In Europe they say all roads lead to Rome. Well, in America all roads lead to Santa Fe. Including the big road, the Santa Fe Trail, which brought visitors of all kinds—settlers in covered wagons and handcarts, fortune seekers, hunters and trappers, and early cowboys looking for adventure—to New Mexico’s desert abundance. These travelers were coming from the greenery of the Missouri River and the East Coast, where rain and water were more plentiful. New Mexico would feel like another world entirely, one of sandy vistas dotted with golden chamisa and sweet-smelling mesquite, fertile valleys refreshed daily by afternoon thunderstorms, and high-desert regions with aspen trees and violet twilight shadows. There would also be culture, from the Pueblo People to Mexican and Spanish influences, and of course cowboys, cattlemen and buckaroos representing the Old West. It’s easy to see how and why the state earned its nickname—the Land of Enchantment.
Whether they came by horse and saddle, mule and wagon, or even by Santa Fe Railway or automobile, New Mexico quickly became a rite of passage for many of the great American artists. They were traditional painters, sculptors, woodblock printers, modernists, abstract expressionists, cubists, impressionists—Joseph Henry Sharp, Georgia O’Keeffe, Marsden Hartley, John Marin, Catherine Carter Critcher, Walter Ufer, Will Shuster, Robert Henri. They came for the Santa Fe Plaza, the centuries-old pueblos, the Rio Grande, Shiprock, the white-sand dunes and the history. Today, those artists, and the many who followed them, have left an impressive legacy that now includes art dispersed around the globe, but also a vital history of arts and culture that is represented in the state by galleries, museums and art institutions from Albuquerque and Roswell to Taos and Santa Fe—from Mexico to Colorado, and Arizona to Texas.
As New Mexico wakes up to a hopeful spring and summer, it beckons the return of its visitors, its artists and its adventurers. The galleries are open, the museums are displaying new exhibitions, the auction houses gear up for seasonal sales, artists are opening up their studios and the streets are once again filling with people. This Land of Enchantment is the center of the Southwest and it’s calling for your return.
Art Cities to Explore
Albuquerque
New Mexico’s largest and most populous city and located centrally, which allows easy travel to all four corners of the state.
Santa Fe
New Mexico’s capital and one of the cultural hubs of the Western hemisphere. Known for its cultural destinations, as well as its three arts districts: the Railyard, the Plaza and Canyon Road.
Taos
Surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Taos is known for the Taos Pueblo, its rich history in the arts and as a prime ski destination.
Santa Fe Area Maps
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Blue Rain Gallery
544 South Guadalupe Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501, (505) 954-9902, info@blueraingallery.com, www.blueraingallery.com
Blue Rain Gallery, Red Truck Overdrive, oil on canvas, 48 x 48", by Dennis Ziemienski.
Blue Rain Gallery represents established contemporary artists of diverse backgrounds working in a variety of mediums such as paintings, ceramics, bronze, glass and jewelry. The gallery is eclectic in its approach, yet maintains a special focus on regional, contemporary Western, Native American and studio glass art. Dennis Ziemienski, an established contemporary Western painter, has been a wonderful addition to the gallery over the last year. His work is high level, and it covers a huge cross section of subject matter, including iconic pieces inspired by Route 66 that pop with vibrant color and are full of nostalgia. The gallery has a show planned for Ziemienski where he will show alongside his good friend and contemporary, Billy Schenck, happening July 30 to August 21. These two artists are treasures of the contemporary Western art world, and Blue Rain Gallery is thrilled to share their paintings with the public.
Blue Rain Gallery, Eagle Summit, patinas on bronze, 14 x 21", by Nathan Bennett.
In addition, the gallery is looking forward to an upcoming exhibition with patina painter, Nathan Bennett from August 27 to September 18. Bennett is a pioneer in his field who has masterfully manipulated the art of patina to render realistic compositions of landscapes, animals and human figures on bronze panels. His primary tools consist of acids containing different elemental compositions, a brush and a blow torch. Bennett’s patina paintings are exacting in detail and visually compelling.
