Art, Nature, History: Whatever Your Love, Santa Fe Will Fill It

There are many ways to view the capital city of New Mexico.

In winter, you can come here for the skiing and experience the Santa Fe ski basin. In summer, as an art lover, you’ll find probably more galleries per square block than in New York or Paris.

As for history, the Spaniards established Santa Fe as a capital city in 1610, and the city’s churches, adobe homes and businesses reflect a careful attention to historic detail. But even before the Spaniards came, the cliff dwellings in the area had been abandoned.

At pueblos near Santa Fe, American Indians welcome you into their culture with dances and feasts that often are open to the public.

And don’t forget the dining. Santa Fe is getting quite a reputation for both new and traditional Southwestern cuisine. One word of advice, though - don’t try to pack everything into one long weekend.

The average visitor here makes it a three-day vacation, but many people may need that long just to recover from the change in altitude - 7,000 feet.

The Gerald Peters Gallery, 439 Camino del Monte Sol, was built in 1925 as Casa Querida for writer Mary Austin (“The Land of Journey’s Ending”), who lived here until her death in 1934. The gallery, established in the 1970s, has an excellent reputation for its collection of classic Western art (Remington and Russell), as well as works from the Santa Fe art colony (Georgia O’Keeffe) and contemporary painters and sculptors.

Peters handles the art from the estate of O’Keeffe, having sold some 170 of her works. A personal favorite hangs in his office, a front view of Rancho de Taos Church. But for the right price - $1.2 million - Peters says he’d part with it.

Nedra Matteucci’s Fenn Galleries, 1075 Paseo de Peralta, is known for its 19th and 20th century American art with an emphasis on early Taos and Santa Fe painters. But it was the sculpture that was the most appealing.

The outdoor sculpture garden was an oasis of green with fountains showcasing the works of Dan Ostermiller and Glenna Goodacre. Ostermiller’s bronze bigger-than-life rabbits put whimsy on a giant scale. Goodacre, famous for her Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project in Washington, has some wonderful work here, including bronzes of American Indians and dancing children.

If your taste runs more to Bugs Bunny than bronze bunnies, head over to the Chuck Jones Showroom, 135 W. Palace Ave. Here the 82-year-old creator of Bugs, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and Pepe Le Pew has established his showroom featuring lithographs, sculpture and oil paintings.

The work does not come cheap, but is fun to see. Many years ago, animation studios threw away the handpainted cels, but wise collectors took to Dumpster diving to save what has become a pricey collectible. Jones’ only other showroom is in Southern California.

At Santa Fe’s central plaza, watch out for teens skateboarding, but be sure to check out the monument that has been made politically correct.

The inscription reads, “To the heroes who have fallen in the various battles with Indians in the territory of New Mexico.” It was erected in the early part of this century and the word “savage” recently was chiseled out.

Investigate the side streets off the plaza for unusual shopping, and check out the Indian women who sell silver and turquoise jewelry from the sidewalks.

For real bargains, head to Trader Jack’s Flea Market on State Highway 84/285 near the Santa Fe Opera. Dozens of vendors sell everything from silver and turquoise jewelry and dolls to handmade furniture, Oriental rugs, old saddles and children’s swings made from tires. The jewelry was one-half to one-third less expensive than the plaza prices.

There are a number of walking tours of Santa Fe: Afoot in Santa Fe, (505) 983-3701; and Aboot About Santa Fe Tours, (505) 988-2774. We took a Nambe Pueblo Tour, which is Indian owned and operated, to Puye Cliff Dwellings and the Santa Clara Pueblo.

The excavated ruins of Puye Cliff Dwellings are a glimpse into early American history, when some 1,500 people inhabited this city in the cliffs between 1250 and 1577. Climb ladders to the top for a better view. Look closely to see the faint cave paintings. The cliff dwellings, 22 miles from Santa Fe on State Road 30, are managed by the Indians.

We were lucky that our visit to the Santa Clara Pueblo fell on a day of feasting and dancing. The members of the pueblo’s Winter Clan were doing a cloud dance, and between dances we were invited to their homes to enjoy a feast.

Pueblo etiquette dictates that visitors not applaud or talk during the dancing, which is a prayer, and photography or sketching is not allowed. The pueblo is the spiritual center for residents, not a tourist attraction. Cemeteries are off-limits to non-Indians.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: IF YOU GO Other sights/museums: Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, 108 Cathedral Palace, Contemporary American Indian artists from around the nation. Loretto Chapel, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, which olds the beautiful “magic staircase.” Palace of the Governors, 113 Lincoln Ave. on the Plaza, Built in 1609, it served as capital of Nuevo Mexico. Now houses exhibits of regional history. Museum of Fine Arts, on the Plaza, houses more than 7,000 pieces of art. Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, 131 Cathedral Place. Museum of International Folk Art, 706 Camino Lejo. Guidebooks: “Ultimate Santa Fe and Beyond” (Ulysses Press); “The Insider’s Guide to Santa Fe,” (Harvard Common Press); and “Kidding Around Sante Fe,” (John Muir Publications). For more information: Santa Fe Convention & Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 090, Santa Fe, N.M. 87504-0909; (505) 984-6760. Free vacation guide, (800) 545-2040, Ext. C-520.