Crucifix by Colorado Classic santero Jose francisco vigil, Nuestra Senora De Guadalupe church, Chama CO
HISTORIA
For generations Hispanic Villagers of New Mexico and Southern Colorado have created Santos, -Religious images of Catholic Christian Saints and biblical scenes. These were used in their homes, churches and private chapels to aid in worship and for adornment. The paintings and statues came with the first colonists to New Mexico starting with the Don Juan de Oñate journey in 1598. Religious images continue to make their way up the Camino Real from Mexico. These were mostly oil paintings that were easily rolled up for transport. They were used by the Spanish Missionaries to aid in their missionary work. Between 30 to 50 mission churches were established. In 1626, one of the most famous and beloved of these early images is brought to New Mexico. A statue of our Lady of the Assumption, now known as La Conquistadora. Artwork and church furnishing continued to flow up until the pueblo Indian revolt in 1680 when the settlers were forced to flee back to Mexico. During the revolt, most of the churches and homes, even livestock, is destroyed. Only the images that the Colonists were able to take with them survived. 12 years later Don Diego de Vargas reconquers New Mexico and reestablish Spanish rule. Once again paintings and church furnishings were brought up the Camino Real for the reestablished missions and homes. Because of the revolt and economic problems, the
colonists had a problem with bringing up the art they wanted. So to fill this void they enlisted the help of the Franciscan friars and local carpenters and painters. One of the first to create art in New Mexico is Captain Don Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco who arrived in Santa Fe 1754. Don Bernardo was born and educated in Spain and was trained in art and cartography. Along with being a Captain in the Spanish Military, Don Bernardo was also a cartographer, explorer, architect, engineer, governor of Pecos and a Santero. His work
adorned many of the early Churches throughout New Mexico, even today. He used canvas and wood panels and used oil paints that he either brought with him or had imported from Mexico at great expense. The only carved stone altar screen in New Mexico was created for the military chapel of La Castrense in Santa Fe by Don Bernardo in 1761. This altar screen is classically Spanish baroque in style and size. Oil paints were
used up until around 1790 when they became harder to receive from Mexico.
The Santero Artist known as the Laguna Santero started his work in New Mexico around this time using tempura paints made from materials that were either imported or found locally. He was also one of the first to incorporate a scallop or shell carved into the top portion of the retablo and reredos. He also was the first to add the twisted Solomonic columns to altar screens. His style influenced many of the Santero artists that would follow him. He and other Santeros created schools and workshops to teach others and help in creating the much needed Santos. These classic Santeros used material that were either imported up the Camino real or found locally. They used pine panels which they had flattened using a hand adze, cottonwood roots were used for bultos. They gathered native plants and minerals which they prepared with simple binders and used the pitch from the piñon tree for a varnish. They used what they had and wasted nothing. The most precious material was iron, which was always in short supply. It was not uncommon for santeros to reuse old retablos to make new ones or to over paint another older Santo with a new image. When the railroad arrived into New Mexico in 1878 new materials like house paints and tin became available. They even used the wooden packing crates from the U.S. army. When the tourists started to come to New Mexico the Santero artist
started using other natural materials never used previously solely for the touristas.
Woods like cedar, juniper and aspen. These were at first painted but soon found more appeal by being left in a more natural state.
There is a misconception that the early Santero artists learned from the Pueblo Indian artists about using local materials. Very little cultural interaction actually took place with the two cultures. The Hispanics had a deep mistrust of the Pueblo natives after the revolt and were not inclined to follow any type of non-Christian methods of art. They did use some of the same materials for their devotional but this was only by coincidence. For example, they both used the root of the cottonwood tree. But the Santero used it because it was elongated, light and easily carved. The pueblo Indians used the cottonwood root to carve Kachinas because cottonwoods grew only near water sources which are sacred and the roots would go deep into the mother earth. In a cave above the village of Questa is a red oxide that is still used to this day by both cultures known as almagre. The santeros use it for its orange reddish hue. The Indians consider it sacred and use the almagre for war paint and sacred ceremonies for they believe a huge bear scratched the mountain and the reddish earth is actually the blood of mother earth. So were the Santero would use native materials to make something sacred, the Indian artists would use materials that were sacred.
