by Inn on the Alameda Santa Fe Hotel | Aug 9, 2011 | Annual Events of Santa Fe, Annual New Mexico Events, Art in Santa Fe, art travel, Native American Art, Native American pottery, Santa Fe, santa fe dining, santa fe travel, What To Do in Santa Fe
The Santa Fe Show takes place August 12-15 and August 18-21 at El Museo Cultural, 555 Camino de la Familia, Santa Fe, NM, 505-660-4701
Such a simple title for what is surely a much more complex endeavor! Adding another major art show to the summer, in a town already full of art, is a brave and worthy endeavor. We salute producers Kim Martindale and John Morris, the organizers of the The Santa Fe Show, Objects of Art, for mixing up another color on the palette of art oppportunities for Santa Fe art lovers to enjoy! A group of prestigious partners also deserves commendation for their vision and support, especially in times when wallets are so tight. And best of all, for those suffering a bit from a surfeit of visual stimulation over the last few artistic weeks, this show sticks around for two weekends rather than just one, so there’s no need to fret about the possibility of missing the experience!
Abundance, Image courtesy El Museo Cultural
Taking place at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, the rambling space that over the years has welcomed a panoply of local and regional arts organizations to the City Different, The Santa Fe Show brings a thoughtfully curated group of more than 60 vendors presenting unique arts and antiques, and in the process, serves as a handsome and informative complement to the City Different’s traditional Ethnographic Art and Indian Market weekends. This is truly an embarrassment of riches for us to enjoy! By casting a wide net to capture outstanding examples of work in a variety of media and eras, the show highlights the union of aesthetic importance and design significance of the participating galleries, artists and designers. And as befits a two-weekend show, there will be two opening events as well. The first is a preview party, taking place on Friday, August 12 from 6-9pm, and it benefits the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society, a cause dear to pet-lovers, be they local or out-of state. A special event for the second weekend will take place on Thursday, August 18, also from 6-9pm, benefitting El Museo Cultural itself, an institution venerated by local patrons for its support of art, theater and community events, all accomplished on a veritable shoestring budget.
Cowboys & Indians Booth
Theodore Casey Gallery Booth
Sissoko Tribal Arts Booth
Exhibitors at The Santa Fe Show have been vetted as specialists in their fields and encompass a broad swath of the USA, ranging from the urban coasts of New York and Florida to our Texas neighbors and out to the sunny western shores of California. Huber Primitive Art, specialists in pre-Columbian works will be on hand for those who like to look way back to a more primitive era, as will local favorite, Economos Works of Art, one of America’s most noted Native American galleries. The eyes can feast on museum-quality works from ancient civilizations presented by Cassera Premieres, and respected expert, Robert L. Parsons Fine Art will be showing antiques, textiles and jewelry, and furnishings and decorative arts from around the globe. And those are just a taste of the treats to be savored by or sold to discerning collectors!
Acoma Jar, Westside Trading Post
Bracelet: Antonio Pineda, Maestros de Taxco
Admission to The Santa Fe Show is $12 per person or $16 for the run of the show (a bargain for those who like to ruminate and return), with children under 16 admitted free. Visitors to downtown Santa Fe can ride the free “Santa Fe Pick-Up” shuttle service to The Santa Fe Show, and the
New Mexico Rail Runner Express train’s Santa Fe Depot stop is just a block from the venue. Ample
parking is available at the Railyard’s nearby underground garage, and refreshments will be available at The Santa Fe Show’s Café. The location of El Museo also offers a choice of many
Santa Fe restaurant options scattered throughout the Railyard area for those who want to turn the images they’ve just seen into a lively discussion over a leisurely dinner. Need a hint? Just contact the
Inn’s concierge and let us help you decide where to dine!
Riding the Railyard
You Know It by the Water-Tower!
Railyard Walkers
The appreciation of art is not a luxury, not in any economy…it feeds our souls and our imaginations and makes this world a better place. So make your Santa Fe vacation a better memory – and maybe even go home with an actual memento – by taking time to enrich your sensibilities at The Santa Fe Show.
Images courtesy of The Santa Fe Show and the Railyard Corporation, and all usage rights are reserved.
by Inn on the Alameda Santa Fe Hotel | Jun 28, 2011 | Annual Events of Santa Fe, Annual New Mexico Events, Art in Santa Fe, Art Museums, art travel, Hispanic Culture of New Mexico, Museums, Native American Art, Native American Culture of New Mexico, Native American pottery, Santa Fe, santa fe travel, Santa Fe's Museums, summer in santa fe
Santa Fe richly deserves its artistic reputation, and summer is a season that brings many opportunities to learn why. Free Friday evenings at the museums, First Friday Artwalks at the Railyard and Last Friday Artwalks in the West Palace and GALA Arts District, right off the historic Santa Fe Plaza, may be at the end of the week, but they are just the beginning of an arts experience!
