The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian presents the 47th Annual Benefit Event, to be held August 17 through 19, featuring some of the finest consigned and donated Native American artworks for purchase. “Items are displayed in groups by type of material,” explains Jean Higgins, museum director, “so people can see the range of goods.”
The event, boasting around 1,200 items, is the museum’s largest fundraising event, supporting future exhibitions and educational programming, but keeps artworks at reasonable and affordable prices. “It’s also a way to pull our board members together, with most of them serving as volunteers,” says Higgins.
Mike Bird Romero (San Juan), Cuff Bracelet, sterling silver, stones, green varicite and spiney oyster
Everything kicks off on Wednesday, August 17, with the Early Bird viewing from 4 to 6 p.m., when ticketed visitors can be the first to see an astounding mix of work, including historic and contemporary pieces like San Juan artist Mike Bird Romero’s sterling silver cuff bracelet. “Romero is a very well-known contemporary jeweler who makes highly collectible, unique Native jewelry, and was designated as a Native Treasure by the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture,” Higgins says. The cuff has a split shank construction of alternating twisted silver wire and silver ball rows, and applied stones, including green varicite and spiney oyster.
Other significant pieces available in the jewelry category, of which there is an abundance, includes a Zuni bolo tie from the 1940s; a Navajo or Zuni butterfly necklace as a variation of the traditional squash blossom necklace with several inlayed precious stones; an elaborate bow guard and deer dancer pin by Anthony Lovato (Santo Domingo); and a coral concha belt by an unknown artist.
Up for grabs in the textile category is a unique, modern pictorial rug by Sara Begay (Navajo), who depicts scenes from contemporary Navajo life in a local community, “which often includes a trading post,” Higgins notes. “The textile is fine spun wool, is in great condition and nicely constructed. Pictorials allow the weavers the ability to tell stories on any subject and give them more freedom of design than other traditional styles, allowing their humor and local details to be represented.”
Sara Begay (Navajo), Pictorial Rug, 2004, 44 x 34½ ”
Tickets for the Early Bird viewing are $20, while general admission is free to the public for remainder of the event on Thursday, August 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday, August 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Items will be on display in the Mary Wheelwright Library and lobby, adjacent to the museum.
August 17-19, 2022
The Annual Benefit Event
Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, 704 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe,
NM 87505, (505) 982-4636, www.wheelwright.org
Powered by Froala Editor
