Welcome to one of our most popular returning features—our annual Guide to Market. Here in this section we highlight artists from each of the classifications at Santa Fe Indian Market. These nine categories represent the entirety of the artwork at market, and yet they also can barely hold them all as artists continually push the envelope on what can and can’t be done with material, form, composition, color and design. This year, as a way of celebrating the centennial, we have an added bonus: we asked artists what their first market experience was like. The answers we received were illuminating. So many of these artists have not only shown at market for years, but many of them visited when they were starting their careers, or even as children, and what they saw transformed them. Again and again artists tell us essentially the same thing: “Seeing it all for the first time was magical and I just had to find a way to get back.” I think we can all identify with that. Once you’ve been to Indian Market, then it just comes down to getting back there as many times as possible. There’s nothing quite like this market. And Native American Art is excited to share it with you.
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Mary Aitson (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma), hand-gathered honeysuckle basket vine dyed with blood root and black walnuts.
Basketry
Native American basketry provides a rich and intimate window into the unique culture of its maker. Often employing techniques passed down through the generations, and inextricably tied to the region where it is made, the array of basketry is as diverse as the many Indigenous peoples who make them and the ecosystems in which they live. An impressive cross-section of basket weaving from many regions of the country will be on display at this year’s Indian Market to provide a sense of the breadth of styles, techniques and materials that come together in a unique expression of beauty.
Artists To Watch
Darlene James (Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria, California)
Holly Pyke (Akwesasne Mohawk/Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe)
Jennifer Neptune (Penobscot)
Jeremy Frey (Passamaquoddy)
Kathryn Kooyahoema (Hopi)
Laura Wong-Whitebear (Colville/Sinixt)
Loa Bilham’neex Ryan (Tsimshian)
Teresa Ryan (Tsimshian)
Wilmetta Kayquoptewa (Hopi)
Carol Emarthle-Douglas (Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming/ Seminole Nation)
Elroy Natachu Jr. (Zuni Pueblo)
Topaz Jones (Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley)
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Sally Black (Navajo)
Sally Black has been making baskets for more than 50 years. She learned as a young girl by watching her mother Mary Holiday, the renowned basket weaver. As more people discovered her traditional and pictoral sumac baskets at the local trading post, Barbara Mauldin, who was then involved with Santa Fe’s Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, sought Black out and convinced her to participate in her first Santa Fe Indian Market in the early 1980s. Black has had a presence at the market every year since. She now lives and makes her baskets at her home in Monument Valley and travels to all the big Native art fairs around the Four Corners area, and beyond, to show and sell her baskets. She also holds workshops to teach youth how to basket weave.
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Theresa Secord (Penobscot Nation)
Theresa Secord is an artist, basket maker, geologist, activist and the founding director of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance (MIBA). “It’s a honor for me to be one of the artists representing the great tradition of Wabanaki basketry in the 100th Santa Fe Indian Market,” says Secord, who is proud to be attending for her 15th year. “Our ash and sweetgrass basketry has been represented here for nearly two decades. Highlights over the years include seeing younger, next generation Penobscot and Passamaquoddy basket makers do well here…my many artist friendships and winning the Best of Basketry classification in 2020.”
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Kelly Church (Match-E-be-Nash-She-Wish Tribe, Ottawa/Pottawatomi, Michigan)
Kelly Church’s first market was in 2006 and she has participated every year since, with the exception of 2021. She was awarded the SWAIA fellowship in 2008 and Best of Basketry in 2016. “Through the years,
I have worked with other mediums and have created my own style with black ash baskets and bracelets embellished with metals and unique shaped baskets,” says Church. This year she will have all new work on display, including quilled pieces, basswood weavings, birch, cedar and her unique black ash baskets and bracelets.
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Jessica Lomatewama (Hopi)
Jessica Lomatewama has been weaving in the Hopi Third Mesa style of basketry for 40 years. She collects the materials—which include dune broom, rabbit brush and narrow leaf yucca—in the desert. After cleaning what she gathers, a small basket takes her about 15 hours of weaving. “It has been a labor of love, gathering the plant materials from the desert and processing them at home,” Lomatewama says. “What I enjoy most is sharing my art, culture and life with the people I meet.”
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Vivian Garner Cottrell (Cherokee Nation)
This year marks Vivian Garner Cottrell’s 50th year of basket weaving. She and her late mother, Betty Scraper Garner, are part of a long lineage of generational weavers. They wove honeysuckle, buckbrush, rivercane and white oak baskets. “I still weave baskets using those materials plus I added black ash and maple to create unique baskets,” says Cottrell, who has been a part of market since 1997.
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Don Johnston is a celebrated weaver of coiled baleen baskets, an Alaska Native tradition of using the flexible material found in the mouths of bowhead whales. “Each whale is subsistence hunted and every part of the whale is utilized,” he explains. Johnston's first market was in 2017 and it was a grand success. “My first year at market was fantastic,” he says. “My basket was chosen as Best of Classification! It was so nice to have my work acknowledged at such a high level. At the live auction, the auctioneer called me out as an artist who undervalues his work. The basket I donated sold for much more than I expected.” Johnston adds that he enjoys everything about market— the helpful staff, the beautiful venue and his amazing customers.
