The arts of Santa Fe are always evolving. Rooted to its past, the local art scene holds fast to “traditional art” but is capable of producing work that pushes the boundaries of those who have created before. This tiny corner of the Southwest has very distinct cultures that have unquestionably influenced one another. To understand the Santa Fe of 2009 requires a basic understanding of the past 400 years, the conflict that has occurred and what it has meant to the people inhabiting this land. The Spanish were trying to get a foothold in a new territory. The Pueblo peoples were trying to retain their culture and ancestral lands. The United States was trying to fulfill its manifest destiny. Wars were fought over water, land and religion. Rebellions were staged and conquests were mounted. To call New Mexico’s history complex is an understatement. Yet even through such adversity, the unique arts and cultures of the different peoples survived, and together they created a celebrated center of art and culture recognized around the world.

Native Americans occupied present-day northern New Mexico for generations before the Spanish arrived. Their lives were tied to the natural resources around them. Baskets and pottery were essential tools for every day life—vessels for cooking and holding food and water. Clay for pots and bricks for adobe structures came from the soil. Blankets and ceremonial attire were woven from wild cotton on freestanding looms. Baskets were twined from native grasses, leaves and shoots. Vegetal inks and dyes adorned Native American handiwork. These practical items were no more objects d’art than the turquoise worn for spiritual and healing purposes.

Petroglyphs can be found on rock formations around Northern New Mexico. Commonly referred to as “rock art,” petroglyphs convey spiritual and practical messages. They are an early expression by Native Americans regarding their physical world and the world beyond. Many images survive today and are identified as maps or calendars, while others are fantastical in nature.

Multi-story adobe buildings were in wide use by Pueblo peoples. They were created from sun-dried adobe bricks made from earth, straw and water. Adobe architecture is generally identified by thick earth-tone walls, flat roofs and vigas, large supportive timbers in the ceiling. Truly from the earth, adobe buildings are practical—capable of keeping a home cool during the heat of the day, while utilizing retained warmth at night. Adobe architecture does not impose on the landscape. The simplicity of design and neutral tones allow adobe to blend into its surroundings.

The earth provided everything Native Americans needed. And as the native cultures of northern New Mexico began trading—objects and ideas—their practical pots, baskets, blankets and semi-precious stones became valuable bartering tools. When the Spanish arrived in New Mexico, they had to learn to adapt to this new high-desert environment. The Spanish left Mexico in the early 1500’s and embarked on excursions for the fabled Seven Cities of Cibloa and unfathomable wealth. Instead of finding fairytale riches, they found lands already inhabited by people that worked for centuries developing their cultures.

The elaborate religious artwork found throughout Spain would become humbler folk art in New Mexico. Tin work, santos and straw appliqué became the new art forms of the day. Dramatic sculptures were about to be replaced by tin art. Modest adobe churches would replace gothic cathedrals. Tin frames, candlesticks and chandeliers replaced finer accoutrements found in Spain. Santos, new forms of religious iconography, developed in New Mexico; bultos are three-dimensional carvings and retablos are paintings on wood. Santos became the customary religious devotions for church and home. Straw appliqué was a hybrid of inlay arts from Europe. Instead of using precious stones for inlays or veneers on metal, the Spanish carved wooden objects and inlayed them with straw.

Although there was no mining of silver in northern New Mexico at this time, silver objects could still be found in Santa Fe. Household items and jewelry were the most common imported silver items. Old pieces were melted down as needed to create new implements and jewelry. The Spanish shared their knowledge of silversmithing with Native Americans, who had not worked with metals this way before. The highly sought after Southwest jewelry of today had its groundwork laid centuries ago.

The Spanish had New Mexico under tight control for many years. So, when the Anglos finally got to Santa Fe, they found adobe buildings, pots, baskets, wood carvings, tin works and more. And, they brought their own ideas of art and culture.

Before the photographers and the landscape painters reproduced Santa Fe, there were sketch artists—men attached to exploratory expeditions that were usually launched for military endeavors, monetary aspirations, or both. The rugged landscape was like nothing Easterners had seen before. Stories of lawless lands paired with images of northern New Mexico made Eastern hearts beat a little quicker. These sketches sealed Santa Fe’s fate as a tourist destination and their impact reverberates through Santa Fe today. When Mexico gained independence from Spain, New Mexico’s borders opened, and for the first time more than just traders came looking for adventure.

In the late 1800’s, the traditional Native American and Spanish Colonial artists were joined by the newly arrived fine artists and photographers that were capturing the rousing landscape of New Mexico. Santa Fe’s intense lighting and terrain inspired many photographers and painters. Societies of painters sprouted up in Taos and Santa Fe, easels at the ready, clamoring to reproduce the rugged picturesque landscape without the strictures found in the eastern United States or Europe. Photographers found endless subject matter in the surrounding mountain formations and desert oases.

At the same time, the railroad brought the tourism trade to New Mexico. It is only natural that tourists would want to take home a memento as unique as their southwest experience and the collection of Southwest art began. In the early 1900’s, the School of Advanced Research and The Museum of New Mexico would begin the process of preserving New Mexico’s archaeological, historical and artistic legacies. The residents of the New Mexico Territory realized that their heritage was a step in the right direction to secure economic prosperity and statehood.

