Louise Serpa
The EXPLORE! Program in Sun City West welcomes West Valley residents to participate in its an upcoming class, a press release said.
The upcoming session “Louise Serpa, The Woman Who Shot Cowboys” is one that will examine the life of the very first woman to venture inside a rodeo ring and capture the moments in time with her camera, 3 p.m. June 15, in the Recreation Centers of Sun City West Lecture Hall, 19803 R.H. Johnson Blvd. The cost is $10.
Anyone who has ever stared down an angry bull coming full throttle across an arena will understand why rodeo photographer Louise Serpa often uttered the adage “Never Don’t Pay Attention.”
Born into New York society, Ms. Serpa ended up out west with her nose buried in the dirt and her eye glued to a camera, becoming the first woman to venture inside the arena and shoot some of the most well known photographs of rodeo action.
The dust and dirt of the rodeo arena became Ms. Serpa’s lifeblood for almost 50 years. She is also credited with becoming the first woman to photograph England’s Grand National Steeplechase (1970), the Dublin Horse Show (1970) and the Sydney Royal Easter Show (1975).
Author, historian, and lecturer Jan Cleere spent three years researching and writing “Never Don’t Pay Attention,” the biography of Ms. Serpa. Her presentation shows the courage and resolve of a woman determined to decide her own fate at a time when women were expected to marry, raise a family and know their place in society. She will show some of Louise’s amazing rodeo shots as well as family photos.
Signing up for EXPLORE! classes is simple. Register in person at the R.H. Johnson Recreation Center Administrative Office, 19803 R.H. Johnson Blvd., between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Or check out the complete class schedule at suncitywest.classtrackonline.com and register there. Program Coordinator Tamra Stark is available to answer questions or help with registration at 623-544-6194.
