Many galleries in New Mexico are dedicated solely to local artists and folk artists, helping to ensure the Southwestern flavor of the local art scene. High-brow galleries are directed more towards the purchaser with greater buying power and a preference for a more polished, professional look. Other galleries, while similarly priced, go for a more rustic style and show folk art furniture as well as the more typical paintings, carvings and sculptures. All of these galleries have regular shows featuring either a single artist or a group of artists working around a theme.
There are a number of towns in New Mexico where you can find folk art and folk art shows. Santa Fe is considered the artistic center of the state, but you can find artists and show going on pretty much everywhere, all the time. The town of Madrid, seen in the movie "Wild Hogs," is essentially a folk artist village, with just about every person living there having art in or working in the town’s galleries. Other towns with great folk art scenes include Albuquerque, Questa, Truth or Consequences, Las Vegas and Taos.
There are literally dozens of shows happening all over New Mexico all of the time. The Native American art show specializes in art -- many of it folk art -- created by Native Americans. There is a Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe and the international folk art show is also held there. Offcenter Art Space in Albuquerque is a community art space that has monthly shows for new, unknown, or folk artists as well as offering classes and workshops to improve your artistic skills. The New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair, also held in Albuquerque, is a major show where you can find folk art.
While the folk art of New Mexico comes in many forms, there are a few dominating styles that can be seen at every folk art show. Dia de los muertos or Day of the Dead-style skulls, and Catalinas, which are female skeletons with hats, are predominant, as are retablos (religious carvings), Native American silver and turquoise jewelry, and large, brightly colored, rough-hewn furniture. Besides these regulars it is also common to find landscape paintings, carvings, pottery, and repurposed or upcycled art made from old objects or abandoned mining materials.