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Hollis Chitto (Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians), beaded bag
Beadwork & Quillwork
Attendees at this year’s Santa Fe Indian Market will get to enjoy astounding works in the beadwork and quillwork category—covering a wide range of decoration and design on clothing, bags and moccasins, to jewelry, dolls and sculpture. Quillwork, a very tedious medium, is one of the oldest art forms in Native Great Plains culture.Incorporating porcupine quills as decoration, it was later developed to include masterful techniques of color dyeing and experimental forms. Historicaly, items also incoporated beadwork, but were originally made from stone or wood, among other natural materials. After contact with early traders, glass beads reached popularity, allowing for extravagant, colorful designs, patterns and forms. At market today, collectors will see a large array of items that employ traditional techniques to achieve contemporary styles.
Artists To Watch
Lauren Good Day (Fort Berthold Mandan/Arikara/Hidatsa)
Dallin Maybee (Northern Arapaho/Seneca)
Elias Not Afraid (Crow)
Hollis Chitto (Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians)
Karis Jackson (Fort Berthold Arikara/Hidatsa/Crow)
Summer Yahbay Peters (Saginaw Chippewa)
Charlene Holy Bear (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North and South Dakota)
Norma Flying Horse (Hidatsa Tribe/Dakota Sioux/Assiniboine/Crow Nation)
Salisha Old Bull (Salish/Crow)
Corey Stein (Tlingit)
Rose Toehe (Diné)
Sandra Okuma (La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians, California/Shoshone-Bannock/Luiseño)
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Niio Perkins (Mohawk)
Niio Perkins, Kanien’kehá:ka Bear Clan, is an award-winning artist whose aesthetic brings the traditional symbols and natural colorways of her Haudenosaunee culture into SWAIA’s centennial event. “I’m a lifelong student of Iroquois beadwork,” says the artist, “and I’ve honed my talent into a widely acclaimed and coveted artform. My traditional and contemporary heirloom creations are prized by Indigenous art and fashion enthusiasts alike, and have been the subject of celebrated collaborations with Indigenous artist and Canadian fashion retailers.”
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Jessa Rae Growing Thunder (Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana)
“Being a beadworker/quillworker is a lifelong responsibility,” says Jessa Rae Growing Thunder of her exquisite body of work. “I’ve learned from my mother Juanita and my grandmother Joyce, extending generations of grandmothers before them. Now I am a mother, teaching my daughter how to work with beads, how to care for her materials and how to respect this knowledge. This is a beautiful way of life.”
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Yonavea Hawkins (Caddo [Hasinay] Nation)
As a little girl, Hawkins loved drawing and painting, and that love continued into adulthood—culminating into a fine arts degree. “Little did I know that the artistic side of myself and the desire to have Caddo moccasins would converge and lead me to teaching myself how to do different beading techniques as a new medium,” the artist explains. “Today with beads and buckskin, I create wearable art and cultural items/diverse art for juried Native American art markets. Whether doing loom work or two needle appliqué, my beadwork designs are a combination of traditional and contemporary using cut beads.”
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Glenda McKay (Knik Tribe)
McKay is known for her beaded bags, miniature dolls, ivory masks, carvings and baskets that are true to her culture. “I honor my elders through my creations,” she says. “I tell the stories of our lives through my art so we are never forgotten!” McKay’s hides come from subsistence hunt, that she designs, beads and hand sews. She carves with knives , files and sandpaper, and uses tiny beads that are 100 to 200 years old. The piece pictured here is a forget-me-not bag to “remember and honor all the missing and murdered Indigenous men, women and children,” the artist explains.
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Sage Mountainflower (Ohkay Owingeh/Taos Pueblo/Diné)
Sage Mountainflower is a beadwork artist and the owner and designer of her fashion brand bearing her name. “I create iconic Indigenous fashion to be worn every day, outside our traditional boundaries,” she notes. “The breadth of my work includes using traditional beadwork techniques and designs for making fashionable statement pieces with their own creation or unique story. I am excited and honored to be a part of SWAIA's centennial year and to share my work with you.”
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While Jackie Bread’s first experience at market was in 1978, this year marks her 24th year to show at Indian Market, participating for the first time in 1999. “There were 33 new artists accepted that year and it was exciting to become a part of such a long-standing tradition,” she says.
“I won my first ribbons that year and was mesmerized by the quality and quantity of the art displayed. The venue has inspired me to stretch my ideas and skills in a way that I never thought that I could.” Bread has been creating beadwork all her life and holds an emphasis on storytelling. “My work is very narrative and personal…” she says.
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Kevin Pourier (Oglala Sioux), Monarch Nation, buffalo-horn bolo
Diverse Arts
This versatile and popular category is where artists go to spread their wings and fly. Known for its vast span of materials, media and subjects, the diverse arts classification routinely offers artworks that are hybrids of other categories: weavings with beadwork, quillwork and silver jewelry, glass and wood, musical instruments with stone inlay and so much more. Many items are simply impossible to categorize because they have never been made before. For visitors attending market, ask lots of questions of these artists: pick their brains, learn why they create what they do, ask about the materials they use and just soak it all in.
