The City Different is its nickname. Its real name is La Villa Real de la Santa Fé de San Francisco de Asís, or The Royal Town of the Holy Faith of St. Francis of Assisi. Of course, everyone calls it Santa Fe and knows it by its adobe-style architecture, 7,260-foot elevation, dry and sunny climate, brisk winters, thundery summers, stunning autumns ... and sneezy juniper pollen Aprils. After New York and L.A., it's said to be the third largest art market in the U.S. For a city of only 70,000 people, that's doing pretty well.
During every visit--as well as the few not-so-long-ago years I lived there--I've made a point of exploring the art scene. Outside the galleries on opening nights, a group might be playing didgeridoos or young men with long black hair from a neighboring pueblo might be drumming. Inside, bright people in silver and turquoise would be schmoozing. (I overheard one man say he was painting seventh dimensional entities.) As for the exhibits themselves, watercolors might portray sunset skies, blooming chamisa, or feathers and blue corn. Mashed bottle caps, tin can tops, bones, and raffia might be turned into a surprisingly successful Mayan-like ceremonial collar. Oil paintings might be intentionally scratched or sandpapered until glossy. This last trip, I concentrated on outdoor works, thinking them (thus) public and okay to photograph.
Here, then, is a display of the goofy, the considered, the colorful, and the imaginative that you see as you roam this beautiful town. Let them inspire you to go visit!
On Canyon Road:
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| At Vivo Contemporary |
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| At Meyer East |
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| At McLarry |
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| At Wiford Gallery |
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| At Canyon Road Fine Art |
And out in Tesuque (follow Bishop's Lodge Road north of town):
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| At Shidoni Foundry sculpture garden |
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| At Tesuque Glass Works |
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