About the Artist, Tandy Lucero

Background & identity

Tandy Lucero is a New Mexico–based artist whose roots run deep in the state’s history. He comes from a family in New Mexico with generations of presence, which clearly influences his subject matter.
Lucero worked in other fields prior to committing full-time to his art. For many years he ran entrepreneurial ventures: a sandwich shop (“The Munch Inn”) on Central Avenue in Albuquerque, and later a specialty spices/herbs business (“Los Chileros”), designing labels and mixing recipes.
It was only after he sold his businesses (he retired around 2015) that he fully returned to his creative side, focusing on drawing and illustration.

Artistic focus & style

Lucero is drawn to (and draws) New Mexico—its history, its architecture, its iconic landmarks, and the visual memory of the state. According to an article, he is “enamored with New Mexico history.”
His medium began in charcoal (black charcoal sketches) then colored charcoal, and more recently he has worked with colorisation using digital tools (Photoshop, phone apps) to produce prints and greeting-cards.

The subjects of his work include:

  • Architectural landmarks (e.g., the historic  Kimo Theatre in Albuquerque) which he once worked at, and later depicted.

  • The end of the Santa Fe Trail in 1869 and the store run by his great-grandfather, trader James Madison Giddings and his great great-grandmother, the famous Doña Tules (María Gertrudis Barceló).

  • A wide sweep of New Mexico cultural, architectural and historical themes — from Pueblo potters to trading-posts, from chile and blue-corn foods to roadrunners and Zia symbols.

His work often pairs image + story: his prints or greeting-cards include “written accounts of certain periods in New Mexico’s history.”

Why his work stands out

  • The combination of visual art and narrative/history gives his pieces a dual appeal: as illustrations and as cultural/historical artifacts.

  • His subject matter is deeply place-specific, offering New Mexico (and Southwestern) viewers a reflection of their own cultural and built heritage.

  • The fact that he began art later in life (after other careers) means his work is mature, grounded in lived experience and local context, rather than simply academic abstraction.

Some practical/biographical details

  • He had been working (in other roles) as far back as the 1960s: he recalls working as a doorman at the Kimo Theatre in Albuquerque in June 1960, just after graduating high school.

  • His business experience: The spice/herb/dried-goods business “Los Chileros” became locally well known, and he designed its brand labels, packaging and recipe back-stories.

Things to note / tips if you explore his work

  • Because his focus is local/historic, you’ll likely find recurring motifs: old buildings, road-side culture, New Mexico vintage imagery (Route 66, trading posts, theatres) alongside more traditional cultural themes (Pueblo, Hispanic heritage).

  • His shift to digital color means prints of his work might exist in varying formats (hand-charcoal originals, or digitally-finished reproductions). If you are looking to purchase, ask about edition, medium, signature.

  • Since his work often includes narrative captions or historical text, part of the appeal is reading the story as well as viewing the image.