Gustavo Victor Goler
Gustavo Victor Goler was raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico among a family of Latin American art conservators and restorers. Goler’s early years were spent apprenticing in his families conservation studios where he learned wood carving skills by restoring 18th, 19th and 20th century Saints from Latin America and New Mexico. Goler began carving original Santos in high school as a hobby, creating a few pieces a year that he would give to family and friends. In 1986, he opened up a small conservation studio in Santa Fe, NM where he specialized in the conservation of Santos.
In 1988, Goler juried into Spanish Market in Santa Fe, NM. His high level of craftsmanship and innovative design have garnered him numerous awards including the Master Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2016. His work as an art conservator has exposed him to historic New Mexico Santos in churches, museums, and private collections while his technical ability as a woodcarver and in-depth knowledge of materials has allowed him to create original pieces with a unique style. Aside from Spanish Market, he has participated in individual, museum and group shows alongside some of New Mexicos award winning artists. These exhibitions include retrospective shows at the Harwood Museum in Taos, NM and the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, NM.
A Legacy of Excellence: Exhibitions & Awards
As a full-time artist since 1986, Goler lectures regularly on the subject of New Mexico Santos. In addition, he mentors developing artists and museum docents, teaches classes and continues his in-depth research on the subject of devotional arts. His work can be found in publications, museum and private collections, and churches around the country.
Exhibitions & Awards
2023
- Traditional Spanish Market 2023,
Santa Fe, NM - Taos Fall Arts Festival 2023*Visionary Artist Award*Couse-Sharp Spanish Heritage Award*Taos Fall Arts Festival, 1st Place
- Traditional Winter Market 2023, Santa Fe, NM
2022
- Traditional Spanish Market
Honorable Mention, Carving Category - Conservation of San Jose de Gracia church in Las Trampas, NM
2021
- Conservation of the San Antonio de Padua church in Cordova, NM
2020
- Guest Curator for Harwood Museum Exhibition, Taos, NM “Santeras: Images of Faith and Folklore”
- Guest Curator for Blue Rain Gallery, Santa Fe, NM “Spanish Market Show”
- Millicent Rogers Museum Show in December, Taos, NM
2019
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM 1st Place Award Innovation Within Tradition (Heavenly Drive Bulto carving)
- Chispa! Winter Show, Santa Fe, NM
2018
- Chispa! Winter Show, Santa Fe, NM
- Honored as a Living Legend in the Artist Town of Taos, NM
- Millicent Rogers Museum Miniature Show, Peoples Choice Award
2017
- 2017 Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM (1st Place Innovation within Tradition Award – Madonna de Ghisallo)
- New Mexico Governors Award for Excellence in the Arts
- Chispa! Winter Show, Santa Fe, NM
2016
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Spanish Colonial Arts Society Masters Award for Lifetime Achievement
- Curators Award–Spanish Market (Cruising Heaven Bulto)
- Honorable Mention Award–Spanish Market (N.S. de San Juan de los Lagos)
2015
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
2014
- Blue Rain Gallery Show, Santa Fe, NM
- Winter Spanish Market
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Award
- Ross Art Museum, Ohio Group Show
- Group Exhibition Landshut, Germany
- 2013 Harwood Museum, Taos, NM
- 26-year Retrospect Exhibition
- National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque NM.
