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The Authentic Guide to Santa Fe

Archive for the ‘art travel’ Category

Santa Fe Indian Market Says Indian Summer Soon!

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 by Santa Fe Red

Well, we hope it will be an Indian Summer! Weather in Santa Fe is always pretty decent, but like everyone else, we hate to see the warm days go with the summer. And with the much-anticipated arrival of the Santa Fe Indian Market comes the departure of other beloved summer events. Next week marks the last of the Santa Fe Opera until next season, and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival will be packing up its winds and horns at the end of this week. We appreciate living in a town where you can drive from one end to the other in a half-hour or less and still enjoy such world-class culture.

Seed Sister Pot by Marcus Spooner and Michael Roanhorse

Author Sherman Alexie

Making its 88th appearance, the Market is a relatively old event compared to some, but there is always new blood bringing new ideas to the fore. Tonight, Tuesday, August 17th, the Market welcomes writer Sherman Alexie for what is sure to be a lively night at the Lensic. Author of the screenplay for Smoke Signals and the novels The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, Mr. Alexie will be onstage at 6pm. Always an entertaining speaker, this serious and seriously humorous author is sure to bring an interesting perspective, and at last report, tickets were still available.

N. Scott Momaday

Continuing with the theme of Native literature, on Thursday, August 19th, Collected Works Bookstore hosts an Evening of Native Literary Arts at 6pm, moderated by James Thomas. The headliner here is the dean of Native writers, Cherokee-Kiowa author, N. Scott Momaday. For many, his novel House Made of Dawn was a first view into Native life from an authentic Native perspective. Also appearing will be Navajo poet and Shiprock, NM native, Luci Tapahanso. This event is free and sure to be popular, so plan to arrive early.

Since its inception ten years ago, the Native American Cinema Showcase has grown in both quality and popularity. Taking place over four days from August 19th to the 22nd,the showcase is jointly supported by SWAIA, CCA Santa Fe and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Beginning on Thursday, August 19 at 6pm, the slate includes sixteen programs with films and videos from seven different countries playing at two venues, the Cinematheque at CCA and Bishop Lamy’s beautiful Cathedral Park, adjacent to St. Francis Cathedral. And the film showcase taking place at the Park is totally free – where can you find a deal like that in downtown Santa Fe?!?

Actor/Musician Gary Farmer

Music has been always integral to Native life, and the Santa Fe Bandstand Series, about to finish its summer season, plays its part by welcoming actor Gary Farmer and his band, the Troublemakers, along with Native Roots on Tuesday, August 17th at 6pm. The music plays on at 6pm Thursday, August 19th, with musicians Keith Secola and Micki Free and American Horse, accompanied by special guests, Shea and Casper, and the Mighty 602 Band. Like all of the Santa Fe Plaza Bandstand programs, the two-hour programs are at no charge, but expect to encounter a crowd when it’s a whole lotta music for nothing!

By Friday, people-watching will be prime, as the booths go up and the town fills to capacity. The buzz is palpable as artists prepare for the early Saturday morning excitement when collectors hustle in to vie for Best of Show pieces to add to their collections. The only opportunity to see all of the Best of Show artwork in one place at one time will be  on Friday, August 20th, at a ceremony in the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. Beginning at 11:30am, the preview and luncheon acknowledges the hard work of the artists who hope to receive the coveted Best of Show recognition. With a nice discount on tickets for SWAIA members, this might be the time to join!

And the youngsters will not be ignored, as SWAIA presents Skatepoloitation! With an eye to promoting young artists and future collectors, SWAIA is partnering with Douglas Miles and Apache Skateboards in an event that features with trick skateboartding and skate demonstrations, along with product tosses and prizes. Taking place on Saturday, August 21st from 1 to 4pm, this will certainly be a change of pace from circumnavigating the 600+ booths in and around the Plaza environs!

