An aerial view from the Santa Fe Plaza. Courtesy New Mexico Tourism Department.

Speaking of Santa Fe, this spellbinding city really is the epicenter of everything art-related. If you love Western and Native American art, you’ll find something you love in Santa Fe. In fact, you’ll likely find dozens of things to love. The state capital is a major cultural hotspot, one of the biggest in the entire Western hemisphere, known for its numerous cultural destinations. The city also has three arts districts: the Railyard, the Plaza and Canyon Road. A half-mile stretch filled with artists studios, galleries, boutiques, jewelry stores and adobe architecture, Canyon Road is a must for Western art lovers and collectors. Among the many arts and cultural institutions to explore in Santa Fe include the New Mexico Museum of Art, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, La Fonda on the Plaza, SITE Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, the Santa Fe Plaza, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and so much more.

The outside of the historic Fechin House in Taos.

Surrounding Santa Fe are the art cities of Albuquerque to the southwest and Taos to the north. Situated in the high desert, Albuquerque is New Mexico’s largest and most populous city, with a modern downtown scene complemented by historic Old Town Albuquerque. A hub for Southwestern and Native American art, the city is home to a variety of cultural centers, art museums, galleries and theaters. Surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Taos has a rich history in the arts and also serves as a prime ski destination.  The city is best known for the Taos Pueblo, an ancient pueblo belonging to a Native American tribe of Puebloan people, about one mile north of Taos. 

Marsden Hartley (1877-1943), New Mexico Landscape, 1919-1920, oil on canvas, 30 x 36”. Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Alfred Stieglitz Collection, 1949. 1949-18-10.

Marsden Hartley
Easily one of the most important modernists of the 20th century, Marsden Hartley started spending time in Santa Fe and Taos after a 1918 invitation from Southwest tastemaker Mabel Dodge Luhan. Hartley was influenced by a variety of subjects, movements, styles and places, but few were as instrumental to him than the Southwest.

John Sloan (1871-1951), Travelling Carnival, Santa Fe, 1924, oil on canvas, 301/8 x 361/8”. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Cyrus McCormick.

John Sloan
Known for his association with the Eight—including Robert Henri, Maurice Prendergast, William Glackens and George Bellows—and his early involvement in the Ashcan school, John Sloan started visiting New Mexico during the summer of 1918. His infatuation with Santa Fe would last nearly until his death in 1951. Like his images of the east, Sloan’s Southwest work was able to uniquely capture the energy of the era and the spirit of Santa Fe’s people.

John Marin (1870-1953), Taos Canyon, New Mexico, 1929, watercolor, 16½ x 22”. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Dolores and John W. Beck, Winter Park, FL, 2012.58.

John Marin
Few artists in New Mexico progressed Southwest Modernism as completely and thoroughly as John Marin, an East Coast visitor who only spent two summers in Taos. Those two summers proved to be vital, though, as he completed more than 100 watercolors that captured the vibrancy and energized forms of the desert. His works from the period are highly prized.

Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953), Untitled (New Mexico Portrait), oil on canvas, 16 x 20”. Courtesy Santa Fe Art Auction.

Joseph Henry Sharp
One of the earliest painters to venture to Taos—he went by wagon in 1893 with artist John Hauser—Joseph Henry Sharp not only played a prominent role in the art of Taos, but he was also one of six founders of the Taos Society of Artists. Two of his studios are now part of the Couse-Sharp Historic Site in the center of Taos. Although he also spent time on the Crow Agency in Montana, his involvement in Taos is still being written about and studied today.

Andrew Dasburg (1887-1979), Sangre de Cristo, ca. 1933, watercolor, 151/8 x 215/8”. Collection of the New Mexico Museum of Art, gift of Mr. Edwin F. Gamble, 1968. 2235.23P.

Andrew Dasburg
Like Marsden Hartley, Andrew Dasburg found his way to Taos thanks to socialite and early New Mexico influencer Mabel Dodge Luhan, whose ability to convince talented people to move to the Southwest was uncanny. “Under the influence of the Southwestern landscape, his pictorial language ripened. The elemental majesty and power of nature became the primary focus of his artistic expression,” writes the Owings Gallery. “Pure form and color were subordinated to the task of measuring the land and people of New Mexico in pictorial terms…”

Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986), Near Abiquiu, New Mexico, 1930, oil on canvas, 10 x 24½”. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. Alfred Stieglitz Collection, 1963. 63.204.

