Iglesias: Harold Joe Waldrum’s Church Paintings

Harold Joe Waldrum - painting of the church at Cordova New Mexico
La iglesia en Córdova rojo, acrylic on canvas, 1980s
El Resplandor de la luz del sol de sur, Harold Joe Waldrum church painting
El resplandor de la luz del sol de sur, 45 x 45" acrylic on linen, 2003
Las sombras de las vigas de San Francisco de Asis
Las sombras de las vigas de San Francisco de Asis, 36 x 36" acrylic on linen, 2003
Con cielo oro - a church painting by Harold Joe Waldrum
Con cielo oro, 74 x 74" acrylic on linen
El contrafuerte grande de la iglesia de Ranchos de Taos del sur
El contrafuerte grande de la iglesia de Ranchos de Taos, acrylic and gold leaf on linen
Sábado de Gloria de Cundiyó Tin
Sábado de Gloria de Cundiyó Tin, 46 x 46" acrylic on canvas
Harold Joe Waldrum - the church at Cordova New Mexico
Atras de la iglesia en Córdova, 40 x 54" acrylic on linen, 1980s
Harold Joe Waldrum Primrose Light, 72" x 72" acrylic on canvas painting of the Ranchos de Taos church
Primrose Light, 72 x 72" acrylic on canvas, 1982
Ranchos en clavel
Ranchos en clavel, 54 x 54" acrylic on linen, 1985
La Cruz Brillante - 30 x 30 acrylic on canvas painting of the church at El Valle by Harold Joe Waldrum
La Cruz Brillante - 30 x 30" acrylic on canvas, 1987
Dos contrafuertes - church painting by Harold Joe Waldrum
Dos contrafuertes y un muro, 44 x 44" acrylic on canvas, 1982
El campanario arriba de la morada de Jesus de Nazareño de Chacon
El campanario arriba de la morada de Jesus de Nazareño de Chacon, 54.25 x 54.25" acrylic on canvas, 1984
Study for La Sombra Diagonal - Wiford & Vogt Fine Art, August 2003
Study for La Sombra Diagonal, 16 x 16" acrylic on canvas
“El Rayo” - 12x12" painting of the church at Las Trampas New Mexico
Rayo, 12 x 12" acrylic on linen
Harold Joe Waldrum church painting - Ranchos - 48 x 46.25 acrylic on canvas
Ranchos, 48 x 46.25" acrylic on canvas
Adumbración, 34 x 34" acrylic on canvas, 1982, Harold Joe Waldrum
Adumbración, 34 x 34" acrylic on canvas, 1982
Harold Joe Waldrum church painting - Ranchos con cielo gris - 30.5 x 50" acrylic on canvas
Ranchos con cielo gris, 30.5 x 50" acrylic on canvas
La morada atras de la iglesia de Santo Tomas de Gracia de LasTrampas
La morada atras de la iglesia de Santo Tomas de Gracia de Las Trampas, 45 x 45" acrylic on linen, 2000
Harold Joe Waldrum, Bell Tower, Llano Media Día, acrylic on canvas, 1988
Bell Tower, Llano Media Día, acrylic on canvas, 1988
Atrás de la iglesia de Abeytas
Atrás de la iglesia de Abeytas, 36 x 36" acrylic on linen
Ranchos Ranchos - circal 1985, acrylic on linen, Harold Joe Waldrum
Ranchos, Ranchos, 78 x 78" acrylic on linen, 1985
Contrafuerte grande, 18x19" acrylic on paper painting of the Ranchos de Taos church by Harold Joe Waldrum
Contrafuerte grande, 19 x 18" acrylic on paper, 1981
Upper Edge of the Church at Ranchos de Taos, Harold Joe Waldrum, 27 x 27" acrylic on canvas
Upper Edge of the Church at Ranchos de Taos, 27 x 27" acrylic on canvas, 1984
Harold Joe Waldrum painting of the adobe church at Llano Quemado
La capilla de Nuestra Señora Del Carmen, 54 x 54" acrylic on linen, 1985
Harold Joe Waldrum, acrylic on canvas, La lapida blance verde
La lapida blanca con cielo verde, acrylic on linen


Harold Joe Waldrum's paintings of New Mexico’s adobe churches and moradas are considered his signature pieces. Taking what he learned from the Window series, Waldrum added organic form and structure to his work, mostly keeping to the square format of his Polaroid studies.

As the time he was photographing them, a few of the churches and moradas were in a state of collapse. Some dated back to the 17th century and needed a great deal of renovation. Waldrum founded the El Valle Foundation to raise consciousness and funds for the most endangered.