2009 Native Fashion

Of course, the Market simply would not be complete without the Native American Clothing Contest, a fashion event for over twenty years. This competition takes place on Sunday, August 22nd beginning at 9am right on the Santa Fe Plaza, a fitting location for all to admire the artistry and innovation of both young and not-so-young participants. Local designers always bring out some local fans, and with both traditional and contemporary Native fashions on display, prepare to be inspired by everything from classic jingle dresses to steampunk design.

While we know that Santa Fe Indian Market means that autumn and the Santa Fe Fiesta are just around the corner, we welcome our Market back every year with anticipation, despite the traffic, despite the wait for a table at a favorite restaurant, despite having to park further away from downtown every year. This Market is a one-and-only, and it’s ours!

Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, Art in Santa Fe, Native American Art, Native American Culture of New Mexico, Native American pottery, New Mexican Culture, Santa Fe, What To Do in Santa Fe, art travel, summer in santa fe | No Comments »

Santa Fe Spanish Market means La Herencia!

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 by Santa Fe Red

Santa Fe Plaza: El Corazon de Santa Fe

The 59th Annual Summer Spanish Market takes place from 8am to 5pm on Saturday, July 24 and 9am to 5pm on Sunday, July 25 on the Santa Fe Plaza.

Each year, Santa Fe celebrates 400 years of Spanish heritage with the annual Spanish Market. While this event has both a summer and a winter incarnation, it is the July event that has the largest attendance.  That being said, those who want the culture but not the crowds, should consider returning December 4 and 5 for more leisurely looking, as well as a chance to enjoy the City Different in her holiday attire. Either way, the once-intimate Spanish Market has evolved into the largest exhibition of traditional Hispanic Arts in the United States, and since 2010 celebrates the 400th anniversary of our fair city, the 59th summer market should be muy bueno!

The traditional arts of Spanish New Mexico feature a broad array of materials and methodology, from sweetly simple straw applique to finely-carved and embellished Santos. The artisans of this culturally-rich but economically-poor region have historically used materials that were close at hand, since it was difficult to justify art supplies when resources were so slim. The state’s late entry into the U.S. was a blessing in disguise in terms of retaining the cultural authenticity found in these native crafts.

Traditional Straw Applique

Traditional Micaceous Pottery

Traditional Retablo

Spanish Market is a time for dedicated fans to add new items to their collections and for neophytes to receive a comprehensive introduction to the artistic heritage of the region. It also offers the  opportunity to speak directly with the artists about their creations, to learn if this is a family tradition or a new artistic adventure, to discover the history of an individual  medium, or to simply hear about a local’s favorite place to buy or eat green chile.

Participating artists are required to be of Spanish descent, and many are part of a family tradition that keeps the spark of la herencia alive by teaching the next generation both the artistic process and the respect due to the culture. Young artists have always been a part of Spanish Market, with a section specifically dedicated to emerging artists. The annual judging for Spanish Market includes the choice of one young exhibitor’s work to be used for the Winter Market poster. Buying a piece from one of these eager youngsters is a generous opportunity to support their desire to be part of the heritage with the possible bonus of owning an early work by a future master!

Moonlite by Robb Rael

The pool of both emerging and established artists includes those making contemporary pieces, since the event encompasses a Contemporary Hispanic Market, celebrating its 24th appearance as part of the festival. This exhibition takes place on Lincoln Avenue and is a showcase for Hispanic artists with a contemporary bent, showing painting, sculpture, jewelry and pottery.

In recognition of the religious heritage of New Mexico, there is a special Spanish Market Mass, naturally celebrated in Spanish, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis on Sunday morning at 8:00am. Other unique events include a Friday night members-only preview at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center from 6:00-9:00pm for those who hold membership in the Museum of Spanish Colonial Arts. Other special events include an Emerging Artists Panel Discussion on Tuesday, July 20 from 5:30-6:30pm at the Museum, at which Curator Robin Gavin will talk with young adult artists Rose Leitner, Craig Moya, and Tomas Salazar y Weiler about their lives and their art, concluding with questions from the audience. Also at the Museum, on Wednesday, July 21 from 10:00-11:00am, former Museum Director, William Field, will lead a discussion on how to buy at the market based on his years of experience, useful advice indeed.

