Santa Fe Indian Market® Was a Tremendous Effort and Tremendous Success
Santa Fe, NM (PRWEB) August 27, 2014 -- In the days following Indian Market Week® and the 93rd Annual Santa Fe Indian Market® (SFIM), the flurry of activity at SWAIA offices only abates a little as the staff reviews and reflects on the past week of events, does a bit of housecleaning and reorganization and begins preparations for the November SWAIA Winter Market 2014 and the preliminary preparations for the 94th annual Santa Fe Indian Market®.
Indian Market Week® opened with the Native Cinema Showcase which was co-sponsored by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) and hosted by the New Mexico History Museum. There was a special appearance and discussion with actor, musician, and activist John Trudell at the Monday opening and he also opened the free concert event at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (MIAC) featuring A Tribe Called Red and attended by 1200 music lovers on Thursday night. Wednesday’s book signing at Collected Works with revered painter Kevin Red Star, local writer and former editor of Native Peoples Daniel Gibson and local photographer Kitty Leaken, was a hit with locals. On Friday, the SFIM announced the Best of Show, Best of Class, and special awards with master weaver Lola Cody (Navajo) taking top prize for a large woven rug in the Two Grey Hills Style. This year there was an emphasis on Native Couture Fashion which included two runway shows, one in Cathedral Park on Saturday and the other on the plaza main stage on Sunday. The designers brought a few of their models to the Gala reception and silent auction on La Terraza at La Fonda to preview several looks as well.
The Live auction Gala Saturday night was sold out and reached record results as collectors, patrons, and a few artists bid on pieces graciously donated to SWAIA by top Native artists. Some of the best and most recognizable names in Native art such as Mateo Romoero, Cliff Fragua, Upton Ethelbah, Lyndon Tsosie, Nocona Burgess, Susan Folwell, Best of Show winners Jamie Okuma and Sheldon Harvey, and many more generously donated their work to the fund-raiser for the non-profit organization (SWAIA) that puts on SFIM each year. There were two collaborative concho belts this year and a significant contribution by famed jeweler Jesse Monongya. This year we raised over $280,000 at the live auction not including the silent auction and ticket sales which made this one of the highest grossing years.
The SWAIA staff and board are grateful to all the artists, volunteers, sponsors, donors, partners, and everyone who made this 93rd market a success. Now preparations begin for the next events which include our annual winter market and next year’s 94th SFIM. With seven years left, we begin thinking about celebrating 100 years of Santa Fe Indian Market®.
About SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market The Santa Fe Indian Market exists to provide a platform for established and aspiring Native/Indigenous artists to nurture and sell the art they create. ###
John Paul Rangel, Southwestern Association For Indian Arts, http://www.santafeindianmarket.com, 505.983.5220 Ext: 229, [email protected]
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