Saints and Santos: Picturing the Holy
Step into one of the oldest living folk-art traditions in the United States—an expressive world where devotional art brings divine icons, Catholic patron saints, and sacred symbols to life. CHAC Gallery is proud to showcase this vibrant heritage in Saints and Santos: Picturing the Holy, opening December 5th from 5–9 pm at CHAC Gallery, 834 Santa Fe Dr., Denver, CO 80206.
Come immerse yourself in the beauty of Santos, Retablos, and the deep-rooted practices of Southwest Religious Art, all created by passionate local artists who keep these centuries-old traditions alive.
This remarkable art form stretches back more than four centuries, to the arrival of Spanish settlers in the Southwest. They encountered a stark and sweeping landscape, broken only by the dramatic rise of mountains—an expanse they named Nueva México. Unlike the mineral riches found farther south, this isolated region fostered an agrarian, pastoral society. Towns and villages quickly grew, each centered around a church or chapel. Franciscan friars began evangelizing First Nations peoples, supported by the Spanish Crown in nurturing both the new colony and its newly baptized community.
Santeros began crafting Santos—carved wooden saints—and bultos, sculpted figures that could be painted or left unpainted. Retablos, devotional paintings on wood, also emerged. Artists relied on natural pigments and materials sourced from the land, as precious art supplies required long journeys to Chihuahua, Mexico and were often prohibitively expensive. This necessity gave rise to a unique blend of European devotional imagery and Indigenous techniques that continue to define the tradition today.
As saintly devotions spread across Mexico and the northern territories, they shaped culture and faith across generations. Rooted in the belief that every angel and saint has a sacred task—and that each day of the year is dedicated to one—these images became powerful tools of devotion, transformation, and protection. This exhibition explores these profound connections and the essential role images play in shaping the holy.
Through paintings, sculptures, and engravings, Saints and Santos: Picturing the Holy celebrates how artists have long honored the sacred—reviving, venerating, and reimagining saintly figures for over four centuries. Today’s contemporary creators continue this revered lineage with passion and purpose.
Curated by Lynn and Carlos Fresquez, this exhibition invites you to experience a living tradition that continues to inspire, uplift, and illuminate.
Art image: by Lynn Fresquez