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

As a child, Ruben Gallegos found solace within art.

That feeling is still there for the Albuquerque-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.

“I haven’t done this venue in a couple of years,” he says. “Last year, I suffered a stroke. I’m doing better and thankfully am still able to create art. That wasn’t taken away.”

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.

“I grew up (in the) north and the beauty surrounded me,” Gallegos says. “The churches still inspire me and the culture is instilled in me.”

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 Española.

“Felix talked about Spanish Colonial art,” Gallegos recalls. “That was the push I needed. My mother was a folk artist, and she enjoyed tinsmithing. She was thrifty and clever.”

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

“It’s a chance to paint my culture, my history, my heritage,” he says. “These are the markets that I do these days.”

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

“I like to call the miniature retablos ‘little gems,’ ” he says. “I know a lot of people can’t paint that small, and I take great pride in the challenge.”

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 “Creative Encounters: Living Religions” in the U.S. program at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

“I learned when I went there that they have a Santo Niño from 1991,” he says. “The Smithsonian acquired it through a collector who donated them. It’s neat that they have my work there. It’s an honor.”

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

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

“Every step I take, it’s moving forward,” he says. “Getting back on track from having the stroke has been a journey. Art has always been a big part of my life, and it’s helped me push through and keep creating by pushing the boundaries with innovation and tradition.”