Artists To Watch
Joe Cajero Sr. (Pueblo of Jemez)
Alexa Rae Day (Ho-Chunk/Ojibwe/Potawatomi/Odawa/Lakota)
Melissa Lewis-Barnes (Navajo (Diné))
Lauren Good Day (Arikara/Hidatsa/Blackfeet/Plains Cree)
JT Willie (Navajo (Diné))
Emil Her Many Horses (Oglala Sioux)
Sheridan MacKnight (Chippewa/Lakota)
Wanesia Misquadace (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota)
Tim Blueflint Ramel (Chippewa/Comanche Nation)
Shaax’ Saani (Tlingit)
Mary Jacobs (Seneca)
Ryan Gashweseoma (Hopi)
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Ramey L. Growing
Thunder (Assiniboine/Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana)
Ramey L. Growing Thunder shares her ancestor’s cultural artistic way of life of traditional beadwork, quillwork and star quilt making, allowing Dakóta innovative creativity in beaded pictographs, geometric and floral designs. Her artwork includes beaded doctor satchels, cradleboards, pipe bags, moccasins and accessory attire. Ramey is an enrolled member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribe, and was born and raised within her tribal homelands.
Juanita Growing Thunder Fogarty (Assiniboine/Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana)
Coming from a large family of artists, Fogarty brings tradition and heritage to every market she participates in. Known for her masterful dolls and other creations, Fogarty is a frequent award winner. “Who I am is reflected in my relationships with my family and community; I am a daughter, mother, grandmother, aunt and sister,” she says. “I am a traditional beadwork and quillwork artist that has spent my life learning from my mother, Joyce, just as she has learned from her grandmothers before her.” Fogarty first attended market in 1985.
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Richard Honyouti (Hopi)
Richard Honyouti lives and works in the village of Bacavi on Third Mesa on the Hopi Reservation. It’s there he creates his magical wood carvings and other pieces that utilize many skills and trades. The artist is constantly inspired by things around him, including furniture, architecture and design. When he started out, he “couldn’t imagine how I could use my woodworking skill as a medium in my art,” he says. “After many attempts, I came up with the ideas of using color stains on woods to enhance my designs.” These days he calls Santa Fe Indian Market his best show, and he’s thrilled to be part of the centennial.
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Rain Scott (Acoma Pueblo)
Pushing the diverse arts classification to exciting areas is the work of Rain Scott, who works primarily in paper. “I’ve been working with paper for over 10 years and created an art form that I call contemporary Indigenous origami,” Scott says. “It combines the art of paper folding with shapes, colors and designs of pueblo-style pottery. Each paper pot can take 500 to 1,000 individually cut and folded paper modules to create, with larger vessels taking 3,000 to 8,000 pieces. Every vessel is created by hand without the aid of wires, strings or any kind of internal support.”
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Beverly (Bear King) Moran
(Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North and South Dakota)
Award-winning artist Moran, is one of the artists that has crowded booths as visitors linger and study her works, savoring every lavish detail. “I have been designing and beading traditional Lakota dresses for over 25 years,” says Moran. “These past few years my focus has been on creating an art series honoring the wives of our Lakota leader Sitting Bull. I will be introducing the latest in the collection titled Scarlet Woman at the 2022 Santa Fe Indian Market.” Moran first attended in 2007 and in her first year won top awards.
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Last Year's Winner
Dana Warrington (Menominee/Potawatomi)
Caption: Taxidermy otter wearing leather, quillwork, beadwork, lapidary, silver, weaving and feathers
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My First Market
Booth: PAL N 261
Dan Vallo (Acoma Pueblo)
“My first experience with the Santa Fe Indian Market was in the 1980s when my parents took me to see all their artist friends. My father is a silversmith and is from the Pueblo of Acoma, my grandmother, also from Acoma, was a well-known potter.
I was amazed at the many different types of art that I had seen during that first visit. I remember thinking what I would have to do to be there as an artist, and how amazing it would be to be among these very talented artists. Fast forward to 2019, I remember getting the acceptance letter that I was chosen to participate in the market. It was the most incredible experience and, to top it off, I received first place and honorable mention with two of my pieces in the diverse arts division.”
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Jewelry
The skills required to be a truly successful jeweler are unparalleled. These artists have to perfect the art of silversmithing, tufa-casting, inlay and much more, all while sourcing top-grade materials and adding their own flare and creativity. What results from this level of mastery are gorgeous, wearable works of art that tell the stories of the artists’ culture as much as their own personal narratives. This year’s centennial Indian Market will feature close to 250 jewelry artists. That is truly phenomenal. And it provides—hands down—the biggest opportunity to explore Native American jewelry than anywhere else in the world. As you make your way through the 2022 market, talk to the artists about how they learned their craft. Their stories are certainly as vibrant as the brilliant jewelry they create.
Artists To Watch
Benson Manygoats (Navajo)
Cody Sanderson (Navajo)
Dana Chavez (Santo Domingo)
Fritz Casuse (Navajo)
Dina Huntinghorse (Wichita)
Richard Chavez (San Felipe)
Vernon Haskie (Navajo)
Norbert Peshlakai (Navajo)
Olin Tsingine (Hopi/Navajo)
Albert Lee (Navajo)
Jared Chavez (San Felipe)
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Darryl Dean Begay (Navajo)
Darryl Dean Begay learned tufa casting from his uncle Bobby Begay in 1997 and creates his jewelry masterpieces one at a time using only top-grade materials. “Santa Fe Indian Market is the ‘Native Art Olympics,’” says Begay. “You have to be on your A-game and create art like you never have in your life.” Spending 12-plus hours a day working on his artwork leading up to opening day is a normal occurrence for Begay. “Collectors from all over the world make this one of the greatest Native art markets and I love it,” he adds.
