Vicente Telles is a Santero and Cultural Iconographer whose work navigates the tension between tradition and reinvention. Rooted in the centuries-old practices of his native New Mexico, Telles began painting retablos—saints rendered on hand-carved wood—using pigments ground from local clays and minerals, layered on homemade gesso and sealed with piñon sap varnish. For Telles, the act of making is an act of devotion: to his ancestors, to the land, and to the survival of cultural memory. Pushing beyond traditional forms, Telles reimagines Catholic and cultural iconography, expanding the Santero practice into contemporary contexts. Working with textiles, handmade papers, and salvaged or repurposed materials, his images inhabit the space between the sacred and the everyday, insisting that heritage is not static but alive and evolving. Telles’ Santos and contemporary works transcend religion, becoming symbols for resilience, continuity, and the changing face of heritage. His art embodies both devotion and disruption, preserving centuries of practice alive while reinterpreting its themes and motifs for modern life.