Nicholas Herrera a.k.a. El Santero d’El Rito: Santero Folk Artist / Recycled Metal and Wood Sculptor / Classic Car Builder / Farmboy

Sagewolf Interviews

@artedenicholas
nicholasherrera.com
The scene:
We are sitting in San Antonio Chapel at Nicholas’ home, where his mother is buried and his brother is memorialized. This chapel is an intricate work of sculpture created by hand, from the heart - the same way Nicholas creates everything in his life. Across the courtyard is his home. Across the field is his sculpture parts junkyard. Next to that are his wood and metal and car building workshops. Join us in the chapel for a candid conversation about creating from the heart.
Highlights:
+ 6th generation El Rito, New Mexican
+ Original deed of his family land came from the king of Spain
+ Uncle was Santero de La Muerte
+ His art has to make a statement, touch souls and hearts
+ On money and not wanting to sell your soul
+ Self-taught artist, no schooling
+ Was put in special ed classes for killing the teacher’s fish
+ Had a lot of friends but hated school
+ Left high school for community college and took welding
+ His girlfriend did his homework in exchange for pot
+ His recycled sculpture started with childhood visits to the dump
+ Dead artists make more money
+ “Put it out there and do what your heart tells you and keep doing it”
+ “The best addiction I’ve ever had is art”
+ Called an “outsider artist”
+ Letting the art piece guide you in it’s creation - not fighting it
+ Creating art from jail
+ The board doesn’t know shit about art
+ Creating controversial art
+ Documenting the story of the world
+ Working as a laborer
+ Hand-restored his 1939 Chevy Coupe and 1931 Ford truck that was his grandfather’s
+ Feels compelled to inspire others
+ Instructors can’t tell you how to create
+ Lives on the farm he grew up on
+ Humor and laughing is a good thing in life - don’t be too serious
+ Ego screws you up - stay humble
+ Believing you have a good soul and a good heart
+ Friends of friends are in the network, welcomed in
+ Passing on the energy of being a good person
+ Artists must know how to hustle and adapt
+ The crazy mix of our ancestry makes us all related eventually
+ Racism is passed on from our families
+ The human journey has been documented through art since the beginning
+ Intentionally showing the hand in your work
+ The importance of doing things from the heart
+ “Opinions are like assholes…”
+ Complimenting others comes from having self-confidence
+ The experiences of our lives making us who we are
+ There are no rules - just keep creating
A taste:
“I’ve been so stubborn all my fucking life. I work against the river. Instead of flowing down the river, I’ll fucking canoe myself up the river.”
[on staying humble] “I grew up like that. I’ve seen a lot of people struggle, a lot of people suffer. I’m not better than them - never have, never will be. I’m just a person, doing art.”
Favorite sayings:
“Tell me who you hang with, and I’ll tell you who you are” (Dad’s saying)
“Those assholes are all farts and no shit” (Mom’s saying)

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Love, Sagewolf xoxo