The Santero artists of New Mexico and southern Colorado rely solely on images of the Saints that are proper for the Catholic Church and faith. The first images used were biblical and scenes of the Saints lives. These were used for the conversion of the Native Indians and to teach the Catholic Christian faith. As the Santero art form evolved they copied engravings from prayer books and missals brought up the Camino real. Over time, the Santeros would copy earlier Santos and these in turn were again re copied by another artists. There are differences between Santos made in New Mexico and those created in other parts of Latin America.
The materials used reflect the resources available to the artists. The use of gold leaf was common and widespread in Mexico, Columbia and Peru due to its availability. Although gold leaf was used by early New Mexican Santeros, the practice was discontinued due to the expense and lack of abundant supplies. Surprisingly the Santeros of New Mexico incorporated very little local scenery into their work. They copied the images exactly as they saw them and developed a deeper respect for the Saints.
The Santero tradition slowly started to die out when plaster of paris statues and paper prints became widely available. the tradition still thrived among the Penitente brotherhood, who needed santos for their moradas and for use in their Holy week ceremonies. The tradition of making santos was revived and now thrives in new Mexico and Colorado.
COLORADO SANTEROS
With the establishment of villages in Southern Colorado there also came a need for the work of the santeros, and also a way for the santeros to find work. Often santeros like Jose de Gracia Gonzales of Arroyo hondo would journey into Colorado to work odd jobs. In the Case of jose de Gracia gonzales, he Came to Colorado to work on the railroad in Trinidad. Santeros Antonio Herrera, Juan Ascedro Maes, Jose Francisco Vigil all lived in the san Luis Valley region and made Santos for the Moradas and homes. As the hispanic people moved north, the Santero art along with the penitente brotherhood followed. moradas were established in Denver, Wattenburg, Vollmar, Greeley and as far as Rawlins Wyoming. Slowly these Northern Moradas closed up due to changing membership and the aging of the members. The Moradas are all sadly abandoned and their Santos have moved on to museums and private collections.
Growing interest in traditional Hispanic arts sparked a revival in by local Hispanic artists and organizations. In 1977 Denver Santero Carlos Santistevan entered into the spanish Market in Santa Fe. Carlos was the first Colorado Santero to enter into the spanish market. Denver Chicano artists started using images of Saints in their paintings and murals. in 1992 the Chicano Humanities and Arts Council, or CHAC, held their first Chile harvest festival in Denver. This festival brought to the Denver metro area santos and other traditional hispanic arts for the first time. In 1996 the exhibition "Santeros Del Norte" opened up at the Aurora History Museum. This ground breaking exhibiton featured 15 Colorado Santeros. for this exhibiton an altar screen was created by 10 Colorado Santeros. this is considered the first Santero altar screen made in Colorado. In 1997 Regis University hosted another all Colorado Santero Exhibition," Santos, Sacred art of Colorado. In this exhibiton 17 Santeros from Colorado were featured. This opened the door for Colorado Santeros and Santeras to be recognized and subsequent exhibitions in the Denver area have furthered the popularity of santos made by Colorado Santeros and Santeras. Several Santeros and Santeras have been able to show their work at the annual spanish market in Santa Fe. Many receiving awards. In 2002 the Tesoro foundation held their first spanish market at the fort in Morrison featuring Colorado Santeros and Santeras. In 2002 CHAC gallery held their first santos group show; " Santos and crosses, Colorado style". Every year since CHAC has hosted a group show featuring Colorado Santeros and Santeras.
COLORADO STYLE
Colorado Santeros and Santeras have always seemed to have their own distinctive style. Early Colorado santeros like Juan Acedro Maes and Jose Francisco Vigil used store bought oil and latex paints on their santos to mimic the white hues of purchased plaster of paris statues. Santero Rubel Jaramillo who began carving santos in Mesitas in 1970, also used purchased paints in his earlier works. Modern Colorado santeros and santeras are not bound by the limits set on them by the Art societies of New Mexico. They have more freedom to use different techniques and materials. reusing old lumber and panels, cutting boards and pieces, to recycle and reuse. Using more than one type of material to enhance their santos. Another method of what makes Colorado style santos unique is the use of deep carvings on retablos in a block-printing manner. the religious iconography used by Colorado Santeros and Santeras though remains traditional and deeply spiritual. non hispanic Santeros and Santeras seem to be more accepted in Colorado for their art than in New Mexico or elsewhere.