Review
Mission San Xavier del Bac is located southwest of Tucson, Arizona, and is commonly known by the nicknames "White Dove of the Desert" and the "Sistine Chapel of America". One of the finest remaining examples of Spanish colonial architecture and an active Tohono O'odham church since 1692, San Xavier has often been admired and photographed, but never with richer results than the innovative artistry of Sharon Wright Pettus. With well-chosen words and exquisite pictures, Pettus takes the reader on a kind of guided tour to the recently restored treasures of Mission San Xavier. Using a technique of pastel coloring on photographic transfers that makes her photographs resemble miniature Impressionist paintings, she creates an album of memorable images. These images are both reverent and charming, ancient and fresh, traditional and sophisticated. To complete the sense of place, Pettus also includes a brief commentary on each enchanting image, an informative introduction, a map, a floor plan, and a short bibliography. San Xavier Del Back: An Artist's Portfolio will fascinate anyone with an interest in southwest mission history, art, and architecture. -- Midwest Book Review
