Folk Art Extravaganza Revisited

Even though it has only been a few weeks since the end of our SchoolArts/CRIZMAC Folk Art Extravaganza in Santa Fe, Stevie Mack and I are already planning our offerings for next summer. I'll be posting details very soon. In the meantime, I want to share a few photographs of some of the many artists we met from around the world who came together in Santa Fe for the 10th year at the International Folk Art Market.

Agustin Prudencio Cruz, an artist from Oaxaca, Mexico, from a family of woodcarvers, visited our group and demonstrated his procedures for carving and painting fantastic figures of animals and people.

Cilau Valadez, a Huichol artist from Mexico who is preserving and maintaining his people's tradition of yarn painting and beading, also visited our group.

Here I am with Trisha Stoddard and Naina and Surendar Valasi of Ralli Quilts. Naina represents a cooperative of women in a remote part of Pakistan who make applique quilts that are sold at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market. Trisha is their "goddess" who discovered their quilts, preserved their heritage in a book, and sold their quilts at the Market for the last 10 years. The money the women make at the Market has helped the village start a school for their children, among other things.  Many of the people who sell at the Market can make more in that weekend than they can in a year at home.  And they take home 90% of their sales.

I think this is my favorite portrait of the Market. Her glasses were made of beads (but not for sale!).

The artists are happy to pose for photos and explain and/or demonstrate their expertise. All the artists are juried to get into the Market so the artwork is unique and museum-quality.

Thanks to Stevie for helping make this experience always so much fun and for Bill for taking such great photos. Stay tuned for next year's plans!