Blog Posts by Subject: Native American Studies

By now, you know that when I go on hiatus, it means I head out west. The Southwest, to be precise. I’ll be gone for a week and my destinations are Gallup, New Mexico and Zuni, New Mexico. Zuni Pueblo is centered in the small town of Zuni, located about forty miles southwest of Gallup. These are highly desirable destinations for the collector of American Indian jewelry and arts. Gallup, as an Indian reservation border town, has long played a key role in the Indian arts business. Zuni is a fascinating place, but has suffered from a historical plague of anthropologists poking their noses into the pueblo’s doings. The result has been to make the people cherish their privacy; the 

I’m slipping off and attending an exciting celebration on Thursday, so my next post will come on Friday. The National Museum of the American Indian in lower Manhattan will be holding an awards event, A Single Thread: Celebrating Native American Design and Style. Five native artists will be honored for their accomplishments, and most of them work in textiles and adornment. I know three of the artists personally, so this will be a fine time to let them know how much their contributions to the arts are appreciated.

Joe Baker, from the Delaware Nation, is one of those natives who has achieved astounding success in the fine arts, with his paintings receiving 

Last weekend’s Heard Museum Indian Market and Guild Fair in Phoenix took place under sunny skies and a balmy 81 degree temperature. The event was well-attended, although the quiet buzz among artist participants was worry over the effects of the economy. Fine and decorative art sales usually suffer when the economy is perceived as weakened. The jewelers told me how the price of silver and gold and other precious materials had gone up, and their dilemma was whether to pass on these costs in raised prices or not. Having attended the Fair last year, I didn’t see a too appreciably obvious rise in prices, but this trend has to have had an effect on consumers. 

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I’m going on hiatus for a week. My destination is Phoenix, Arizona, now fully recovered from its Superbowl hospitality. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Heard Museum Indian Market and Guild Fair, always held on the first weekend in March. An important venue for the sale of American Indian art, like the famous Santa Fe Indian Market, this event draws general enthusiasts, tourists, and dedicated collectors like me. 650 of the best Indian artists in North America gather to sell an array of delectable arts and crafts. 

American Indian art draws much appreciation and canny speculation. One of its joys is that you can find quality arts in a wide spectrum of price