Norteño (Northern New Mexico) Artist Portraits

Micaceous clay potter Camilla Trujillo working on a new pot outside her Espanola, New Mexico, home.
I've been living in Northern New Mexico for over 40 years and have been writing and photographing about the arts and artists among other things. I've accumulated a lot of Norteño (the term used for a person who lives in Northern New Mexico) artist portraits and thought I'd share some of them here. 
Nicklas Valdez and son Ezra at the installation of his exhibit at the Convento Gallery on the Espanola Plaza, Espanola, New Mexico
Poet Levi Romero in his house in Dixon, New Mexico. Romero likes to say that he doesn't tell short stories. "I don't have time to tell short stories." Meaning there is so much detail in a story he will tell, he doesn't want to waste his time telling an abbreviated or condensed version. In addition to being a professor at the University of New Mexico, he also served as New Mexico's poet laureate.  (above and below)
Alfred Blea from Medanales
Contemporary artist Toshi Miki in her Abiquiu, New Mexico, studio
Master santero Felix Lopez painting a new carving. His son Joseph, who is also a santero, watches his father work in their Española, New Mexico home. ​Lopez has received numerous awards throughout his career.  He first participated in Spanish Market in 1976. Among his many recognitions, he was given the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Spanish Colonial Arts Society and 2016 Governors Award for Excellence in the Arts. He also has a major piece, Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, in the Smithsonian American Art Musuem.  He’s also known for his art conservation work in Northern New Mexico including work at the Santuario de Chimayó, Santa Cruz de la Cañada Church and the Nuestra Señora del Rosario church in the mountain village of Truchas.
Armando Lopez, Abiquiú, New Mexico
Wayne Snowbrd, sculptor, Santa Clara Pueblo
David Cudney, Chamisal, New Mexico. Cudney might be termed the "king" of found or repurposed art sculpture and installation. He has contributed to numerous exhibitions and to Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Wayne Snowbird, Santa Clara Pueblo sculptor (left) Ryan Benally, Navajo sculptor (right) in his Espanola, New Mexico, studio
Wayne Snowbird hard at work
Ramon Jose Lopez with one of his hide paintings (above) and dressed as a conquistador (below)
Dino Martinez, muralist, Espanola, New Mexico
Camera shy Coyote, New Mexico, micaceous potter Annette Morfin  shows one of her trademark TAD bowls she had made for Spanish Market
Jason Garcia, Santa Clara Pueblo
La Puebla, New Mexico poet Joan Logghe. Logghe is the recipient of an NEA grant and also served as Poet Laureate in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is a well-know figure in Northern New Mexico having hosted weekly art workshops and teaching classes at Ghost Ranch. She is also one of the three owners of Tres Chicas Books.
Artist and filmmaker Diego Lopez strikes a heroic stance prior to starting a mural in Espanola, New Mexico. 
Children's book author and illustrator and agriculture expert Serena Wright
Andres Martinez  in his studio near Holy Cross church in Santa Cruz, New Mexico (above and below)
Stonecarver Mark Sax runs, along with is wife Betsy Williams, the Saxe Stonecarving Workshop in Rinconada, New Mexico.
Printmaker Nick Beason in the Gaucho Blue gallery in Peñasco, New Mexico (above and below)
Stonecarver Steve Dunlap at a Saxe Stonecarving Workshop in Rinconada, New Mexico
Artist, photographer, fashion and costume designer, filmmaker and writer, Emma Eckert displays one of her moth capes at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Santero Nick Herrera was born in El Rito, New Mexico, and his New Mexican roots helped to shape him as a artist who "follows the ever-expanding folk tradition of the Northern New Mexico santero."[1] His art is known to provoke strong emotions, as it is satirical, religious and sometimes sad. Herrera's work takes the form of statuettes, sculptures inspired by modern issues, lithographs and plaster images. Much of his inspiration comes from a serious accident that put Herrera into a coma, during which he claims he saw a figure of death. As a result, his spiritual iconic style was born. Below – Herrera sits in a mausoleum, which sits next to his home, that houses his mother's remains.