A glimpse of the eclectic offerings at Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe.
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King Galleries
130 Lincoln Avenue D, Santa Fe, NM 87501, (480) 440-3912, www.kinggalleries.com
King Galleries, Earth Song II, oil on board, 12 x 12", by Roseta Santiago.
King Galleries represents both Native and regional artists, with a specific focus on Native ceramics along with paintings and bronzes. A major milestone, the gallery is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. With locations in both Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Scottsdale, Arizona, King Galleries represents paintings by Roseta Santiago, Mateo Romero, Andrea Vargas, Derek No-Sun Brown, Kwani-Povi Winder and Marla Allison. Among artists working in bronze who are represented by the gallery include Tammy Garcia and Autumn Borts-Medlock. Santiago is the newest addition to the gallery in the past year.
King Galleries, Tsi-Ping Owingeh, oil on canvas, 48 x 60”, by Mateo Romero.
King Galleries is pleased to have an upcoming show featuring artwork by Santiago this August. The gallery will also have events showcasing new works by Romero and Vargas during the summer.
King Galleries, Looking over Puye, oil on board, 24 x 36”, by Kwani-Povi Winder.
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Santa Fe Art Auction
932 Railfan Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505, (505) 954-5858, curator@santafeartauction.com, www.santafeartauction.com
An installation photo of Santa Fe Art Auction’s 16,000-square-foot showroom on Railfan Road.
Santa Fe Art Auction boasts 30 years in the heart of the West. The auction house’s fundamental focus to this day remains fine art expertise, scholarship, integrity and personalized customer service. SFAA specialists can assist with evaluating and bringing to market your fine art and collectibles, and especially welcome single-owner collections. The auction house has grown from one live Signature Annual Auction per year, to 11 sales currently scheduled for 2021.
Santa Fe Art Auction, A Walpi Man, (A Moki Chief), 1900, by Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952). Available at The Christopher Cardozo (1948-2021) Edward S. Curtis Collection sale. Estimate available upon request.
Santa Fe Art Auction has long been the pre-eminent auction house in the Southwest and a nationwide leader in classic Southwestern and Western American art, as well as American contemporary, including Native American art. The auction house, originally founded in 1997, has in recent years evolved into a state-of-the art operation based in an ultra-modern 16,000-square-foot facility in the heart of Santa Fe’s burgeoning new Railyard Arts District. SFAA has built a national and international reputation for its application of leading technologies to customize the business of art auction sales and personalize buyer experiences. SFAA’s digital presence and proprietary online platform, certainly unique among Western American auction houses, enables them to target new consignors and new bidders with increasing accuracy. Since 2017, SFAA has more than doubled sales each year in terms of both lot volume as well as value.
Santa Fe Art Auction, Livin’ the Life, 2017, bronze, ed. 3 of 30, 10 x 15 x 2¼”, by Bill Nebeker. Available at the Art of the West sale. Estimate available upon request.
The upcoming auction calendar includes The Barbara & Ed Okun Collection on May 1; Art of the West on May 30; The Christopher Cardozo (1948-2021) Edward S. Curtis Collection happening June 26; New Mexico Now: Spanish Colonial to Spanish Market this July 31; American Indian Arts: Classic & Contemporary on August 28 to 29; 20th Century Art, Design + Photography on September 18; and the Annual Signature Live Auction happening November 6.
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Acosta Strong Fine Art
200 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, (505) 982-2795, www.acostastrong.com
Gallery owners Carlos Acosta and John Strong.
Acosta Strong Fine Art, Here We Go, oil on canvas, 54 x 54”, by Jim Jennings.
Acosta Strong Fine Art proudly features American Western historic art. The collection of artists includes members of the Taos Society of Artists, Cinco Pintores and other important 20th-century Western artists.
