Mateo Romero

Mateo Romero's images of Native Americans seem to leap from the canvas. Vigorous, muscular, and bold, the paintings capture the merest sliver of time and motion. Romero begins with his own photographs of Pueblo dancers or sometimes of his wife, Leslie. The photograph is applied to the canvas, where some aspects of it may show through, while others are densely covered with paint.

"It's like a musical composition," he explains. "Some areas are very dynamic while others are more quiet."



While many of his paintings depict Native Americans in traditional ceremonial dress, he also addresses contemporary social themes such as violence, gambling, and alcoholism. Romero is the third generation of a family of noted artists from Cochiti Pueblo. But he was born and grew up in California and first came to Santa Fe to attend the famed Institute of American Indian Arts.

"It was this wonderful milieu of young native artists from all over--British Columbia, Alaska, the Dakotas," he recalls.




In twenty years, the inspiration he found has not waned. "We have this intense color here, the air is clean, and the pueblo villages have such a connection to place and time. It's magical," he says. "That may seem trite, but for me it's very genuine."


Learn more about the rest of Santa Fe's featured edgy artists here