Who can resist a field trip? Especially to Santa Fe, New Mexico, on a lovely Saturday morning in August. Not me! This past weekend, Tom and I headed there – about an hour north of Albuquerque – to attend the annual Indian Market Place. A writer friend from Rhode Island who lived there for a few years insisted that I not miss it. We had no intention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those not familiar with the Market, it’s been going on in some form for 94 years. This year there were almost 1000 (!!!) Native American artists, most of them professionals, from all over the United States. There were potters, painters, jewelry and basket makers, weavers, glass blowers, sculptors of all kinds… It was hard to take it all in.

 

 

If you’ve been to Santa Fe, the plaza was covered with tents/booths as were the sidewalks and streets leading there. Tourists, indigenous folks, museum curators, and serious art collectors thronged, jockeying for good views and to speak with the artists. Suddenly, drums sounded and on the stage or on the street amidst spectators, traditionally clad dancers performed. Wafting on the breeze was the aroma of fry bread. Damn that I’m gluten-free and that I’d cheated (and paid for it later) at last week’s Rail Yards Market in Albuquerque!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only thing I regretted was not seeing more fiber artists. Sure, there were some Navajo weavers and even clothing designers, but they were few and far between. At least where I was. Maybe there were more in other areas of the market. I hope so.

Enjoy the photos I took. I tried to get artists’ names, but did miss a couple. Next year we’ll hit up the Indigenous Fine Art Market running about the same time in another part of Santa Fe. It’s a little smaller, but sounds good. It’s only a couple of years’ old, but getting plenty of media coverage.

What cool art or other markets are there around your home? What kind of field trip inspires your art – whatever it might be?