Braids

My 9-year-old granddaughter was totally captivated by the braids worn by the Native America men.  She noticed and commented on all of them.  She missed the design and bead work on the garment in the top photo because she was concentrating on the braid.

How'd you like to pick up this little number for $6500??  Rick Nez, a Navajo (Dine) is the sculptor in a family of artists.  At the Indian Market prices range from what I consider affordable to pieces to those with extraordinary price tags.

Guest Photographer: Olivia

Our nine-year-old granddaughter, Olivia, is here in Santa Fe with us; and she is using her new camera Vivitar Vivicam for the first time.  Because the instructions are minimal, we have yet to figure out how to correct and to eliminate the date from the photo. We posted her effort, nonetheless, because this portrait is typical of the people we see on the streets of Santa Fe during Indian Market: western-style shirt, cowboy hat, and bola necktie. Plus I think she's doing a great job of capturing images!

We arrived at the Plaza at 8:30 and already some of the parking lots were full and the streets were crowded with people enjoying the Indian Market.  I noticed Adrian Wall from Jemez Pueblo carefully dusting off one of his pieces of sculpture with a fine brush.  He cordially stopped his work to answer my questions, indicating that he started art work when he was very young and has been learning and perfecting his craft for 22 years.  Since he has been showing his work at the annual Indian Market for 12 years, I'd consider him a pro!

Opera Lovers

Annalie is #36 in my 100 Strangers Project

Annalie's hat first caught my attention.  She was taking photographs of the labyrinth in the courtyard entrance of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in downtown Santa Fe.  She and several friends from Las Cruces, New Mexico, including her sister seen in the background, came to Santa Fe to attend the Santa Fe opera rather than the Indian Market, although they won't miss any of those festivities either.  They have seen two operas already and said that Thursday night's performance of The Last Savage was fantastic.  They are eagerly waiting to see Faust next. Annalie is the Administrative Director of Congregation B'nai Zion in El Paso Texas,, a conservative congregation affiliated with with the United Synagogue of America.