The show season will kick-off with an all-female group show titled CONTINUUM featuring three outstanding artists: Ann Jenemann, Lynn Samis and Yvonne Mendez. These three artists paint different subjects: Samis specializes in impressionist figurative paintings of humans from all over the world, Mendez gives incredible life and personality to her animal paintings, and Jenemann paints plein air landscapes of our beautiful desert Southwest.
Acosta Strong Fine Art, Stillness Reflected, oil on canvas, 48 x 60”, by Robert Reynolds.
“I think these three women are perfect to kick-off of show season, I wanted a theme that spoke about resiliency,” says gallery owner Carlos Acosta. “The three artists paint different subjects, humans, animals and our environment—all three subjects are a continuum of our existence—no better artists to represent this than our female artists. We’re very excited for this first show.”
Acosta Strong also proudly features noted and emerging artists, including Jack Dunn, Jim Jennings, Robert Reynolds, Edward Gonzales, Evelyne Boren, Sean Michael Chavez and Bill Baker among others. These artists will be featured in a number of either group or solo shows happening throughout the rest of this year.
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Sorrel Sky Gallery
125 W. Palace Avenue, Santa Fe, NM, (505) 501-6555, info@sorrelsky.com, www.sorrelsky.com
Sorrel Sky Gallery, Kaleidoscope, 36 x 24”, by S.C. Mummert.
Sorrel Sky Gallery’s distinctive, fresh approach to contemporary and traditional Western fine art and jewelry continues to attract both new and experienced collectors. The gallery’s focus is on the unique relationship between a piece of art, the artist who created it and the art lover who cherishes it. Representing the works of such renowned artists as Star Liana York, Kevin Red Star, Mateo Romero and Ben Nighthorse, several new artists have recently joined the gallery as well. Fine art photographer David Yarrow, painter S.C. Mummert, and sculptors Mark Dziewior and Lisa Gordon each add to the carefully curated vision that is Sorrel Sky.
Sorrel Sky Gallery, War Music, Series #1, mixed media, 40 x 30”, by Mateo Romero.
On August 6, sculptor York will have a one-woman show with works that reflect how humanity has always cherished beauty and symbols of spirituality, and how we turn to them for strength and renewal. A Native Artist Group Show will be held on August 19 in the days before the annual Santa Fe Indian Market, as well as a collaboration with Navajo weaving expert, Jackson Clark that will last through Christmas.
The front entrance of Sorrel Sky Gallery on Palace Avenue in Santa Fe.
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True West Gallery
130 Lincoln Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87501, www.truewestgallery.com
True West Gallery, One, patina on steel and copper, by Chris Turri.
Chris Turri fabricates abstract-figurative sculpture by transforming new and reclaimed metals including copper, old display racks and the “skins” of mid-20th-century vehicles. Turri explores ancient stories and gives them new life and meaning in his more contemporary characters. He blends iconic Indigenous imagery and universal symbols of a more recent time with his unique patinas, colors and metal working techniques.
Throughout his life Turri has scoured the desert for the memories of those who lived before. Native cultures hold a special place deep inside, so he gratefully borrows some of the iconic imagery of Indigenous peoples. Turri’s abstractly figurative sculptures are a contemporary expression of the harmony in diversity. “I try to be a better person every day and creating art that encourages harmony in the diversity of cultures and generations helps me do that,” says the artist. “People smile when they see the work and then they remember and tell more stories. That’s what it’s about for me.”
True West Gallery, Sidestep, patina on steel and copper, by Chris Turri.
True West Gallery, Caretaker, patina on steel and copper, by Chris Turri.
After a decade on Canyon Road Turri is now represented at one of Santa Fe’s favorites, True West Gallery, a half block off the Santa Fe Plaza. True West Gallery is honored to have Turri's unique and interesting artwork with the gallery, and in a very short time he has become one of its top collected artists.
True West Gallery offers a unique array of Western and Native American art.
Guests browse through the weavings at True West.
