Santa Fe / Canyon Road (Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA) – Be amazed by the unique scenery

Marveling at the unique landscape of the adobe buildings, I headed down Canyon Road, entered a gallery, and exchanged greetings with the staff.

A city in New Mexico, USA. It is also the state capital of New Mexico. Founded in 1610. It has a long history and is famous for its rows of ochre-colored buildings made from organic materials such as sand and sandy clay called adobe.

New Mexico is home to many pueblo areas where Native Americans live. By unifying the buildings in the adobe style, which is the traditional pueblo architecture, it has formed a unique landscape that is unlike anything else in the United States, or even the world.

There are historical buildings such as churches around the Plaza in the city’s downtown. Most of the buildings in this area are made of adobe, creating a striking contrast with the blue sky. The Plaza is also home to the official residence of the Governor of New Mexico, known as the Palace of the Governors.

In front of the Palace of the Governors, you can see indigenous people from around Santa Fe lining up their handicrafts on the floor and selling them to tourists.

There are three famous churches around the plaza (Loretto Chapel, San Miguel Church, and St. Francis Church). There are also many ornamental and clothing stores and galleries. The area around the plaza is full of tasteful stores. Although there are not many luxury brand stores, the good taste of the stores gives it a high-class impression.

I first visited Santa Fe in 1988, and have since visited in 1994, 1996, and 2024, and it gave me the impression that it has grown more sophisticated and beautiful over time.

As you walk along the streets, you will come across many scenes that make you want to take a photo. Perhaps it is because Santa Fe is located at an altitude of over 2000m. Clouds in the blue sky behind the adobe buildings are low, and this must be one of the reasons why there are so many picturesque spots.

Now, a short walk from this plaza is a road called Canyon Road. This road is known as a place lined with galleries. According to the website, there are about 80 galleries. Galleries line both sides of the road from the western end of Canyon Road to 1 km ahead. It is an ordinary road, and once you leave the road, you will find an area with ordinary houses.

People often think of Chelsea in New York when they mention areas in the US with a high concentration of galleries.”There are over 200 galleries in Chelsea. So Canyon Road is smaller in number, but it’s unique that galleries themselves line up along just one road.

Here, I would like to write about this canyon road, which is a symbol of Santa Fe, along with a gallery of some of the most memorable stretches.

Canyon Road

■ Overall overview/impression

The western end of Canyon Road is about a 10-minute walk from the Plaza in the center of Santa Fe. Galleries densely populate the area on both sides of the road at this western end. The left side in particular is home to a concentration of galleries, mainly contemporary galleries. The address is in the 200s. There is a parking lot at the back of the premises. I don’t think it was there when I visited in 1994 and 1996.

Canyon Road starts to climb gently from here. Galleries stretch from the 300s to the 500s in the address range. There are only a few galleries in the 600s, and the last galleries are in the 700s to 800s. There is also a parking lot in the 800s. I think this parking lot didn’t exist in the past either.

When I enter the gallery, almost all the staff greet me with a “Welcome In” feeling. “There is no one forcing me into anything. Perhaps they are used to seeing many tourists or they are busy, but the staff rarely talk to you. This is probably the reason why visitors can feel at ease entering the store.

The distinctive feature of the Canyon Road galleries is that they are large, with four or five rooms. Some feel more like small museums than galleries. Most of the galleries are in ordinary houses in residential areas, so they don’t feel artificial. This may be what makes them different from galleries in other places.

The last time I visited was in 1994 and 1996, about 30 years ago, and it seems like the number of galleries exhibiting realistic paintings of people and landscapes has decreased, and the number of contemporary paintings, especially abstract and design paintings, has increased. I also got the impression that the area, including the buildings, has become cleaner overall. I get the impression that it is still a successful business area.

■ Impressive gallery

Here is a list of galleries that left an impression on me during my visit in 2024. All of them are contemporary galleries.

Tiera Mar Gallery (225 Canyon Road)

The interior of the shop is stylish and looks more like a boutique than a gallery. As I was looking at the nice abstract paintings on display, a shop assistant passed by and said to me, “You can take photos.” As with other galleries, if you see a work you like, you can take photos if you ask.

Owen Contemporary（225 Canyon Road）

It’s located next to the Tiera Mar Gallery mentioned above, in an area with several galleries. It mainly focuses on abstract paintings. There were works that made me think, “I wish I could hang these paintings at home.” The objects placed between the paintings were also wonderful.

GF Contemporary（707 Canyon Road）

This gallery is located at the back of Canyon Road. This may have been the largest gallery I visited this time. It was more like a small art museum than a gallery.

Globe Fine Art　（727 Canyon Road）

Vividly colored artworks were on display. In front of the gallery was a small garden-like area with various object artworks. There were also benches where visitors could sit and rest. Next to the building was an area called the “Sculpture Garden,” where a number of sculptures were on display.

■ Others

The gallery stretches about 1 kilometer from end to end. It takes around 15 minutes to walk, but heading from west to east is a gentle uphill climb. Wandering through the gallery, especially during the warmer months from spring to autumn, can leave you quite exhausted. Since the gallery lines the roadside, you can find only a few places to rest

There is a café called Café Canyon located around the middle, at 619 Canyon Road. It has a terrace where you can relax, and I highly recommend it. While I was sitting at one of the terrace tables, a staff member came out of the shop and said, “How are you this morning? Beautiful weather, isn’t it?” Also, as mentioned above, there’s a bench in front of Globe Fine Art.

Other recommended places in Santa Fe

Finally, I would like to mention three places that left an impression on me in Santa Fe (and the surrounding area). I have an article that provides detailed information about the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, so please refer to that as well.

Loretto Hotel (Inn & Spa at Loretto)

This hotel is made up of stacked adobe buildings. It is a 2-3 minute walk from the Plaza. When you stand in front of the entrance, its appearance will overwhelm you. It was founded in 1975. I personally stayed there in 1996, but now the price has become so high that I have to avoid it. As it is an iconic building in Santa Fe, even if you don’t stay there, I would like you to stand in front of the hotel and enjoy the unique view.

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

This museum collects and exhibits the works of Georgia O’Keeffe, one of America’s leading female painters. After her career in New York, she moved to the town of Abiquiu, located about 100km northwest of Santa Fe, and created her works centered on the surrounding nature. The museum itself is small, but it is still worth a visit for fans of O’Keeffe. Visitors can tour the house in Abiquiu where O’Keeffe lived. Please refer to another article for more details.

The O’Keeffe Home & Studio Tours

EL Santuario de Chimayo

A church in a small town called Chimayo, located less than 50km northeast of Santa Fe. New Mexico is also an area where Christianity spread before the Spanish settled there. This church was made of adobe architecture, and the contrast with the blue sky was wonderful, making it a very calming place.