Taos, New Mexico Art

The art culture of the Taos, New Mexico area is as lively as it is long lived, with it being developed in the late 1800s. Early on, artists knew where to go to hone their craft and today travelers can view all of their incredible art throughout the city. Famous and regional artists have called Taos their home and the number of galleries, workshops, and museums keep growing to support the community's love of the arts.

Galleries The resting place of the great English modernist novelist, D. H. Lawrence is located about 20 miles northwest of Taos. The ranch was originally known as the Kiowa Ranch, and Lawrence and his wife loved the place due to its serene location high in the mountains. It was the only property he ever owned, and after his wife Frieda von Richthofen died in 1956 the property was bequeathed to the University of New Mexico.

Galleries In 1898 many artists began to settle into the area thanks to the community's focus on crafts and the arts. The Taos Society of Artists was soon created and an entire colony developed soon after. The visually spectacular Pueblo areas served as a backdrop for much of the European trained painters. Many of the studios these artists worked at are still available to be viewed today. The Blumenschein house was one of the more important houses of the time and houses an incredible collection of Western art.

Galleries
The city of Taos has a number of galleries, too many to mention in fact, but some of the better ones will be described in short. The Act 1 Gallery is open to all lovers of art, with a variety of exhibitions, including oil paintings and jewelry influenced by geometric patterns found in American Indian design. Wilder Nightingale Fine Art is a collection of gallery artists that include favorites Greg Moon and Al Lostetter.