Cyrus Walker learned firsthand how images can be used to speak without uttering a word. It was also through the study of advertising that Walker learned the interesting way commercial illustrators stylize their work. He creates his paintings because they allow him to explore a style that interests him. Western themes have a bit of mystery to them. The ideas of the romantic West are continually stripped away in modern times but the pieces that remain are dipped in the purest of gold. Walker is a prospector, panning in the river of his mind to unearth the gold.
True West Gallery on Lincoln Avenue has both antiquities and contemporary art.
True West Gallery offers a wide selection of art, including jewelry, weavings, pottery, sculpture and wall art. Check the website for events throughout the year as it is continually updated.
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Pottery of the Southwest
223 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, (505) 365-2192, potteryofthesouthwest@gmail.com, www.potteryofthesouthwest.com
Pottery of the Southwest, Acoma Pueblo pot, by Robert Patricio.
Pottery of the Southwest, Laguna Pueblo pot, by Stacey Carr.
Pottery of the Southwest is located at the base of historic Canyon Road in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The gallery features artists and pieces from authors Allan Hayes’ and John Blom’s book Southwestern Pottery - Anasazi to Zuni. The gallery also features such potters as Jason Ebelacker (Santa Clara), Stacey Carr (Laguna), Robert Patricio (Acoma), Kevin Naranjo (Santa Clara), Erik Fender (Than Tsidéh) as well as Choctaw painter Karen Clarkson. All 19 pueblos in New Mexico are represented as well as Hopi, Navajo, Cherokee and Caddo. With optimism that Santa Fe Indian Market will be happening this year, Pottery of the Southwest will have artist demonstrations throughout Santa Fe Art Week.
Pottery of the Southwest is filled with three-dimensional treasures.
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Barbara Meikle Fine Art
(505) 992-0400, info@meiklefineart.com, www.meiklefineart.com
Barbara Meikle, Promises Kept, oil on canvas, 36 x 48”
Barbara Meikle, an Albuquerque native, grew up near the foothills of the Sandia Mountains and riding horses along the Rio Grande. “I’ve been an artist my whole life, driven by my fascination for horses and other animals. I never thought of doing anything else,” says the artist. Meikle loves to capture rocky mesas and clay outcroppings with fuchsia, salmon and amber. In her landscapes and animal paintings, sapphire skies contrast with champagne clouds over piñon-covered hills; bright pink donkeys collide with sage green mustangs. “My painting style is ‘expressive impressionism.’ It’s impressionistic but the color heightens that expression. It’s not natural color but emotional color. It’s how I feel about a subject or a place,” says Meikle. She also sculpts in bronze, using hot color patinas to bring vivid hues to her limited edition pieces.
Barbara Meikle, Eye of the Storm, bronze with unique color patina, limited ed. of 30, 13 x 34 x 12”
A member of the Santa Fe Society of Artists, she opened a cooperative gallery with a group of artists and in 2006 opened her own gallery in Santa Fe. Fifteen years of Meikle’s success allows her to give back to the animals she loves so much—she donates to animal shelters and equine rescue, including the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society, Equine Spirit Sanctuary in Taos, the Horse Shelter in Cerrillos, the New Mexico Wildlife Center in Espanola, Longhopes Donkey Shelter in Bennett, Colorado, and Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue in San Angelo, Texas.
Barbara Meikle, Moonrise, oil on canvas, 36 x 48”
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Couse-Sharp Historic Site
146 Kit Carson Road, Taos, NM 87571, (575) 751-0369, admin@couse-sharp.org, www.couse-sharp.org
E.I. Couse studio, home and garden, Couse-Sharp Historic Site.
The Couse-Sharp Historic Site (CSHS), owned by the Couse Foundation (TCF), is a campus of two-plus acres in Taos that includes the homes, studios and gardens of E. I. Couse and J. H. Sharp, two of the founders of the Taos Society of Artists (TSA). Soon it will be the home of the Lunder Research Center for the study of the TSA. CSHS has become an international destination for education, artistic collaboration and scholarship because of its authenticity and importance to American art and the history and cultures of the West.
