At the Santa Fe gallery Hecho a Mano, connection and community drives the work on display. “The objects we have in the space are evidence of the relationships we develop with our artists,” says owner and director Frank Rose. Housed in a building that has shown art since the 1930s—most notably with Leonora Curtin’s Native Market—the gallery champions primarily New Mexico– and Mexico-based artists, and has a particular interest in printmaking.
Hecho a Mano’s program includes five core artists and is structured to prioritize equity. “We don’t want to engage in power dynamics,” Rose says. “The artists are just as important in this relationship.” Each year, Hecho a Mano shares 20 percent of its profits with its artists and reinforces this partnership through hands-on support such as grant-writing assistance, artist statement rewrites, group meetups, and A Creative Excuse, a monthly podcast featuring conversations with exhibiting artists.
With an enthusiastic director whose interest lies as much in the success of its artists as in keeping the doors open, Hecho a Mano is the sort of gallery others strive to be but rarely become. Voted best gallery in Santa Fe in 2022 and 2024 by the Santa Fe Reporter, its large price range also reflects a respect for its diversity of patrons, with pieces priced from 45 to tens of thousands dollars.