and Unveiling by City of Santa Rosa officials and other dignitaries is Saturday (March 1, 2008), 11 a.m., at the north entrance to Park Lake off Historic Route 66 in Santa Rosa. The public is invited to attend the dedication, which will include appearances by author Rudolfo Anaya and artist/sculptor Reynaldo Rivera, who will unveil the bronze statue.

Anaya, who was born of Nuevo-Mexicano ancestry in Pastura, a small village on the plains near Santa Rosa, is considered one of the most influential authors in contemporary Chicano literature. Through essays and stories, plays and novels, poems and children’s books, he weaves mythology, fantasy and reality, illuminating the lives of Hispanics in the Southwest. The National Endowment for the Arts selected “Bless Me, Ultima” for its national initiative “The Big Read.”

Rivera’s bronze sculptures include portraits and full figures that emphasize personal strength as well as human compassion, and large-scale monuments that commemorate historical people and events in a blend of impressions. His sculpture, “Journey’s End,” on Museum Hill in Santa Fe was awarded the 2007 National Scenic Byways award for Interpretive Projects on National Scenic Byways.

“I am confident the ‘Bless Me, Ultima’ Rudolfo Anaya Sculpture Park will soon be a New Mexico treasure, dedicated to the works of one of the state’s most popular writers and created by a sculptor and artist of enormous talent,” said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department. “This new creation joins a long list of attractions that have helped keep Santa Rosa a unique travel destination.”

“The “Bless Me, Ultima” public artwork consists of a two-part bronze sculpture. One’s a larger-than-life bronze sculpture of Rudolfo Anaya and the other a bronze bas-relief plaque set in a rustic adobe wall depicting historic representations of Santa Rosa, Route 66 and Guadalupe County, with the “Bless Me, Ultima” characters — Ultima and Antonio — at the center of the piece. The landscape park will also feature a natural stone waterfall and a shallow pool with a golden carp tile mosaic, benches and sidewalks.

A reception/luncheon will follow the dedication ceremony. An RSVP for the luncheon/reception is required. The cost for the reception is $25.00 per plate, with the proceeds to benefit the Santa Rosa MainSreet Group, Inc. Arts and Murals program. Persons wishing to attend the luncheon program may purchase tickets by calling Lori Lopez, Melanie Saiz, or Richard Delgado at Santa Rosa City Hall, 575-472-3404.

Jim Sena Construction Company of Santa Rosa completed the landscape and site work for the Rudolfo Anaya Sculpture. Kevin Balciar of Soleil West was the architect and engineer, and served as a project manager, along with Reynaldo Rivera, Richard Delgado, Maxine Rivera, Tim Dodge and Mayor Joseph Campos.

For more information, contact Richard R. Delgado, 575-472-3763 or richroute66@gmail.com