2019 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts!

Please join us in congratulating our very own Spanish Market artist Nicolas Otero! Nick is a recipient of the 2019 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts! A true honor, the awards are given to living artists and arts supporters who have demonstrated lifetime achievement in their art form and have made significant

contributions to the arts in New Mexico.

Nicolas Otero began practicing the tradition of Santo making at just 16 years old by apprenticing with master artists. Otero produces retablos, bultos, altars, gesso reliefs, hide paintings and ramilletes (paper flower adornments). He continues to use traditional methods in his work such as the production of natural pigments and hand carved panels.

We are so proud of you Nicolas and honored to have you as a Spanish Market artist! Congratulations on this recognition!

The 2019 Governor’s Arts Awards reception and ceremony will take place at the New Mexico Museum of Art on September 20, 2019.

The public reception will be held at 4:30pm in the courtyard and the award ceremony in the St. Francis Auditorium at 5:30 pm. Also don’t forget to visit the Governor’s Gallery from 2 to 4 pm on the 4th floor of the State Capitol for an open house hosted by the Women’s Board of The Museum of New Mexico. The exhibition will continue through February 20, 2020. The gallery is open between 8am and 5pm Monday through Friday.