Bishop's Lodge Road
Tesuque, NM
(505) 988-8001
website
- Hours: The Shidoni Gallery is open Monday through Saturday, but the outdoor sculpture gardens are open during daylight hours seven days a week, and the foundry is open from 12 to 1 Monday through Friday and all day Saturday (when public pourings are also held)
- Reservations: Not required
- Cost: No admission charge
- Location: 5 miles north of Santa Fe Plaza, driving directions below
- How Long: Allow at least one hour to tour the outdoor gardens, two hours if you also tour the foundry and/or watch a pouring, and longer if you also watch a glassblowing demonstration at nearby Tesuque Glassworks
- Best Time to Visit: Any time, but Saturdays during a public pouring are best
Shidoni Foundry
One of the top fine art foundries in the United States, located just a few miles north of Santa Fe, Shidoni Foundry's galleries offer bronze sculptures and other art works, and a rare chance to find out what goes on behind the scenes when a bronze statue is created.Adjacent to the foundry you'll find a bronze sculpture gallery where you can browse among sculptures in styles ranging from contemporary to traditional. Across the grounds, the Shidoni Arts Gallery features works in other media, such as glass and wood. The most spectacular sight here, though, is the outdoor sculpture gallery that's situated between the two indoor ones. Here you'll find a rotating display of large sculptures, notable for their sheer size and created in enough styles that just everyone will find something they like.
If you're curious about what goes on behind the scenes, the foundry opens to the public for at specified times listed above. Pick up a self-guided tour leaflet in the gallery and walk through the shop, following the complex process that results in a completed bronze sculpture.
Shidoni pours 10,000 pounds of bronze per month, and on Saturdays they let the public watch. Call ahead to get the pouring schedule for the day you plan to visit, and be sure to arrive a little early. When the bronze is ready, the pouring starts and it may start up to half an hour before the scheduled time.
Next to Shidoni, you'll also find Tesuque Glassworks, where daily glassblowing demonstrations give a chance to watch owner Charlie Miner and other glass artists at work.
