JoseWebsite

Jose A. Lucero, known as "The Picasso Santero" for his distinctive style which pushes the
boundaries of Spanish Colonial art with a contemporary interpretation of traditional images, was born
in 1963 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is the son of Nabor and Victoria Lucero and one of seven children.

In 1994, Jose began studying under his brother, Master Santero David Nabor Lucero. Mostly
self-taught, Jose excels in carving santos (bultos) and painting retablos. In collaboration with
silversmith Wanda Libeto, Jose creates miniature paintings on canvas that are sealed in silver
broaches.

Jose has exhibited in the Santa Fe Spanish Market since 1997. In 1998, he received the Purchase
Award at the Summer Spanish Market for the first retablo in Spanish Colonial art history to depict all
seven archangels. In 1999, in collaboration with blacksmith Steve Lucero (no relation), Jose received
the Hispanic Heritage Award for their Cross of the Martyrs. In 2002, he was awarded Spanish Market
Second Place in the small retablos category for 31 miniature paintings on a single 9 x8" retablo. In 2005,
he won Second Place in the retablo category of the Tesoro Foundation Spanish Market and 1830s
Rendezvous.

In 2004, Jose was commissioned by the city of Santa Fe to carve
life-size bultos of the Seven Archangels into the trunks of dead
cottonwood trees along the banks of the Santa Fe river. Today his
creation stands as a Santa Fe landmark that delights locals and
visitors alike. His powerful angels serve as guardians for "the city
different". In honor of this accomplishment, July 29, 2005 was
proclaimed "Jose A. Lucero Day" by Santa Fe's Mayor Larry A.
Delgado.

Jose is featured in the documentary Santero: Art of Devotion, which
is shown to visitors at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in
Washington D.C., as well as in the books Our Saints Among Us: 400
Years of New Mexican Devotional Art by Barbe Awalt, Paul Rheffs,
Thomas J. Steele and Charles M. Carrillo and The Saint Makers:
Contemporary Santeras Y Santeros by Chuck and Jan Rosenack. He
has been profiled in newspapers and magazines including Tradicion
Revista, Spanish Colonial Arts Society and Latina (May 2005).

Jose's bultos and retablos are included in the permanent collections
of the Spanish Colonial Art Museum of Santa Fe and the Museum of
Carlsbad, New Mexico.