The concept of Santa Fe "style" was invented in 1912 by city leaders anxious to attract tourists and the money they would bring. Initially focused on the Pueblo Spanish architectural revival then in vogue, its more recent invocation reflects a fabricated connection between the indigenous charms of the ancient city and everything from cheap cologne to pink coyotes, from sprawling multi-million-dollar stuccoed mansions clinging precariously to fragile hillsides to exotic drinks and dishes at local restaurants. Lost beneath this sell of glitz and glamour is another Santa Fe, one which grew out of a unique history, starting with the lessons gleaned from neighboring Pueblo Indians. Spanish settlers learned how to adapt to the isolation they faced and carved out an existence based on simplicity, humility, functionality, and especially ingenuity. And out of this has grown a charming city with an old-world feeling.
The Essence of Santa Fe: From a Way of Life to a Style traces the developments that took a unique and sustainable way of life and turned it into style. Through a rich blend of historic and contemporary photographs, the book unveils the undeniable magic of this charming city that still can be found if one knows where to look.
Kingsley Hammett has been a working journalist since 1978. He lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife Jerilou, for nearly twenty-five years, where they published Designer/builder magazine. He holds master's degrees in both journalism and humanities/history, and is the author of Crafting New Mexico Furniture, Classic New Mexico Furniture, Early New Mexican Furniture, and Santa Fe: A Walk Through Time. Jerilou Hammett holds master's degrees in education and humanities. She is co-founder of Designer/builder magazine and has been active in the civic life of Santa Fe for more than twenty-five years. Peter Scholz is currently a freelance graphic designer living in Colorado. He spent thirteen years in Santa Fe as co-owner of a design firm.
