When a Boring Day Yields a Birth Mother

Life is generally predictable...at least my life is. Oy vey, that's boring! When life unexpectedly decides to take a change in another direction--like when a beautiful summer romance suddenly dies out once the fall chill sets in, or when we move from grade to grade in elementary school, only to be finally burdened with the very scary discovery that snacks and naps have been replaced by bullies and books--now that is exhilarating! That means progress is happening. Progress is GOOD!

The last two days have been exhilarating for me to say the least.  This past Wednesday, I happily marked forty-one years in this life that I was given.  My life was given to me in so many ways--not just from God, but from a brave twenty-two year-old woman, who in 1969, gave up a plump platinum blond boy with blue eyes so that "it" (I'm guessing she didn't even know I was  boy) could "have a chance."  This woman,  a  mother of five whom she had raised starting with the first one when she was just a fifteen year-old child herself  was so very selfless in her actions.  Last week, that's all I knew about her.  This week, new information hit me like hail pellets, but the kind that hit the ground, melt and bring water to the parched earth.

While this past week went by with marvelous mini-fiestas and wonderfully beautiful and sentimental gifts, the best gift I received was my adopted mother giving me a piece of me back that fell out of the puzzle box when I was a baby.  No, not the literal puzzle box--the puzzle box of my soul and my sense of identity.  It's ridiculous to think that everything I have experienced in my life is null and void because another woman and man gave life to me, but I think...and other adoptees help me out here...there is a need for some kind of closure. Two years ago, my mother wrote away for my non identifying birth records (actual birth records that have all the important stuff such as names, birth dates, etc. blacked out for birth parents' and adoptees' protection and privacy. ) For me, it was finding out that I was the sixth child of six and that my dream of looking at my biological father and seeing myself in his eyes was even (forgive the pun) conceivable that gave me so much of that closure. 

For the last few months, my adopted mother has been piecing together the genealogy of our family.  I remember saying a while back (and feeling somewhat jealous) "Yeah, but that's your history not mine."     I guess she took it to heart because yesterday, I found out that she has been piecing together my segment of the family as well. How did she do it? Well, thanks to those non identifying records, the amazingness of the Internet, and some super-groovy sleuthing on her part searching multiple obituaries, she has, quite possibly, identified the name and location of my biological mother.  Today I picked up the phone to call her, only to find that I had phoned the wrong family. The process could be long and frustrating and obviously emotional.  I will persevere though. Thanks to more sleuthing on my mother's part, this evening I feel more certain that we have finally identified the right family. 

It is clear to me that I mustn't disturb the balance of the lives of a family that probably has no idea I even exist.  Perhaps what has become so clear to me today is a strong sense of self and pride, as well as a gratitude to my biological mother for making the ultimate sacrifice so that I could achieve what I indeed have achieved in my life.  I have had so many wonderful opportunities--more than the average person--and her gift continues to bless my life as I am here, living and breathing, to accept even more opportunities that come my way.

Frequently, I head out to the New Mexico Pueblos to watch Native dances.  As I take in the awe-inspiring sight of hundreds of dancers chanting, singing and moving about the plaza, my first thought always is These people know where they came from. They know where they are and they know where they will rest.  My journey is not yet complete, but today I danced filled up full with the idea that I am connected to even more people in the world and I even know their names!

Thank you to both my mothers, who made sacrifices to ensure that I could live a wonderful life.  

Pioneer of Aviation Subject of New Multi-Media Theatrical Piece on NYC's Theatre Row

If you're in the New York area this week, a must see performance is Before Icarus Fell, a new theatrical piece conceived and directed by Tony Chiroldes of Broadway’s In the Heights.

Chiroldes skillfully brings to life the compelling story of Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian student of science who was the first person to demonstrate that regular, controlled flying was possible. In 1901, Santos-Dumont became one of the most talked about people of the early 20th Century as a result of making a complete flight around Paris’ Eiffel Tower.  Before Icarus Fell is made possible through a 2010 Seed Grant from the Jim Henson Foundation and incorporates live actors with multi-media elements, shadow puppetry and music.

The production stars Liz Acosta, Laurie Berenhaus, Bill Hubner and Tony Chiroldes.

Before Icarus Fell opened at Theatre Row Studios, 410 West 42nd Street, Manhattan, on November 3, 2010 and plays through November 7, 2010 (Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m.). Tickets are $20. For more information visit http://www.beforeicarusfell.com/.

Watch a teaser video HERE!

Urban Muralist Jaque Fragua Brings Talents to the Streets of Albuquerque

Street art is a form that is often misunderstood by the general public. In recent years, though, in cities all over the word, it is an expression that is finding its way into the limelight and legitimizing the talents of its creators.

Visual artist Jaque Fragua, who hails from Jemez Pueblo, is one of those artists. Fragua, a rebel of sorts, has the vision and pluck reminiscent of the kind of contemporary artists one would meet in New York. On top of that this proud drop-out from IAIA (Institute of American Indian Arts) is naturally gifted with a sharp mind, articulate tongue, charming personality and thoughtful creativeness that makes it seem impossible that he won’t succeed in the art world in some form or another. He contends that he has the tools already necessary to carve out a niche for himself. Not to be contained by the label “Native American Artist,” Fragua vehemently shuns the world of Native art markets to be himself and find his own identity in a climate where the term art has come to mean so many things.

Currently, Fragua is a participant in a new show in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, which opens on Saturday, October 2. “Street Text” is a two-part exhibition examining Street Art and its evolution into a worldwide cultural movement. It is the centerpiece for an event “Street Arts: A Celebration of Hip Hop Culture and Free Expression,” with a wider scope, which will be taking place all over the Duke City. The festival of sorts, organized by 516 Arts and sponsored by the ACLU, is a collaborative effort between twenty-five local organizations and will incorporate film, music, written word, and, of course, visual arts created by local and international guest artists.

