The Annual Rio Costilla Studio Tour is in its 19th year, located in north-central New Mexico and south-central Colorado. The towns participating are Costilla and Amalia in New Mexico and Jaroso and Garcia in Colorado.
The tour starts at the Plaza de Arriba in Costilla, NM. The Plaza de Arriba, or “Upper Plaza,” is one of seven plazas built in the area after 1849. Six plazas were connected to it: del Media, de los Manzanares, Placitas de los Madriles, de los Cordovas, de Chalifu and de Poleo. Of the original seven plazas, Plaza de Arriba is still intact and bears the closest resemblance to what it would have looked like in 1849. The plazas were originally built as defensive structures, and in 1854 were the site of a historic battle between the settlers and the Ute Tribe.
Among this historic background and the Ute and Sangre de Cristo mountains are artists who create diverse work. Some of the artists come from New Mexican families, whereas others have come to the state more recently. Photographers, woodworkers, musical instrument builders, traditional watercolorists, fused-glass creators, world-class artists, paper crafters and bread bakers all participated in the tour.
Text and images by JC Santistevan
JC Santistevan is a photographer for the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at photo@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
