Sean Wells joins the many artisans AT Gallup Spanish Market
The Sacred Heart Spanish Market, held during the weekend of Corpus Christi at Sacred Heart Cathedral at 415 E. Green Ave. has returned from COVID-enforced hibernation. That’s where dozens of artists and craftspeople from New Mexico and Arizona who specialize in traditional and contemporary Spanish Colonial art exhibit and sell their work.
One of the artisans to show her work at the 2021 Spanish Market was the Gallup Sun’s contributing artist Sean Wells who, along with her tinsmith brother Jason Younis, received the Bishop’s Award as creatives demonstrating heart in the artistic community.
The market was forced to reschedule last year and was able to reopen after increased safety measures were put in place for Sept. 17-19.
“It was great to get back to our show,” Jerry Montoya, organizer for the market told the Sun Sept. 22. “This show is really about the friendship, the community, and our family of Santero Artists that we’ve been doing this show with at Sacred Heart Cathedral.”
This is the fifth year the market has been held at the cathedral. A similar market was previously held in Grants for about 20 years.
Montoya said this year’s market left a bittersweet taste.
“We all know each other real well, we’re like family here,” Montoya said. “While it was nice to see everyone get back with everybody else, it was also kind of sad in a way, too, because [since the last market] we lost five people from the community.”
Even taking the initial somber reunions into consideration, Montoya considered the weekend a positive experience.
“We had good sales for our artists, and a good response from the visitors. People that showed up were enthused and were happy to come back and come out to the show,” he said. “A lot of people were thanking me about having a successful show, from artists as well as people from Sacred Heart.”
A NEW EVENT
The staples of the Spanish Market were back this year, including artist booths and the classic car show. But the market board was able to organize a new act to bring more energy to the event’s return.
“Father Matthew Keller [of Sacred Heart] does work for V8s for Vocations, and they purchased a car from Chevel Shepherd’s dad for our next year’s Parish Grand Raffle,” Montoya said. “And I don’t know how he did it, but he booked Chevel Shepherd to perform at this year’s market.”
Shepherd, born in Farmington, made waves in the music world when she won Season 15 of the TV singing competition show, “The Voice.”
“It was a great concert. Everyone was delighted at the show,” Montoya said. “The weather was perfect during the show, but it was strange that it started to sprinkle just a bit right when she was doing her encore.”
The proceeds from the Chevel Shepherd concert went to Sacred Heart School, he continued.
“They’re trying to build a new school on those grounds next to the community center there. They’re currently using the family center as a school, but the plans are to put up a new school there,” he added.
LOOKING AHEAD
Montoya said plans are in motion to bring the Spanish Market back to Gallup in 2022 during the weekend of Corpus Christi.
“I’d just like to thank … the community of Gallup and all the people at Sacred Heart Cathedral,” Montoya said. “It was a great, great weekend, and I hope we can do it again.”
For more information on events and news from Sacred Heart Cathedral, visit https://sacredheartgallup.org/.
