If This House Could Talk - Matteucci Compound
The Matteucci Compound, the almost two acre “entrance” to the Eastside, at the corner of Paseo de Peralta and Acequia Madre and the home of one of Santa Fe’s most important art galleries, is for sale. The property consists of the gallery, attached main residence and guest quarters and three additional guest houses. With an incredibly colorful history, we thought we would ask If this house could talk:
What were the early days like?
House: The property then was an orchard and two farm houses that faced the Acequia Madre. There was farm land all along the Paseo from the Bandelier house, (now the Sherwood Gallery), to the farm outbuildings.
Tell us something we may not know about your past.
House: The history of the farm house is hidden in its ceilings, which had four feet of dirt, newspapers from 1825 and even high button women’s heels. Everything was thrown in for insulation.
Who were some of your most interesting residents?
House: Nicolas Woloshuk, an art dealer, added the room known today as the main gallery to show paintings. Forrest Fenn and Rex Arrowsmith came along in 1972 and traded with Woloshuk to own the property. Rex ran the trading post across from the oldest church and Forrest ran the gallery. In 1988, I became the gallery and home to various members of the Matteucci family when Nedra Matteucci purchased the gallery from Fenn.
What were the biggest transformations made by Fenn?
House: Just about everything. Forrest created the largest gallery in Santa Fe. First he converted an outbuilding on the north end of the property facing the Paseo into a foundry. Then he bought more property along the acequia. As part of that deal, he agreed to fly the ashes of the owner, Olga Svoboda, wife of artist Joseph Svoboda, spreading them over Taos Mountain. Olga had owned the property on the back portion of the gallery which later became part of the main guesthouse, attached to the gallery and main house. Forrest had been a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War.
After Forrest bought out Arrowsmith in 1973, he made a residence for his family in the oldest portion of the farmhouse, adding two bedrooms for his daughters and a second story over the main gallery. He wanted to link the foundry to the gallery but the city wouldn’t let him because of a potential fire hazard. He decided instead to make the foundry into additional gallery space and hired Bill Lumpkins to create a linking dramatic high ceiling exhibition space.
What type of art did Fenn galleries show?
House: Fenn specialized in the Taos society of artists, including Joseph Henry Sharp. Other famous artists were Nicolai Fechin, Leon Gaspard, Remington and Russell, and Maynard Dixon. The gallery was a source of western collectibles much from his private collection. It also bought and sold East Coast, Mexican and European masters.
What were the origins of the now famous gardens?
House: Forrest wanted a place to go fishing and have his two alligators, Beowolf and Elvis, so he bought the land behind the gallery from a neighbor who raised vegetables for Kaune’s grocery store. He walled it in and made a fishing pond and turned the vegetable garden into a backyard for his home.
When was the guest house added?
House: James Parker and Walter Drew designed and built the guest house and library in 1981. It is quintessential Santa Fe, with massive timbers, an atrium built around a historic tree, and even a painting by Eric Sloane painted on the wall of the bathroom.
What world travelers have stayed there?
House: Jackie Kennedy, John Conally, President Ford, Cher and Steve Martin. Steve Martin became a business partner of Forrest, buying, selling and collecting paintings. In the 70’s, he moved to Upper Canyon Road and played the banjo circuit with the college kids.
Have things changed much since Nedra Matteucci bought the property in 1988?
House: Nedra has now owned the property longer than Forrest, in January, it has been 20 years. She expanded the gallery’s reach worldwide. She knew the gallery business, having worked as a salesperson for Forrest and later starting her own gallery on Garcia Street. Nedra and her husband Richard also had an extensive collection of fine art. They established the sculpture gallery in the garden, opening it to the public for special events. This has allowed for major exhibitions of monument size bronzes by artists such as Dan Ostermiller, Glenna Goodacre, Michael Naranjo and Doug Hyde.
Upon buying the gallery, one of the most significant changes was to the gardens, which were made publicly accessible to gallery visitors for the first time. A succession of gardening specialists added to the perennial growth of the grounds and the pond was reworked, making it more efficient. The sculpture garden has since become a focal point of the gallery. In addition, Nedra tried to utilize the grounds for charitable and civic events; she feels it is a privilege to own such a magnificent property in Santa Fe and likes to give back when she can. The Matteucci’s have maintained all of the remarkable adobe buildings and upheld the historic nature of the compound. In addition to seeing the historic collection grow and become more diverse under Matteucci, there was new energy brought to the gallery with the addition of important contemporary sculptors for the expanded garden exhibition space as well as bringing new painters to the gallery.
What do you think will happen next?
House: Nedra will continue her business at 513 Canyon Road, her Morningstar Gallery space, continuing the tradition begun by Forrest Fenn of painting, sculpture, and Native American antiquities. As to this property, it would be a good home to a major foundation. The property was once owned by the school of American Research and its many offices can easily accommodate a philanthropical organization. Who knows, maybe the State would want it because of its location next to the Capital. It could also be bought by a movie studio for its headquarters. It certainly has enough glamour. Of course, it’s been a wonderful gallery and could continue to be so.
Nedra hopes to continue enhancing the traditions she has established for over twenty years, by consolidating the best of her gallery collections at 513 Canyon Road, present home of her Morning Star Gallery. Besides the possibilities already stated (like State purposes, philanthropic use, movie studio….) it has one constant in its long life on the Paseo – it has always been a home. A home to writers, artists, dealers and to families dating back generations; to see it as a home again would take the property full circle – a wonderful thought!
