A Special Tree With Lots of Memories.......

Wes and I started the tradition of having a Native American Christmas tree on our third Christmas after we were married...this was thirty five years ago! There really were not the ornaments available at that time that you see nowadays, so we made our own....I found a recipe for dough that you could "build" your ornaments with, and then it baked hard....we created our own Kachina ornaments that year, complete with sash belts and rattles...the works....all brightly painted and quite unique! We used them for years, adding to them as we would see actual Native American ornaments...we also made lots of brightly colored Ojo de Dios "Eyes of God" that were popular in the 70's.....over the years, we have picked up special ornaments from various potters, and beaders, and carvers....and our original little dough kachinas have been weeded out one by one as some have crumbled...or are missing their rattles, feathers, etc. But we do have them saved in our "Wounded Warriors" box, gently wrapped in tissue and tucked away safely...they are something I could never part with...too many memories of very happy times....sometime I will pull them out and do a post on just them! As Wes and I decorated the tree this year, we reminisced about years past and certain ornaments on the tree...when Phyllis and Liz were younger they would fight over who got to hang the little beaded girls and pretty yarn dolls on the tree...heavens...there were plenty of them, and by the time we finished, they were tired of doing it...but it always started out with a fight over who got to put the "dolls" on the tree! Our tree today, has an assortment of beaded men and ladies, pottery bells and angels, fetishes and kachinas, painted gourds, miniature Hopi rattles, Cochiti drums, Santo Domingo Storytellers...and much more....each one has a story, and I feel very peaceful and happy as I sit and gaze at a lifetime of memories on our very special Native American Christmas tree!

Indian Summer Christmas Tree......

A Christmas tree with handpainted Native American design ornaments seems only fitting for our Indian Summer office.....I love our new ornaments we have for it this year! The tree is covered in handpainted ornaments that were made for us by Rachel Harrison, a Laguna Pueblo artist and potter. You can see how talented she is with her fine line designs that do resemble pueblo pottery! There are dozens of them...some with fetishes, others have drums....there are shields, and feathers, and geometric designs....Yei figures, chile ristras, pueblo scenes and more! Pretty stars with silver bezel and turquoise stones catch the soft glow of the lights and create prisms on the tree! It is a wonderful tree, that is just right for Indian Summer! I love decorating with the Southwest art...it is just a way of life here in our home and office...a way of life that I really treasure and enjoy! We have lots more trees and rooms to decorate.....all with different themes, mainly Native American...but of course!!! ~LOL~ Hope you are all having fun with your decorating as well! We would enjoy any picture shares!

Hopi "Cold Bringing Woman"....

Horo Mana, Mason Wuhti, Yohazro Wuhti "Cold Bringing Woman". This Hopi Kachina usually appears during Powamu on First Mesa, AZ. Her function is to bring the cold to the Hopi, just as does the Nuvak'chin Mana. She carries yucca whips and messes up people's hair, much like the winter winds. Dolls in her effigy are quite unusual! Just as we have brought her to Indian Summer...she has been true to her name and brought the cold weather to us! (Thank goodness she hasn't messed my hair up too badly yet!) If you enjoy Kachinas, please check out our great assortment at Indian Summer Native American Art, and be sure to wear a warm jacket..oh, and bring a comb! ~LOL~

Goodbye to our "Indian Summer"......

Hello Winter!
You look awfully pretty today, with the pine tress dusted in the new fallen snow....but I am going to be SO sick of you by next May....and sometimes you hang around that long! You are not supposed to be here "officially" until December 21st.....will you give us a little break???? Pretty please!

Clowning and Horsing Around.....

Zuni Hano Clowns by Jody Booqua.....

Beaded Ponies and the Old Grey Mare....Hollie Booqua (Zuni)

Feisty and Fancy Horses by Zuni artist Faron Gahachu....

Rodeo Clown...and the "KING" by Hollie Booqua....."I Just Want to Be Your Teddy Bear!"

Check out our website Indian Summer Native American Art and you will have a fun time looking through our newly added beaded items...lots of new Hano clowns, and prancing ponies....and even a beaded Elvis Teddy Bear! We hope you'll drop in for a visit...where you will be treated like a KING! (or Queen!)

Our Beautiful Indian Summer in Utah......

We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful little town, with these gorgeous mountains carpeted in color directly to the east of us! No need for a post...a picture is worth a thousand words!

Just Bead It!

Zuni beadwork artist Faron Gahachu's fully beaded stag with feather pattern....

Faron Gahachu's spectacular beaded ram!

Faron Gahachu's Zuni beaded horse with arrow pattern....

Faron Gahachu's smaller beaded colt with diamond pattern....

Tildon Martza's fully beaded horse with his trademark "M" brand on shoulder....

We've been busy on our website Indian Summer Native American Art this past week....we have posted 120+ new arrivals over the last few days....Zuni fetish carvings, a little bit of jewelry and pottery, plus some fabulous Zuni BEADWORK! Our beadwork collection is the finest you will see on the net! We love traditional beadwork and are always seeking out new beadwork artists and styles. If you like what you see, please come to Indian Summer for a visit! Here you will find the unique and enchanting one of a kind pieces that you just don't see elsewhere! We look forward to hearing from you!

Haunting For Just the Right Earrings?

If you are anything like me....you love Autumn and Halloween! There is just something magical in the chilly night air! The thought of colorful Indian Corn...brilliant orange pumpkins...and spooky ghosts certainly conjurs up fun and excitement in my book! If you are a Native American art and jewelry....plus Autumn and Halloween enthusiast like me, check out some of our fun earrings at Indian Summer Native American Art . They will definitely spice up the season! Happy Haunting for them on our web pages under beadwork!