- San Pascual Group Exhibition
- Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, Santa Fe NM
- Group Exhibition, Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Honorable Mention Award for Painted Bultos (N.S. de Loretto)
2012
- Blue Rain Gallery Show
- Spanish Market Show, 25th year in Spanish Market
2011-2012
- Millicent Rogers Museum 25-Year Retrospective Show
2011
- Fall Arts Exhibition, Town of Taos
- Awarded the Distinguished Artist Award, 25 Years of Achievement
- Blue Rain Spanish Market Show – Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- 1st Place for Innovations within Tradition Category (San Cristobal)
2010
- Blue Rain Gallery Spanish Market Show – Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
2009
- Blue Rain Gallery Spanish Market Show – Spanish Market, Santa Fe
- 1st Place Altar Screen Award (N.S. de los Dolores)
- The Design Award (N.S. de los Dolores Altar)
2008
- Holiday Studio Show, Taos, NM
- Blue Rain Gallery Spanish Market Show – Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- 1st Place Painted Bultos (San Lorenzo)
- SCAS Purchase Award (San Lorenzo)
2007
- Spanish Market Honorable Mention for Altar Screen (Maria Magdalena Altar)
2006
- Blue Rain Gallery, Winter Show
- Blue Rain Gallery, Spanish Market Show – Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- 2nd Place Painted Bultos (Dona Sebastiana)
2005
- Blue Rain Gallery, Winter Show
Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM - 1st Place Painted Bultos (Santa Zita)
- Spanish Colonial Arts Society Purchase Award (Santa Zita)
- National Hispanic Cultural Center
- Inspirados Exhibition-17 year retrospective
- Frost Art Museum The Saint Makers: A Living Tradition in American Folk Art
- Florida International University, Miami, FL
- Museum of Man Cuando Hablan los Santos, San Diego, CA
- Blue Rain Gallery, Spanish Market Show, Santa Fe, NM
2004
- Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, NM
- Arte y Amistad Show – Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Archbishop’s Award (Cristo Crucificado)
- 1st Place Painted Bultos (Cristo Crucificado)
- 1st Place Bultos en Nicho (San Gabriel Arcangel)
2003
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- 1st Place Bultos en Nicho (St. John the Evangelist)
- 2nd Place Bultos (Santa Apolonia)
- Maxwell Museum, University of NM, Albuquerque, NM
- San Ysidro Exhibition
2002
- Regalos Festival, St. Augustine, FL
Taos Art Today Exhibition, Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO
Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM - 1st Place Bultos en Nicho (Enthroned Holy Family)
- E.Boyd Award for Innovative Design (San Ysidro)
- New Mexico Hispanic Cultural Center Exhibition, Alb., NM
- 2001 Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Honorable Mention- Painted Bultos (Santa Gertrudis)
- Winter Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Smithsonian Institution Exhibition Substance & Soul , National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque, NM
2000
- Feria Internacional San Juan, Puerto Rico Gallery 10 Exhibition, Scottsdale, AZ
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- 1st Place Bultos en Nicho (Madonna & Child)
- People’s Choice Award (Madonna & Child)
- Spanish Market Artist & Friends Auction Award (Santa Librada)
- Smithsonian Institution Exhibition Substance & Soul , Washington, DC
- Taos Invites Taos Invitational Show, Taos, NM
- 1st Place-Bultos La Purisima Concepcion
- 2nd Place-Best of Show Harwood Museum, Taos, NM, Solo Exhibition
1999
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
Santos y Diablos Show, Stables Art Gallery, Taos, NM
Gallery 10, Santa Fe, NM “Saints of the Harvest†Exhibition
1998
- Gallery 10 Scottsdale, AZ
- Northern New Mexican Devotional Art Exhibition
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Gallery 10, Santa Fe, NM
- Saints of the Pueblos Exhibition
Winter Market, Santa Fe, NM
1997
- Taylor Museum Show, Colorado Springs Fine Art Center
- La Guadalupana: Images of the Virgin of Guadalupe
- New Mexico Masters Show, John Isaac Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- 1st Place Retablos (Santiago El Mayor Relief Carving)
- 1st Place Bultos en Nicho
- Winter Market, Santa Fe, NM
1996