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Piki Wadsworth (Hopi)
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” says Hopi jeweler Piki Wadsworth. The artist is a master of minerals, creating beautiful necklaces in turquoise and other materials. “Connecting with the face of our culture is very precious to my heart. I love creating my beads. As one of the only native American woman beadmakers, my only hope is to inspire others. It is an honor to be a part of the 100th anniversary of Sante Fe Indian Market, look forward to many more.”
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Nanibaa Beck (Diné)
Nanibaa Beck is a second-generation Diné (Navajo) jeweler. “My work aims to reflect vibrant Native creative expressions and the growth of a Diné Asdzáá (woman) as a metalsmith. My elegant style is a reflection of my parents, both jewelers. This year, our father, Victor Sr., passed on after losing our mother Eleanor in 2016. So, it is an honor to participate in the Santa Fe Indian Market [centennial], as it means sharing creations made with the skills and knowledge that they taught me.”
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Keri Ataumbi (Kiowa)
“Adornment is so powerful. Something as simple as a pair of earrings has the ability to change how we present ourselves to the world,” says Keri Ataumbi. She’s been showing her work at market for more than 15 years now and loves being able to connect directly with collectors and other artists. “Jewelry can communicate and inspire. [It] can have the power to celebrate the common points of being human, connected to this planet and to each other through story, materials and beauty.”
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Farrell Pacheco (Santo Domingo Pueblo)
Farrell Pacheco began his journey as an artist at the age of 10 helping his late grandfather Emeliano Pacheco. “It was not until I was 32 that I became a full time artist…Remembering how Grandpa used to show me how to cut and grind traditional Heishi and adding the mosaic inlay into the mix.” He continues, “Each piece [I create is] hand-crafted from rough shell and natural stones…My wife Rey [also an artist], our girls Jasmine and Jocelyn, [and] also my grandpa Emeliano Pacheco and Martine Lovato—their Heishi and mosaic expertise has helped guide the craftsman I am today.”
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Last year's Winner
Denise Wallace (Chugach Sugpiaq)
Caption: Origins, Roots and Sources
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My First Market
Booth: PAL N 237
Kenneth Johnson (Muscogee/Seminole)
Jewelry artist and bronze sculptor Kenneth Johnson attended his first Indian Market some 25 years ago, and has grown in leaps and bounds since then. “I started showing in Santa Fe Indian Market in 1995, but I was introduced to the market in 1993 when they used to have the pow wow. I came in selling hair ties and had a ponytail down to my waist,” he recalls. “The ponytail holders were made out of old coins and people loved picking out their birth year or a year that was sentimental to them. My introduction to SWAIA came through that pow wow.”
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Paintings, Drawings, Graphics and Photography
Each and every year, the two-dimensional art category dazzles art lovers. And for good reason. It’s one of the most diverse and dynamic categories at market, broken up into six divisions: representational paintings/graphics, abstract paintings/graphics, sandpainting, printmaking, photography and digital artwork. From ledger art that draws life and inspiration from artists’ own heritage, to contemporary artwork in oils, acrylics and watercolor channeling elements of pop culture, the two-dimensional category offers boundless opportunities to find a piece of artwork that resonates with you.
Artists To Watch
Cara Romero (Chemehuevi)
Mateo Romero (Cochiti)
Terrance Guardipee (Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana)
Avis Charley (Oceti Sakowin/Navajo)
Brent Learned (Cheyenne/Arapaho)
Karen Clarkson (Choctaw)
Peter Boome (Upper Skagit)
Robert Martinez (Northern Arapaho)
Zoe Urness (Tlingit)
Terran Last Gun (Blackfeet)
Adrian Pinnecoose (Hopi)
Rhiannon Nez (Navajo)
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Marla Allison (Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico)
Marla Allison comes dressed as herself. Her style is easily recognized for its pueblo futurism. The images she creates in paint and mixed media are equal parts myth and prophecy, ancestor knowledge and contemporary experience, land and people. They resonate as beings, both of another world and of a relatable, shared space. “I was a very quiet child; my paintings are my voice,” says Allison. Though her career began in Laguna Pueblo some 15 years ago, she values her experiences as an artist ambassador, incorporating her own impressions as she travels.
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J. Dylan Cavin (Choctaw)
“Every year I am accepted into market is a compliment to me and the art I produce, and this year is even more special being the 100th year,” says Choctaw artist J. Dylan Cavin. Often taking his own pictures for subject matter, he works with a mix of graphite, ink, watercolor and colored pencils on a variety of different types of paper. “I really love finding old paper like maps, ledger, brochures and books and seeing how the ink wash or watercolor takes [to it].” Most of the people Cavin paints are friends and family. He says, “This makes my art more unique and gives me my own perspective and narrative to each work.”
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Darryl GrowingThunder (Fort Peck Dakota/Nakoda)
Immersion in the traditional art forms during his formative years has led Darryl GrowingThunder to his unique style of ledger art. A member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, GrowingThunder has spent the majority of his life honing his skill as a ledger artist. While using a mixture of modern and historic influences with contemporary subject matter, GrowingThunder has managed to blend the old and new into a style unique to his own. He works in the Plains narrative tradition, which he considers to be his “truest means to promote cultural continuity and identity.”
