Connecting with living Artists in Our Current Exhibition
Roxanne Shaw
Adam and Eve, wood, gesso, paint, ca. mid 1990’s,
10 5/8 x 6 1/4”
We are excited to showcase the incredible talent in our current exhibition. Today, we're focusing on the living artists who have contributed their unique visions and works. Their ongoing creativity and presence in the art world add a vibrant dimension to our collection. We encourage you to explore their work and connect with them through their websites and social media
Artist Profiles
Here are profiles of some of the living artists featured in our exhibition:
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Daniel Barela is the son of Taos woodcarver, Luis Barela and the great-grandson of the famous New Mexico woodcarver, the late Patrocinio Barela. Daniel carries on the family tradition of cedar woodcarving. He is the third generation of woodcarver to use hand tools to create beautiful sculptures from cedar wood
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Gustavo Victor Goler: A Legacy of Artistry and Conservation. Raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Gustavo’s journey began among a family deeply entrenched in the preservation of Latin American art. His formative years in his family’s conservation studios laid the foundation for his exceptional wood carving skills, initially honed by restoring 18th to 20th-century Saints from Latin America and New Mexico. A passionate creator since his high school days, Gustavo’s career has evolved from a personal hobby to an acclaimed professional pursuit, marked by numerous awards and an unwavering dedication to Santos.
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Martha Vároz Ewing, a multiple award winning traditional Spanish Market Artist in Straw Appliqué and Tin Art, has found her passion in life. She combines her work in tin and straw because she feels they compliment each other. The tin is known as “Poor Man’s Silver and the straw is known as Poor Man’s Gold”. She is passionate in sharing her art form and techniques with others in order to ensure its continuation with future generations. She continues to research the art of Straw Appliqué and Marquetry and the various techniques used in other countries.
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Cleo Romero is an accomplished artist known for her Spanish colonial tin work, as well as her work with wood. A veteran of Santa Fe's Spanish Market, her innovative blending of various media, which she calls "Revirio," has garnered recognition. Romero's art is featured in museums and private collections both locally and internationally.
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Santa Fe native, santero artist, and 2022 New Mexico Governor’s Award recipient, López is renowned for his detailed wood sculptures and contemporary approach to the traditional form. A 2019 United States Artists Fellow and 2017 Folk Art Society of Americas Award of Distinction honoree, he also received Santa Fe's Mayor’s Award in 2015. While rooted in the santero tradition, López uses his art to express his broader culture and worldview. His work has been widely exhibited and is featured in numerous museum collections.
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Northern New Mexico native Nicholas Herrera is an Outsider/folk artist whose family history in the region dates back to the early settlers who arrived with Onate in 1598. A descendant of landowners, farmers, artists, and soldiers, Herrera continues the artistic traditions of his ancestors
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Item description
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Marion Martinez is an accomplished mixed media artist whose “Mixed Tech Media” work has been featured in numerous museum-sponsored, invitational, and juried exhibitions across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Her art is included in several public and corporate collections, such as the Museum of International Folk Art, the Hispanic Research Center at Arizona State University, and the corporate collections of Nokia, Fidelity Investments, and BP Amoco.
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Santa Fe-based artist Tapia draws from his deep roots in New Mexican craftsmanship, shaped by the santero tradition and the artistic legacy of his parents, Star Sanchez and Luis Tapia. Merging devotional iconography with the bold aesthetics of lowrider culture, he uses automotive paint and techniques to explore Chicano identity, national pride, and cultural hybridity.
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Roxanne Shaw began creating devotional art at just 14, learning traditional retablo painting from her mother, Catherine Robles-Shaw. Deeply rooted in the santero tradition, Shaw has received numerous awards at Spanish Market for her detailed altar screens and retablos, some of which are held in museum collections. Now based in Nederland, Colorado, she continues to refine her craft—honoring heritage through woodcarving and painting while evolving her artistic voice.
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Award-winning jewelry designer Juan Lopez has dedicated over two decades to crafting and designing traditional Spanish Colonial jewelry. A self-taught artist, he played a crucial role in the revival of filigree work, a traditional New Mexican art form that was fading and last seen in the 1950s.
