No. 37
Arthur López
El Jarabe Tapatío the Betrothal of José Y María, 2026, handcarved wood painted with natural and water-based pigments, 29 x 18 x 12.5 in.
Born and reared in Santa Fe, Arthur López is proud to be working in the long tradition of New Mexico santero artists. His close attention to detail has garnered him many awards, and he is esteemed as one of the state’s most popular santero sculptors in wood. López explains, “My work comes out of my faith. I am a firm believer that you can still use traditional methods to create contemporary work. Though the majority of my work is of Saints, you do not have to be of any particular religion to appreciate them as art.” Equally important to López is his need to transcend the bounds of the traditional santero and use his art as a medium for expressing the full range of his culture and the world around him. López has exhibited in numerous shows throughout the Southwest, and his work is in many prominent museum collections throughout the country.