I thought I’d take a minute to update you on August in Santa Fe. As you may know, August is THE time for those of us in the Native American art business. It’s our largest celebration of Native American art! Dealers and galleries participate in dazzling shows culminating in the 3rd week of August with our iconic Indian Market, when upwards of 1,000 Native American artisans gather in Santa Fe to sell their handmade jewelry, pottery, paintings and more to the 100,000+ attendees.
Things are certainly different this year, which has a huge impact on Santa Fe and all of its Indian art shows and festivities.
As I write, we’re currently experiencing rising rates of COVID19 in New Mexico. Our governor has recently mandated a 14-day quarantine for any out-of-state travelers coming into New Mexico whether by air or by car. Months ago, SWAIA made the tough, unprecedented decision to cancel the in-person 2020 Indian Market and instead make it virtual.
These are heartbreaking changes for artists, collectors, dealers, and galleries, however, I do believe it is for the best - especially after witnessing all the devastation that COVID19 has inflicted on our Native American friends and families.
So where do these changes leave you as a Native American art collector as we approach what is usually the most exciting month of the year?
Fortunately, you will STILL be able to engage with this much-beloved art form - just on a more virtual basis this year. You might begin your August entertainment by visiting SWAIA’s virtual Indian Market, which will be running from August 1-31 this year. If you peruse SWAIA’s site, you will see that they have some intriguing plans in the works including new fashion each day from the 1st to the 16th with Orlando Dugi as the premiere designer. In addition, there will be Native American cinema, panel discussions, artist studio tours, demonstrations, and lots of shopping. This is definitely something to look forward to, a way of adapting to our bizarre circumstances.
Besides spending time at virtual online Indian Market, also try googling your favorite Native artists to see if any have new websites of their own. I’ve heard from at least a few that they were planning to have websites created by August.
At Turquoise & Tufa, I’m pleased to announce that the release of our annual jewelry catalog will be in early August. As usual, it’s full of breathtaking jewelry from today’s leading Native American artists as well as some amazing vintage and historic pieces. There’s even one page for the pottery collectors among us. If you’re on our mailing list, you can look forward to a hard copy showing up in your mailbox. I hope you’ll relish the catalog. Perhaps you can make a fun activity out of its arrival by dressing up in some of your cherished Native jewelry, turning on some great tunes, and grabbing a plate of yummy appetizers with a glass of wine to enjoy while you browse the artwork.
In the interest of keeping you and our beloved Santa Fe community as safe as possible, I’ve decided not to participate in any in-person shows this year, so I hope you’ll receive the catalog as the next best thing to an in-person meeting. I’ve created it with a lot of love that will hopefully be felt across the miles. Of course, I will miss our wonderful August visits with one another, but please remember I'm just an email, phone call, or zoom appointment away.
I'm still excited about August. It’s just going to look different. Thank you so much for your continued support during this time!
Bonnie
P.S. If you've never received a catalog before, and would like a hard copy, please message me with your physical address.