Nick Herrera in his El Rito, NM, studio
Paul Namking, Tierra Amarilla, NM, wooden drum maker (above and below)
Mark Saxe, Rinconada, NM, stone sculptor with his "Brain" piece shown in the Rift Gallery
Abiquiu, NM, artist Sabra Moore sits in front of an elementary school mosaic she and students were constructing
Drum maker Wayne Brewster in his outdoor Abiquiu, NM, studio working on a traditional drum
Gene Ortega showing paintings at the Contemporary Spanish Market in Santa Fe, NM
Stone carver Mark Saxe, Rinconada, NM
Potter Betsy Williams in the Rift Gallery, Rinconada, NM
Patricia Romero sits in front of a painting-in-progress of the Espanola Plaza
Tinwoker Carmen Campos holds a piece-in-progress in her El Rito, NM, home
Thomas Vigil with a few of his painted road signs at the Espanola Valley Arts Festival, Espanola, New Mexico
Roger Montoya sitting in front of a mural on the Hunter Building in Espanola, NM. Montoya was instrumental in getting arts in the schools started in the Espanola Valley and is also a founder of Moving Arts in Espanola, among other accomplishements
Dixon artist Jim Vogel sits in front of one finished and one in-process painting. Vogel's painting's are very reminiscent of the style of Thomas Hart Benton.
Custom car maker and jeweler (Rocket Heads Jewelry) Jeff Brock sits atop "The Evil Twin" in his Espanola, New Mexico garage. Among Brock's accomplishments are his holding a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Eliza Naranjo Morse (Santa Clara Pueblo)  on Matthew Chase-Daniel's cell phone screen while she worked on a massive mural project at ​IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Claire Kerven
 Rose Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo) stand among some of the "Finding Center" pieces at Chiaroscuro Contemporary Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico (above and below)
Clare Villa
Clarence Cruz demonstrates how to repair a crack in a pot at Northern New Mexico College in Espanola, NM (above) and watches as a fired pot is uncovered (below)
Eliza Naranjo Morse stands as part of wall figures in her "Forward" mural exhibit at the IAIA Museum in Santa Fe, NM
Irvin Trujillo works on a weaving in his Chimayo, NM, studio
Isabro Ortego (deceased) holds one of his carvings in his Truchas, NM, home. Ortega was well known for his home, which was elaborately carved. In an article I had written about his work I noted he probably couldn't pass an uncarved piece of wood without stopping and wanting to carve it in some manner. Even the undersides of shelves were carved. He was an amazing testament to the love of his craft. (above and two images below)
Nancy Youngblood points out details in one of her pieces to visitors at the Indian Market in Santa Fe, NM. Chris Youngblood, Nancy's son, holds one of his dragonfly pots at the same Market (below)
Vincent Campos works on a retablo while is mother Carmen looks on. Carmen is a tinworker (above) Vincent close up (below)
Lori Faye Bock, who is well-known for her paintings of animals, with one of her close friends in her Abiquiu, New Mexico, home
Japanese-trained production potter Betsy Williams carrying cups to her wood-fired kiln in Dixon, New Mexico
Randy Ortiz Martinez in front of an in-process mural on La Joya Street in Espanola, New Mexico
Jane Kramer works on a basket, El Rito, New Mexico
Zach Greer and his "Trophy Car"
Glass artist Paul White models a new mask creation, Tesuque, New Mexico
Composer and musician Thollem McDonas prior to a performance in the Misión Convento. Espanola, New Mexico
Printmaker Ron Mier. Northern New Mexico College, Espanola, New Mexico
Emma Eckert apparently practicing "sculptural yoga" at the Railyard area in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Leroy Lopez at home in Los Ojos, New Mexico
