Our Lady of Mt Carmel

The Rudolph Vargas Collection at Santa Teresita

“Religion is the only entity that keeps and protects real art…
In religion, I can grow and create.”
-Rudolph Vargas

The internationally known wood carver from East Los Angeles, Rudolph Vargas, found the sanctuary for his art at Santa Teresita, which possesses the largest collection of his work. More than fifty original woodcarvings can be found in our Saint Joseph Chapel and throughout our campus, creating a compelling culture of life.

About Rudolph Vargas

Rudolph Vargas standing in a suitRudolph Vargas was born in 1904 in Michoacan, Mexico. His exquisite talent asserted itself at the early age of seven. At the age of ten, Vargas began studying under the direction of the prominent work sculptor, Francisco Espana. When he was eleven years old, he attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Mexico City where he studied sculpturing. By the time he was eighteen, he had his own studio and was producing life-size religious sculptures. Vargas can claim the eminence of having perfected a style of art patterned after the traditional masters of the Renaissance. During his fifty years in the United States, his great contribution to an almost dying art form has been widely recognized.

Rudolph Vargas working on a wooden statue of the crucifix.In 1932, Vargas did his first work of art for the Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart. All of the works of art contained within this collection have been made possible through donations from the friends and benefactors of the Carmelite Sisters over the years. Much of Vargas’ time has also been donated. Vargas has dedicated his collection to the greater glory and praise of God, the Supreme Artisan