Fragua is currently in the process of creating a gatekeeper mural on the backside of the El Rey Theater on Central Avenue with fellow artists Chris Stain and Lichiban. Lichiban, who hails from Brooklyn, New York, and has worked at 5 Points in Queens, is accustomed to working on wood with ink and watercolor, but is excited to have brick and acrylic as her mediums on this project. She began doing larger works last April and has wanted to collaborate with Fragua for over a year. The result of their efforts will be a piece that moves from ancestral to cosmic as its subject climbs a ladder to the heavens.

Earlier in the week, I had the chance to speak with Fragua hard at work on his mural project in the hot New Mexico sun about “Street Text” and his philosophy about art. HERE’s what he had to say:

"Street Arts" runs through the month of November at various locations throughout Albuquerque. For more information and a complete list of events visit http://www.516arts.org/.

Seeing More Than 'Stars' in Provocative Jennifer Mawby Exhibit at Vancouver's Grace Gallery

“Most simply, I am interested in how the contemporary and the personal collide with mythmaking. Ultimately I am questioning what and who we celebrate and why,” says visual artist Jennifer Mawby about her work.


When asked why, Mawby responds “Rather than who we celebrate, I am interested in what we celebrate. This is because when we chose to celebrate something like a luxury object or someone like a pop culture celebrity we are really elevating what it is that they represent to us.” Could that be the reason that so many people’s identities are wrapped up in what they possess or what they wear?


“Across the board we attach certain personal significance to the people and the things that we celebrate. This meaning is a personal interpretation and integration of cultural memes,” she says. In Mawby's opinion, these things that humanity sets as paragons or archetypes, in their essence, have been consistent throughout most cultures in human history and have typically been documented through mythology or through religious metaphor and parable.


Therefore, someone akin to Paris Hilton, for example, represents a “Persephone” figure, a character with meaning well beyond herself in terms of our culture. Mawby chooses to look at archetypes that span many global cultures in her work.

Jennifer Mawby’s latest solo project, which opened on September 9 at Vancouver’s Grace Gallery, is entitled “The Sun, The Moon & The Stars.” The show is part of The SWARM Festival, which is now in its eleventh year in Vancouver. The SWARM Festival is essentially a gallery hop for local artist-run centres and independent gallery spaces. According to the artist, her exhibit is “a cautionary tale about love, romance and conquest of all kinds.” The title refers to the cliché of giving someone all that they want-- “The Sun, The Moon & The Stars”-- and is a warning to both be cautious of someone who offers you these things and also to be wary of wanting these things as they are typically not the route to fulfillment we at first believe they are.


With technology leading the way in how people digest news and media, this year the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres (PAARC) allowed participants to sign up for the event via Twitter, which basically became the event listing. The feed caught the attention of the mainstream media and gave the Festival and Mawby’s show a great deal more visibility than in the past.


In the first public viewing of the new direction her art has been taking, a year-and-a-half in the making, the exhibition features work that is representational, with multi-media elements incorporating painting, drawing, photography, installation, and animation. Overall, the body of work creates a narrative allegory around her larger themes of mytheopoesis, or storytelling as a myth-making device, and celebration.


Finding connection with her Anglo heritage, the work is very personal and is a collection of imagery collected through appropriation (mostly from the Web and print media) put together in bricolage style to create a narrative thread. “There is a cast of characters and a set of objects. The cast of characters are somehow in pursuit of a flag or pennant which represents the object of desire and obsession,” Mawby says.


There are also pop culture references thrown in for good measure, interspersed with references from European art history. For example, a painting called “The Flip Side,” which shows light passing through a prism and breaking into the full spectrum, represents the early scientific objects and experiments that were included in Wunderkammers, the precursors to what we now call museums. It also looks strikingly like a famous Pink Floyd album cover, and those who have that image in their library of visual culture are sure to notice, which is intentional on the part of the artist. Since many of the early Wunderkammers contained fakes or forgeries, Mawby, in her work has created homages to the known with a twist to suit her own needs. For instance, a Dutch master’s flower in still life form is combined with an incandescent light bulb lying on the table next to the floral arrangement. “The light bulb motif represents the dawning of a dying technology and therefore the passing of time and the folly of hanging on to the once ‘greatest’ thing,” she explains.


Mawby saw the work itself as a huge challenge, to test her artistic boundaries, especially where use of light was concerned. “All of the images and paintings have a strong element of light in them - the rendering and reproduction of light on canvas which I believe is one of the most difficult things to which a painter can aspire.”


“The Sun, The Moon & The Stars” is on view at Grace Gallery in Vancouver, B.C. through September 26th. The work will remain at the gallery and will be available for viewing both online and upon appointment. To learn more about artist Jennifer Mawby, visit the gallery web site at http://www.grace-gallery.com/ or http://www.jjtmstudio.com/.

New Memoir ACOSTA Tells Story of Family Behind Legendary Major League Pitching Coach Oscar Acosta

In this era of the self-proclaimed “web-lebrity,” and reality television stars with big personalities and little talent cramming the pop-culture landscape, real people with talent and big heart seem dwarfed by the lobby of the fleeting. One true personality who has touched my heart in recent months is Yolanda Acosta, the author of the new book ACOSTA. Published by U.K.-based O Books, ACOSTA is the story of a family in rural New Mexico, the struggles of Mexican immigrant parents, who came to the United States on the Bracero Program in 1950. The Bracero Program, which was a function of the Farm Bureau, brought thousands of migrant workers into the United States and essentially set the groundwork for the beginnings of agriculture in North America.  Along with them, Juan and Concha Acosta brought hopes and dreams to the U.S., which would eventually be fulfilled by their children.

