New Mexico

Events: Contemporary Spanish Market, Fiestas de Santa Fe, Las Cruces International Mariachi Conference, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Pinatafest Cultural Celebration, Rancho de Los Golondrinas, Spanish Market,
Entertainment: Flamenco, Matachines

Spanish Market

Spanish Market, held annually in late July on the Santa Fe Plaza, showcases traditional Hispanic artforms and artists.

The traditional artforms featured each year at Spanish Market include the following:

• Santos - depictions of religious figures in the forms of bultos (carvings in the round),

• Retablos (paintings on wooden panels) and gesso and wood relief-carved panels.

• Hide paintings - religious images painted on deer or elk hide

• Straw appliqué - crosses, chests and boxes decorated with applied straw

• Textiles - handwoven on looms using handspun yarns

• Furniture - usually made from pine using mortise and tenon joints

• Colcha - unique regional embroideries employing the colcha stitch

• Tinwork - decorative and utilitarian objects of cut and punched tin

• Ironwork - tools, fastenings, and household objects forged from iron

• Precious metals - silver or gold jewelry, utilitarian and devotional objects

• Pottery - hand sculpted bowls, pots, and other wares made from micaceous clay

• Bonework - decorative items, anillos (rings) and tool handles carved from bones

• Ramilletes - decorative paper garlands

• Basketry - baskets handwoven from red and brown river willow

Spanish Market is organized and produced by the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, which supports Hispanic artists through educational programs, grants, and the production of Spanish Market in July and Winter Spanish Market in December. These two major exhibitions give visitors a rare opportunity to meet some of the best Hispanic artists working in the region today.The Society's collection of more than 3,500 art objects is housed at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art at 750 Camino Lejo (Museum Hill) in Santa Fe. The collections include Spanish colonial artforms covering four centuries and four continents.

For complete information on Spanish Market, Winter Market or the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, please contact 505-982-2226 or museum@spanishcolonial.org.
Spanish Market is funded in part by New Mexico Arts, the City of Santa Fe Arts Commission and 1% Lodgers' Tax, and the New Mexico Department of Tourism.

Contact New Mexico Tourism Department | Disclaimer & Use | Press | NM Links & Business Directory | Request Visitors Guide