Santos and other religious art
by goodfish
Spanish settlers brought the Catholic faith, and its saints, to New Mexico four hundred years ago. As colonial chapels were established and missionaries dispatched to this remote region, imagery was needed to familiarize the newly converted with the saints and their stories and to provide the churches with representations of their specific namesakes.
Spain being rather far away, it was tough for parish clergy to get their hands on existing icons so the alternative was to have them made. Carved and/or painted using indigenous materials by village craftspersons known as Santeros/Santeras, these often crude but unique and colorful folk art figures are called Santos and can be 3-dimensional (bultos) or two (retablos). Great skill with knife or paintbrush wasn't exactly mandatory so features often tend to be exaggerated to the point of macabre, and hues towards the positively lurid - it's all part of the charm. Very old Santos are prized by collectors and museums and newer versions are still crafted for personal use or for their value as a traditional art form.
Catholicism being very prevalent among the large Hispanic and Native American population in the American Southwest, religious iconography is everywhere and created from all sorts of materials: tin, clay, wood, fabrics and even bottle tops or other reclaimed objects.
Just don't lose the paddle.....
by CliffClaven
An hour's drive north of Santa Fe brings you to a stretch of the Rio Grande which is popular for whitewater rafting. Several companies organise trips along the river, but old Cliffie can recommend the Los Rios River Runners for their laidback but totally professional approach. As you stand there in your orange lifejacket before the trip, the guide tries to scare you by telling you what to do if you are tossed into a raging torrent or get trapped under the raft. The four-hour trip down the river turns out to be not quite so scary - after all, losing a tourist or two is hardly good publicity - but a lot of fun, especially if most of your thrills in the rest of the year come while sitting in front of a computer terminal!
Enjoy the Beauty Around Santa Fe
by lareina
There are many areas near Santa Fe that are excellent for lovers of the outdoors. In this tip, I'll mention a few, but most locations have their own tip pages as well. Also, you can check out my Santa Fe Travelogue for detailed info.
The Aspen Vista is a beautiful place to visit and hike at in the autumn. The leaves of the aspens turn bright yellow and glow in the evening light. Take Hyde Park Road from SF, takes about 20 minutes driving.
Bandelier National Monument is an excellent place to hike and also learn about Native American culture. There are cliff dwellings in the canyon which you can visit via wooden ladders. Take 84 North from Santa Fe and then NM502 towards Los Alamos, about a 45min drive.
Tent Rocks is a unique area south of Santa Fe. Take I-25 south from SF and head west on the Cochiti Lake exit, takes about 40min. There are two hikes, a lower and an upper. The upper is a moderate hike and takes you past the strange tent-topped rock formations.
Second largest art market in the U.S.
by karenincalifornia about Galleries on Canyon Road
THAT was a piece of trivia that surprised me. What used to be a backwater turquoise mining town - Santa Fe - is now the second largest art market in the U.S., second only to Manhattan. The art IS incredible - and very plentiful.
A good place to see the sophistication of the art is in the galleries on Canyon Road. They are lined up all along the road, and display a wide range of art from traditional to contemporary, from Southwestern to international. There is even a gallery called Pushkin dedicated to Soviet trained artists. Paintings, pastels, watercolors, sculptures, jewelry, pottery, tapestries, yard sculptures, fountains.
You don't have to be in the market to buy works of art to enjoy Canyon Road. I really enjoyed strolling along the road and going from gallery to gallery. Some of the art fell in the category of stuff I would never buy, but a lot was so impressive, it literally took my breath away.
A visit to Canyon Road is like a visit to a museum, but the best part of it, it is free! OK, here's the catch. The art isn't cheap. Most items sell for thousands of dollars.
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Rosario chapel, Santa Fe
Taos Pueblo
Cristo Rey, front
Gallery, Canyon road