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Eugene Tapahe (Diné)
Diné artist Eugene Tapahe photographs the places his ancestors once walked. Tapahe’s images are captivating and emotional because he puts his heart and soul into each image. “When I’m in the wild on photoshoots, I feel so much closer to my ancestors, as if they are walking with me on the land I am blessed to photograph,” he says. The artist is inspired by his grandmother, family and culture. “I hope I can continue to tell my stories and experiences through my creative work.”
Garrett Etsitty (Diné)
Garrett Etsitty was born and raised in Chinle, Arizona. From the petroglyphs on the canyon walls to the stories passed down from his elders, his work draws upon the inspiration of what it means to be a Diné person. “I paint for the love of painting but also for the love of my culture. I want to make our stories come alive,” says Etsitty. Using complex unions of vivid colors and layers, the artist articulates an Indigenous understanding of thought, creation and ideology that moves beyond time and space. Etsitty hopes his art will captivate the young, urban, Indigenous minds to preserve culture.
Last year's Winner
Thomas Tapia (Tesuque)
My First Market
Booth: LIN W 732
Del Curfman (Apsáalooke [Crow Nation of Montana])
Del Curfman, powerhouse contemporary artist and Institute of American Indian Arts alumnus, attended his very first Santa Fe Indian Market in 2015. And it was undoubtedly one of his most memorable experiences at market. “What was so impactful and what continues to be so impressive is the massive amount of engagement and support for American Indian art and culture. 2015 was especially significant because I was selected as the Design Fellow and my artwork was featured on SWAIA merchandise—shirts and tote bags,” says Curfman. “People were so excited to meet the artist behind the shirt. This was the first real time for me to share my artwork and to highlight American Indian culture.”
Caption: Buffalo Elk Dance, watercolor
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Pottery
One of the most popular categories at Santa Indian Market—and one of the first as well—pottery has fans in every corner of the collecting world. This can be credited to the rich diversity in the world of pottery. Pots can be as small as thimbles and big enough for a child to sit in comfortably. They can be colorfully painted or finished in gunmetal black with alternating matte and glossy finishes. They come in every shape imaginable, from ollas and wedding vases to canteens and bowls. It’s common they’re not pots at all. So when visitors come into Santa Fe, they are drawn to what appeals to them in the pottery category. Whatever that may be.
Caption: Aaron Cajero (Jemez Pueblo), Water Spirits
Artists To Watch
Erik Fender (San Ildefonso Pueblo)
Russell Sanchez (San Ildefonso Pueblo)
Delores Juanico (Acoma Pueblo)
Harlan Reano (Kewa (Santo Domingo) Pueblo)
Chris Youngblood (Santa Clara Pueblo)
Nancy Youngblood (Santa Clara Pueblo)
Autumn Borts-Medlock (Santa Clara Pueblo)
Tammy Garcia (Santa Clara Pueblo)
Glendora Fragua (Jemez Pueblo)
Kathleen Wall (Jemez Pueblo)
Eric Lewis (Acoma Pueblo)
Jason Garcia (Santa Clara Pueblo)
Johnathan Naranjo (Santa Clara Pueblo)
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Delores Juanico (Acoma Pueblo)
Delores Juanico is proud to be making traditional Acoma pottery. “I grew up seeing my grandmother and mother make pottery, with song, prayer and sacrifice as well. As a child, they would give me small pieces of clay and throughout my life I continued making pottery. As a teen I made my own pieces using traditional clay and paints,” she says. “I started out with seed pots, but grew a bigger interest in water jars, specifically pre-20th-century style Acoma water jars that I’ve seen done by my ancestors. I felt a high level of importance to continue tradition and retain my matrilineal teachings, by putting out into the world, what’s true of Acoma pottery.”
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Madeline E. Naranjo (Santa Clara Pueblo)
Madeline Naranjo is thrilled to experience the centennial celebration that is market this year. “I’ve been a Santa Fe Indian Market participant for 32 years and it’s been a great journey thus far! With a few ribbons and awards under my belt that I am proud to have received. Over the years, I have drawn inspiration from my everyday life around the pueblo, my family and the great outdoors,” she says, adding that her first market experience was quite memorable. “I still remember the feeling/energy the show carried with it…The sounds of the peoples’ voices that seemed to hum through the plaza, the laughter coming from booths, and the sound of the drums coming from the stage area.”
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Jason Ebelacker (Santa Clara Pueblo)
Making bold pottery with powerful designs, Jason Ebelacker’s work has been a staple in Santa Fe for many years. “I started participating at Santa Fe Indian Market in 1995. My [goal] in creating traditional Santa Clara Pueblo pottery was to continue my family’s legacy, which is five generations,” he says. “I received a first place ribbon in the youth category for a fox bowl in 1995. I was 14 years old at the time. I was fortunate enough to sell my bowl to a wonderful couple from New York—they became life-long friends.”
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Jody Naranjo (Santa Clara Pueblo)
Jody Naranjo, is a long-time participant at market, and she’s even been a recent cover artist on Native American Art magazine. The 2022 market will mark her 35th year. “Before that, I was a youth sharer at my mother Dolly Naranjo Neikrug’s booth,” Naranjo says. “I make a contemporary form of Santa Clara Pueblo pottery. My pieces are coil-made using traditional clay, pit fired and stone polished. The designs are a combination of traditional and modern designs.”
