Sacred Heart Spanish Market celebrates local artists during three-day event
Tradition is important to Jerry Montoya.
The Grants-based artist has dedicated his life to Spanish Colonial tinsmith practices, all while bringing a modern flair to it.
He is also the mastermind behind the Sacred Heart Spanish Market in Gallup 鈥� which is now in its 11th year.
鈥淲e鈥檝e kept this tradition going,鈥� he says of the market. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something that we bring to Gallup so that it鈥檚 an extension of the artist community.鈥�
The three-day Sacred Heart Spanish Market takes place from 6-9 p.m. Friday, June 20, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 21, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, June 22, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, 414 East Green Ave. in Gallup. The free event will feature music and food, in addition to the art market.
鈥淚t鈥檚 our 11th year in Gallup,鈥� Montoya says.
He says the market is an extension of the now-defunct 鈥淟a Fiesta de Colores鈥� in Grants which ended in 2014.
鈥淢ost of the artists are from Traditional Spanish Market and Contemporary Hispanic Market in Santa Fe,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hile it鈥檚 mainly all santero-type art, there are contemporary pieces which give options to those who attend.鈥�
When Montoya is curating the show, he wants to have top-notch quality. Montoya said the event is invite-only for artists as he wanted it to have a family feel.
He says each artist invited gets a booth with no fee, as well as a room for one night in the hotel.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice to be able to give these accommodations for the artists because each one works hard in the medium,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ack in the day, many of the markets or shows did things like this for artists. Today, it鈥檚 a rarity.鈥�
With more than a decade in existence, Montoya says the market has become welcomed in the community.
鈥淕allup has embraced us with open arms,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e get people from all over New Mexico and Arizona at the market. Since it鈥檚 small, we get more time to have one-on-one interactions.鈥�
On Saturday, V8鈥檚 for Vocations will be raffling off two vehicles.
The cars being raffled off are a 1967 Chevy Camaro or 2010 Chevy Camaro SS. To learn more about the raffle, visit .
The organization was started in 2014 by the Rev. Matthew Keller and it helps those called to the priesthood, a long and expensive process requiring a four-year bachelor degree followed by several years of graduate-level study at out-of-state seminaries.
According to an organization spokesperson, the Diocese of Gallup serves predominantly Native American and Hispanic populations across New Mexico and Arizona.
鈥淒ue to persistent financial difficulties, it does not own a seminary, and thus is obliged to send seminarians to another state or overseas, ensuring that future priests receive the education they deserve,鈥� the spokesperson says.
Sacred Heart Spanish Market celebrates local artists during three-day event
