Santa Fe Indian Market 2013

 This is the first year I've been to Santa Fe's Indian Market. It was kind of nuts. Here is a picture standing at the corner of the plaza looking north up Lincoln street at about 9 am today.

We were fortunate to get tickets to the preview event last night which was also packed, but it we were able to see some of the artwork up close. I especially liked a weaving in the youth division by Amber Laughing. I couldn't find her today or see the piece again (nor did I take a photo), but I loved her use of color gradation and texture techniques like pick and pick in her sky over monument valley piece. I predict she'll be a great weaver!

I recommend a visit to this booth if you get a chance. DY Begay weaves beautiful tapestries inspired by her Navajo heritage and her own designs. Her website has a great sampling of her work at www.navajo-indian.com.

She is sharing the booth with her two weaving sisters, Berdina Charley and Berdine Begay, also both talented weavers.

 

There were quite a few weavers and here is a few very finely woven and naturally dyed pieces by Mona, Charlene and Milton Laughing (I am not sure which piece was done by which weaver).

I think this was Emily's favorite part of Indian Market. That corn was really good.

Indian Market is one of the biggest, if not THE biggest, Santa Fe event. The town is busting. Saint Francis Drive is impossible. But it was wonderful to see all the artwork. I was most interested in textiles, but there was stunning pottery, lots of contemporary painting some of which I would have taken home with me if I could have afforded it, some fascinating beadwork, and of course a lot of great people watching. I've never seen so many white men with bolo ties since I left Gallup for college. It was great fun. And I'm really glad I don't live downtown this weekend.

DY Begay