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Jared Tso (Navajo (Diné))
Working in a very contemporary style, but rooted in tradition, Jared Tso is a somewhat new artist at market, having only started showing in 2017. “Since then I have always used traditional Diné pottery as my foundation in clay. Whether that be in form, function, material or process I try to innovate my own personal work and contribute to the definition of what Navajo Pottery is and what it will be,” he says. “SWAIA has always been a valuable space to receive feedback about new ideas.”
Last year's Winner
Robert Patricio (Acoma Pueblo)
Caption: Raining Down to Dusk
My First Market
Booth: PLZ 78
Angie Yazzie (Taos Pueblo)
“Indian Market has been a staple in my career for a long time, but I still remember how it felt to exhibit there for the first time. I was in my 20s and already had a daughter, but I just felt so young in my craft. I couldn’t believe I was showing alongside gods of micaceous pottery—masters like Lonnie Vigil (who has since become a dear friend) and Christine McHorse (may she rest in peace). That at least was predictable. What I didn’t predict was arriving at market and being rooted where I stood, the realization washing over me like a hot wind that this represented a whole new community of different people with different creativities, cultures and experiences. All you can do is drink it all in as much as you can. I’m so honored to participate in the 100th anniversary of Indian Market.”
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Pueblo Carvings
There is a simplicity in pueblo carvings. Often the materials are paint and a cottonwood root. And the tools are even more unassuming: a knife, a paintbrush and maybe a file. But with these few materials and tools, carvers have been able to explore vast reaches of storytelling, particularly aspects related to the katsina figures. Each katsina has a story and a purpose, and often they embody key traits and aspects of life: strength, humor, bravery, light, rain and much more. Whether the work is traditional in form and design, or contemporary with realistic anatomy, collectors rush to these impressive pieces that tell marvelous stories about the pueblos from where they came.
Artists To Watch
Randy Brokeshoulder (Navajo/Hopi/Absentee Shawnee)
Eric Kayquoptewa (Hopi)
Wilred Kaye (Hopi)
Wilmer Kaye (Hopi)
Manuel Chavarria (Hopi)
Justin Lomatewama (Hopi)
Aaron Honyumptewa (Hopi)
Stetson Honyumptewa (Hopi)
Ronald Honyumptewa (Hopi)
Ernest Honanie (Hopi)
Kevin Pochoema (Hopi)
Edward Seechoma (Hopi)
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Mavasta Honyouti (Hopi)
Known for his transcendent work that involves tricky subjects—politics, pop culture, mythology—that can be serious, humorous and beautiful all at once, Mavasta Honyouti is one of the top carvers on the market. “Attending Santa Fe Indian Market was an annual event for me growing up.
I’d travel with my father for the show...My favorite memory was attending the preview the Friday night before the market opened. It was always exciting to see my dad’s carving winning awards,” Honyouti says. “Now that I am participating as an artist, I get the same feelings of excitement in preparation for the trip to Santa Fe. It is always a great experience for my family. Now it’s my daughter who gets happy when she sees my work.”
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Donald Lomawunu Sockyma (Hopi)
Donald Lomawunu Sockyma’s carvings are consistently finding new collectors, particularly in Santa Fe, where he brings his best pieces. “My artwork is a reflection of my tribe and Native American heritage, which I am grateful for,” he says. “I try to do my best to contribute to the medium of katsina doll carving for future generations. Katsina dolls are meant to bring joy, happiness and blessings to those who possess these carvings. My artwork is my way of sharing this with the rest of the world. I feel honored and blessed to be included with the best of the best Native American artists that the country has to offer.”
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Robert Albert (Hopi)
Carver Robert Albert’s first experience at Santa Fe Indian Market was in 1997 when he was juried into the annual show. “This changed my career path forever. As a newcomer, you can’t help but be in awe of the total experience. The whole city of Santa Fe is buzzing with gallery shows and special events. I was excited, nervous and uncertain of what was to come. The staff, fellow artists, and people of Santa Fe were kind and helpful. The thought of being a part of something special was both humbling and gratifying at the same time,” he says.
“I feel blessed and honored that my Hopi ancestors have given me both this opportunity and my livelihood to be a carver. It has brought me satisfaction, joy and happiness. Through the years, I have met so many people that express their appreciation for my work. My children (carvings) whom I have created will always continue to share their emotions to the world long after I’m gone.”
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Darance Chimerica (Hopi)
Darance Chimerica has been carving traditional Hopi katsina dolls for 26 years. Chimerica is maintaining his Hopi traditions not just through his art, but also through his artistic process. Throughout his career, he has made what he calls “old style” katsinas, like the simple pieces Hopi people were making centuries ago. “Back then, Hopis made their dolls with paints made from minerals and vegetables, with yucca plants supplying material for paint brushes. Handmade files were used for carving,” Chimerica says. “I was drawn to this particular style mostly because of its simplicity.”
