the Governor's Arts Award Winners

Edward Vega

Albuquerque

2009 Recipient, Sculpture

Edward Vega of Albuquerque is a prolific and versatile artist noted for his monumental sculptures and set designs for major motion pictures.

Born and raised in Deming, New Mexico, Vega earned fine arts degrees from New Mexico State University and the University of New Mexico.

Vega works with weathered corten steel to produce monumental sculpture. One such installation, "Dawn Light,"sits in a small Albuquerque park on the corner of San Mateo and Indian School, NE. Vega’s work has been shown in exhibitions and public art installations throughout the country, including the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History and the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe. In 1998 Vega was appointed to serve on the "Dollar Coin Advisory Committee" which established the theme and look of the Sacagawea dollar.

Vega’s involvement in the film industry began in 1985 when a movie titled "Animal Behavior" was shot in Albuquerque. His talent was well received, and he went on to work on 20 movies between 1985 and 1995. In 1996 Vega was working on "Selena" in San Antonio, Texas, when he was promoted to art director, a role that he has played for 11 films.