New Autumn Posting at Indian Summer Native American Art

Indian Summer is definitely here...so come and visit us at Indian Summer Native American Art and see what's new!

This slightly older Papago coiled basket has a definite autumn look and feel...plus a "retro" look!

Hopi coiled plaque by Rosalita Martin is a beauty! Such gorgeous natural dyes used...you don't see many of these nowadays!

The traditional Santo Domingo "Corn" necklaces are a favorite of mine....spiny oyster "corn" in vivid autumn hues with sky blue turquoise....perfect!

Frank Pachecho's Santo Domingo Pueblo "Jocla" necklace with a large natural Kingman nugget would look great against a fall cardigan....

Cute little bear cub by Juana Homer is enjoying a lazy Indian Summer before he hibernates!

Bat carving by Roselle Gonzales....great addition to your collection, especially with Halloween just around the corner!

New merchandise on our website Indian Summer Native American Art! We've added some wonderful Navajo, Hopi, and Papago baskets....Give your home a fall look with these hand woven collectibles....Spice up your autumn jewelry wardrobe with a new Santo Domingo or Zuni Pueblo necklace...(I love the jocla style with the "corn"...ever so fall-like!).... and of course there are new Zuni fetish carvings...great for any season, and any reason! We would love to hear from you!

Santa Fe Indian Market Remembered....

Discussing the day's events and plans for Market with relatives Eddie and Dawson at my Grandma's pink adobe house in Santa Fe...this was Market Day I remember...also I am wearing the same outfit and have my hair the same as in the sketch at Market at the bottom of this post....these were great times!

Booths and buyers at Market....wish that I was organized and could find more of my Market photos...I have so many taken over the years....have made a vow to get my 1,000's and 1000's of photos in order one of these days...~LOL~

Spotted Jerry Jacka, the late famous photographer for Arizona Highways and numerous southwestern publications at Market, in front of Dressman's on the plaza....

We took along our pottery "Bible"..."Seven Families in Pueblo Pottery" and had some of the artists we made purchases from (and even a few we didn't!) sign our book...As much fun as getting Mickey's signature at Disneyland!

Lucy M. Lewis, the one and only!

We purchased the Lucy Lewis black on white vase on the left at Market from Lucy...the two center pieces came from Lucy over the next few years....and the vase on the right was a 25th Wedding Anniversary gift to Wes and me from my sister Julie!

Lucy Lewis's signature was a great addition to our book...as was her pottery, to our collection!

Rose Gonzales, San Ildefonso Pueblo, Indian Market 1977....

We purchased the smaller carved blackware on the right from Rose at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning, the first day of Market...she was #1 on our list....we picked up the larger piece with Avanyu the following day...

Rose Gonzales who was well known as the originator of carved wares from San Ildefonso, was one of the sweetest, most gracious potters I have ever had the opportunity of meeting...so happy she signed our book!

We were excited to meet Marie Chino, and her daughter Rose Chino Garcia...the fine line seed bowl in the center, we purchased from Marie...the two "Deer with Heartline" wares, we purchased from Rose.....

Glad to have Marie Chino's autograph in our book...makes me sad, I had several actual photos of Marie, that I loaned out years ago to an acquaintance, and they were never returned to me....

Candelaria Gachupin of Zia Pueblo was definitely on our list of faves, and we were thrilled to meet her and purchase this wonderful, traditional Zia bowl......

Candelaria was sweet and signed our book for us...even though she was gathering up her wares quickly, as a high desert thunderstorm rolled in, just as we were making our purchase!

Anita Suazo from Santa Clara was a favorite potter of ours, and when we met her and saw this piece with the Snake Dancers on it, we had to have it! We had recently attended the Snake Dance at Second Mesa (another post in itself...non Hopi's are no longer allowed to attend the Snake Dance...our attending this dance rates right up there with one of the most important events in our lives!)

Back in the day, many local artists would set up shop on the side streets surrounding the plaza where Market was held, and sketch you, as you relaxed from a busy day of shopping....fun memories!

This upcoming weekend, August 21 and 22nd is the 89th Annual Santa Fe Indian Market! I love Market and wish that I were there! I have been thinking a lot about Market this past week, as I am getting email reminders from artists and friends about Market events and it has made me rather melancholy! Market is still a fabulous event to attend, but I do remember when it was a bit simpler, and you did not have to "camp out" days in advance in front of a particular artist's booth in order to get one of their pieces! It was a simpler time for sure....you actually had a chance to really talk with the artists and learn something about them, other than just what you read in books. It was not nearly as large as it is today, so it is good to know that there are many artists following in the footsteps of their famous ancestors who represented their family at earlier Markets. Market is by invitation only to the various artists, so you really do get the "cream of the crop"! The "cream of the crop" back at Market in the 70's when I first began attending as an adult (my family is from Santa Fe, NM and I had been many times as a child, but did not have the knowledge nor appreciation for it, as I did in the 70's) were names such as the Chino and Lewis families from Acoma...Rose Gonzales from San Ildefonso....the Nampeyo Family from Polacca...."Frog Woman", Joy Navasie...Ellen Quandelacy from Zuni...in fact Ellen was the only Zuni carver of fetishes represented at Market back in the 70's! The great Fetish Revival at Zuni did not take place until later in the 80's. Wes and I had a mission back then...we were pottery enthusiasts and set out to purchase wares from some of our "favorite" potters, and we did! We had such a great time meeting so many artists, and establishing a buying relationship with many of them, that has lasted for years with those that are still with us...after all, this was almost 35 years ago, and many were older artists at that time! I treasure the art we purchased, the friendships we established, and the memories that we made! If you are lucky enough to be attending Market this year, ENJOY....it is an experience you will always cherish!