Institute of American Indian Arts Names New Museum Director

The Institute of American Indian Arts is pleased to announce the appointment of Patsy Phillips as Director of the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum. She will begin her position on August 11, 2008. “She brings a wealth of both professional experience and personal attributes to fill the critical vacancy of IAIA Museum Director,” Jim Santini, member of the IAIA Board of Trustees and Chair of the Museum Committee notes. “She will be a long-term asset to both the Institute and Museum.”

Dr. Robert G. Martin (Cherokee), President of the Institute of American Indian Arts, said he is “…extremely pleased that we have selected someone with Patsy Phillips’ credentials, vision, experience and skills to lead the IAIA Museum. She values collaboration and will bring energy and enthusiasm in building on our museum’s strong foundation as a center for important exhibitions and programs relative to contemporary Native American art.” Phillips was selected after an extensive national search, and joins IAIA after working at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in Washington, D.C for more than eight years. While there, she developed and managed several programs. As Director for NMAI’s participation in the world-famous Venice Biennale, she organized the sponsorship and promotion of artists such as Edgar Heap of Birds and James Luna. After noticing NMAI’s need for a unit dedicated to contemporary Native arts, Phillips oversaw the planning and development of a strategic plan for contemporary arts which was launched this May. Before working for the National Museum of the American Indian, she was both Interim Executive Director and Program Development Director at Atlatl, Inc, a national service organization for Native American arts in Phoenix, AZ.

A member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Phillips says, “I am thrilled to begin my new post as the Director for the IAIA Museum. I look forward to working with the smart and dedicated IAIA staff and students who are committed to the advancement of contemporary Native arts. I plan to find ways to work collaboratively with other organizations across the country so that together we can change the way contemporary Native art is understood and represented.” She holds a Master of Arts degree in non-fiction writing from Johns Hopkins University, and a Graduate Certificate in Museum Administration from Harvard University.

SWAIA SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET STILL NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

.... BEFORE AND DURING INDIAN MARKET
Become an integral part of making Indian Market Happen

The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) is calling for volunteers to help produce Santa Fe Indian Market. In 2008, Indian Market takes place August 23 & 24, 2008. Hundreds of positions are available to interested volunteers. Volunteers are needed in SWAIA's Santa Fe office beginning in May, with more positions available beginning in June and increasing to hundreds for the weeks before Market in August. SWAIA volunteers have a wide range of skills and interests. Possibilities for volunteers include helping staff to answer calls and prepare materials in our office, providing information to visitors or selling beverages during Market, and even being a part of SWAIA's grand Preview of Award-Winning Art. SWAIA also encourages teams of volunteers-like family members, workplace associates or old friends-to work together with SWAIA in accomplishing some of the huge tasks we have, like setting up the hundreds of artist booths in the hours before market. "I look forward to meeting and working with the dedicated individuals who return year after year to volunteer at the Santa Fe Indian Market," said Elizabeth Harris, SWAIA Development Associate. "And I also look forward to welcoming new people. The time and energy that volunteers bring to SWAIA is really important to us, and much of the success of Indian Market rests on their shoulders." Those wishing to volunteer are encouraged to download a volunteer sign-up form from SWAIA's website at www.swaia.org. Volunteers can also contact Elizabeth Harris by email at eharris@swaia.org or by phone at 505-983-5220 extension 238. For more information about SWAIA or the Santa Fe Indian Market, please visit SWAIA's website at www.swaia.org or call 505-983-5220

New Zuni Fetish Home Page at ZuniLink

We have redesigned the home page at http://www.ZuniLink.com to improve loading time and make navigation easier.

We'd appreciate feedback.

Did make it better? Or is it same old, same old?

You can comment to this blog or email us at sanibelart@comcast.net .

Native American earrings on sale - 30% off

Now through July 28, 2008, you can save 30% off the listed price of any and every earrings pair in our Native-JewelryLink inventory.

Every pair - posts, clips, wires - is included. Silver, gold, inlay, channelwork, turquoise, lapis, coral, shell. If you find it and you love it, you'll get 30% off.