In order to write a book about her family, Yolanda had to start with her mother Concha--the rock of the family--who, through it all, including a successful battle with breast cancer, stuck to her strong faith and sense of family loyalty. It would seem that nothing would keep this woman down. Yolanda’s father Juan was a very honorable and traditional man, who believed that women should not go to college. He was a loving man, who wanted the best for his family, but his strict nature, at times was hard. He surprised the family by unknowingly getting involved with, as Yolanda refers to them, “very unscrupulous men” from Mexico. This would later be Juan’s downfall.

Yolanda Acosta’s brother Oscar Acosta, fought hard to make it into the Major Leagues of professional baseball. While in the Minors, Oscar faced an injury that led him to coaching. He worked his way up as a pitching coach for teams like the New York Yankees, the Chicago Cubs and the Texas Rangers. In fact, Oscar, with the help of his pitchers turned the Chicago Cubs around. He was, perhaps, the most loved pitching coach of all time for the Cubs.  

While the pitchers whom he coached loved him, he sometimes clashed with owners over his style on the field. After all, here was a man, who was raised with strict cattle ranching values and a tough work ethic. Oscar expected his players to perform with the same ethic and he oftentimes took extreme measures to elicit it. Regardless, Oscar received respect where it mattered to him, and some, like pitcher Kerry Woods, name him as a huge influence on their careers.

In many ways, Oscar fulfilled the American Dream, being the only Mexican-American in history to wear two World Series championship rings, but it was cut short when he was tragically killed in the Dominican Republic in 2006 while managing the Yankees’ Gulf Coast League. He leaves a legacy and a story that became his sister’s obsession to tell.

At first Yolanda wanted to have a movie made. Over fourteen months ago, at the advice of colleagues, who said it was better to write a book first, Yolanda began the task of compiling family stories. Multiple through lines came out in the process and they are the backbone of ACOSTA, which is a story of a baseball pitcher, but the family behind the man as well.  Yolanda is now seeing her dream of a movie-version of ACOSTA realized.  Meira Blaustein, Executive Director of the Woodstock Film Festival is currently working on adapting the book into a screenplay and top directors are being sought to lead the project.

As I read this book, I couldn’t help being moved at the beginning and end of each chapter. It reads so much like a soap opera that one can scarcely believe that it is nonfiction. But the story is true, with its accounts of Oscar’s battles to gain respect, Yolanda’s constant battle with domestic abuse in a dynamic marriage to the love of her life, and finding out that her father was involved in shady dealings with the Mexican mafia.

ACOSTA is set to be released on Saturday, September 25. There will be an official launch party in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the Hotel Albuquerque on the same day, which is, coincidentally “Oscar Acosta Day” in Albuquerque by proclamation of Mayor Richard Berry. The reception will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will feature hors d’oeuvres, music, readings and a book signing. Local retailer Bookworks will be there to offer books for purchase with 10% of the proceeds benefiting S.A.F.E. House New Mexico. The book internationally is available at http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.borders.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Yolanda Acosta about her book ACOSTA. Her passion for her brother and family comes out in her responses. Watch the video HERE:

***Chicago Cubs Photo Used Courtesy Associated Press

ALT Delivers Delicious Piece of 'Chicago' Pie to Albuquerque Theatre Audiences

It's no secret that while the Albuquerque theatre community possesses a robust talent pool, shows can be hit or miss. Lately, it's been hit after hit, and the Albuquerque Little Theatre, with Artistic Director Henry Avery at its helm, has been thriving. Last season at ALT was particularly stellar, and on the musical front, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas was superb. ALT's 81st season kicks off with the Kander and Ebb musical Chicago and Avery has hit paydirt by assembling a powehouse cast comprised of some of the best talent Albuquerque has to offer, including some seasoned veterans along with some up-and-coming young talent who will blow your socks off.


For all three of you who haven't seen either the Broadway production or the film version or a community theatre production of Chicago, I'll explain the plot. The show opens with with Roxie Hart, a seemingly dainty flower, shooting her lover who dumps her. She tells her husband Amos to take responsibility because he's sure to get off. Of course, the truth is revealed and fast forward to the Cook County Jail, where Roxie is one of several of the "merry maidens" to be put in the slammer for murder. There she meets Velma Kelly, a circuit performer, who, so far, is the most famous "chicky" in Matron "Mama" Morton's coop. Roxie arrives with all her ambition to become a celebrity, and through enlisting the help of the slick, silver-tongued lawyer Billy Flynn, manages to outshine a much dismayed Velma. Knowing that her days in the limelight are limited because "that's Chicago," Velma tries to woo Roxie into joining forces for a vaudeville act. Roxie, who is now fully obsessed with her fame and has gotten too big for her britches declines the offer. In a back and forth with Billy about her defense, Roxie concedes to let Billy run the show to help get her off of the murder charges. Roxie quickly learns that fame is an all too fleeting thing when an heiress attracts the media's attention for shooting her lover caught in an act of sexual deviation. In a last-minute effort to regain her newfound fame, Roxie fakes a pregnancy. This, of course, rekindles Billy's interest in her case and the puppet act of her defense ensues. In the end, Roxie finds herself acquitted of murder, only to be upstaged by a bloody murder down the hall. Roxie is left to contemplate life's possibilities, and in her own effort to stay in the public eye, joins forces with Velma for a hit act which closes the show with the fabulous and hopeful ditty "Nowaways."