Couse-Sharp Historic Site, Rabbit Brush and Wild Aster, oil on canvas, 18 x 25", by Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953). Gift of Milton and Adele Ward.
TCF celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Collectors can support site with a ticket to a commemoration including a chance at a “virtual door prize”—a Josh Elliott painting. Those interested in participating in the June 12 drawing can inquire at admin@couse-sharp.org. The organization also has a stunning array of artworks in the Western Paintings & Sculpture on May 6 at 10 a.m. through Hindman.
Couse-Sharp Historic Site, Blue Lake at Moonlight, ca. 1921, oil on canvas, 12 x 16" (frame designed by the artist), by Eanger Irving Couse (1886-1936). Anonymous gift.
“We are thrilled about our seasonal exhibition opening June 5, Glimpses of the Past: Historic New Mexico Prints, 1880-1950, gorgeous works from a private collection that have largely never been seen,” says executive director and curator Davison Koenig. “We are also excited about our inaugural exhibition in the Research Center. Mark Maggiori: Taos Pueblo Portraits opens October 2 and has been inspired by photographs Couse created over 100 years ago.”
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Jones Walker of Taos
127 Bent Street, Taos, NM 87571, www.joneswalkeroftaos.com
The picturesque patio of Jones Walker of Taos.
Taos, New Mexico, is an art colony steeped in history and culture. Jones Walker of Taos embraces that history with a diverse roster of living artists that show all aspects of the living art community that is Taos.
Jones Walker represents several award-winning and museum-collected artisans from Taos Pueblo. Jocelyn Martinez creates incredibly detailed paintings and scratchboard pieces that depict the rich history of the people of the Taos Pueblo and their way of life. Ryan Suazo captures the deep meaning of the Taos Pueblo culture on miniature paintings on micaceous clay. Brandon Ortiz amazes clients with his delicate hand-coiled micaceous clay pots. Each of these Native pieces is curated to bring a touch of the old way to any modern Southwest décor.
Jones Walker of Taos, Cerrado Por La Noche, oil on canvas panel, 12 x 16”, by C.S. Talley.
Jones Walker of Taos, Grandpa’s House, oil on canvas, 36 x 36”, by Jim Wagner.
Jones Walker also showcases some of the most recognized names in abstract and representational art in the region. Jim Wagner has been painting whimsical pieces depicting northern New Mexico life since he arrived in Taos in 1961. Peggy McGivern creates paintings full of fun and energy in multiple styles from figurative to abstract and everything in between. C.S. Talley and Jeff Cochran paint the light and landscape of New Mexico in very different and compelling ways. For more modern collectors, Jones Walker has also curated some of the most acclaimed Southwest abstract painters in the region.
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Gary Byrd Fine Art
21 Broken Arrow Place, Sandia Park, NM 87047, (505) 401-6150, gbyrdart@comcast.net, www.garybyrdfineart.com
Gary Byrd, Morning Assignments, oil, 18 x 24”
Ever since glimpsing his first paintings of the West at the Western Heritage Center, Gilcrease Museum and Woolaroc Museum in Oklahoma, Western art has been a favorite subject of artist Gary Byrd. While historic and modern subjects both inspire the artist, an interesting storyline or powerful emotion are more important in his work.
Gary Byrd, Chaco Afternoon, oil, 18 x 24”
“Today, there are many excellent Western artists [and] many rival the Old Masters,” says Byrd. “It’s not a genre for the faint of heart. The subject matter is always compelling, but challenging. Sadly, sometimes it is difficult to distinguish one Western artist from another today. I personally try to find subjects and stories I have not seen before and assemble my thoughts into something unique and in my style.”
Gary Byrd, Descending an Uncertain Path, oil, 20 x 16”
He describes his painting style as a hybrid between impressionism and realism. “Each painting needs to reveal a looseness and my imagination; however, it needs to be true to drawing and subject,” he says. “I prefer to render accurate color and value as much as possible. Additionally, each painting must have a unique beauty and style.” Byrd paints anything “Western” from people to wildlife. “The West is so diverse, one never runs out of subject matter and it is so uniquely American.”
