Santa Fe as an Art Mecca

History in Santa Fe

Tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in this country from 1880 through 1940 that solidified the foundation of Santa Fe as a major art center. The pristine arid climate brought hundreds of people to Sunmount Sanitorium, located in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The solitude of convalescence awakened a core of creativity. The breathtaking landscape shaped by volcanic activity millions of years ago, coupled with the shifting light cast by the sun in the high-desert, formed a kaleidoscope of iridescent hues yearning to find artistic expression. The terrain provided a canvas for those indebted to the people and place that gave them a second chance at life.

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