Georgia O’Keeffe
Casual observers of her work will point to her abstract images of flowers and her New York paintings of Lake George, but some of O’Keeffe’s most devoted collectors come from the West, where the artist lived and worked off and on from 1929 until the end of her long life in 1986.  The museum that bears her name, the  Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, and her home and studio in Abiquiú are staples when it comes to travel to New Mexico.

Acosta-Strong Fine Artt, I don’t like to wear shoes, oil on canvas, 60 x 48", by Sonya Fe; Acosta-Strong Fine Art, On Point II, oil on linen, 20 x 20", by Sean Michael Chavez.

“At Acosta-Strong, we specialize in rich, authentic, figurative work of Hispanic subjects by Hispanic painters,” says gallery owner Carlos Acosta. “We’re seeing a real hunger for this work. Clients want to buy from someone who comes from that life and innately knows the subject matter. I believe this genre of work is what sets us apart from other galleries and it is our best-selling work.”

Picture of director and owner Carlos Acosta and associate director Paris Della Penna.

The gallery also represents Sonya Fe, a Chicana who grew up in East LA. She was one of eight kids and was encouraged to draw on the cement floors of their home. Her work focuses on women and their place in society.

Barbara Meikle Fine Art, Corner of Autumn, oil on canvas, 24 x 24", by Barbara Meikle; Barbara Meikle Fine Art, River Ambassadors, oil on canvas, 40 x 30", by Barbara Meikle.

Meikle paints impasto style in oils on canvas and sculpts in bronze, finishing each sculpture with a unique hot-color patina that directly relates to her painting style and her expressive use of color. “For the past 12 years or so, I have focused on raising money for animal rescue—horse and donkey rescue and the New Mexico Wildlife Center,” she explains. “I love to have live animal events where the subjects pose for me as I create a unique painting on the spot.”

Front gallery view of Barbara Meikle Fine Art. Image by Simone Silva.

The gallery also sells prints to help benefit the rescues—local as well as nationwide.

Top: Front exterior view of Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Bottom: Blue Rain Gallery, Moonrise Over Plaza Blanca, oil on canvas, 48 x 60", by Kathryn Stedham; Blue Rain Gallery, Tony in a Red Blanket, oil on canvas, 48 x 30", by Roseta Santiago.

Blue Rain Gallery proudly celebrates 30 years of business this year and is pleased to announce the recent opening of a second gallery location in Durango, Colorado, where visitors can enjoy a thoughtful curation of artworks that embody the essence and aesthetic of Blue Rain’s flagship gallery in Santa Fe.

Top: Old West Events, A colt not too well acquainted with saddle leather as yet, original pencil illustration on paper, 24 x 28" , by Will James (1892-1942). Bottom: A Collector shops the 2022 Cody Old West Show in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The Old West Auctions hold a number of records for Western artist Edward Borein, and frequently features work from both contemporary and deceased fine artists such as Will James, Maynard Dixon, Charles M. Russell, Olaf Wieghorst, Nick Eggenhofer, John and Terri Kelly Moyers, Michael Coleman, Eric Michaels, William Moyers, Joe Beeler, Edward S. Curtis, Marjorie Reed and many others.

Dolores Purdy, Riding Free, colored pencil on antique ledger paper, 12½ x 16"; Dolores Purdy, We Are at It Again, colored pencil on antique ledger paper, 12½ x 15½"

Purdy explains that “historic ledger art has been referred to as ‘warrior art’ and a male pictographic storytelling art form. The Northern and Southern plains warriors would decorate their teepees with their heroic deeds. With European contact, ledger books and colored pencils quickly became coveted trade items. Warriors used ledgers to create portable records of their war honors. Old ledgers were often used in prisons to document pre-reservation life.”

Dolores Purdy, What…, colored pencil on antique ledger paper, 16 x 13"

Peter Max, pop-art movement, art deco and Asian textiles have been a huge influence in Purdy’s work, as well as vivid whimsical imagery. Layered bright colors with faceless figures are hallmarks of her works, as are figures or horses looking out of the painting directly at the viewer offering a silent and up-for-interpretation communication.

Clockwise from left: Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Just Imagine, patina on reclaimed steel and copper, 41 x 8 x 7",  by Chris Turri; Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Seguro, bronze, 17 x 12 x 10", by Barbara Burzillo; Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art, Life Boat, bronze, 12 x 8 x 18", by Michael O’Brien.

Several of Dominique Boisjoli Fine Art artists will expand their offerings to the garden space.