I had the opportunity to attend Thursday evening's preview performance at ALT. In spite of the "museum piece" staging and choreography, which were almost carbon copies of the 1990s Broadway revival production, which starred Bebe Neuwirth and Ann Reinking as Velma and Roxie, this production, indeed is "great and grand" and will no doubt woo Albuquerque audiences. It was by far the best musical I have seen here in the last two years, and some of the performances were professional house quality. Stephanie Burch as Velma proves why she is easily Albuquerque's best musical theatre performer. She is a true triple threat and her portrayal never lost its luster. Her voice was by far the strongest and her dancing and acting superb. Speaking of voices, one of the biggest delights of the evening was Tahirih Koller who plays Matron "Mama" Morton. Koller has a smooth stage demeanor and sexiness that combined with her rich robust voice made her the perfect Mama. Rebecca Turiciano has a cutesy yet slightly diva-esque way about her onstage, which made her portrayal enjoyable. As Roxie, she proves that she is a very adept actress. Michael Finnegan makes a believably smarmy Billy Flynn and he uses humor to win the audience's admiration. His renditions of "All I Care About" and "We Both Reached for the Gun" were both quite good. Dehron Foster, a permanent installation on the boards at ALT gives a spot-on performance of Amos Hart, a man who always seems to get lost in the shuffle. His sensitivity as an actor makes him soar in any role he plays. O. Benenati Tenorio as Mary Sunshine makes a very interesting addition to the cast. While we're always aware that "she" is a man, Tenorio makes for good comic relief.


The ensemble is an amalgamation of different levels of hot--from the boys to the girls. Lisette Herrera, a ABQ stage veteran looks hot, dances hot and sets the bar for the ensemble, as does Jonathan Ragsdale, who brings the perfect amount of le jazz hot to the production, which is reminiscent of most of the dancers I have seen in the Broadway production at various times. It is also obvious that he is a very capable actor and singer as well and we'll, no doubt, see him on Broadway very soon. Nicole Dozier, just a high school senior, brings a sophistication and sex appeal to her chorus role and cameo during the "Cell Block Tango" that reminds me of a young Lauren Hutton...minus the tooth gap!


From start to finish, Chicago is paced very well. And, while some group musical number endings were, at times, less than precise with both vocals and choreography, undoubtedly, they will be tightened up by the end of the first week of the run. Highlights of the show were "All That Jazz," "The Cell Block Tango," and I especially enjoyed "Class," which gives Stephanie Burch a chance to show the more vulnerable side of Velma Kelly.


This Chicago is a show not to missed. I'm guessing it will sell out, so book early and often to support local theatre. The production runs from September 17 to October 10 at Albuquerque Little Theatre. For more information about the show or to buy tickets, visit http://www.albuquerquelittletheatre.org/.


Watch a promo video HERE!

The Road to Indian Market 2010: Charlene Holy Bear Lakota Sioux 'Best of Class' Doll Maker

As SWAIA Indian Market approaches each year, you find that everyone is engrossed in preparation for whatever they may be working on, and inevitably, things go by the wayside.  Take my schedule, for instance. I was working hard, commuting to Santa Fe and trying to keep up with my "The Road to Indian Market 2010" series.  While it wasn't nearly as stressful to put together as my "Heard @ The Heard 2010" series ( http://unclepauliesworld.blogspot.com/2010/03/uncle-paulies-world-to-feature-art.html), I found the hours in the day dwindling away just prior to Market. 

A few weeks before, I had made plans to meet with Standing Rock Lakota Sioux doll maker Charlene Holy Bear at her hotel to watch her work putting the final touches on her pieces and interview her about the specific "road" she took to Indian Market this year.  Unfortunately, bad timing got in the way, so we agreed that we would meet up at her booth during the weekend.   Not surprisingly, Holy Bear, who has been participating in Indian Market as an adult for the last several years, won "Best in Class" in the Diverse Art category this year. This meant that her submission would be on display at the Friday night SWAIA preview event at the Santa Fe Convention Center.  The evening was full of magic and Holy Bear gave me the opportunity to chat briefly with her while fresh off of her win. 

Holy Bear's work, which generally incorporates Lakota beadwork designs, quillwork, and parfleche designs, are handmade and inspired by Plains traditional dolls, which were flat and more utilitarian--they were used to teach girls about their roles in life.  Holy Bear's dolls are three-dimensional and honor the doll-making tradition with beauty and more of a contemporary style with art replacing the idea of utility. Her winning piece, for instance, utlizes a beaded Oriental-style fan in the dancer's hand, which is a unique and nontraditional touch.  The dancer's body is made from clay, which alone took an entire year to create. It then took an additional two years to design the clothing and add the beadwork.

The following interview is a combination of video shot on Friday evening as well as during the weekend.  Get to know Charlene Holy Bear HERE:

The Road to Indian Market 2010: The Nampeyo Legacy with the Sahmie Sisters of Hopi

Even when an artist has years of experience, the road to SWAIA Indian Market can be long. The Sahmie Sisters, direct descendants of the greatest of all Hopi potters Nampeyo, for instance are no exception.  While Nyla Sahmie does not participate in Indian Market, Rachel Sahmie, and Jean Sahme Nampeyo (Jean spells her last name without the ‘i’.) do.  In spite of their lineage,  even these ladies aren’t guaranteed a problem-free process prior to Indian Market. They sometimes lose pots, just like every artist who participates.

What doesn’t fail these three fabulous women is their zest for life and wonderful senses of humor. As a matter of fact, they are all so dynamic in three different ways, that you can scarcely pick your favorite Sahmie Sister.  While they all take things in stride and laugh at life, what they do take seriously is the responsibility of being Nampeyo.  To them, that means carrying on the name with grace and adherence to the traditions of the past, which have carried them through the present and will lead them into the future. The quality and specialness of their work is undeniable.

