Adobe Gallery Blog

José Rey Toledo (1915-1994) Towa, from Jemez Pueblo, was a man of many interests and talents.  He is listed as having been an art instructor, education health specialist, administrator of Indian health programs, actor, educator, lecturer, muralist and painter.  It is this last category-painter-that is of particular interest to Adobe Gallery. His interest in painting was sparked by his cousin Velino Shije Herrera - Ma Pe Wi of Zia Pueblo. He attended the Albuquerque Indian School in the 1930s, then went to the University of New Mexico (UNM).  By 1955, he had obtained a Master's Degree. After his time at UNM, he served as head of the art department at the Santa Fe Indian School. He obtained a Masters of Public Health degree from the University of California Berkeley in 1972.  

Toledo painted infrequently while pursuing his degrees.  Today, it is rare to find his works available on the market.  The majority of his paintings are traditional pueblo in style and subject matter-single or group dance figures and village scenes. Usually, the dance figures show a great deal of activity. Generally, he did not paint background scenes, just the flat figures against a plain background.  Despite not being as prolific as his contemporaries, he is highly regarded by collectors. The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, New Mexico, mounted a retrospective of his works in 1994, just months before he passed away.  

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