2020

We invite our VIP members to gather with us virtually August 22 at 3pm MST, to kick off our 2020 Gala inside our all-new NDN World!

While we are saddened to be missing the opportunity to greet you all in person, we are also very much looking forward to the 2020 SWAIA Gala.

Not a VIP member yet? Upgrade your membership level prior to the event!

The Event

This year’s virtual gala will be held exclusively inside NDN World.
As you likely already know, this platform is brand new for SWAIA, and we have been excited to share this space with you!

Much of the format of this event will be as you’ve known it to be in the past. So come on inside NDN World, choose an avatar, and get ready to party!

Let’s go inside NDN World!

How to download NDN World:

For Mac users:

• Written guide
• Video guide

For PC users:

• Written guide
• Video guide

Navigating inside NDN World:

Watch our video walkthrough, led by SWAIA’s Executive Director, Kim Peone, to learn more about how to navigate throughout the NDN world Platform!

 

Saturday, August 22, join us for the livestreamed SWAIA Benefit Auction at 4pm MST, followed by the 2020 Award-Winning Art Auction at 6pm MST.

To participate in these NO BIDDER’S FEE auctions, you must be a member of SWAIA.
– 4pm SWAIA Benefit Auction: Memberships for the Benefit Auction start at just $25 (Crystal level). See a sampling of the available artwork for this auction now!
– 6pm Award-Winning Art Auction: For this auction, your membership level must begin at $160 (Coral Circle)
See a sampling of the available artwork for this auction now!

Not yet a member? Become a member of SWAIA at the appropriate level. (Crystal or above for the Benefit Auction; Coral Circle and above for both auctions)

Once you’re already a member, all you need to do is create an auction account with a user name and email and then follow these instructions on how to join us.

Thank you for continuing to enable us to support our truly talented artists.

We’ll see you there!

Adrian Standing Elk Pinnecoose is a Diné digital artist who specializes in 2-D creations and 3-D printed jewelry, and was featured in the 2018 Fashion Show with a line of 3-D printed looks.

With a Virtual Indian Market, his futuristic designs with natural elements was a natural choice for this year’s merchandise.

We asked Adrian a few questions to find out more about his inspiration and his process. Here is what he said:

How long have  you been doing art and how did you start?  

I’ve been doing art as long as I can remember. My mom put me in a lot of different art programs as a child. I played the piano, beaded, painted, you name it, my mom introduced me to a variety of different mediums. Growing up in Santa Fe too, was rich in culture and always lively.

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How long have you been an Indian Market artist?

I used to participate in the Youth Market making beadwork and watercolor paintings. After that I would share with my mom off and on. Then I decided to take a break and felt the need to focus my process on something new. I decided to attend UNM and study architecture. 

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Do you come from a family of artists? 

Yes, my entire family did an array of different art. It helped inspire my thought process creating my art and where I wanted to go with it. Also my mom introduced me to her friends which were artists as well and I got to see many different perspectives growing up within the art community. 

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What is your process for creation, and where do you draw your inspiration?

When I start on a new project I make sure I facilitate a strong vernacular language that can be read on many different views. Throughout the years of creating artwork the main qualitative aspect has been a rug design that my great-grandmother weaved. It has been the foundation to my process and how I translate that concept into my 2D graphics, fashion and now jewelry. My inspiration comes from life and my identity of whom I am as a person. It’s a constant evolution applying digital applications to tell my story.

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What was your reaction to being asked to be the merchandise artist?

To be honest it caught me off guard. My process is anything but traditional and at times can be a controversial topic how art is portrayed within the Indigenous art community. It means a great deal to me being asked and I hope it opens the doors for younger artists creating work through unique processes. 

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What is the meaning behind your piece, Tranquil Vitality?

Tranquil Vitality is apart of my newest series titled “Pandemonium of Beauty,” that brings harmony and chaos as one. I wanted to use vibrant colors to illustrate a sense of euphoria. During these times I needed to create a place of happiness to help focus my sense-ability and I wanted to share that with everybody. A place to escape and engage the mind during these unsettling times. 

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What was your reaction to Indian Market going Virtual?

I thought it was a great way to help artists establish their digital presents. A way to build on an ever growing digital platform that we all live in today. It’s a great way to stay connected with your audience and to connect with others globally.

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Adrian’s Website

Buy 2020 Merchandise Now!

