Little is known about this fourth generation santero (religious painter) from Río Arriba County. An official WPA photograph, however, indicates that he was considerably older than the majority of artists who worked for the Federal Arts Project (FAP). Santiago "Sam" Matta was hired by the FAP to "replicate" colonial Saints and his artistic talent was poorly recognized since officials perceived him as a mere "copyist." Nevertheless, the detailed rendering of facial features in his stone and wood relief carvings, indicate his mastery in a variety of artistic media. Aside from his artistic career, Santiago "Sam" Matta was also an engaged labor union activist on behalf of the Spanish-speaking workforce, as well as an information source of local stories for the Federal Writer's Project in New Mexico.