The week prior to the 2010 SWAIA Indian Market, Nyla, Rachel and Jean all came to Andrews Pueblo Pottery and Art Gallery from Hopi to meet with customers and present a comprehensive show of their work. Nyla, the vivacious middle sister, while skilled and most interested in creating as large of pots as possible, brought along some of her miniatures, and Rachel, the youngest sister, brought a wonderful large canteen with a design reminiscent of the work of Sadie Adams, as well a bowl, an olla and two large cylinders with her own designs that adhere to traditional Nampeyo form and methods. Rachel always likes to ask the collector “what do you see?” and that is what I love best about her. The quietest and the oldest of the three is Jean Sahme. Jean, who is a teacher, is known for her large, gorgeous cylinders, and she didn’t disappoint fans at Andrews by bringing some of her best work to show and sell.

All three women are daughters of Priscilla Namingha Nampeyo and they use only traditional methods of forming, painting and firing their pottery. As part of my “The Road to Indian Market 2010” series, I decided to interview these three sisters, who keep everyone on their toes. Learn about their heritage as members of the Nampeyo Family and their distinct styles in my video interview with them HERE:

The Road to Indian Market 2010: Setting the Standard with SWAIA's Carole Sandoval

"The Road to Indian Market 2010" has highlighted the artists and the dealers, but what about all the work that the folks at SWAIA put into the SWAIA Indian Market every year?  The road to Market is very long for them, and they begin taking steps for the next year's Market just as the current one is ending.  It takes a lot of hours, brainstorming and coordinating to make the world's largest Indian market go off without a hitch.

Someone who knows a great deal about ensuring that things move smoothly is Ohkay Owingeh artist Carole Sandoval, who focuses most of her time on her positions as Vice Chair of SWAIA and Chairperson of the SWAIA Indian Market Standards Committee.   As Chair of the Standards Committee, Sandoval helps to form the criteria by which all artists who submit their work to be considered to sell at Market are judged.  They also dictate how pieces submitted for ribbons are evaluated.  It's a painstaking process for all involved.    Objectivity in the judging process is also key in making sure that winners are fairly awarded.  That's why all judging is blind.  For artists, such as Sandoval, who have to balance an art career and their jobs with SWAIA, the road to Indian Market is more complicated and requires incredible discipline.

In my interview with Carole Sandoval, she addresses every aspect of the standards and judging process and talks candidly about some of the pleasures and pitfalls of the job, as well as how honored she is that her aunt, Geronima Cruz Montoya was selected as the poster artist for this year's SWAIA Indian Market.  Watch her interview HERE:

(Note: This series is in no way affiliated with SWAIA or SWAIA Indian Market. The term Indian Market is used with permission and the 2010 SWAIA poster is copyrighted by SWAIA.)

The Road to Indian Market 2010: The Poeticness of Laguna Potter Max Early

Paguate, New Mexico, one of the many villages of Laguna Pueblo, and just about an hour east of Albuquerque is home to Pueblo potter Max Early.  Early saw the height of his pottery career during the 1990s, but later, the now forty-something potter, decided to further his education going back to school to get his degree in English with an emphasis in poetry and fiction.  In order to do that, Early took a break from his pottery, but now he's back with a whole new concept--the infusion of his poetry and pottery.  

This year, Early created a traditional pot with bold designs, for which he is known , and then added the text of one of his poems about making pottery around the neck of the piece.  Unfortunately,  shortly after I made the journey out to Laguna to interview him, the piece collided with shards from another piece of pottery that broke apart during the firing process.  It caused an unrepairable crack from top to bottom.  This kept Early from submitting the pot for judging at the 2010 SWAIA Indian Market.  It was to be his comeback piece.  I saw Early at Market on Saturday, and while the piece seems defeated, Early is not.  He is proudly displaying the pot at his booth throughout the entire Indian Market weekend.  It sits amidt wonderful depictions of turkeys, ducks and miniature pieces made by Early and his aspiring potter sons David and Alan.

As a man who comes from a Native and Irish background, Early brings a unique perspective to the Pueblo experience and pottery-making process.  As a young man, Early was told that working with clay could only be done by women in the village, but Early has pushed the envelope to make himself one of the finest potters in Laguna. 

As part of my interview with the artist, he took me around Paguate to get a feel for the Pueblo life that infuses Early's pottery with a gentleness and charm that embodies the artist himself. We spent time visiting abandoned buildings, his grandmother's old home, which now serves as Early's clay grinding house, and learning about some of the history.  Watch Early talk about his pottery-making process and get a glimpse into Pueblo life at Paguate HERE:

The Road to Indian Market 2010: Diné Jewelry Designer Fritz Casuse

Unalarming, unassuming, unconcerned with time constraints describes the vibe I got from Diné (Navajo) jewelry designer Fritz Casuse when I recently went to his home and studio just outside Santa Fe to interview him. His young son, Mossimo, whom he shares with jewelry designer and birch bark biting artist Wanesia Misquadace, grabbed my hand immediately and then excitedly attempted to drag me out back to see his new puppies. From the minute I arrived, I could tell that the house was an inspirational place, full of love, fun and bursting with creativity. Of course, the art on the walls spoke loads about the friendships that the couple share with other artists. Fritz went into the garage, which houses his workshop, to “straighten up.” Apparently, there were toys everywhere and things were in disarray. I explained that I had seen worse, and the less organized it was, the better visual for an interview, because I wanted to catch him midstream--in the midst of absolute creativity.

