Daniel Barela
New Sculpture

September 23 – November 4, 2023

Born and raised in Taos, Daniel Barela is a 4th generation santero wood carver. His practice stems from a lineage beginning with his great great grandfather, Patriciño Barela, one of the most well-known artists of the Nuevomexicano santero tradition. Patriciño Barela (1900–1964) both worked within the genre’s religious origins, and pushed its boundaries to create artworks that defied categorization. Remaining in Taos until his death, he was featured in a pivotal national exhibition, "New Horizons of American Art" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1936. Many of his descendants, including Daniel Barela, continue to practice a similar carving style today- sharing their work at galleries in Northern New Mexico, as well as through markets and trade fairs which highlight the craft practices of the region.

Like his predecessors, Daniel Barela's sculptures are made from endemic cedar, also known as Rocky Mountain juniper, some of the oldest and most sacred trees in our part of the world. He was taught how to carve by his father, who was taught by his father before him. As such, the Barela’s grew up amongst stock piles of wood for carving which they have collected and tended to for generations. To this day, when Daniel Barela wants to start a carving, he walks to his family’s wood pile and looks for pieces with innate movement and spirit that speak to him. He then levels the wood, studies it for an hour, or a day, determines what he sees within, and begins to carve what is already there.

In addition to his wood carving practice, Daniel Barela is the President of the Board of the Taos Historic Museums which include The Martinez Hacienda and The E.L. Blumenschein Home and Museum. Daniel Barela is represented by MAIDA, a collective of Indigenous and Indo-hispano artists founded by Maida Branch.