MILAN, NM – Robert Gallegos never set out to be an artist. He didn’t dream of being one someday. He never took an art class. But now he is prolific, his yard is a garden of metal sculptures, and his imagination is blooming with new ways to express itself.
Like many in Cibola County, Gallegos’ early career was in the mines. He worked in the Kerr-McGee Mine, section 30W, in Ambrosia Lake as a geologist. When his earliest artistic venture led him to write poetry, he wrote about his mining experience.
The anthology, VOCES, edited by Rudolfo Anaya, was published by the University of New Mexico in 1987. His poems touched the hearts of many readers. They had had similar experiences and lost loved ones. Gallegos dedicated his book to his older brother who died when he was 20 years old from a mining incident. Following a blast, his brother went straight to work, without a mask. His lungs were burned, and he was rushed to the hospital, but only survived a few hours.
The first edition sold out and there was a second printing.
He later began to work with the Cibola Arts Council as the Director. It was still at its former location, behind Pizza Hut, on First Street. While there, he wrote 3 chapbooks and dedicated them to his brother. “Ambrosia Lake” was a success, selling out 100 copies.
Gallegos said, “I am always working on something. When I finish a sculpture, I write a poem. I keep them in a suitcase, unpublished.”
Beginning with wood, Gallegos would carve human figures. His wooden figures were shown at galleries in Santa Fe, at the Salt of the Earth bookstore, and in Albuquerque. That was until a good friend, Jim Sayer of Thoreau, suggested they take a welding class together.
Though Gallegos says that most of his friends are artists, he credits his friend, Sayer, with being his biggest influence. In the front yard of his Milan Village home, Gallegos now has about 30 to 40 metal sculptures.
“I used to give them names,” he said, “in case they would be in galleries. But I gave up because the abstract is difficult.”
Another sculpture in Gallegos’ yard was inspired by a petroglyph he found in a cave along Highway 117. He was so impressed that he drew the petroglyph, then at home, he cut out a likeness from metal and painted it sun yellow.
“Color gives it life,” he said. This petroglyph enriched my life.”
Artists are brave. Gallegos agreed.
“You are exposing yourself. My philosophy is - experiment, don’t repeat the same thing.”
His own home demonstrates this philosophy. He was once inspired to cover his floor with pennies. Pennies?
His work is sometimes affected by the seasons. Gallegos likes to create his sculptures in the summer. He also paints outside.
“It’s fun to get out and do something physical and to see people as they are passing by, they are smiling.”
His work reflects his life’s joys and sorrows. Shouldn’t we all be that brave?