About the Artist - Director

Maya Gracia is Executive and Artistic Director of

Gracia Art Dance Organization (G.A.D.O.)

She is an authentic Santera (defined as a Christian artist depicting Saints in the Spanish Colonial-inspired and Contemporary New Mexico Style).  Santeros have historically been men of the Church devoting their artistic talents to create moving works of art for use within their parish.  Over the past few centuries, Santeros have grown to include both male and female artists, who follow a spiritual path to create beautiful, Christian Religious Art for uses inside the Church and inside the home.  Many Santeros have experienced a miracle in their lives that affects them deeply and takes them down this path. The most humble of Santeros devote their complete lives to serving God with their artistic talents and abilities, knowing that their meager livelihood are obtained solely through occasional paid commissions. Many Santeros volunteer works and teaching, thus reducing their income even further.

Maya Gracia is such a Santera.

Maya Gracia serves G.A.D.O in education, consultation, conservation, restoration and commissioned original Sacred Art.

Gracia's calling

to this art form is a result of a promise she made to her Creator after being stricken by a rare viral infection 18 years ago. This malady left her with what was thought to be Lou Gehrig's disease.  She lost the total use of her legs making her paraplegic, 90% use of her arms (nearing quadriplegia) and experienced a long list of other complications.  She was bedbound for many years. She prayed that if she was ever able to walk and dance again, she would focus fully on this type of art as her sign of gratitude.  With a reversal of Lou Gehrig's disease (often fatal and confounding several doctors) and only minor neurological challenges remaining in both her arms and legs, Gracia has made a miraculous recovery.  Her body has been retrained to compensate for residual muscle weaknesses which can be seen when she works ambidextrously, passing the paintbrush from her right hand to her left.  She is able to overcome such remaining limitations or inconveniences with many graces gifted to her through prayer and discipline (the word "discipline" shares the same root as the word "disciple").  She has also designed and developed many devices to be "handy" within her handicap. Each painting executed by Gracia requires a series of ergonomic bolstering techniques and required breaks for the respite of her arm and hand muscles. She paints in the medium of acrylic because of its accelerated speed in curing. Often, and especially for larger works, she has to support all of her body against the canvas, almost using it as a crutch, as she works. This could never be feasible by use of traditional oil-based paints. Gracia is ever-filled with gratitude for being able to dance and produce her passionate works of art at such an unexpectedly high level.

Gracia is also a two time cancer survivor. Twenty three years ago her Creator granted her a full healing of cervical cancer and most recently, breast cancer.

Gracia has a Master's background

in Fine Art and has attended The Art Center and Cal Arts (both Fine Art Universities in Southern California). In her early art career, she worked in Los Angeles as fashion illustrator/designer.  Gracia's talents expand into the Healing Arts, where she is a trained Master Herbalist/Aromatherapist.  She has practiced 12 years, in Arizona, as a Certified Clinical Aromatologist and Homeopathic Pharmacy Technician. She has spent many years treating people with various ailments using her education as well as folkloric knowledge passed down from her mother and grandmother who are of Mayan and Spanish decent.

In addition to working as a mentor to artists, dancers and herbalists-in-training, Gracia also volunteers for Lou Gehrig's disease patients.  She helps train loved-ones and family members to better comfort the many symptoms this disease causes.  The advanced stage of Lou Gehrig's disease impedes the patient from speaking and using their arms/hands for simple communication.  For those stages, Gracia teaches patients and family members how to use a special computer that utilizes a an eye-guided camera program. The patient is then able to communicate by "typing" with eye gazes on a special monitor that mimics a keyboard.

Gracia currently serves on the Commission of Art, as advisory to the Dover City Council, New Hampshire.

Maya Gracia includes

Spanish Classical and Flamenco dance performance/instruction as her Religious Art expression.  She performs many different styles (including Caracoles, Alegrias, Rumbas, Tangos, Bulerias, Columbianas, Guajiras, Farrucas and Fandangos) but her specialty is featuring the Christian themes of the Sevillanas.  The Sevillanas is a graceful, classic dance often performed at religious celebrations and weddings, hailing from Seville, Spain.  She believes it is best highlighted during Semana Santa (or Holy Week) and Feria, featured throughout Spain during the Spring.  Though this particular dance has countless variations, Gracia has chosen to present it in the majestic, Classical style of famed Spanish dance legend, Matilde Coral.  Maya includes Cante (singing) and Castanet playing during her exhibitions.

Gracia also feels honored to be one of the few instructors in America to teach and perform Spanish Regional Folk Dances such as those (Seguidillas, Jota and more) seen in Northern Spain on the Christian Pilgrimage to Santiago De Compostela.

 Her penchant for Northern Spanish Dance originates from her father's Scottish heritage. Music and dance from Cantabria, Rioja, Navarra, Galicia, Basque and Asturias have a profound Celtic influence. Gracia is a member of Scotland's Clan Ross by her father's ancestry.

See a Video of Regional Spanish Dances. See Photos of other Spanish Dances.

Go to Gracia Art Dance