SANTA FE — When I opened an email from Blue Rain Gallery last week and saw images of Eric Romero’s work, I knew I had to hop in my car right away and drive to Santa Fe to experience it in person. Even in reproduction, the work showed strong drafting skills, and I was intrigued by the artist’s blending of Renaissance motifs and contemporary cultural references.

Romero’s 5-foot-tall painting, “Flor y Fuego” (“Flower and Fire”) depicts a young woman with facial piercings, ripped jeans, a Keith Haring-inspired tee and a blue hoodie, seated in front of a graffitied wall. At first glance, I saw nothing unusual about the image. But, on closer inspection, I noticed red roses in her hands and a butterfly perching on her right wrist, which gave the image a magical realist quality.