Carolyn Bunch – La Danza
Original Pastel • Signed • Double Matted & UV-Glazed

A young dancer stands poised beneath a canopy of papel picado streamers, her white ruffled dress unfurling like a flower in bloom. Accented with cascading ribbons of red, green, gold, and cobalt, her traje de gala speaks to heritage and celebration. Her expression is contemplative, her body language calm yet full of potential energy—echoing the centuries-old tradition of Mexican dance that honors both place and people.

This moment could have emerged from the heart of Plaza de Las Cruces, where the rhythms of Ballet Folklórico Tierra del Encanto pulse through every footstep and flare of fabric. Carolyn Bunch, a lifelong resident and cultural contributor, channels this spirit through soft pastel: layering color, shadow, and form into a quiet celebration of movement and meaning.

Behind the dancer, cool adobe tones and sheltering trees root the scene in the warm, arid charm of the Southwest. Bunch’s careful composition balances elegance and earth, ceremony and stillness. Her signature attention to detail honors the dancer not as an abstract muse, but as a living vessel of tradition—grounded in the community from which she rises.

Artist Biography: Carolyn Bunch (1920s–2016)
Carolyn Bunch was a celebrated figure in the New Mexico arts community. After formal training at Parsons College, the Art Institute of Chicago, and Mexico’s Instituto Allende, she made Las Cruces her home in 1953. As a teacher, gallery owner, and prolific painter, she became a cultural fixture in the region. Her work—often depicting women, dancers, and ceremonial life—earned regional acclaim for its vibrancy, tenderness, and deep respect for Southwestern heritage. Her legacy was honored by the Las Cruces Arts Association with a Lifetime Achievement recognition shortly after her passing in 2016.

Artwork Details

• Artist: Carolyn Bunch
• Medium: Pastel on paper
• Signature: Lower left
• Framing: Oak wood frame, double matted (sage green outer, gold inner)
• Glass: UV-protective glazing

Dimensions

• Overall (Framed): 25.25 x 28.25 inches
• Visible Artwork: 16.25 x 20.25 inches

Condition:
Excellent condition. The pastel remains vivid and pristine under UV-protective glass. Frame and matting show no notable damage. Please refer to images for details.