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Mark Taho (Hopi/Navajo)
Mark Taho is one of the top carvers working in a more contemporary way, with realistic detail and anatomy. He’s adept at many kinds of carvings, and it shows in his work. “Seeing my artwork change and evolve over the years has been...motivating for me. Especially since I’ve been a part of the market over the years,” he says. “Right now, I’m working on the natural fluid motion of my contemporary pieces. Sometimes trying to express what’s in my mind can be challenging at times... Seeing fellow artists’ finest work at the market always inspires me and helps push me through those times.”
Last year's Winner
Arthur Holmes Jr. (Hopi)
Caption: Broken Arrow, cottonwood carving
My First Market
Booth: PAL N 219
Arthur Holmes Jr. (Hopi)
“Your first time at Indian Market is like you don’t know what to expect. Either you sell out or don’t. It’s a place where you can build a good reputation for yourself. You may win ribbons and still don’t sell your ribbon winner piece. You always have to be ready for the unexpected. Participating in the market is very unique because artists are chosen from the best of the best to be in the Indian Market. [I] love the market…I consider myself very fortunate that I can create such unbelievable carvings, which I am very proud of. Most of my carvings are either through dreams or stories that come within the kachina itself. Also, the wood would create it’s own identity or vision. It’s very important that you yourself are connected to your ceremonial beliefs.”
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Sculpture
The sculpture category at Santa Fe Indian Market is one not to be missed, as some of the best Native artists in the country feature their finest pieces in a wide range of material, decoration, size and overall design. Artists from many different tribal affiliations come to market to not only showcase their skill and expertise, but to share their ancestral stories and tradition—passing down a long, rich history of meaningful symbol, design and technique. Northwest Coast artists and Alaskan tribes are known for their wooden totems, which are deeply symbolic; the pueblo first utilized clay for their sculptural masterpieces; and tribes across the country use wood, stone or other natural materials found in their respective regions to create astounding sculptural works. Native sculpture artists at market also present works that explore contemporary styles and materials, all the while embracing and uplifting traditional ways.
Caption: Saige LaFountain (Navajo/Diné), Reflections of the Past, bronze with granite pedestal ed. 2 of 10, 57 x 14 x 10"
Artists to Watch
Tim Washburn (Navajo/Diné)
Ramson Lomatewama (Hopi)
Manuel Weahkee (Hopi)
Kathleen Wall (Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico)
Jayne Quam (Navajo/Diné)
Daniel Weahkee (Navajo [Diné]/Zuni Pueblo)
Cynthia Kuck (Menominee)
Eddie Morrison (Cherokee Nation)
Ira Lujan (Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico/
Ohkay Owingeh)
Jayne Quam (Navajo/Diné)
Loren Tsalabutie (Zuni)
Robert Weahkee (Zuni)
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Troy Sice (Zuni Pueblo)
Sice’s people, the A:shiwi (Zuni), have been here for a millennium—their rich history, traditions and religion have set the footprint for who they are as a people. “I honor my ancestors by using traditional Zuni symbolism and materials in making my carvings in animal and human forms,” he notes. “I discipline myself in using only natural materials. However, as we go into the future, I am pushing myself to break the boundaries of my work—to create new and contemporary pieces and to branch out into different mediums. SWAIA has provided great opportunities for me, and I am honored for being a part of this history. E‘lah:kwa (Thank You).”
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Caroline Carpio (Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico)
The inspiration for Carpio’s sculptures (and pottery) originates from her Native Pueblo culture—prayers, gratitude and life's experiences. “I enjoy working with clay mother—she's alive [and] together we create,” Carpio explains. “I start with intent, and other times, she wants to go a different direction. The bronzes start from an oil-based clay or the earthen clay original. Santa Fe Indian Market is a camaraderie of Indigenous artists showcasing their cultures and contributing a story for future generations. It's a unique and spiritual experience.”
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Joseph Begay (Navajo/Diné)
“I foresee the design of my sculptures upon the rock shape, envisioning an instinctive life and movement that comes naturally to my mind,” Begay explains of his work. “My persistence and positive energy emulate the final piece with colorful thoughts of life and emotion through the heart lines.” Begay’s sculptures have a spiritual connection with people, bringing joy, smiles and enlightenment. “Through this connection,” he continues, “I have achieved my purpose, bringing about the success of my art I enjoy immensely.”
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Mark Fischer (Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin)
“I'm honored to participate in Indian Market’s 100th year,” says Fischer. “My storytelling copper sculptures are interpretations of traditional and visual imagery representing our culture, stories and love of nature. I strive to be an advocate of education and Native awareness through my sculpture.” Fischer’s work is annealed, hammered and hand-cut, with formed assemblages welded in hard silver and copper, then given a verdigris patina or left natural.
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Holly Wilson (Delaware Nation/Cherokee Nation)
Native stories are weaved through Holly Wilson’s one-of-a-kind bronze casts, conveying a narrative of hope and family as well as shadows and secrets. Her pieces, strong yet seemingly fragile, have been exhibited and collected by museums and private collectors nationally and internationally. “Narrative is central to my work. I am interested in stories—the stories of my parents, my ancestors, my family, my community. I am a storyteller,” Wilson says.
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Last year's Winner
Raymond Chee Sr. (Navajo/Diné)
Caption: Healing into the Night, sculpture
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My First Market
Booth: LIN W 773
Larry Yazzie (Navajo/Diné)
The summer of 1985 was Yazzie’s first Santa Fe Indian Market, just after graduating from IAIA in May of that same year. “Two days prior to market, I worked day and night working on my sculptures to get an inventory of different sizes and price ranges,” he explains. “Saturday morning I was exhausted as I set up at 5 a.m. I had a simplistic booth.
