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As a child, Ruben Gallegos found solace within art.

That feeling is still there for the sa国际传媒官网网页入口-based artist and continues to grow with each day.

Gallegos is one of the dozens of New Mexico artists that will participate in the Winter Spanish Market in Santa Fe.

The event takes place from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, and 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Santa Fe Convention Center. The event is free to attend.

Gallegos is returning to the winter market after a few years away.

鈥淚 haven鈥檛 done this venue in a couple of years,鈥� he says. 鈥淟ast year, I suffered a stroke. I鈥檓 doing better and thankfully am still able to create art. That wasn鈥檛 taken away.鈥�

Pushing boundaries: Santero Ruben Gallegos brings his miniature retablos to Winter Spanish Market in Santa Fe

Gallegos grew up in northern New Mexico, which is where his passion for painting was cultivated.

鈥淚 grew up (in the) north and the beauty surrounded me,鈥� Gallegos says. 鈥淭he churches still inspire me and the culture is instilled in me.鈥�

Gallegos first juried into Spanish Market in 1988. He was encouraged by a presentation given by santero Felix Lopez while Gallegos was teaching high school in Espa帽ola.

鈥淔elix talked about Spanish Colonial art,鈥� Gallegos recalls. 鈥淭hat was the push I needed. My mother was a folk artist, and she enjoyed tinsmithing. She was thrifty and clever.鈥�

Gallegos enjoys participating in Spanish Market because it gives him a different opportunity.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a chance to paint my culture, my history, my heritage,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hese are the markets that I do these days.鈥�

For this year鈥檚 event, he will take around 25 miniature retablos, a handful of larger pieces and around 60 ornaments.

鈥淚 like to call the miniature retablos 鈥榣ittle gems,鈥� 鈥� he says. 鈥淚 know a lot of people can鈥檛 paint that small, and I take great pride in the challenge.鈥�

The Winter Spanish Market caps off a stellar year for Gallegos.

In the summer, Gallegos traveled to Washington, D.C. and was one of the participants in 鈥淐reative Encounters: Living Religions鈥� in the U.S. program at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

鈥淚 learned when I went there that they have a Santo Ni帽o from 1991,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he Smithsonian acquired it through a collector who donated them. It鈥檚 neat that they have my work there. It鈥檚 an honor.鈥�

Today, Gallegos works from his kitchen as his studio sits empty.

He looks forward to returning to the studio as soon as he can.

鈥淓very step I take, it鈥檚 moving forward,鈥� he says. 鈥淕etting back on track from having the stroke has been a journey. Art has always been a big part of my life, and it鈥檚 helped me push through and keep creating by pushing the boundaries with innovation and tradition.鈥