Roseta Santiago is known for her dynamic realistic paintings.  History reverberates in each of her paintings.  Roseta Says of her art:

“The things that inspire me are the historical artifacts, historical people.  My models are people with whom I spend time and who have something to reveal. It’s always about inner beauty. It’s mainly the interior of a person or thing. I can almost experience a pot being made when I paint it. I just see what the potter went through.” 

She is best known for her luminous still life and figurative paintings of Native peoples and artifacts portrayed with dramatic lighting, Santiago is a master at chiaroscuro.  She uses mostly living models, although a few historic people taken from photographs weave their way into her art.  She says one of her goals is to honor Native American culture through her portrayals in her art. 

This painting is entitled, “Crow Mother“.  It is an oil on linen panel. The painting a still life with a Hopi Crow Mother Katsina, a Santa Clara water jar, a small Hopi-Tewa bowl, a pair of mocassins, and a Navajo rug in the background. It is wonderfully complex for the size!  The piece is signed, “Santiago”.

Roseta has said of her pottery paintings:

“I love to paint pottery.  I often think of my pottery paintings as, “Earth Songs”.  It is a joyous way to talk about something made from the earth.  It is fascinating that in terms of Native pottery, these incredible vessels are made from earth (clay), water, and maybe a yucca plant that is the brush.  I find that mystery of their creation and firing to be fascinating.  When you paint a design on a vessel that seems so mathematical and precise and originating from simple tools, that is part of embracing the mystery.”

We are very pleased to represent Roseta Santiago at our galleries in Santa Fe and Scottsdale.  Please stop by and check them out in person!