Cathedral Basilica de San Francisco de Assis

Reredo de La Conquistadora

If you love art and you love history and you love New Mexico, this weekend will satisfy on all accounts, and of course, as befits any Santa Fe fiesta, there will be food, music and dancing to satisfy those desires too! Hasta la Vista!

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Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, Annual New Mexico Events, Art in Santa Fe, New Mexican Culture, Santa Fe, What To Do in Santa Fe, art travel, summer in santa fe | No Comments »

Never enough ART, Santa Fe!

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 by Santa Fe Red

ART Santa Fe 2010 takes place at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center located on the northeast corner of West Marcy and Grant Avenue from July 15-18. Hours: Gala Opening July 15 5-8pm; July 16 11am-7pm and 11am-6pm July 17-18

2010 ART Santa Fe at the Convention Center

After last weekend’s panoply of the arts, International Folk Art Market and SOFA West Santa Fe ( not to mention, a whole host of gallery openings),  you would think that Santa Fe would be ready for a rest! No way, Jose! This week, the dial is cranked up again with the tenth anniversary appearance of ART Santa Fe. And based on last year’s exhibition, 2010 will surely be a welcome return engagement for art lovers!

ART Santa Fe

This year’s exhibit opens, as it did last year, with a Gala Opening Night Vernissage (a lovely French term for a private showing held before the opening of an art exhibition), taking place on Thursday, July 15 from 5-8pm and benefitting the Santa Fe Art Institute. This, of course, is when the local arthounds and mavens will show up in droves to see art and each other. Given that Santa Fe has consistently ranked in the top three cities for art sales, collectors and interior designers should be out in force, hopefully with checkbooks in hand. We DO like to see artists make a living here in our city!

Although ART Santa Fe is celebrating its tenth anniversary, this is the first year that the festival will be held in our beautiful new Santa Fe Community Convention Center. This was such a great venue for SOFA West last week, with ample space, good airflow and good lighting, and this expansion of exhibit space will certainly add to the luster of ART Santa Fe. The list of exhibitors is quite deep, with local galleries such as Linda Durham, Zane Bennett and Charlotte Jackson welcoming their confreres (see, that vernissage word put me in a French mood! Oh, and Happy Bastille Day!) from around the U.S., as well as Japan and Germany.

Art is for Everyone!

Being that Santa Fe is the sort of place where art lovers want to do more than just look, ART Santa Fe has also put together a series of special events to enhance the experience. This year’s keynote speaker is New York Times art critic, Roberta Smith, who will present a lecture on contemporary issues in art on Saturday, July 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the lovely auditorium of the New Mexico History Museum. As an aside, for those who love our History Museum, consider scooting over to the Railyard for the resurrected Taste Of Santa Fe event this Saturday, July 17, from 2-6pm for a 35-restaurant tasting event whose proceeds benefit the museum!

The Art of Printing

Returning to ART Santa Fe again for informative daily demonstrations will be Landfall Press, founded by Jack Lemon. Landfall will be revealing the techniques and nuances of lithography, a real bonus for fair-goers this year, since the ample space of the convention center allows viewers to move around the demonstration areas, seeing the nitty-gritty of production from every angle. As part of its expanding How Things Are Made program this year, ART Santa Fe is also pleased to welcome, for the first time, the innovative works of Portland, Oregon-based Bullseye Glass Co., started 36 years ago as an artist cooperative. Both of these professional arts organizations will be on hand each day to show the back story of how great art comes into existence!

Shapes, Colors, Forms and Fun!

And there will be food! This year the art will not just be on view – some of it will be edible, too! In the spirit of the pop-up, nside the Convention Center will be an  elegant installation restaurant, Café Arte at the Fair. Attendees will be able to relax in the quiet ambience of a fine restaurant, while still within the venue. This chic setting will be open July 16-18 from 11am-3pm daily, with world-class fare provided by Santa Fe’s own Walter Burke, who previously anchored the Museum Hill Cafe. Doesn’t the promise of artistic cuisine always make things just a wee bit more enticing?

