The October/November issue of Native American Art magazine falls in a unique place in the year: it not only has our report from Santa Fe Indian Market, but also our preview of Cherokee Art Market. The last issue had our preview on Santa Fe Indian Market, and the issue before that had previews for markets at the Eiteljorg Museum and the Autry Museum of the American West. Some of our readers might be thinking, “What’s up with all these markets?” If you haven’t been to one, consider giving one a shot.
There are many ways of interacting with the art world, whether it’s through art galleries and auction houses or art fairs and dealer shows. Or consider paint-outs, quickdraws, plein air events, gallery crawls, or First Fridays, Second Thursdays or whatever combination of numbers and days of the week your city has decided to call it. In this issue we celebrate museums, which are vital connections to the art world from coast to coast. And yet, with all these different kinds of events happening throughout every year, the market format continues to be king in the world of Native American art.
Why is that? There are many reasons, but the one that convinces me the most is the way that these large markets bring everyone together. An art market is one of the few places where everyone unites. Obviously, there are artists who are there to run their booths. The collectors are there to browse the art and make purchases. But that is just scratching the surface. At our Santa Fe Indian Market booth, where we handed out magazines and greeted guests, our team was constantly meeting people from all around the art world: appraisers, gallery owners, auction specialists, framers, foundry workers, materials suppliers, writers, photographers, authors, podcasters, curators, museum directors, publishers, promoters, scholars and influencers. When these kinds of people unite at one event, that shows the true strength of this thriving community. And it’s astonishing.
So, again, if you haven’t been to an art market, put one on your list of things to do this year or in 2027. Join the community. Celebrate with us. And support the culture that Native American artists are protecting with their work.
Michael Clawson
Executive Editor
mclawson@nativeamericanartmagazine.com
Powered by Froala Editor
