Nicholas Herrera

Nicholas Herrera (born July 11, 1964) is an artist in the Northern New Mexico Santero tradition, also known as El Rito Santero ("the Saint maker of El Rito").

Life and career

He 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.

His work is in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum,[2] Autry Museum of the American West, the Museum of International Folk Art, the Flatwater Folk Art Museum and the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery.[3] He is represented by EVOKE Contemporary in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

References
  1. Awalt, Barbe and Paul Rhetts (November 2003). Nicholas Herrera: Visiones de mi Corazon, Visions of my Heart. Lpd Pr. p. 11. ISBN 978-1890689131.
  2. "Protect and Serve by Nicholas Herrera". Luce Center. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  3. Rosenak, Chuck; Rosenak, Jan (1998). The Saint Makers : Contemporary Santeras y Santeros. Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Publishing. p. 47. ISBN 0873587189.


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