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
Taos Inn Winter Show, Taos, NM
1995
- Millicent Rogers Museum Show Northern New Mexico Artists
- Best of Show Award (St. John the Baptist)
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- E. Boyd Award for Innovative Design (La Asuncion)
- Taos Inn Winter Show
1994
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Grand Prize Award (N. S. de la Luz)
- Taos Inn Winter Show, Taos, NM
1993
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Taos Inn Winter Show, Taos, NM
1992
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Grand Prize Award (N.S. del Carmen)
- 1st Place Painted Bultos (N.S. del Carmen)
1991
- Solo Exhibition, Ortega’s, Santa Fe, NM
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Alan & Ann Vedder Spanish Heritage Award (Large Altar Screen)
1990
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Solo Exhibition, El Potrero, Chimayo, New Mexico
1989
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Solo Exhibition, Ortega’s, Santa Fe, NM
1988
- Spanish Market, Santa Fe, NM
- Fiesta Artistica, Albuquerque, NM
- Solo Exhibition, Ortega’s, Santa Fe, NM
Selected Collections
- University of Colorado Art Museum
- Gene Autrey Western Heritage Museum, Los Angeles, CA
- Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, NM
- Maxwell Museum of Anthropology-Cuando Hablan los Santos, Albuquerque, NM
- Taylor Museum, Colorado Springs, CO (Altar Screen)
- Harwood Museum, Taos, NM
- Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, Santa Fe, NM
- El Rancho de las Golondrinas, La Cienega, NM
- Christ in the Desert Monastery, Abiquiu, NM (Cristo Crucificado)
- Archdiocese of Santa Fe, NM
- Regis University, Denver, CO
- Holy Cross Church, Santa Cruz, NM (Stations of the Cross)
- Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, Alb., NM (Santo Nino de Atocha)
- St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Santa Fe, NM (Cristo Crucificado)
- Santa Maria de la Paz Church, Santa Fe, NM (St. Bede)
- Restoration of the 18th century altar screen at Holy Cross Church, Santa Cruz, NM
- St. Christopher Church, Galt, California (Cristo Crucificado)
- The Mennello Museum of Folk Art, Orlando, FL
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Mission, Ysleta Pueblo Sur, TX
- Harwood Museum, Al Walker Collection. 26 years of collecting work that includes a total of 46 pieces.
Works in Publications
- The Saint Makers: Contemporary Santeras Y Santeros, by Chuck and Jan Rosenak, Northland Publishing, 1998
- Our Saints Among Us, by Barbe Awalt and Paul Rhetts, LPD Press, 1998
- Cuando Hablan los Santos, Contemporary Traditions from Northern New Mexico, University of New Mexico Press. (Catalog for traveling how)
- Spanish New Mexico, The Spanish Colonial Arts Society Collection, Museum of New Mexico Press, 1996
- The Regis Santos, by Thomas J. Stele, S.J., Barbe Awalt and Paul Rhetts, LPD Press, 1997
- Crafting Devotions, Tradition in Contemporary New Mexico Santos, by Laurie Beth Kalb, University of New Mexico Press, 1994
- Across Frontiers, Hispanic Crafts of New Mexico, by Dexter Cirillo, Chronicle Books 1998
- Sao Caetano Thiene, by Giovanni B. Mattoni, CR, Impressos Gril, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Connexiones, selections from the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, 2002
- Saints & Seasons, A Guide to New Mexico’s Most Popular Saints, by Ana Pacheco, La Herencia, 2005
- Collected Works By Gustavo Victor Goler, 2011
- SAINTS, SANTO, SHRINES. John Annerio. 2013
- The Couse Collection of Santos. Text by Barbara Shultz with Charlene Tamayo with special essay by Gustavo Victor Goler. 2013
Contact Gustavo Victor Goler
Connect with Gustavo Victor Goler: Inquiries, Commissions, and Conversations. Whether you're an art enthusiast, a collector, or looking for a bespoke piece, Gustavo Victor Goler is here to engage with you. For inquiries about existing works, discussions about potential commissions, or simply to share your thoughts on his art, please don't hesitate to reach out. Your interest and appreciation for the art of Santos are what continue to inspire and drive Gustavo's artistic journey.
For all inquiries please send a message below or email vgoler@taosnet.com