Upcoming shows for Byrd include the Phippen Western Art Show & Sale during Memorial Day Weekend and Hold Your Horses this August, both events hosted by the Phippen Museum in Prescott, Arizona.
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Robert Highsmith Represented by Trails End Gallery
1732 N. Mesquite Road, Las Cruces, NM 88001, (575) 649-2951, www.trailsendgallery.net, www.rhighsmith.com
Robert Highsmith, Silent Prayer, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36"
Robert Highsmith received his art training from New Mexico State University and the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida. Since then, he has had many one-man and group shows throughout the country. Critics and collectors alike have liked his work and he is the recipient of more than 100 awards for his work. His watercolors are in numerous corporate and private collections in the United States and abroad. The desert landscapes and canyons of the Southwest are his favorite subjects. The artist notes that lockdown has not been wasted but has given him the opportunity to try different things with his art, including working with acrylics.
Robert Highsmith, Cattle Car, watercolor, 22 x 30"
Robert Highsmith, Near Ghost Ranch, acrylic on canvas, 22 x 24"
Highsmith is represented by Trails End Gallery & Studio, located in the historic Mesquite Street district of Las Cruces, New Mexico. The building has five rooms of gallery space and seven artist studios, offering a look at the work of some of Las Cruces’ best artists. Collectors can visit Trails End Gallery to see the artwork Highsmith has been working on during this past year.
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Plein Air Painters of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM, www.papnm.org
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Last Snow – Santa Fe, oil, 14 x 11", by Carole Belliveau.
The Plein Air Painters of New Mexico (PAPNM), based in Albuquerque, is a professional association of artists dedicated to the business of preserving and promoting painting “en plein air”—in the open air or outdoors. An organization steeped in a rich history, PAPNM has grown to have nearly 400 members, about a third of whom reside outside the state. The prestigious plein air group has numerous events and paint-outs throughout the year, including the National Juried Members Exhibition and the Paint Out at Horse Ranch, including such artists as Lisa Flynn, Dick Wimberly, Michele Byrne, Bill Meuser, Wendy Ahlm and many others.
Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, Old-House – Moriarty, NM, acrylic, 8 x 10", by Ellen Sklar.
Ahlm shares the joy of painting horses during the Paint Out at Horse Ranch. “I worked on multiple sketches at once, turning to see all four horses in different poses…I noticed the light on the stables and set to work…Milena, the horse I was near, was busy munching tumbleweeds,” she says. “I loved how the light hit her back in the sunshine. The sun rose quickly as I recorded it on the stables with a warm pale yellow and shades of cool soft lavender.”
Due to the pandemic, collectors are encouraged to check www.papnm.org for the latest information on events.
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Barbara Coleman
coleman.barbara@gmail.com, www.barbaracoleman.com
Barbara Coleman, White Cliffs, oil, 16 x 20"
For award-winning artist Barbara Coleman, those three words from childhood, “go play outside,” includes painting outside “in plein air.” Coleman loves to paint the high desert landscape of her home state, New Mexico. During a recent artist residency at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, Coleman had the unfettered opportunity of nature being her studio for weeks at a time. As a private ranch, Ghost Ranch provides the physical safety a woman artist needs to paint alone. Coleman relished the opportunity to strap on a backpack full of paints, hike to a desired location and paint all day without a shred of hyper-vigilance, concern for schedule, or even the companionable presence of a fellow artist. This type of freedom allowed for deep exploration of painting approaches and ideas. White Cliffs is a painting that developed during this time.
Coleman has a loose, painterly style and looks for “beautiful patterns of light shapes and dark shapes” in any subject she paints. The intensity of the light in New Mexico creates strong shadow patterns and brilliant color, which she uses to create abstract compositions as an underlying structure for her landscape paintings. Coleman has signature memberships in Oil Painters of America, Pastel Society of America and Plein Air Painters of New Mexico, and is an associate member of Women Artists of the West.
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