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Santiago Chavez - Fine Artist
Born 'at home' in 1940, the third child of what was to be a family of ten children, Santiago grew up to appreciate the simple things in life and nature. There was no money for art training, but as long as he had a pencil and a 'RED CHIEF' tablet of paper, he was happy sketching the world around him, after chores, school and other demands on his time. At about age 10, he and Rudolfo Anaya, a neighbor and future author, were playing 'cowboys and indians', but Rudolfo had a real BB gun. As fate would have it, Santiago hid in a shed, peeking through a knot hole, when Rudolfo fired, scoring a direct hit on Santiago's right eye. Rural New Mexico was no place to treat such an injury, so he was sent to Saint Joseph's Hospital in Albuquerque. Miraculously, after what seemed like weeks, and the day before they were going to remove the eye, he 'saw' a 'greenish' light through the damaged eye! He never regained much vision in that eye, and in later years, a cataract formed, but as a one-eyed artist, his sense of perception and depth in his paintings is truly amazing!
The day after graduation from high school he was on a bus to Monterey, California to be taken in by older brother Ron and family. Here, he found work as a bus boy, and eventually waiter, at the famous Casa Munras Restaurant and Highlands Inn. He was finally exposed to an artistic environment. This led to classes at Monterey Peninsula College, where he chose business courses, but the natural beauty of the area, the 'artsy' atmosphere, and his family's encouragement, led to buying a set of 'oils'. His very first painting is still 'in the family' because it was secretly rescued from the trash by sister-in-law Pancha. Discouraged by initial results, Santiago put away his paints and brushes for many years, and got on with his 'life'.