The Santa Fe Plaza: Green Heart of our Town
ART Santa Fe
Now in its eleventh year, ART Santa Fe brings contemporary artists from around the nation and the world to the attractive and welcoming Santa Fe Community Convention Center. At 72,000 square feet, with state-of-the-art amenities, what a change this venue has brought to this particular art scene! Taking place from July 7-10, the broad schedule of events includes a gala opening night Vernissage, as well as the informative and entertaining Art Santa Fe Presents lecture series that features noted art-world critics and cognoscenti.
Art Santa Fe Returns to the City Different
International Folk Art Market
Santa Fe is already renowned for the fantastic collection at the Museum of International Folk Art, and the weekend of July 9-10 brings the International Folk Art Market to the Milner Plaza on Museum Hill. The goals of economic stability and cultural sustainability for global folk arts combine to create a positive inter-cultural exchange that unites artisans and aficianados from around the world. During this festive two-day event, more than 120 select folk artists from more than 45 countries will travel to Santa Fe, where fortunate fans can peruse and purchase unique folk art direct from these diverse artisans.
Santa Fe International Folk Art Market from David Moore on Vimeo.
Spanish Market
No summer in La Ciudad Real de Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asis (Santa Fe’s official moniker) would be complete without this annual celebration of traditional and contemporary Spanish arts. Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the Spanish Market has grown to include far more than the beautiful retablos and straw applique of yester-year; today, collectors can encounter La Guadalupana rendered in computer circuitry or find a pair of far-out bottle-cap earrings. Held on July 30-31, this event is a consistent contributor to the lively Plaza scene.
Santa Fe’s Spanish Heritage
SOFA West
Many art-lovers are already aware of the annual SOFA (Scultpure Objects & Functional Art) shows that take place in New York and Chicago, and three years ago, SOFA arrived in Santa Fe seeking western exposure. Taking place from August 4-7, SOFA West brings international, gallery-curated exhibitions of work that present the very best in contemporary fine art and design. This year, the Intuit Show of Folk and Outsider Art will come along for the ride with SOFA West, adding the leading dealers of outsider and non-traditional folk art to this exciting artistic mix.
Indian Market
If you haven’t already made your reservations, attendance at the 89th annual Santa Fe Indian Market will require some timely effort on your part and could even necessitate a stay in Albuquerque, as Santa Fe hotels frequently sell out! There is nothing quite like seeing the diverse Native faces from around the nation, all gathered in one place to celebrate their arts and culture. Silver jewelry flashes, beads jingle, and lots and lots of wampum changes hands in a very short period of time. This year’s market takes place on the weekend of August 20-21, and if you already have all your travel plans in place, include making advance dinner reservations as part of your planning – we can help!
The Many Faces of Indian Market: Photo SWAIA
The Houser Compound
If you have a car, we encourage a visit to the Houser Compound, the home of the noted Apache artist, Allan Houser. Located about 20 minutes south of downtown Santa Fe, this pristine plot showcases a treasure trove of works by the late sculptor in a gorgeous landscape setting. And it can even be reserved for private events, such as weddings and birthdays!
We Sing the Praises of the Houser Compound
Shidoni
For sculpture closer to town, just seven miles north in Tesuque, you’ll find the Shidoni Sculpture Garden, which holds work by many local and national artists, all arrayed in a petite river valley just minutes from the Plaza. The Shidoni Foundry also invites visitors to observe bronze pourings, typically on Saturdays, although the schedule is not always firmed up until the Friday before.
We invite you to enjoy an artistically engaging stay in the City Different!
by Inn on the Alameda Santa Fe Hotel | Aug 17, 2010 | Annual Events of Santa Fe, Art in Santa Fe, art travel, Native American Art, Native American Culture of New Mexico, Native American pottery, New Mexican Culture, Santa Fe, summer in santa fe, What To Do in Santa Fe
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!
by Inn on the Alameda Santa Fe Hotel | Jun 22, 2010 | Annual Events of Santa Fe, Art in Santa Fe, art travel, Native American Art, Native American Culture of New Mexico, Native American pottery, Santa Fe, What To Do in Santa Fe
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 [email protected]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
