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Felipe Benito Archuleta
Felipe Benito Archuleta was born in the small village of Santa Cruz New Mexico in 1910. After spending much of his youth and early adulthood bouncing from odd jobs such as line cook, apple picker, and stone mason and union carptenter asked God what to do with his life. And God answered, telling Felipe to spend the rest of his life carving. And so he did. He carved everything, from carrots, to carretas, to life size vicious pigs. Felipe really began gaining a reputation in the 1970's and his work eventually found it's way into some of the most important folk art museums and folk art collections in the country. Felipe continued to work well into his older years and died in Tesuque at the age of 81. His zany, brillant, funny, and sometimes terrifying work has been hailed as some of the best modern folk art of the 20th century. His work can currently be seen at the International Folk Art Museum here in Santa Fe as well as the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. He is also one of the artists featured in American The Folk Art Musuem's traveling exhibit of some of the best works in their collection "Self Taught Genius." Please see the links below for various shows that feature Felipe's work as well as links to articles him and his irresistable art.
Link to International Folk Art Museum Wooden Menagerie exhibit
Link to American Folk Art Museum Self taught Genuis exhibit
Link to Self Taught Genius writing and photographs of Felipe Archuleta
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