Santa Fe orders gallery murals removed

SANTA FE (KRQE) - The owner of a Santa Fe art gallery says she hired struggling local artists to paint a half dozen murals on her art gallery.  This week city leaders told her those murals must go.

Liza Williams recently opened the Liza Williams Gallery on Old Pecos Trail and Old Santa Fe Trail, smack dab in the middle of a very historical part of Santa Fe. 

The City Different is known throughout the world for it's art and culture, but Liza says many of the artists are struggling financially.  This summer she spent $3,500 and hired six of them to paint on the outside of her gallery, and that's what got her red tagged by the city. 

"In Santa Fe, our ordinances for historic preservation are very strong, and we feel it's important to abide by those," said Santa Fe City Manager Robert Romero. 

Romero says part of that preservation means keeping old, historical buildings their traditional brown color.

Liza says she did not ask the city permission to paint the murals because there was already a mural of an angel painted on the building next door to her gallery. 

She says she plans to go to the Santa Fe City Council in the next 30 days to appeal.