The interview began only after I had the opportunity to see a cavalcade of his work in gold, silver, set with diamonds, pearls, agate, jasper, coral and more. This included his SWAIA Indian Market submission piece, which took 2nd place on Friday afternoon's judging. What I saw, floored me. My jaw is still dragging, and my brain is reeling with “how did he do that?” and “that is the most exquisite thing I have ever seen!” And that’s how it is…the “Fritz Experience” as I am calling it, is a paradox when you consider the genuine meekness of the artist and the pomp and circumstance of his works. Relatively quiet about himself and his work, Fritz gave me the first ever in-studio interview and really opened things up for people to see how he does what he does and get a glimpse into the mind that creates extraordinary one-of-a-kind works of art.

Upon entering his studio, I noticed a number of football action figures, still in their original packaging, hanging on the walls. Fritz was quick to explain that the artist, Todd McFarlane, creator of the comic book series Spawn, is one of his inspirations because of the level of detail he puts into his designs. McFarlane is also the artist that creates figures of professional football players. One might not quickly associate football with fine handmade jewelry, but it’s those details in the design work that remind Fritz what he is striving for every time he picks up his tools. All technicalities and immense creativity aside, Fritz points out that above all he wants to have fun when he teaches and creates in the studio. He also explained that his attention to detail comes from a disciplined background of painting and sculpting, which helps him when he creates what he calls his wearable “miniature sculptures.”

Impressively, Fritz is the main collaborator on a piece designed for Carolyn Pollack Jewelry. Fellow designers Cody Sanderson, Veronica Benally and Roderick Tenorio all joined forces to build the piece and then donate to SWAIA for its annual auction. While a truncated cast version of the garden-themed squash blossom will be available to the general public through QVC and CarolynPollack.com, all four artists donated their materials and time to mastermind this original, handmade piece, which is a series of flowers, insects, including lovely butterflies and lady bugs. The necklace will be auctioned off this evening.

In spite of his reputation for being relatively quiet, in an interview setting, this bona fide “nice guy” seems very at ease and is, perhaps, one of the most articulate artists I have ever interviewed. I found myself getting wrapped up in his natural charm and his ability to talk clearly and thoughtfully about his jewelry as well as what he does to get ready for Indian Market. See what Fritz Casuse has to say about his work in my studio chat with him HERE:

The Road to Indian Market 2010: Diné Painter and Pastel Artist Monty H. Singer

I first became aware of the art of Diné (Navajo) self-taught painter and pastel artist Monty H. Singer at Fire God Gallery in Santa Fe. Influenced by the film noir genre, the work exhibited there featured velvety female nudes objectified in a very raw sexual and dark way. His pastel pieces have a very photographic quality, which have a way of drawing you into their world.

This year will mark Singer’s third year journeying down the road to SWAIA Indian Market. Upon visiting his home studio, one gets the sense that he is extremely organized and can easily multitask to get ready for Market. What’s amazing is that Singer can work on so many genres at one time. Never having met the artist, I was prepared, based on the nude works that I had seen, to come face-to-face with someone highly intense, visceral, slightly tormented and filled with rage, but, in truth, Singer is really a brilliant artist, with a calm disposition, who can capture a variety of moods and themes and can talk very intellectually about it all.

That’s not to say there isn’t rage inside him, which he talked candidly about in his interview with Uncle Paulie’s World. Some of the things that fill him with that anger are fetal alcohol disease, with which many people in his family have been afflicted, along with the racism directed towards mixed raced Indians on the Navajo Reservation. This is a particularly strong subject for the artist since his niece is half Navajo, half Black. In fact, the day that I visited his studio, Singer was hard at work at the beginnings of a pastel portrait of his niece decked out in traditional Navajo clothing and jewelry. Based on a photograph, he subsequently finished the piece the following day with tremendous results. He is also working on a series about fetal alcohol disease as well, which ekoves intense emotion and empathy on the part of the spectator.  The empathy is then followed by a horribly disturbed feeling.  Singer really knows how to provoke.

In addition to the stylized nudes, Singer also creates photo-realistic “in your face” rock formations. A departure from the norm, Singer even recently finished a piece that combines his love of nudes with abstract qualities. And while the subject was naked, she seemed almost a seraphim-like, and lacked the darkness and raw sexuality that he is accustomed to painting. The convergence of the abstract (The background was added after the female figure.) with the nude had an interesting effect that Singer wasn’t quite sure worked. I suggested that it was indeed something that someone at Indian Market would be interested in buying.

Monty Singer talked to me at length about his work and what it’s like to be a participating SWAIA Indian Market artist. Check his art out and unique perspective HERE:

The Road to Indian Market 2010: The Pottery Process with Kathleen Wall of Jemez Pueblo

Jemez Pueblo potter Kathleen Wall is perhaps one of the most featured artists on my blog, and for good reason--she's fabulously talented!  Her koshare clown sculptures and realistic portraits of Pueblo people in clay make people smile as well as astound.   For any artist, their mood or the place at which they are in their life dictates the work, and Kathleen is no exception.  Every single piece she makes is different, regardless of similiarity in tone, color, or subject matter.   They also reflect the people in her life, whether it's her little sister Julia or one of her three children.  The Wall piece that I acquired earlier this year is a combined portrait of her sister and her youngest boy, Jesse.  For me, the added pleasure of the piece is knowing whom I'm looking at every time I steal a glance.  For the first month of having him in my home, I scarcely had the desire to sleep because I just wanted to stay up and keep looking at him to enjoy the sculpture's marvelous energy.  I'm quite certain that for faithful collectors of her work, the feeling is the same.

