Southwestern Souvenirs

The week before the Heard Museum Guild Fair and Indian Market sees a slow, inexorable stream of collectors, enthusiasts, and tourists (some of the latter are here for Spring Training) to Phoenix and environs. This means that on the Thursday before the Fair, the weekly Art Walk in Scottsdale becomes the place for Southwestern arts mavens to congregate. As the sun goes down, festive lights break out on Scottsdale’s Main Street and its galleries open up for receptions, special events, and artists, artists, artists. Music spills out over the street, and throngs of people make a slow, determined bee line from one gallery to another. Antique arts can be seen at Turkey Mountain Traders and, around the corner on Goldwater Boulevard, John C. Hill Antique Indian Arts. Hill is particularly known for having some of finest older katsina carvings available outside a museum. Vintage works are on view at the Old Territorial Shop. Contemporary arts are the main feature at River Trading Post, Faust Gallery, and Waddell Trading.

River Trading Post during Scottsdale Artwalk.

We’ll be there as well, amongst all the crowds. Photography for the book I’m working on needs to be done, but we will be visiting our contributors earlier in the week before the press of customers begins. A number of artists whose works will be photographed for the book need to be sought out and consulted at the Heard Guild Fair, too. As a result, we’ll be on hiatus for the first week of March. On our return, we’ll have much to report about the Indian arts events of Arizona. Maybe you should come out there, too?

Follow the signs to Artwalk!

The Heard Guild Fair has become one of the most significant events to showcase Southwestern Indian arts. Held on the first weekend in March for a little over fifty years now, this annual Indian market is a labor of love on the part of many volunteers. This year’s dates are March 6 and 7. Attendees in all categories of the arts — their works screened by a jury — occupy booths on the museum grounds. Participant numbers have risen steadily to  650-700 artists.

Outside at the Heard Guild Fair and Indian Market.

The show’s organizers invite more than just Southwestern Native artists, thereby providing a real overall look at the state of Native American artistry today. Southwestern artists predominate, however, and their works can be dazzling. The Guild Fair draws serious collectors and enthusiasts from all over to its downtown Phoenix location, and Valley Metro, the new light rail system now offers visitors easier access.

Inside one of the huge tents at the Heard Guild Fair and Indian Market.

Just like the Indian Market in Santa Fe, the first few hours are devoted to frantic collector viewing, but the atmosphere is lighter in tone than the larger event in New Mexico. Artists don’t feel compelled to show their most expensive creations here. Since the Fair is held on the museum grounds, it’s more compact in nature and such coziness is welcoming. Book signings, educational demonstrations, and high quality music and dance add to the festive mood.

New collectors and tourists with little or no experience in Indian markets will find this the perfect place to shop. Artists chat freely about their work, and the sense of quiet tension that marks booth occupants in Santa Fe is lacking here. For more description see my recent article in The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles (Feb. 2010; the print edition).