I struggled that day to stay awake and alert to answer questions about my work. Saturday, I was disappointed that I didn’t sell any sculptures. After a good night’s sleep, I went in for that second day and it was a totally different outcome. I sold several sculptures and nearly sold out.” Since then, Santa Fe Indian Market is one of Yazzie’s largest and most profitable art shows of the year.
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Textiles
A craft born out of necessity, the oldest known textile in North America dates back to 6,000 B.C. and was found preserved in a peat pond in Florida. The textile creations of Indigenous peoples of North America today can also be functional, taking the form of rugs and blankets, as well as decorative, ceremonial or conceptual works of art. Materials can be organic or synthetic and incorporate nonfibrous elements like bark cloth, feathers and beadwork. They can be pattern-based—as often seen in Navajo weavings—or pictorial. In this section, we celebrate some of the veteran Native textile artists from around the country, as well as those emerging onto the scene. Taken together, they weave an image of the endless permutations this art form can take.
Caption: Venancio Aragon (Navajo/Diné), Acid Rain, wool/mohair weft, wool warp, wool locks, 28 x 32”
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Artists To Watch
Catherine Black Horse (Seminole Nation)
Loren Aragon (Acoma Pueblo)
Michael Teller Ornelas (Navajo/Diné)
Melissa Pochoema (Hopi)
Gloria Jean Fain (Navajo)
Penny Singer (Navajo/Diné)
Nellie Begay (Navajo)
Lola Cody (Navajo)
Virginia Ballenger (Diné)
Tyra Shacklford (Chicksaw)
Rebecca Daniels (Northern Arapaho)
Florence Riggs (Navajo)
Lola Cody (Navajo)
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Irveta Aragon (Navajo/Diné)
The first year that Irveta Aragon and her son Venancio Aragon brought their textiles to the Santa Fe Indian Market in 2015, Irveta won an honorable mention in the juried competition. “That award had inspired me to continue to weave textiles that challenged my own skills and expanded my concepts of innovation and tradition,” she says.
“I am thankful to my ancestors who continued weaving and now I have completed my task by teaching my son Venancio Aragon all I know of our Navajo textile arts.”
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Calandra Cook (Navajo/Diné)
Calandra Cook has been part of SWAIA since 2017 and is where she first introduced her signature bluebirds with a “ceremony of life” narrative. “I developed an audience that appreciated my bluebirds which symbolized the beauty of balance and harmony,” she says. “Lately, my narrative has been about the ‘celebration of life,’ a journey of finding the beauty in peace.” Cook’s greatest inspiration is her youngest son, Colin, who passed in 2019. “With the guidance of this inspiration, I am able to create a aurora of color to commemorate the cycle of life and to enable my journey to heal.”
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Berdina Y. Charley (Navajo/Diné)
Berdina Y. Charley is a fourth generation Diné weaver. She uses the wool from the churro sheep she raises to create nonregional style patterns using the traditional techniques, tools and loom. Floating Phase is handwoven with many different varieties of hand-dyed yarn. For the piece, pictured here, she says she “foraged through local plants from Tselani (my home) to find dye sources to achieve the variation of the deep compelling natural colors. The inspiration for the pattern and the colors was prompted by the many colors that I have seen in the sunsets from my home.”
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Leslie A. Deer (Muscogee (Creek))
Leslie A. Deer draws inspiration for her modern clothing from her Mvskoke culture. “I add designs from my people and their ancestors, the Moundbuilders,” she says. “I transfer their stories onto fabric, onto a wearable object to show that my people existed and are still around today. The inclusivity of the Santa Fe Indian Market allows me to share my tribe’s history in an area where my people and our art may not be as well-known as Plains or Southwest art.” The encouragement she received during her first market propelled her to keep creating. “I am doing what I was meant to do.”
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Venancio Aragon (Navajo/Diné)
“My textiles are experiments in color and techniques,” says Venancio Aragon, who has worked to develop a style he calls the “the expanded rainbow aesthetic” containing upwards of 175 colors of weft yarn. “I combine polychromatic shifts of rainbow sequences with various techniques my ancestors developed centuries ago…Every year that
I participate in the Santa Fe Indian Market,
I get a sense of excitement to bring new and fresh pieces that represent who I am while presenting the contributions I make to the great body of work known as Navajo weaving.”
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Last year's Winner
Tyler Glasses (Navajo/Diné)
Caption: Poncho for Days
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My First Market
Booth: LIN E 715
D.Y. Begay (Navajo/Diné)
D.Y. Begay has been exhibiting her tapestries at SWAIA for over 20 years. “I have enjoyed every single show,” she says. “During those times at Market I developed important connections with collectors, admirers, museums and others in the art world. I am honored to participate in the 100th year anniversary of Santa Fe Indian Market.” The piece shown here is titled Níhootsoí, which translates to “the golden sun rays radiate the surface of the earth and the floras.” Begay says, “Níhootsoí was my sanctuary project during the pandemic. I was content staying home and devoting quality time to creating [it]. This tapestry illustrates horizontal, undulating patterns and illuminating forms and colors of the landscape near my home.”
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