Wall, who is an alumnus of IAIA (Institute of American Indian Arts) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been participating in SWAIA Indian Market since she was twenty-four years-old.  She's now in her late thirties.  She has been a well-recognized artist since she was in her mid-teens, and her recognition has brought much success to the other members of her family, who are all artists as well.

All the success, though, has never changed Wall's attitude about life and art.  She is still the down-to-earth, no-nonsense artist, who has kept the same rituals year after year as she prepares to bring her beautiful creations to Indian Market.  Last month, I had the opportunity to stop by her Jemez studio, an old Pueblo house that her late grandfather built on the reservation, to talk to her about what it takes for Kathleen Wall to make it down the road to Indian Market.  Wall talked to me openly about the things that mark the season for her and how Market has changed how she works and lives her life.  She also gave a full demonstration of the koshare-making process, which I found fascinating.  It was as if I was in the maternity ward of a hospital and had the chance to see where and how Wall "gave birth" to the piece that I cherish as one of the most special pieces of art in my collection.  There's also a peek into the creation of her Indian Market submission pieces, which may just make their way into bronze in the coming months. 

For collectors, who may not be aware of the entire pottery-making process, or those who simply will not be able to stop by her Indian Market booth (#224 PAL) this year, I fondly make my interview with Wall available HERE:

The Road to Indian Market 2010: The Bark and Bite of Ojibwe Artist Wanesia Misquadace

I first met birch bark biting artist and jewelry deisgner Wanesia Misquadace at the Native Treasures show in Santa Fe this past spring. In spite of the fact that we had never met,  a couple of months before, she had added me as a Facebook friend.  So, we felt like we already knew each other when we finally did meet face-to-face. The mother of little Mossimo, whom she shares with her husband Diné jewelry designer Fritz Casuse (who I will profile later this week on “The Road to Indian Market 2010”), Misquadace also balances a career as wife and artist and does it all well! As a matter of fact, Misquadace is one of only about ten artists in North America that does birch bark biting, which involves peeling the thin layers off of the birch tree, and then biting the bark with the eyetooth to create beautiful designs ranging from turtles to flowers or hummingbirds.  Wanesia has been doing SWAIA Indian Market for the last five years, and her birch biting techniques have led to incorporating them into gorgeous fine jewelry as well.

Lucky for me, I recently caught Wanesia attending art openings in downtown Santa Fe, and she talked to me about what the road to Indian Market is like for her. If you are in Santa Fe for the 2010 Indian Market on August 21 and 22, come by her booth (#SF519) and say hello. In the meantime, get to know Wanesia by watching her video interview HERE:

The Road to Indian Market 2010: Pueblo Pottery and Art Dealer Robert Andrews

While many collectors don't think of Albuquerque when they think of SWAIA Indian Market, some actually make a plan to check things out at ABQ's Old Town Plaza.  There are a number of shops offering authentic, handmade Native American art, but Andrews Pueblo Pottery and Art Gallery by far has the best selection of contemporary Pueblo pottery and art in town with some of the best prices in New Mexico, including the work of 2008  Indian Market "Best in Show" artist Sheldon Harvey.  Owner Bob Andrews' prices are so competitive, it makes it worth the trip on the New Mexico Railrunner or by car just to see what you can find. 

Since I spend a great deal of time at Andrews, it was a no-brainer to talk to Bob about how the economy has affected the gallery, what they do to attract Indian Market goers to the gallery, and how the whole season contributes to his business's bottom line.  Watch my interview with Bob Andrews HERE:

The Road to Indian Market 2010: Jewelry Designer and Painter Tony Abeyta

It seems that whatever artist Tony Abeyta touches turns to gold.   Abeyta, a Navajo artist, son of the late Navajo painter Ha-So-De (Narciso Abeyta), seems confidently grounded as it concerns his career, in spite of his lineage.  While seemingly relaxed, you get the sense that the wheels in his head are constantly turning and, no matter what else he's doing at that moment, he'd like to get back into the studio to create.  Perhaps that's why he is always challenging himself--experimenting with style and reinventing himself at every turn.  You have to ask the question, is there nothing that this wonderboy can't do?  I'm inclined to think there's not!

That's why when I read on Facebook a few months ago that he was chipping away at a new jewelry collection, I wasn't really surprised.  After all, Abeyta is one of the most innovative Native American artists of his generation.  I was really excited to see what he came up with and find out more about the collection, which he describes as Charles Loloma-esque without all the detailed inlay work. Lucky for me, I ran into him at an event at Santa Fe's Shiprock last month and he gave me the opportunity to pick his brain about it all, as well as find out what it's like for him as he gets ready for Indian Market season. 

"Market," as it is referred to by insiders, is an important time for Native artists, and Abeyta is no exception.  While he hasn't had a booth on Santa Fe's Plaza for some time (He is represented by Blue Rain Gallery), SWAIA Indian Market is one of the top three Native arts shows in the country, and collectors come from all over the world to buy the best of the best, including Abeyta's work.  Sales anywhere in Santa Fe can provide an artist with the lion's share of his or her annual income.

Abeyta told me that he had a huge learning curve, since he knew absolutely nothing about stones or silverwork before he began making the jewelry.  It's hard, though, to think of Abeyta as a novice, since he is only in his mid-40s and has already had such an illustrious career.  The artist consulted top designers Cody Sanderson and Michael Roanhorse to give pointers on practicality of design, to learn about dealing with stones and the techical side of silversmithing.  The collection, which includes belt buckles, cuffs and more, is sand cast. Attendees at Abeyta's opening at Blue Rain Gallery on August 20 will be treated to pieces that are eye-catching and incorporate traditional Navajo design elements and elements from his painted works.  Don't worry if you can't stop by Blue Rain Gallery next week to see the collection, because Uncle Paulie's World has a sneak peek as part of my "The Road to Indian Market 2010" series. Check out Tony Abeyta's interview HERE:

The Road to Indian Market 2010: Native Arts Dealer and Historian Marti Struever

The road to SWAIA Indian Market is long, not just for the artists.  Did you know that gallery owners and private dealers depend on Indian Market to make their businesses profitable each year?  Indian Market brings collectors from all over the world to Santa Fe for this one weekend in late August, and dealers frantically work to put something special together to attract those buyers. This year's Indian Market takes place Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22.

