While many arts and crafts stores throughout Los Cabos have a smattering of painting and sculpture, the following galleries and studios represent the finest in art of all mediums available in the area. Many have regular shows throughout the winter season, some offer classes and supplies. All are worth a look.

Sergio Bustamente

Internationally known Mexican artist Sergio Bustamente's gallery is located at Plaza Bonita in CSL. Bustamente shows his exclusive line of jewelry and sculptures in bronze and ceramic on the main level of this elegant, contemporary two-story gallery, one of many around the country. Upstairs is exhibition space for revolving shows of contemporary Mexican artists. Exhibits change every three months, offering visitors a chance to view fine modern Mexican art in various mediums. Bustamente, originally from Culiacan, Sinaloa, opened his first gallery in Tlaquepaque, outside Guadalajara, in 1980, working primarily in paper mache. His larger than life animals and fantasy sculptures made him one of Mexico's most successful and well-known artists.

While the gallery has a limited selection of his sculptures in bronze and ceramic with more emphasis on jewelry, Bustamente's work is unique and fantastic, incorporating surreal themes. Open daily; call (624) 143-27-08 for more information.

Galeria de Kaki Bassi

Galeria de Kaki Bassi has 5,000 square feet of hanging space at Morelos and Alikan in CSL, eight blocks up Morelos from the main light at Lazaro Cardenas. One of the most prestigious galleries in Baja California Sur, on exhibit is original fine art by Kaki Bassi and local and mainland Mexican artists, plus prints, posters and sculptures. After earning her M.F.A. from Texas A & M, Bassi painted and exhibited in Europe and taught briefly at Homerton College in Cambridge, England. With more than a decade living in CSL, her work hangs in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, with seven pieces in the Mexican government's permanent collection. Active in promoting Mexican artists, Bassi also exhibits Chavez (oils), Portilla (acrylics), RivaPalacio (acrylics), Block and Pena (etchings), Eslinger (watercolors), Perrot and Garza (watercolors), Najera (oils and mixed media) and her own well known works in watercolor, acrylic and mixed media. Known predominantly for her masterful interpretations of the rupestrian art of Baja's Sierra San Francisco near San Ignacio, Bassi also paints colorful scenes of Mexican life and conducts twice weekly art classes in figure drawing, watercolor and pastel. She's opened a second gallery in SJD, at #1-A Calle Obregon, behind the plaza. Her Cabo San Lucas gallery features a modern, custom frame shop and an extensive range of art supplies, including canvas, paper, oils, acrylics and pastels. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; call her CSL gallery at (624) 14-3-35-10 for information and current exhibitions.

Galeria Wentworth Porter

The place for exceptional fine art in San Jose del Cabo, Galeria Wentworth Porter is on Calle Alvaro Obregon, between Morelos and Guerrero. Housed in a spacious, well-lighted heritage building in the historic district of San José del Cabo, the gallery features the works of contemporary impressionist Dennis Wentworth Porter. A graduate of the prestigious Santa Barbara Art Institute (Brooks) in 1974, Porter painted and lectured throughout the American West before settling in SJD in the mid 1990's. Working with the finest oils and soft pastels, his sought after pieces range from life in the Cape Region and mainland Mexico to Cezanne's Provence. Internationally collected, Porter uses loose, abstracted brush strokes to achieve realistic impact in his large format oils, and is known for his painterly use of light and shadow. The gallery also represents Nanette Hayles (paper tile mosaics); Rafael Chavez (acrylics and watercolors); Leonardo Diaz (watercolors); Tomas Spangler (photography); and Joaquin Pineda (oils), a protégé of Victor Cauduro Rojas. Prints and a large selection of art cards are also available. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, evenings and Sundays by appointment. The gallery is closed annually from August 15 to October 15 while Wentworth Porter paints abroad; with solo and group shows throughout the winter season; call (624) 142-31-41 for more information.

Julian Garcia

Based in San Jose del Cabo for the past decade, multi-faceted Julian Garcia paints and sculpts, working largely on commission, creating large format works for many fine homes in Los Cabos. His recent series of metal sculptures are predominantly stylized interpretations of marine life and birds, some as large as seven or eight feet across. Garcia also designs freestanding outdoor sculptures in different media and themes. A realist, Garcia's paintings (acrylic on canvas) capture the vastness and scale of the Cape landscape. Working from his private studio, some of his metal sculpture is on view at Casa Paulina in SJD. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (624) 142-21-99.

Golden Cactus Gallery

The Golden Cactus Gallery is a welcome addition to the arts scene in CSL. Canadian romantic realist Chris MacClure and wife Marilyn Hurst, also a painter, have an international collection of fine art for every taste and pocketbook. MacClure (oil and acrylic on canvas) and Mexican abstract expressionist Fernando Tamés (acrylic on canvas and paper) both paint here. Other works are by British-born Paul Ygartua (oil and acrylic on canvas and paper); Cabeño Enrique Ortega (colonial watercolors on paper); Mexican Flor Minor (etchings and lithographs); and Brent Heighton, the well-known Canadian watercolorist. The gallery features a diverse exhibition of original paintings and prints, with recent Gicleé limited editions from Ortega, Tamés and MacClure, well known for his series of vintage car prints for Ford Motor Company. In the winter season, Golden Cactus has exhibitions and open house the first Thursday evening of the month with artists in attendance. They also carry ready-made frames, some art supplies and offer art classes; call (624) 143-63-99 for more information. Open daily, they're located at the corner of Guerrero and Madero, upstairs, in CSL. Check out their other location at the La Galeria Restaurant on the marina at Plaza Bonita in CSL.

Nupalli - The Place of the Mexican Artist

A striking collection of fine art, exquisite crafts and designer jewelry occupies this two level contemporary space on Zaragoza across from Plaza Aramburo in Cabo San Lucas. The intimate street level space showcases very high quality crafts in wood, metal, ceramic and glass with a carefully chosen selection of one of a kind wearable art in silver and semi-precious stones. Upstairs, the spacious second level exhibits fine paintings and art objects in different media with an emphasis on Mexican contemporary and abstract art. Artists include Federico López Castro (mixed media on wood and art objects); Daniel Wolf (acrylics on paper); Pablo Cabrera del Olmo (oils on canvas and paper); Julia López (oils on canvas and lithographs); and Aleta (watercolors and handmade papel amate). An interesting and vibrant collection of modern art; definately worth a visit. Gallery director Jorgé Loaeza is knowledgeable about the Mexican art scene; for upcoming exhibitions, call (624) 143-56-44. Open daily; paintings are also on view at the Blue Agave Restaurant in Plaza Bonita in Cabo San Lucas.