Contemporary painting Mike Edge in his Abiquiu, New Mexico, studio
Sal and Roger, founders of Moving Arts Espanola inside the new dome created for performacnes, Espanola, New Mexico
Photographer, writer and author Don Usner. On the computer screen is the photo Usner used on the cover of his book, "Chasing Dichos in Chimayó"
El Rito, New Mexico, photographer David Michael Kennedy
Sculptor Doug Coffin in his Abiquiú, New Mexico studio
Santero Manuel Lopez
Musician Cipriano Vigil
Eliza Naranjo Morse (Santa Clara Pueblo) with an introductory section of a massive mural project she completed at ​IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Teenage poet and potter Demi Lovato working on a new pot in her Chamita, New Mexico, studio (above and below)
Anthony Martinez
Al Lotstetter
Benjamin Lopez at a Sax Stonecarving Workshop in Rinconada, NM
Delilah Salazar at her one-person exhibit in Santa Fe, NM
Eddy Dominguez, Abiquiu, NM
Emma Eckert with her massive recycled bottlecap maiden
Melba Morfin with some of her jewelry made from silverware, Coyote, NM
Flamenco dancer Keyana
Larry Fielder in his Espanola, NM, studio (above and below)
Painter Latoya Mark, Espanola, NM
Sculptor Matthew Gonzales
Loretta Atencio, colcha artist and curator of numerous colcha exhibitions
​Ceramaic artist Michelle Van Cleave
Ceramic artist Nanette Valerio
Nick Beason, printmaker, Penasco, NM, in his Gaucho Blue Gallery
Nikki Bustos with one of her retablos
Glass artist Paul White, Santa Fe, NM
Roger Montoya painting on location in the Rio Grande Gorge near Pilar, NM
Ceramic artist Ted Salazar, Espanola, NM
Tomas Vigil outside El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM
Painter Brian Flowers
Jason Garcia holding a lithograph in his Santa Clara Pueblo studio
Abiquiú, New Mexico, painter and photographer Walter Nelson
Jeweler and painter Gabriela Silva outside the Misión Convento in Española, New Mexico
Rod Velarde, Jicarilla Apache, with one of his Native design decorated Star Wars figures. 
Woodcarver Eliseo Trujillo selling crosses and bultos at his roadside "Gallery," Española, New Mexico
Leopoldo Garcia, Abiquiú, New Mexico
Shel Neymark working on a public mosaic mural in Dixon, New Mexico
Woodworker Fred Romero
El Rito artist Julie Wagner with one of her artist books
Gloria Lopez Cordova, woodcarver from Cordova, New Mexico
Trish Spillman at her loom. Spillman was instrumental in the
​formation of the Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center
Ojo Sarco, New Mexico, potter Kathy Riggs
Batik artist Gary Fey in his Rinconada, New Mexico, studio/gallery
Ceramic artist Theo H. in his Chimayó studio
Jean Nichols, Peñasco, New Mexico
David Michael Kennedy, El Rito, New Mexico
Abiquiú, New Mexico, artist Sabra Moore at the mosaic installation at San Juan Elementary School
Andrea Ortiz at the Northern New Mexico Fiber Arts Center in Espanola, NM
Andrew Herrera working on a aerosol painting in the Espanola, NM, Plaza
Abiquiu, NM, artist Armando Lopez showing work at the Contemporary Hispanic Market in Santa Fe, NM
Dixon, NM, potter Betsy Williams decorates a bowl in her home studio (above) and with her sidekick Morton (now deceased) in front of her home (below)
Potter and poet Demi Lovato works on a pot in her Chamita, NM, studio
Santero Joseph Lopez at the Traditional Spanish Market in Santa Fe, NM
Mike Edge in his Abiquiu, NM, studio
Reggie Campkin — The Tinman (above and below)
Xavier Mendez at the Espanola Valley Arts Festival in Espanola, NM
Cipriano Vigil and grandson, El Rito, New Mexico
To contact Bob Eckert for assignments, consultations or workshops, please email [email protected]
​or use the contact form on the About page