About The Artist

Des Montes Art Gallery is a journey through time and a place preserving and documenting the rich History, Culture, Art, and Customs of Northern New Mexico. Artist Floyd Archuleta brings his memories along with generations of memories to life through his paintings and sculptures, with a strong focus on keeping our Acequia (community ditches) traditions alive.

 

The Archuleta family has farmed and ranched the land on Des Montes continually since the early 1800's.The famous logo "El Irrigador" is one of their father, the family patriarch Jose Manuel Archuleta, at 97 years old. 

 

El Irrigador depicts the ancient and revered practice of cleaning and maintaining the Acequias that have provided precious water to the fields as well as water for our livestock. For centuries these irrigation canals have opened up acres of beautiful farm land; a necessary ritual practice to keep the valuable life-giving water source flowing.