Top: Gallery Wild, Vermillion Cliffs, oil on canvas, 15 x 33", by Silas Thompson. Bottom: Gallery Wild, Red’s Reach, bronze, 9 x 45 x 14", by Jeremy Bradshaw; Exterior view of Gallery Wild’s Santa Fe, New Mexico, location.

“Our collection features established and emerging artists who offer a variety of mediums including both oil and acrylic paintings, bronze sculpture, mixed media and photography,” says the owners. “In June of 2022, Gallery Wild opened a second gallery location in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Located at 203 Canyon Road, at the entrance to the famous Canyon Road Art District, the new gallery space features another inspiring collection of contemporary art, displayed in a bright and inviting space. Like the Jackson Hole gallery, each piece of fine art is inspired by nature, a love for wildlife, wild spaces and conservation.”

King Galleries, Trio, oil on canvas, 24 x 36", by Mary Calengor; Interior view and display at King Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

King Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico, features both Native American and regional paintings, bronzes and Native American pottery. The gallery represents impeccable bronzes by Tammy Garcia and Autumn Borts-Medlock, both from Santa Clara Pueblo. Andrea Vargas and Michael Esch are landscape painters focusing on both impressionism and realism, and Marcia Molnar and Andrew Florea are both known for their desert landscapes. Kwani Povi Winder (Santa Clara) and Mary Calengor are both realist painters of objects and people, and Kenneth Ferguson paints gouache watercolor animals.

King Galleries, Evensong, oil on canvas, 40 x 30", by Marcia Molnar.

New to the gallery this season are painters Molnar and Esch, along with Santero sculptor Arthur Lopez.

Top: Interior view of the La Fonda on the Plaza hotel lobby; La Fonda on the Plaza, Santiago, 1922, casein on paper, by Gerald Cassidy (1879-1934). Bottom: La Fonda on the Plaza, Stormy Canyon, oil on canvas, by Tony Abeyta.

Not only does original art hang in every guest room, but all of it has a connection to the people who designed, built and owned the hotel—a collaboration that has garnered La Fonda a reputation as one of the best Santa Fe hotels and a sought-after destination for 100 years.

Top: Leah Lucas, Galisteo Basin, oil on panel, 8 x 16". Bottom: Leah Lucas, Pedernal Mood, oil on board, 24 x 30"; Leah Lucas, Asis at Dawn, oil on panel, 6 x 8"

It comes as no surprise that Lucas was led, like so many artists before her, to the “soul of the Southwest”—Taos, New Mexico. “When I got here,” she says, “I knew that I had found a home for my aspirations and revelations as an impressionistic artist. Cuddled up against the framework of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the red earth and ubiquitous sages, ‘I feast on freedom’ every day.  I am inspired by this land to reach into its essence and share its wisdom through my paintings. I am not always sure what it is trying to tell me, but if I am willing to listen, it always delivers.”

Exterior View of Legacy Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.; The Legacy Gallery, Serenading the Light, oil, 45 x 50", by G. Russell Case

The Legacy Gallery is proud to represent more than 100 nationally known  artists. Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Scottsdale, Arizona, the Legacy  Gallery offers the finest in representational and impressionistic art. Along with its sister gallery, Manitou Galleries, they have the some of the best Western art available on the market. 

The Legacy Gallery, Three Outlaw Wisemen; Waylon, Willie, and Merle, bronze, ed. of 25, 72 x 54 x 20", by Paul Rhymer.

“Since 1988, the Legacy Gallery has specialized in paintings and sculptures in a wide variety of subject matter, including Western, figurative, wildlife, still life and landscape,” says associate director Cyndi Hall. “In addition, the gallery offers works by deceased 19th- and 20th-century artists, such as Olaf Wieghorst, Charles M. Russell, Olaf C. Seltzer, Joseph Henry Sharp, Frederic Remington and Taos Founders.”

Manitou Galleries, Desert Monument, oil, 36 x 26", by Brad Teare.

Under the auspices of the Legacy  Gallery, Manitou Galleries is at the heart of historic downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico, and boasts more than 8,000 square feet of exhibition space. “While our Legacy Gallery on Canyon Road focuses on a more traditional approach, our Manitou space showcases the finest contemporary Southwestern painters and sculptors of this region,” says Manitou associate director, Cyndi Hall. “Located just one block off of the Santa Fe Plaza, our two-story building is an expansive exhibition space that allows room for the most impressive variety of fine art of all sizes.”