Art for the Body, Not Just the Soul

If your feet still hurt from strolling around last week’s plethora of art opportunities, than take time to rest them now, because ART Santa Fe is another once-a-year event that should not be missed!

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Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, Art in Santa Fe, Restaurants, Santa Fe, What To Do in Santa Fe, art travel | No Comments »

SOFA Santa Fe? It’s NOT a couch!

Thursday, July 8th, 2010 by Santa Fe Red

SOFA West Santa Fe 2010 takes place at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center located on the northeast corner of West Marcy and Grant Avenue from July 8-11.

Santa Fe is enjoying an embarrassment of riches in the art world right now! It began this week with the SOFA West exhibit opening today, July 8 and running through Sunday, July 11 at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. These riches include the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, also taking place this weekend, followed by the tenth anniversary appearance of ART Santa Fe from July 15-18. Following shortly will be the 59th Spanish Market, occurring on July 24-25 two weeks from now, SPIN (Silk Painters International) from August 1-6 and the 2010 Indian Market, taking place August 21-22. Even Albuquerque is on it, with Convergence, the biennial fiber extravaganza of the Handweavers Guild, occurring from July 18-25. Add in the terrific summer Santa Fe weather and you have a winning combination for a great experience!

SOFA West Santa Fe 2010

SOFA is an acronym for Sculpture, Objects and Functional Art, and all were in evidence at the preview opening for the western version of this vast exhibition. Originating in Chicago, with a New York and now a New Mexico component, this annual art fair offers a splendid opportunity to see traditional media presented in both classic and cutting edge iterations. And our fresh and still-new Community Convention Center provides an excellent venue for a display of this nature.

The works on exhibit ran the gamut from Diego Romero’s Mimbres-style pottery with comic-book flair to lacy, filigreed wall pieces by Julia M. Barello made from, of all things, dyed X-ray film! Familiar names like Wendell Castle, Viola Frey and Kay Sekimachi were represented, as well as local favorites like Erika Wanenmacher and Rick Dillingham. The scale ran from an enormous metal kimono made by Gordon Chandler to Jan Huling’s intricate petite anime-style figures covered with the tiniest of seed beads (surprisinglyl affordable!). A plethora of woodwork demonstrated the finest of craftsmanship as did a broad array of wildly inventive jewelry, and glass was represented by far more artisans than just pioneer Dale Chihuly.

Lil Goth Girl by Beadist Jan Huling: Lyons Wier Gallery

Gallery participants, as well as the artisans, came from around the globe as well as right down the street. Galleries like browngrotta arts from Connecticut represented as many as 90 artists while Lyons Wier from NYC brought only one. Tai Gallery from the Railyard may be a local institution, but their roster shows off the fabulous basketry skills of far-off Japan; I can only say “wow” after seeing the work by Yufu Shohaku! The Danish Galleri Bruno Dahl’s Lars Calmar showed rough and tough but moving ceramic figures in counterpoint to the refined glass works by Lino Tagliapietra that can be found locally at Holsten Gallery. There is definitely something for every taste!

The Basketry of Yufu Shohaku: Tai Gallery

Educational information abounds as well. In the hallway outside the gallery spaces, a variety of educators were available to entice with offerings for those who wanted to take this experience further into hands-on learning rather than just experiencing with their eyes. And education gave over to reverie at the end of the hall where Morgami Jin was quietly and patiently demonstrating the simplicity and skill involved in Japanese basketry. A series of free lectures takes place daily, with subjects such as “My Hands are My Favorite Tools.” YES!

After viewing this exhibition, I have only two wishes: (1) I wish I had been able to make some of the beautiful things I saw, and (2) I wish the fair would linger a bit longer than one extended weekend, so that more people, both Santa Feans and visitors, could enjoy all of this terrific work! Go see it before it’s gone…

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Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, Art in Santa Fe, Santa Fe, What To Do in Santa Fe, art travel, summer in santa fe | No Comments »

A Special Santa Fe Summer Symposium

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 by Santa Fe Red

Located at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center on the NE corner of West Marcy Street and Grant Avenue from July 6-8, 2010. Registration in advance at tcarlson@royalroadtours.com

Every summer, the art opportunities in Santa Fe seem to get better and better. The two-year-old SOFA (Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair) WEST Exhibit and its big sister, Art Santa Fe celebrating a tenth anniversary, are both now well-established and welcomed as summer events, and Santa Fe’s art educators have exhibited their wisdom by developing new ways for those who love art AND Santa Fe to learn more about each.

