The Talpa Chapel

Rio Chiquito near Taos, NM, 1837

The Talpa Chapel near Taos, built in the early 1800s by the Martinez, Tafoya, and Duran families, rises from sunbaked adobe, simple and enduring. Thick walls, rough-hewn beams, and a modest bell tower mark generations of care and faith. In the base, a small drawer holds a collage of Catholic devotional objects—rosaries, medals, and faded prayer cards—kept through centuries. As a sculptor, I work on the textures and shadows, trying to capture both the history and the steadfast devotion etched into every surface.

11" W x 13 1/2" D x 11 1/2" H · Painted pine · 2025 · Roberto Cardinale with drawer collage by PJ Cardinale

$2,800