Take Martha "Marti" Struever, for instance. Marti is a private dealer, having once operated her own gallery in Chicago before relocating to Santa Fe.  She has been in the business for thirty-six years.  Starting with one purchase of a piece of jewelry in Arizona, Marti has built her own exquisite personal collection of  fine Native American arts, developed relationships with and encouraged the budding careers of top Native artists for years.  She has also cultivated a vast knowledge of Native American arts, which garnered her the distinction of being the first person to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award granted by the Antique Tribal Art Dealer Association (ATADA) for contributing to the understanding and preservation of tribal art.

Every year, Marti hosts her own exhibition and sale at Santa Fe's luxurious Eldorado Hotel called "Marti's Choice," where she offers up for sale the best in traditional and contemporary Native American arts.  This year, she will be exhibiting from Wednesday, August 18 through the weekend.  Since Indian Market time gets people out hustling and bustling to get things done, I snagged the opportunity to get Marti talking about what it's like to be an independent dealer getting ready for Indian Market and some of her favorite shows she's mounting this year. Enjoy the interview HERE:

(Please note that this series in in no way affiliated with SWAIA or SWAIA Indian Market)

The Road to Indian Market 2010: Cherokee and Swedish Painter America Meredith

It would be easy to say "let freedom ring" when referring to the work of Cherokee and Swedish painter America Meredith.  Her work is as diverse as the artist herself is complex. America is thoughtful, intellectual, focused all the while humorous and unassuming.  The great-great niece of comedian Will Rogers, America enjoys enjoying life around her while she interprets from her own unique perspective.

For America, the road to SWAIA Indian Market is paved with numerous committments and keeping on track to make sure she has something substantial and compelling to offer her collectors.  One of her favorite aspects about Indian Market is meeting collectors--the old and the new--and answering questions about her work. 

For the first installment of my "The ROAD to Indian Market 2010" series, America talked with me recently in her Santa Fe studio about the various work she does that leads up to market, including her extraordinary pieces, which incorporate syllabary, the Cherokee writing system.  The artist blends traditional styles from Native America and Europe and then adds her own spin by including pop iconography from her childhood. Oftentimes, she paints portraits of historical figures--including Native Americans from all walks of life.  These paintings, which can incorporate signs, text, and found objects such as stickers, as seen in one of her new series, make social commentaries and incorporate her own brand of humor. 

(**Please note that this series and video is in no way connected to SWAIA or its partners. Thanks to SWAIA for its permission to use the words 'Indian Marlet,' which are trademarked.)

Check out the video interview HERE:

Brooklyn Sculptor Robin Antar Carves Out America One Icon at a Time

It's never a bad thing when you're, not only in the right place at the right time, but equally prepared as well.  Today, I happened to be on "the City Different's" prestigious Canyon Road, when I ran into one of my new favorites artists--Brooklyn-bred stone sculptor Robin Antar.  Lucky for me, I have been carrying my video camera around as if I were the papparazzi.  So, it was very natural for me, upon seeing images of her work on her iPad, to be like "umm...these are the coolest pieces of art ever. Let me grab my camera to do an interview with you right now!" 

Antar was very obliging in a typically New York reticent What-does-he-want-from-me-you-wanna-interview-me-wearing-this?! kind of way. Ultimately, we hit it off over role-playing native "New Yawkers" hailing and then subsequently fighting for a cab.  I quickly discovered how funny she is when I asked (knowing full well the answer), "Are you from Santa Fe?" Her reply? "Do I sound like I'm from Santa Fe?"  Let's just say there is a slight 'hint' of Brooklyn in her voice! It's no surprise then that her eye for detail is as keen as her sense of humor.

Antar took up abstract sculpting in 1974 while still a high school student.  It was later, post-9/11, that she began to carve her realistic creations, including American icons and  her shoe collection, which began with a commission from Skechers to create a boot sculpture. In past years, Antar has more than risen to the challenge of making sculptures in the form of blue jeans, jean jackets, cookies, ketchup and wine bottles, and her present project--a 6,000-pound bag of potato chips!

How does she achieve the realism in her work? "I replicate these items on a real life-scale, complete with meticulous detail," she says. "...by incorporating parts of the actual object, as well as custom-made stains, paints, plastics and gold leaf. It's more than art imitating life, it's art mirroring life."

In addition to being housed in private collections, Antar's art has been exhibited in various shows and galleries, including Sotheby's, NY; the National Art Club, NY; Nabisco Gallery, NJ; Fine Art Management Enterprises, Miami, FL; the City Museum of St. Louis, Mo., the Provincetown Art Museum, Provincetown, MA; the MGM Grand hotel, Las Vegas and others.  

The artist, who is based out of her Brooklyn, New York studio,  is in Santa Fe this week promoting her work, which is represented by Marji Gallery on Canyon Road.  Marji Gallery specializes in American and international artists and features diverse mediums such as original paintings, contemporary photography, sculpture and conceptual art. This weekend, Antar will be appearing at the gallery to sign posters on Friday (8/6) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday (8/7) from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

In the meantime, enjoy Antar expounding on her captivating work in a video interview HERE: