Will's Bio

William Lovato Hyde Published by Taos News Photo by Tina Larkin.

William Lovato Hyde is a young folk artist who is drawn to creating artwork that is inspired from the beauty of color and culture in New Mexico. Through his works he seeks to capture true folk expression of the people, infused with the Land of Enchantment's rich history and landscape.

He was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico in 1988 and began creating colorful works as a young child. He was deeply inspired to capture the world around him, including his observation of flowers and trees, and the complexity of people's faces and an ever growing expression of identity, culture and faith.

Moving to Santa Fe, at age six he attended his first Spanish Market and announced that it was this art form that he would pursue. As a teen he found a mentor, Frankie Nazario Lucero, in the Spanish Colonial Art Tradition, with roots and traditions dating to the Spanish settlement in Santa Fe over 400 years ago.

It is important to him to create folk art that highlights the true beauty of nature and the complexity of cultural expressions. He works hard to create his best work and is constantly dedicated to learning new skills. He draws inspiration from Diego Rivera and Bob Marley, who inspired the world because there was no separation in their works from who they were. They unified identity, place and culture to communicate and inspire others. He seeks to push new directions to represent life in art.

He portrays images of the saints. He creates santos from prayer and the stories of the saints' great struggles, humility, faith, and miracles. With compassion towards others he seeks to make the world a better place, by sharing hope and strength, and to the shine the light of the true beauty that the saints' embody.

He has art in private collections in the United States and around the world, including the Spanish Colonial Art Museum and the International Folk Art Museum in Santa Fe, NM. He has worked with youth in New Mexico and Texas in art and athletics. He has received numerous recognitions. He is truly grateful for his journey as an artist.