Top: Manitou Galleries, Showtime, oil, 40 x 30", by Aaron Hazel. Bottom: Front entrance view of Manitou Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Manitou Galleries also pays homage to the important history of adornment by showcasing the most comprehensive museum quality collection of Native American and fine jewelry by local craftsmen in town.

Clockwise from top left: Nedra Matteucci Galleries, Fishing Stream – The Hondo, oil on canvas, 26¾ x 31½",  by Oscar E. Berninghaus (1874-1952).. Nedra Matteucci Galleries, Evening Star, bronze, ed. 10 of 35, 23 x 8½ x 8", by Doug Hyde. View of the sculpture garden at Nedra Matteucci Galleries.

The gallery is thrilled to be hosting its first major show in 2023 featuring Native American master sculptor Doug Hyde. Doug Hyde: Collection of Unique Stone Sculptures will be an exhibition of the artist’s stone masterpieces. It opens Saturday, August 12, and will continue through September 2 at Nedra  Matteucci Galleries in Santa Fe.

Sorrel Sky Gallery, Skull Society, oil on canvas, 32 x 24", by R. Tom Gilleon.

Featuring contemporary and traditional Western and Native American fine art, jewelry, photography, sculpture and more, Sorrel Sky makes finding those beautiful things a joyful experience. In addition to representing acclaimed artists such as Kevin Red Star, David Yarrow, Star Liana York and former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse, Sorrel Sky welcomed several new artists this past year. This includes Michael Blessing, Keith Huey, Russ Ball and R. Tom Gilleon, whose renowned luminescent style and authentic portrayal of Northern Plains tribes have made him one of the most sought-after artists among contemporary Western art collectors.

View of Sorrel Sky Gallery’s front entrance; Sorrel Sky Gallery, Pegasus, acrylic and oil on canvas, 60 x 46", by Russ Ball.

With its focus on beauty and lasting connections between artists and art lovers, Sorrel Sky Gallery is the must-see gallery in historic Downtown Santa Fe.

From left: Two women admiring artwork at GF Contemporary Gallery; A shopper examining hand-woven blankets at Shiprock Santa Fe.

“Santa Fe is home to numerous galleries, museums and art studios,” says Tourism Santa Fe representatives. “Canyon Road in particular, is known for its concentration of galleries, featuring works from a variety of artists and styles. Strolling through the city’s galleries and museums, you’ll encounter a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes, each one more captivating than the last. You’ll see paintings that capture the fiery sunsets and jagged peaks of the nearby mountains, as well as vibrant textiles and intricate jewelry that reflect the region’s rich cultural traditions.”

Concha belts at Shiprock Santa Fe.

Stepping into an art gallery in Santa Fe is a rich, stimulating sensory experience. Each piece of art has a story to tell, and you’ll feel drawn to explore and uncover their hidden meanings. Santa Fe’s art scene truly is a feast for the senses.

Clockwise from top left: Emerald Tanner wearing ca. 1770-1790 Saltillo Serape and mid-century jewelry of various Southwest tribes and pueblos. Joe E. Tanner Sr. and daughter, Emerald Tanner. Fourth- and fifth-generation traders. Group of offerings including a Tony Da redware pot; bracelets by B Tsiiyupovi Tom, Raymond C. Yazzie, Sonwai, Preston Monongye; earrings by Don Supplee; and a canteen by Kee Joe Benally and lapidary by Roland Long.

Starting with Great-Grandpa Seth in the mid 19th century, the Tanner’s have established a longtime stake and history in the Great American Southwest. “Our presence exists not only in our trading posts and galleries established throughout the many years, but in our trade relationships with generations of artists of the region,” says co-owner Emerald Tanner. “It is our love for the trade that connects us, and the opportunity to collaborate and cultivate relationships with various artists of the greater Gallup area that fuels the incredible body of work that we proudly bring to market.” Whether you’re looking for all-natural, gem-quality turquoise, authentic handmade jewelry or natural spun hand-woven rugs, Tanner’s Indian Arts is the destination of choice. You are invited to visit the downtown Gallup gallery in-person by appointment only.

Hoop dancer performing at SWAIA Indian Market in 2022. Photo by Tira Howard.; Best of Show piece for the contemporary pottery division by Kathleen Wall. Photo by Shayla Blatchford.

