A Walk Down Canyon Road

Photo courtesy of santafe.org

Canyon Road is Santa Fe’s art street. Lined with galleries, sculpture gardens, and restaurants, it is a popular destination for tourists and local art lovers. There are constantly new instillations of art, as well as monumental pieces like John Houser’s equestrian bust that has been at Ronnie Layden’s fine art gallery for years. Though southwestern art is a main attraction for tourists, there are a variety of art styles on Canyon Road, from contemporary to surrealism. There are even some antique shops, with artifacts from many different periods and sourced from all over the world.  It is within walking distance from the heart of downtown Santa Fe, and it serves as a great way to enjoy a leisurely, sunny day.

John Houser's equestrian sculpture

            Walking down Canyon Road is a relaxing and inspiring experience. It is a road populated not only by galleries, but the artists themselves. It is not uncommon to see a painter outside, layering oil onto canvas in the sunlight. The historical houses that have been converted into galleries are picturesque and many are built in the traditional New Mexican style – with stucco, adobe, and wooden beams. The road also has a lot of greenery and flowers, and every gallery is complete with its own ambiance.

            The atmosphere on Canyon Road is serene and vibrant. It is a locus for self-expression, where talent and craftsmanship are revered as much as depth and abstraction. There simply aren’t a lot of places quite so saturated by the arts. In a way, it’s as if Canyon Road is an expression of Santa Fe itself.