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Jose Floyd Lucero is a Santa Fe–born woodcarver who carries on the legacy of "Cordova Style" chip carving, a tradition pioneered by his great-grandfather, Jose Dolores Lopez. Raised between Santa Fe and Cordova, he learned to carve under the guidance of his godparents and has become a dedicated teacher and award-winning artist. Through his work and workshops, Lucero preserves the rich cultural heritage of Northern New Mexico for future generations.
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Working in the traditional Hispanic art form of straw applique since 1996, this artist blends time-honored techniques with contemporary elements to create uniquely expressive works. Using soft pine, wheat straw, cornhusk, and homemade gesso alongside modern materials like acrylic paint and commercial varnish, their pieces reinterpret religious iconography with a modern twist. Rooted in tradition yet open to evolution, their art bridges the past and present, honoring heritage while embracing change.
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Luis Tapia is a celebrated Chicano sculptor who has reimagined New Mexico’s centuries-old tradition of devotional art for over 50 years, transforming it into a vibrant vehicle for cultural identity and social commentary. Drawing from the polychrome santo tradition, Tapia’s intricately carved and boldly painted figures blend folk art techniques with symbols from contemporary life, addressing issues of faith, politics, and everyday experience. His work honors his roots while offering fresh perspectives on Latino/Hispano/Chicano identity and the evolving cultural landscape.
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Bo Lopez is a Santa Fe–born jeweler and master hand-engraver whose intricate work has earned numerous prestigious awards. Trained from a young age by his parents—renowned Spanish Colonial artist Ramon Jose Lopez and acclaimed beadwork artist Nance Lopez—Bo developed a wide range of artistic skills before dedicating over two decades to perfecting the rare craft of hand-engraving. His work reflects a deep commitment to tradition, precision, and artistic excellence.
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Frankie Nazario Lucero is a native Santa Fe artist whose deep family roots in New Mexico date back to the early 1600s. Part of a renowned family of artisans, Lucero is known for his traditional bultos, often complemented by his brother Richard’s tinwork. With a legacy steeped in cultural pride and artistic excellence, Frankie continues to honor his heritage while passing on traditional arts to the next generation.
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Nicolas has been practicing the tradition of Santo making for well over sixteen years. Apprenticed by master artists since the age of 16, his body of work has gained a significant reputation. Museums, churches and collectors include his work in their collections. The traditional methods including the production of natural pigments and hand carved panels are a constant in his studio. He has also created altar screens which are highly collectable. His work is shown in galleries and is featured in a variety of publications
Website coming soon!
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David Lucero is a contemporary artist born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, known for his exquisite wood carvings and traditional Spanish crafts. His work reflects a deep respect for cultural heritage, blending timeless techniques with refined artistry.
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Marie Romero is an experienced artist specializing in custom retablos and woodcarvings of various sizes, collaborating closely with clients to realize their visions. Her work is featured in Northern New Mexico churches, museums—including the Smithsonian and the Museum of International Folk Art—and private collections across the United States. Drawing inspiration from nature, folk art, traditional New Mexican saints, and diverse global artistic traditions, Romero’s creations balance simplicity with monumentality.
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Ruben Gallegos is an artist located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He specializes in religious imagery including retablos, hand painted story tellers and eggshell art.
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Catherine Shaw, a Santera, creates retablos to honor and preserve the rich traditions of Hispanic heritage. Inspired by the storytelling power of these devotional artworks and rooted in her family’s deep history in the San Luis Valley, she and her husband Michael strive to represent this craft with historic accuracy and heartfelt respect. Since 1991, Catherine has dedicated herself to this art form, becoming a full-time artist after joining the Spanish Market in 1995.
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Vicente Telles is a Santero (painter of saints) and Cultural Iconographer who is driven by the desire to honor the culture and traditions of his native New Mexico. He began painting traditional retablos (saints on carved wood) using natural pigments created from clays and minerals on homemade gesso, which is then sealed with an archival varnish.
Connect and Engage
We invite you to connect with these artists directly through their provided links and social media handles. Your support and engagement are invaluable to their ongoing artistic journeys. We also welcome you to visit our exhibition and experience these incredible works in person.