Today, traditional arts mix with contemporary arts in Santa Fe. The Plaza blossoms each spring with art fairs, demonstrations, eclectic music and dance and a variety of events that showcase our cultural diversity. Many of these events are recognized world wide, strengthening Santa Fe’s reputation as a hub of art and culture.

Native American jewelry, pottery, sculpture, textiles and other arts are highly stylized. Many pieces are easily identified with their creators because of their unique characteristics. The Museum of New Mexico wanted to create an environment for Native Americans to share their culture and educate buyers about their arts. Tourism had created a curios trade and the Museum of New Mexico hoped that by creating an “Indian Fair” they would encourage native artists to create traditional pieces of art instead of tourist trinkets. That was in 1922. Today, the Southwestern Association of Indian Arts, or SWAIA, proudly sponsors Indian Market. SWAIA’s goal is "To develop, sponsor, and promote the Santa Fe Indian Market® and other educational programs and events that encourage cultural preservation, inter-cultural understanding, and economic opportunities for American Indians through excellence in the arts, with an emphasis of Indians in the Southwest." Santa Fe Indian Market® is credited with bringing over 80,000 people each August to Santa Fe.

Santa Fe Indian Market® is an ideal way to experience the breadth of Native American art. Tesuque Pueblo artists are known for their “rain gods,” fanciful figures first created in the late 19th century. In the early 20th century Maria and Julian Martinez, renowned potters from San Ildefonso Pueblo, debuted the now highly collectable black-on-black pottery. And in the 1960’s, Helen Cordero of Cochiti Pueblo introduced the Storyteller figure. These works remain popular today and continue to be created by members of their respective Pueblo communities. Additionally, Native American artisans sell their work daily under the Palace portal on the Plaza through the Palace of the Governors Native American Artisans Program. The selection of Native art, although vast, maintains its creative ancestral spirit.

Tin work, Santos and straw appliqué are truly Northern New Mexico art forms. And to honor Santa Fe’s Spanish Colonial heritage multiple markets are held each year. Traditional Spanish Market is held each summer on the Plaza and has been showcasing artisans’ work for nearly 60 years. It was started by the Spanish Colonial Arts Society to support the growth of traditional Spanish Colonial arts by native New Mexicans. The Society honors artistic excellence by awarding prizes and by purchasing works for its collection at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, which is dedicated to exhibiting, preserving and educating people about Spanish Colonial arts. The Market has seen significant growth and change in the last two decades and has become the largest exhibition of traditional Hispanic Arts in the United States. Contemporary Spanish Market is also held annually and highlights works that have evolved from customary designs. Santa Fe artist Fred Ray Lopez has worked for many years to maintain the traditions of northern New Mexico tin workers. Charles Carrillo is one of the most well-known living santeros. His traditional northern New Mexico icons can be found in regional museums. Paula Rodriguez was one of the major forces behind the re-emergence of straw appliqué, for which she and her husband Eliseo earned many awards. Through the efforts of dedicated artists and supporters, the Spanish Colonial arts are alive and well in Santa Fe.

Santa Fe’s charm inspires artists today just as it did 100 years ago. Ansel Adams’ compelling black-and-white images of northern New Mexico are instantly identifiable. Many well-known artists like Georgia O’Keeffe came to northern New Mexico just for a visit and ended up spending their lives amongst the inspiring vistas. Photographers and artists are continually drawn to Santa Fe’s fiery sunsets, snow-capped mountains and beat up pick-up trucks. The galleries along Canyon Road are popular because of the diverse techniques, mediums and messages found there. A simple dirt road used mostly to drive burros to collect firewood; Canyon Road has become the heart of Santa Fe’s artistic expression. Artists moving to Santa Fe in the early 1900’s settled there along the Acequia Madre, moving into modest three-room homes attempting to live as artists. Canyon Road was the birthplace of the Santa Fe Art Colony. It offered a reprieve for artists eager to work in a less academic art scene without conventions and boundaries. In the 1960’s Canyon Road’s energy was catching. Santa Fe created a “residential arts and crafts zone” in the old farming community, and homes quickly became live-in studios. How fitting that an area of agriculture would prosper as one of the largest art markets in the United States.

Artistic expression is not limited to a single street in Santa Fe. In the museums and galleries found on the Plaza, Palace and Lincoln Avenues, hidden caminos and in the Railyard District, compelling stories of New Mexico art and history are told. It branches out into Santa Feans’ daily lives. Beyond the visual arts, Santa Fe is also known for its literary, culinary, musical and performing arts. Many find inspiration and creative energy in this little mountain town nestled in the hills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Looking into the 21st century, the cultural landscape of Santa Fe pitches in different directions, taking with it the influences of all who settle here. The creative dynamic is perpetuated generation after generation by an amalgam of artists with diverse backgrounds and a desire to share their messages. The artwork found in Santa Fe is more than a bracelet, painting or rug. A piece of art is a part of the artisan’s story, New Mexico’s history and a reminder of how through adversity we have become a thriving community.