American Indian art

By now, you know that when I go on hiatus, it means I head out west. The Southwest, to be precise. I’ll be gone for a week and my destinations are Gallup, New Mexico and Zuni, New Mexico. Zuni Pueblo is centered in the small town of Zuni, located about forty miles southwest of Gallup. These are highly desirable destinations for the collector of American Indian jewelry and arts. Gallup, as an Indian reservation border town, has long played a key role in the Indian arts business. Zuni is a fascinating place, but has suffered from a historical plague of anthropologists poking their noses into the pueblo’s doings. The result has been to make the people cherish their privacy; the origins of this understandable feeling are well documented in a book called Zuni and the American Imagination. Zuni stone carvers are particularly noted artists, and the subject of numerous books.

Nowadays, Zuni handles its need for privacy by establishing a Visitor’s Center. Here the interested visitor will get guidance on touring the pueblo, including where to go and not to go, including a chance to see a nice small tribal museum and learning center, a photo permit (many things are off-limits) and, best of all, the opportunity to meet Zuni artists in their home studios and buy directly from them. There are a few stores along the town’s main street, including the Pueblo of Zuni Arts & Crafts shop. I’m returning to these places after a nine-year absence, so there’ll be much to investigate.
Of Zuni people and their artistry I can only say: tom ho’ ichema.

I’ll see you down the road.

I’m slipping off and attending an exciting celebration on Thursday, so my next post will come on Friday. The National Museum of the American Indian in lower Manhattan will be holding an awards event, A Single Thread: Celebrating Native American Design and Style. Five native artists will be honored for their accomplishments, and most of them work in textiles and adornment. I know three of the artists personally, so this will be a fine time to let them know how much their contributions to the arts are appreciated.

Joe Baker, from the Delaware Nation, is one of those natives who has achieved astounding success in the fine arts, with his paintings receiving significant awards. Joyce Growing Thunder Fogarty (Assiniboine/Sioux) is a model for future generations of Plains artists working with beading and dressmaking. Dorothy Grant (Haida) has established her own brand as a purveyor of stylish clothing rendered with Northwest Coast designs. I bought a jacket, embellished with a totemic raven figure, from her in Vancouver years ago that I literally wore to pieces. Veronica Poblano is one of Zuni Pueblo’s most talented jewelers—a huge compliment since Zuni is known for having a large pool of talented lapidary workers and silversmiths. And Denise Wallace’s (Chugach-Aleut) exquisite jewelry-making incorporates the finest of ivory and fossilized bone work, while paying tribute to her cultural heritage.

The influence of ethnic design on clothing has grown greatly since the last quarter of the twentieth century. But I’m still surprised and irritated that Native American design doesn’t get more acknowledgement than it does. Does anyone have any ideas why this is so?

Last weekend’s Heard Museum Indian Market and Guild Fair in Phoenix took place under sunny skies and a balmy 81 degree temperature. The event was well-attended, although the quiet buzz among artist participants was worry over the effects of the economy. Fine and decorative art sales usually suffer when the economy is perceived as weakened. The jewelers told me how the price of silver and gold and other precious materials had gone up, and their dilemma was whether to pass on these costs in raised prices or not. Having attended the Fair last year, I didn’t see a too appreciably obvious rise in prices, but this trend has to have had an effect on consumers.

Nothing stopped us collectors who swarmed the sidewalks of Central Ave prior to the opening of the gates. I sprinted to my favorite jeweler’s booth and had first choice of two delectable Navajo silver and stone bracelet cuffs. My favorite clothing designers, Virginia Ballinger-Yazzie (Navajo) and Tammy Beauvais (Iroquois), had a blanket coat and shawl just waiting for me. Serious buying completed, I could relax and enjoy the fair and the many friends and acquaintances encountered. If you want to see the result of one collector’s infatuation and determination to learn how to buy well, check out this book: Southwest Silver Jewelry.

I’m going on hiatus for a week. My destination is Phoenix, Arizona, now fully recovered from its Superbowl hospitality. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Heard Museum Indian Market and Guild Fair, always held on the first weekend in March. An important venue for the sale of American Indian art, like the famous Santa Fe Indian Market, this event draws general enthusiasts, tourists, and dedicated collectors like me. 650 of the best Indian artists in North America gather to sell an array of delectable arts and crafts.

American Indian art draws much appreciation and canny speculation. One of its joys is that you can find quality arts in a wide spectrum of price ranges, from extremely high end to surprisingly affordable. Indian art is also a good collectible investment. I have bracelets and inlay jewelry I bought nearly fifteen years ago that have quadrupled in market value. Pre-1950 Navajo and Pueblo bracelets are almost impossible to find in the antique marketplace, so today’s artists are making their own tributes to their elders’ work. I’m on the hunt for at least two of these contemporary creations, especially since prices are rising fast as demand grows. I’ll let you know later next week how my quest turns out…