Each August, an estimated 100,000 people attend the juried, annual Indian Market. This remarkable event takes place on and around the central plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and sponsors more than 1,000 Native American artists from more than 100 tribal communities in North America and Canada. Artists show their latest work and compete for awards in SWAIA’s prestigious judged art competition. Santa Fe Indian Market has endured for the past century and today generates upward of 160 million dollars annually in revenues for artists and the community.

A collector shops the booths at the 2022 Indian Market.

Numerous events are held in tandem to the main event throughout Indian Market week. These include museum and art gallery openings, a Native American film festival, a trending Native fashion show, dancing, demonstrations and other various shows and auctions. It is possible to move from one high-energy happening to another during the entire event.

Top: Santa Fe Art Auction’s main showroom. Bottom: Santa Fe Art Auction, Out of the Darkness, orotone photograph, 10½ x 13½", by Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952). Estimate: $8/10,000; Santa Fe Art Auction, Tarahumara #3, oil, 9½ x 11½", by Elias J. Rivera (1937-2019). Estimate: $2/4,000

The auction house has built a national and international reputation through the application of leading technologies to customize the business of art auction sales and personalized 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, and have expanded their auction calendar from one auction a year to a diverse sale each month.

Parsons Gallery of the West, Together, oil on linen panel, 16 x 20", by Chloé Marie Burk.; Parsons Gallery of the West interior view.

Parsons Galleries are located in historic downtown Taos, New Mexico, and have been a family-owned and -operated business for the past 30-plus years. “We have two galleries,” says co-owner and gallery director Ashley Rolshoven, “Parsons Fine Art which focuses on historic Taos art, with many works by the Taos Society of Artists; and Parsons Gallery of the West, which is our contemporary gallery showcasing works by modern artists who are influenced by those early Taos masters.”

Parsons Gallery of the West, Spirits of One’s Past, oil on panel, 43 x 43", by Richard Alan Nichols.

Parsons Gallery of the West proudly represents 20 nationally known Western artists—several artists who have been on the art scene for many years, as well as many recognized, up-and-coming artists. The artists’ works are mature, well-developed and their styles are reminiscent in many ways of the early Taos painters. The gallery is appropriately housed in a colonial hacienda built around 1800, which was once the home and studio of Victor Higgins, a prominent member of the Taos Society of Artists.

From left: Jewelry by Rick Montano.; Vintage jewelry offered at True West in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

With a large spectrum of styles and price points, True West’s top-quality artworks include  jewelry from local artists Cordon y Cuero, Veronica Benally, Leonard Nez, Causandra Dukepoo, Reba Engel and more.

Vintage, Navajo jewelry featured at True West.

Also featured are the charming Koshare and bear sculptures by Randy Chitto, and paintings and sculptures by renowned artists Yellowman, Doug Coffin, Cliff Fragua and Joe Cajero.

Jan Marie DeLipsey, Ancient Beacon, oil, 16 x 20"; Jan Marie DeLipsey, Sand, Sun and Stone, oil, 16 x 22½"

That love brought DeLipsey to live in the country of sun, sand and stone under an endless Western sky. “The light here has a life of its own and challenges the painter to work at ‘seeing’ as color and shadows seem to shift minute by minute,” she explains. “They call my area the valley of the shining stone for a reason—the light here is magical. I am not so much interested in recreating a ‘scene,’ rather, my intention is to share a feeling that a particular place gives me through my painting of it. When a collector ‘falls in love’ with one of my paintings, I know I have accomplished my intention—sharing the love of this land.”

Nancy Silvia, Nightfall, pastel, 24 x 60"; Nancy Silvia, Taos Tranquility, pastel, 18 x 24"

Learning to represent the Western landscape throughout the years has been a challenging path of discovery, as Silvia observed and recorded the moods of the mountain and the light in the valley. Working both large and small in scale, both outdoors and in the studio, her approach has always been to try to capture the “magic” of Taos.

Barbara Coleman, Golden Rio, oil, 8 x 16"

Artist Barbara Coleman is captivated by the mountains, cliffs, arroyos and dramatic skies of New Mexico. She says, “They are ‘fierce landscapes’ pared down to the essentials. They teach me to look beyond subject matter and see abstract shapes of luscious color and strong patterns of sunlight and shadow, from which to design my paintings. I am seeking visual poetry over journalistic accuracy in my work.” She explores her motif by drawing thumbnail images and value sketches before laying oil paint to canvas. Limiting the number of values she uses in a painting allows her to paint unreservedly with rich, harmonious color.