Start by visiting this page and clicking on one of the Native American Indian earring index page links.

Find the earrings you want. Place your order through our secure order form or by calling us at 800-305-0185 (8 AM to 8 PM Eastern Time). Tell us you want the sale discount and we will deduct 30% from your earring order.

You can pay by Paypal or any major credit card. Or use our Collector's Club layaway.

It's that simple.

Don't wait to the last minute. At this discount, great buys will go fast.

IACA names Top Native American artists -2008

The Indian Arts and Crafts Association (IACA) has named the top artists at its April Market.

Artist of the Year went to Mary Lou Big Day from the Crow nation of Montana. Her award-winning work was a beaded and painted doll entitled "Crow Traveling Medicine."

Second Place was awarded to Venus "Brightstar", a Creek artist, for her porcupine quilled leather jacket entitled "The Vine of Life."

Other awards included:

Jewelry-Lapidary: First and Second Places to Charlene Sanchez Reano, San Felipe. (Charlene's work is represented at Native-JewelryLink .

Jewelry-Metalsmithing: First Place to Earl Plummer (Navajo). Second Place to George "Shukata" Willis (Choctaw). Third Place went to L. Bruce Hodgins (Navajo). Earl's work, done in conjunction with Calvin Begay at the time, also can be seen at Native-JewelryLink .

Sculpture-Small Scale: First Place to Caroline Carpio (Isleta). Second Place to George "Shukata" Willis (Choctaw)

Judge's Choice: First Place to Frank Fowler, Jr. (Navajo). Second Place to Caroline Carpio (Isleta). Third Place to Don Standing Bear (Metis). Caroline's work in pottery is represented at Native-PotteryLink.

IACA, of which Aboriginals: Art of the First Person is a long-standing member, works to promote Native American Indian art and to protect its authenticity by requiring all members to offer only Native American-made work, unless it is otherwise clearly identified as being not made by American Indians.

Ira lujan , Taos glass artist

We have been intrigued by the growth of glass artistry among Native American artisans.

Ira Lujan, a Taos Pueblo member, is one of the foremost practitioners. We have acquired a video of Ira at work. We were so struck by it that we asked for permission to put it on the blog.

Enjoy.



Incidentally, you will find two examples of Ira's work for sale at Native-PotteryLink. Click on the the Taos link.

Thanks for visiting, Susanne and Willliam Waites

Today's the day for Red Earth

If you are in or near Oklahoma City this weekend, set aside some time to visit the Red Earth Celebration. It starts with big parade today and continues as an arts and crafts show over the weekend. More than 1,000 Native American artists will be represented.

We have always enjoyed Red Earth as a source of fine Native American art, some of which has been featured from itme ot time on our websites, ZuniLink for high quality Native American fetish and other carvings, Native-JewelryLink for authentic Native American jewelry and Native-PotteryLink for fine pueblo pottery.

We recommend it as an excellent way to indulge and engage in a beautiful Native American tradition.

Did you know Dru?

Dru Anne Doyle, formerly Director of Merchandising and Product Development at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in Indianapolis and now Manager of Sales and Marketing at Ocean's Reach Condominium Association on Sanibel Island Florida, has been elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce.

Dru left her museum post in Indianapolis to settle on Sanibel in 2007. We remember her well from the various shows and events where we would see her when she was a buyer for the Eiteljorg and we were buying for our websites at ZuniLink, Native-JewelryLink and Native-PotteryLink .

Since I also am a member of the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber board, I look forward to seeing her very smiling face and positive view of life at future meetings. (But, of course, we miss her in the Native and Tribal Arts field.)

Sad News - Pernell Laate, Zuni Carver

We were saddened to learn of the recent passing of Pernell Laate, a well-known and highly respected Zuni carver. Pernell was the brother of Maxx Laate, another carver of remarkable talent, whose work has been shown on our website at ZuniLink.

We extend our condolences to the Laate family and all those at Zuni Pueblo who knew, loved and worked with Pernell Laate.