Mateo Romero

Mateo Romero of Cochiti Pueblo has been selected as the 2002 Ronald and Susan Dubin Artist Fellow. Mateo describes his family art history by stating, “My earliest memories are of watching my father paint and trying to copy him. My father was a Dunn School 2-D type water-colorist. Painters, potters, drafts-people, and designers have always surrounded me. My family tree has many remarkable and talented roots and branches. Considering how rich this soil is, I am surprised at how little I know about art and life.”

Mateo graduated from Dartmouth College with a BA in painting and art history. He has an MFA from the University of New Mexico in printmaking. Mateo was also granted an honorary AFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts where he was a painting instructor. His listing of shows and awards are numerous and impressive. He won first place ribbons in lithography at the 1994 Santa Fe Indian Market, Best of Class 3 (painting), Best of Division (drawing), and First Place (printmaking), at the 1991 Indian Market.

Museums that have collected his work include the Museum of Civilization, Denver Art Museum in Denver, Colorado; Poeh Cultural Center in Pojoaque Pueblo, New Mexico; Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Spencer Art Museum in Lawrence, Kansas; Missouri Historical Society in Forest Park, Missouri; and the Peabody Essex Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Mateo has expressed a deep interest in the “collaborative process in the studio.” He says, “Having access to the staff, collections, and other artists in the SAR environment is the epitome of this inclusive approach.” IARC welcomes Mateo to SAR and looks forward to working with this warm, very talented, and intelligent young man.