Santa Fe Community Convention Center

SOFA WEST returns to Santa Fe from July 8 to 11, and has worked with local arts professionals to organize an exciting three-day symposium entitled Historic Bond/Contemporary Spirit: Collecting New Southwest Native Pottery. This intriguing educational event begins on Tuesday, July 6, 2010, one day before SOFA WEST opens and runs through Thursday, July 8 at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. Attendees will also be welcomed to the invitation-only opening of the SOFA exhibit on July 7 at 6:30pm.

Blackware by Christine McHorse

Tailored to both the collector and the connoisseur, the Historic Bond/Contemporary Spirit symposium features presenters Garth Clark, who wears a multitude of hats as an author and specialist in modern and contemporary ceramics and as a curator, critic and art dealer; Bruce Bernstein, PhD, executive director of SWAIA (Southwestern Association for Indian Arts); and Ellen Bradbury Reid, former director of Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe (now known as the New Mexico Museum of Art) and currently head of Recursos de Santa Fe, the city’s well-regarded organizer of a variety of conferences and symposia that cover the panoply of arts, architecture and history, past and present, that distinguish the Southwest.

Garth Clark, himself a passionate collector, has said that the pottery culture of the Southwest is “rich, mesmerizing, unparalleled, and uninterrupted for two thousand years.” The symposium creates a venue in which a small group of pottery enthusiasts can travel back through the millennia with their guides, both noted scholars and Native Potters, via a thoughtful program of travel, demonstrations and lecture presentations.

Dr. Bruce Bernstein of SWAIA, a principal organizer of the Historic Bond/Contemporary Spirit symposium, has said that the program was designed to explore the ongoing meaning of pottery in the culture while examining the great beauty of today’s creations, since through the years, “Southwestern Native pottery has been through cycles of renewal and regeneration, resulting in compelling contemporary innovations including new forms, techniques and symbolism.”

Key organizer Ellen Bradbury Reid, of Recursos de Santa Fe, notes that it is verging on 25 years “since there was a serious recap of the world of pueblo ceramics.” While newer Native pottery has moved from traditional to innovative and even irreverent,  the roots of the process remain strong and visible. The work of the younger potters shows a freshness  and inventive quality that appeals to collectors and curators alike.

Acoma Pueblo

The program has been well thought-out and includes exclusive curatorial tours of prehistoric and historic Pueblo pottery from internationally recognized museum collections, as well as private collections of historic and contemporary Native ceramics. As all art lovers know, experiencing the depth of  a private collection is one of the most exciting ways to indulge a passion, as well as being a rare privilege. The travel leg of the symposium takes participants to tour the Pueblo of Acoma, the Sky City, located 2 hours SW of Santa Fe, where they can witness the making of Pueblo pottery first-hand. Truly one of the most unusual of pueblos, with its location atop a mesa, Acoma is among the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the US, and its rich and unique history invites further study.

Pueblo Pintado in Chaco Canyon

For the truly intrepid traveler, the education can continue with an exploration of Chaco Canyon, the largest, best-preserved and most architecturally sophisticated of all the ancient Southwestern Native villages. On July 11 and 12, 25 adventurers can experience the striking aura of this prehistoric center of Anasazi ceremony and trade. Sturdy walking shoes, sunhats and sunscreen are required. Chaco Canyon is definitely a bucket-list place, and 26 miles of dirt road are rewarded by a glorious vision of the past.

July in Santa Fe promises to be hot, not only in temperature, but in choices for memorable art adventures – and this is truly one of them!

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Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, Art in Santa Fe, Native American Art, Native American Culture of New Mexico, Native American pottery, Santa Fe, What To Do in Santa Fe, art travel | No Comments »

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