Worth the Wait

The 104th Santa Fe Indian Market returns to New Mexico with a city-sized bang.

Amid the chaos and confusion of the Friday before SWAIA’s Sante Fe Indian Market—as workers were still assembling booths and market infrastructure around the Santa Fe Plaza—was Virginia art enthusiast Neil Landy. He was seated on a short folding chair on Lincoln Avenue, a pizza box next to him and an iPad in his lap. The market wouldn’t open for more than 15 hours, but Landy was waiting patiently under a booth sign that read “Sergio Lugo.”

Visitors watch dancers on San Francisco Street during the 104th Santa Fe Indian Market. SWAIA photo by Kitty Leaken.

Lugo, the potter from Santa Clara Pueblo, had won the best of show award earlier that morning, and Landy wasn’t going to leave anything to chance when it came to his his pot. So he parked himself at Lugo’s booth to wait out the night. He was determined to get the potter’s award-winning Floating Melon Bowl.

But why?

“Two things: I love the art, and I love meeting the artists,” Landy said from his beach chair. “Hearing their stories and how enthusiastic they are and what it means to them, it means a lot to me. I don’t even call myself a collector. I don’t know a better word for it, but it’s the best thing, it warms my heart. It’s also nice to exhibit it at my home. As so many people say, art is under fire, if I can support it, even if in a small way, I will.”

Best of show winner Sergio Lugo, left, with Jared Tso, who won the Native American Art Magazine Editors Choice award. Both artists are potters.

After a long night waiting, Landy bought the Lugo piece the next morning in what may have been one of the first major sales of Indian Market.

Landy’s all-nighter is just one story, but there were many more as the 104th Santa Fe Indian Market kicked off on August 15. Not only were there tens of thousands of visitors who streamed into the plaza for the market, there were also more than 1,000 artists, each one offering artwork that offered views into their lives, cultures and studios. Sales were noticeably high, with more than 50 artists selling out and going home after the first day.

3. Virginia art collector Neil Landy prepares for a 15-hour wait to buy Sergio Lugo’s award-winning pot. He acquired the piece when the market opened the next morning. 4. Sculptor Jazmin Novak with her glass and metal work near the plaza. 5. Mother-and-son weavers Irveta and Venancio Aragon at their booth. 6. Renee Allen in her booth. SWAIA photo by Kitty Leaken.

In addition to the market were performances, food, music, cultural discussions, a film festival, a fashion show that has received international acclaim, and the best of show presentation. In addition to all that SWAIA offered, the entire city rolled out the red carpet for visitors, with gallery shows, fairs, indoor markets, auctions and other art-themed events all around Santa Fe. It’s the biggest weekend of the year for many of the artists and art venues, as well as for SWAIA, which raised more than $200,000 during a gala and live auction.

“This year’s 104th annual Santa Fe Indian Market saw larger-than-usual crowds, sold-out artist booths and events, and raised substantial money at the gala for SWAIA to continue executing our mission of bringing Native arts to the world 365 days a year,” says SWAIA executive director Jamie Schulze. “Thank you to all our sponsors, artists, collectors and visitors who helped make this year an enormous success.”

SWAIA, which also hosts Winter Market held November 28 and 29, immediately begins planning next year’s market, which will take place on August 21 and 22, 2027. Collectors are encouraged to prepare early. It worked for Neil Landy. —

1. Micah Wesley (Kiowa/Mvskoke (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma) with one of his paintings are Santa Fe Indian Market. 2. Tara Largo (Navajo (Diné)) with one of her pieces at the market. 3. Oklahoma Arts Council executive director Amber Sharples, left, with painter George Alexander (Muscogee) and appraiser Scott Hale at Cara Romero Gallery. 4. Sold-out pottery by Jeff Suina (Cochiti Pueblo) at King Galleries. 5. Medicine Man Gallery owner Mark Sublette, left, with Blue Rain Gallery owner Leroy Garcia at the IAIA benefit gala. 6. Heard Museum director David Roche, left, with fashion designer Jamie Okuma (Luiseño/Wailaki/Okinawan/Shoshone-Bannock) and Phoenix Art Museum director Jeremy Mikolajczak in Santa Fe. The two museums announced a major new joint Okuma exhibition for September 2027.

7. Robert Albert (Hopi) discusses his katsina carvings at his market booth. 8. Models pose at the Native American Art magazine pop-up booth at Sovereign. 9. Craig George (Navajo (Diné)) holds up a copy of Native American Art with a feature on his work. 10. JR Sanders (Navajo (Diné)) with his paintings at the market. 11. Karen Clarkson (Choctaw) models a bag in her market booth. 12. J. Dylan Cavin (Choctaw) holds up the August issue of Western Art Collector, which features his work on the cover. 13. Jewelry artist Jerome Nakagawa (Navajo (Diné)/Japanese) and his partner Janelle. 14. Lola Cody (Navajo (Diné)) with her award-winning weaving.