Arispe Butler has been married to County Commission Oscar Vasquez Butler for 30 years. She graduated from Cal State University at Los Angeles with a B.A.degree in Art. She was an Educational Assistant for a number of years with the Visually Handicapped and Teen Mother programs in Southern California and was also Pre-school and child care teacher. She has also taught art to physically challenged children in San Bernardino County, California. Most recently she was a Substitute Teacher for Las Cruces Public Schools and is now working as an Attendant for Ambercare with her brother, John Arispe, who was physically assaulted and incurred a brain injury as a result. A big part of her life is spent to help rehabilitate her brother. She also helps her parents, Jesús & Socorro Arispe. Rose was a volunteer for United Farm Workers in California back in the 70's and also a Research Assistant with Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project in Los Angeles, California for Willie Velasquez. During those years she raised 3 step-children, who are now grown. She and her husband now have 10 grand-kids. She has been a writer with The Divine Frontier Writing Project. The Border Book Festival is proud to present the work of Rose Arispe Butler, winner of the 2003 Cauthon Volunteer Service Award. This award is given to an outstanding Border Book Festival volunteer whose work has furthered the cause and who has weathered and thrived in the arts trenches.

Art defines life and the experiences one passes through. Our eyes see but our soul defines what is important. We take chances, choose, make plans and yet life hands out unexpected quirks in the road.

The Loteria game is a game of chance very much like lotto, wheel of fortune or bingo. It is a rich Mexican cultural game depicting many everyday objects or walks of life. But instead of just numbers, pictures of everyday objects are used such as animals, plants, people, and spiritual events: negative or positive. I was asked to paint the Loteria banners for the 9th Annual Border Book Festival and found it to be an enriching experience. People face many different events in their lives. Sometimes we face death or happy and peaceful times. I found myself choosing the Loteria cards that seemed important to me such as “La Sirena” (The Mermaid), El Gallo (The Rooster), La Luna (The Moon). These cards are small 2x3” and I painted them into 36”x 50” banners. I kept thinking how Andy Warhol had done something similar using everyday items like Brillo Pad boxes or Campbell Soup cans as his artistic statements.

As I painted, my thoughts would go to events in my life like recently witnessing my “Gallo” choke and eventually die. I was so distressed over it and as I painted I felt like I had exalted a lowly little rooster to a higher plane. Life is indeed a Loteria game filled with events that are often unexpected.

As you view these banners and cards, go back in your memory to the important events, people, animals, plants, and spiritual experiences that have made up your life.