In contemporary Western art, few careers have built with the kind of momentum that belongs to S.M. Chavez. “Seven consecutive sold-out solo shows in Santa Fe is not luck,” says Carlos Acosta of Acosta Strong Fine Art. “It is the result of a talented artist who does not take his collectors, or his craft, for granted.”
Night Begins to Hold, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 in.This August, Chavez opens Western Ascent at the Santa Fe gallery. Color deepens, compositions grow more dynamic and his vaqueros take on a heightened presence. A new suite from the Paisano series offers a deliberate counterpoint quieter in palette, looser in hand, bringing range to the exhibition.
El Vigía (Study), oil on canvas, 36 x 24 in.
Horizon’s Edge (Study), oil on canvas, 18 x 24 in.
The artist returns to the gallery with new recognition and accolades, including a second-year artist at the Prix de West at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, a recipient of the 2025 Museum Purchase Award at the Eiteljorg Museum’s Quest for the West, and a permanent collection placement at the Booth Western Art Museum.
While full of gratitude, Chavez will be the first to tell collectors that his ascent is built one step at a time. That humility is rare in an artist with this kind of momentum. The museums and collectors who have followed his work already know: Western Ascent is not a destination. It is a starting point. —
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www.paintingsofthewest.com
IG: @smchavezart
Acosta Strong Fine Art 200 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 982-2795
www.acostastrong.com
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