Chasing Santa Fe: SPIRIT OF A STUDIO

T H E M A S T E R S T O R Y T E L L E R

Photo courtesy of artist.

I've known Roseta Santiago and followed her work for several years now, and when she invited me to visit her new home & studio I was delighted. She is a much-admired and collected artist, known for her luminous paintings that eloquently capture the spirit of Native American culture.

Photos courtesy of artist.

T H E S T U D I O

Santiago is a prolific painter, working almost every day and for long stretches of time, so it is not surprising to see several large easels touting works in progress. And because she spends so much of her time in her studio, she has filled it with her vast collections of pottery and vintage Native American artifacts that not only give her inspiration, but from time to time wend their way into her paintings.

When I visited Roseta was staging a photo shoot with one of her favorite models - Joaquin - who arrived complete with top hat, drum and a satchel full of authentic clothing and jewelry from his fabulous new shop - TWO FEATHERS. Roseta uses the photographs as a reference to guide her to the final painting.

She makes preliminary sketches before each shoot, working out the gesture and stance of the model that will translate into the story/painting that she has imagined. It's fascinating to watch her process, capturing the light, composition and details with her camera.

T H E S H O O T

Depending on the nuances of light that she wants for each painting, she will shoot either in her studio or outside in her beautiful open patio that sits between her studio and her house.