History, art and family combine at Traditional Spanish Market
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As a child, Ashley Montoya spent her summer running around the Traditional Spanish Market while her grandmother ran a booth. Now, she鈥檚 the one behind the booth.
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure how old I was when I first went, but as far as I can remember, my grandma has been doing the Spanish Market,鈥� Montoya said.
Montoya will be among the artists at the Traditional Spanish Market representing decades and generations of skill.
The market will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, on the Santa Fe Plaza. The market features artwork ranging from tinwork to weaving to pottery and much more.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to us to showcase these traditional art forms from the Spanish colonial period here in New Mexico,鈥� Brissa Chilton-Garcia, market program coordinator, said.
Juanito Jimenez, who paints retablos, is celebrating 50 years at the market and has seen how it not only represents traditional art forms, but also the community.
鈥淚 see the market as an anchor event in the capital city, keen to perpetuate the true essence of Santa Fe and New Mexico 鈥︹�� Jimenez said. 鈥淎s an artist, I just don鈥檛 look at the economy art does. Art is a central part of who we are as a people, united, working toward a future reconciliation, hope and eternal heritage.鈥�
Eliana Barela is gearing up for her second year in the market and says it is an honor to be surrounded by fellow artists.
鈥淢any of them are masters, and I feel so honored to be surrounded by the best of the best 鈥�,鈥� Barela, who paints retablos, said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really inspiring. It鈥檚 motivating, and they鈥檙e so helpful and so willing to share their knowledge.鈥�
The market connects masters with younger artists in an attempt to pass on the generational knowledge with an adjacent youth market, Chilton-Garcia said.
鈥淭hey learn the artistic, cultural heritage in addition to entrepreneurial skills. So it鈥檚 ground up,鈥� Chilton-Garcia said. 鈥淲e have from as young as 7 years old, and then we have Traditional Spanish Market artists that have been with us for 50 years.鈥�
Where some learn from assigned mentors, Montoya has been taught to weave by her family. This familial art form dates back to her great-great-grandmother, who learned it from her husband, a Chimay贸 weaver, decades ago.
鈥淚 believe I鈥檓 still learning a lot. It鈥檚 big footsteps to follow. But at the same time, it makes me very proud that I鈥檓 continuing our family tradition,鈥� Montoya said.
The art form has been woven so deeply into Montoya鈥檚 life that she did not realize it was not an intrinsic part of everyone鈥檚 lives.
鈥淪ince I was a kid, I never realized not all grandmas weave because I had my great-great-grandma, my great-grandma and my grandma and my mom, they were all weavers,鈥� Montoya said. 鈥淪o I just kind of assumed, like that was just part of life.鈥�
Montoya sold at the market for the first time in 2024. While Montoya was celebrating her first, her grandmother was saying it would likely be her last market.
鈥淚t was really bittersweet, (I was) proud to be there, proud to be able to jury in and be there with my sister,鈥� Montoya said. 鈥淏ut a little bittersweet knowing that might be my grandma鈥檚 last market. So it was great, I got to have them there.鈥�
Where Montoya has seen generations of artists in her family, Jimenez has seen generations come through the market, all of whom, he says, were 鈥渄evotional on their part to this art form.鈥�
鈥淓very time that I go to the Spanish Market, I鈥檓 underneath the portal, and I look and I see the faces of these individuals who were there long before these young artists,鈥� Jimenez said. 鈥淎nd I always thank these old artists because they saw the importance of this art form.鈥�
Jimenez names past greats who sold at the Traditional Spanish Market, Horacio Valdez and Frank Brito, both of whom have art in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Over nearly 100 years, the market has grown larger and larger, yet it holds tight to its founding mission, according to Chilton-Garcia.
鈥淭he Traditional Spanish Market originally started in 1926 as a market to showcase Hispanic artists in New Mexico,鈥� Chilton-Garcia said. 鈥淪o we still stay true to that.鈥�
Barela also found her way to the market through her family, recognizing the importance of the market鈥檚 mission. Her uncle used to participate as a seller before he died.
鈥淎fter my uncle passed away, going to his funeral, I saw all the santeros there and they had built his casket for him, and he was buried with a retablo,鈥� Barela said. 鈥淎nd I just sort of saw how important the art form was to the community and the culture.鈥�
Santeros are artists dedicated to creating religious depictions and works, who Barela says are 鈥渁 whole community.鈥�
The market has a focus on religious artworks, such as retablos, and also features a dedicated Mass at 9 a.m. Sunday, July 27, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis de Assisi, accompanied by a procession and a blessing of the artists.
鈥淭hat was such a beautiful part of the market. I think it鈥檚 very special, specifically in Catholicism, like processions are a big part of the faith itself,鈥� Barela said. 鈥淪o for that to be surrounding the art and my art, it was so special to be a part of.鈥�
Jimenez says he loves painting religious works, including retablos, because he feels a connection to the saints he paints.
鈥淭hey become a part of me and the spiritual embodiment with the image is essentially my way of working,鈥� he said.
For many of the artists, it is not just a connection to the art but to the history and tradition. Montoya learned weaving from her grandmother later in life. She had initially been against following in the footsteps of her ancestors, but changed her mind.
鈥淢y grandma, the one that I鈥檓 learning weaving from, actually didn鈥檛 start until she was about my age. Because she didn鈥檛 want to be like them either,鈥� Montoya said. 鈥淎nd then when she got older, she had an appreciation for weaving, and she put five of her kids through college that way.鈥�
The market receives visitors from all over the world, according to Chilton-Garcia.
鈥淲e have people from New Mexico. We have people from out of state, from other countries, coming to experience the culture鈥� Chilton-Garcia said.
Aside from selling to and connecting with visitors throughout the two-day market, the sellers find family among other artists, according to Barela.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a whole community of market artists, and every show we have throughout the year is like a family reunion,鈥� Barela said.
Chilton-Garcia hopes the market will keep finding and showcasing new artists.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking for it to remain healthy, to keep the audience coming, and to keep on passing down the traditions, ensuring that we鈥檙e passing it on to the next generation,鈥� Chilton-Garcia said.