 

Community Learning Network Mobilized Volunteers and Interns to

Help SWAIA Artists Create Websites  

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 1, 2020; Santa Fe, NM: Community Learning Network (CLN) mobilized an informal and formal network and coordinated more than 40 interns and volunteers (meet a few of them here) from a range of partner organizations including Stonehill College, Villanova University, University of Portland, University of New Mexico, and Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), as well as interns from the PROTEC (www.protecsantafe.com), hosted through SFCC Continuing Education and Contract Training program and supported by the County of Santa Fe.  

 The CLN interns and volunteers were introduced to the SWAIA juried artist and SWAIA staff, matched with artists, and then worked one-on-one with the artists by phone, text, email, and zoom to help them build and launch their website, establish and/or connect PayPal payment processing, and engage with promotions and social media opportunities.  

 CommUNITY Learning Network supported this initiative thanks to support from New Mexico TechWorks and the “1000 Website in 1000 Days” project, the TechHire working group of the Opportunity Santa Fe Birth to Career program at the Santa Fe Community Foundation, the Pueblo Connect initiative supported by the National Science Foundation, the Internet Society and Internet Society New Mexico Chapter, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos Major Subcontrators Consortium and New Mexico Community Foundation, New Mexico Gas Company, New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, Verizon, Facebook Career Connections pilot training and paid internship program with support from New Mexico Workforce Solutions, Nusenda, and the City of Santa Fe Office of Economic Development.  

 Extra special thanks and acknowledgement to Elizabeth Eppley, the AmeriCorps Vista member that worked with CommUNITY Learning Network as an Economic Development Coordinator thanks to support from the North Central New Mexico Economic Development Department.  

 Eppley did an outstanding job coordinating the volunteer efforts. She has continued to support SWAIA artists by creating weekly Facebook posts featuring the work and websites of SWAIA artists, plus she coordinated a virtual meetup with three of the artists on zoom during Global Entrepreneurship Week in November 2020 (www.gewsantafe.com)  

 For More Information about CommUNITY Learning Network, please visit: https://www.communitylearningnetwork.org
 

 

Thanks to all of YOU, Virtual Indian Market has started off with a bang! We have already received feedback that speaks to the importance of supporting artists during these uncertain times:

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As a former SWAIA Board member, I must say how impressed I am by the organization’s dedication to its artists and members, especially during this challenging time. The virtual market is creative and and so important to Native American art, perpetuation of Native American culture, and truly is representative of our shared human spirit!
I wish you all safety, good health, prosperity and a successful Virtual Indian Market!

— Governor Brian Vallo, Acoma Pueblo

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As a first time SWAIA Indian Market artist, I wasn’t sure initially how my work would be received. Today, the opening day of the Virtual Indian Market 2020, I have sold three sculptures and two drawings. It is so gratifying to know that people appreciate the work, and even more so that I can be a part of the amazing Indian Market community. During the time of COVID-19 it is a blessing to be able to focus my energies not on fear and anxiety but rather on creating things that make the world a more beautiful place.”

— Joshua Hinson, Participating Artist

Kim Peone will be the first Native American woman in SWAIA’s history to serve as Executive Director

After a nationwide search, SWAIA’s Board of Directors is proud to announce the selection of Kim Peone as its new Executive Director. Peone is an enrolled member of the Colville Confederated Tribes of Washington and currently resides in Santa Fe.

“The Board is excited by the impressive background Peone brings to SWAIA to lead Indian Market through our Centennial year (2022) and into the next century. Peone’s 30 years of experience in Indian Country, astute business and financial background, as well as great managerial and leadership skills were a perfect fit for SWAIA’s needs going forward,” said Board Chair Tom Teegarden.

Peone’s father Richard (Eastern Band of Cherokee), and mother Annabelle (Colville Confederated Tribes), met while attending the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, and started a family. Peone was born in Santa Fe— a city known as an American Indian art mecca.

Kim Peone’s career has taken her across Indian Country from coast to coast, serving tribes and tribal entities in numerous professional capacities. Most recently, Peone was the CEO/CFO of an extremely successful tribal corporation in Washington State. Her full circle journey has led her back to Santa Fe to pursue professional opportunities. Her expertise is building accountable, sustainable, and disciplined Native organizations that exceed expectations of key stakeholders.

The Board has an ambitious vision for the future of SWAIA, building on past successes and taking the organization to new levels of impact that benefit Native artists. Part of SWAIA’s mission is to form solid partnerships to ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization; this aligns with Peone’s leadership philosophy.

“It was a tough decision to postpone the 99^th Indian Market this year in the wake of COVID 19, especially given the economic impact on our artists and the event’s $165 million-dollar impact on the economy of northern New Mexico,” said Traci Rabbit, artist and Board member. “We must move forward, and I am confident Kim’s background and abilities will successfully lead SWAIA into the future. There are many challenges ahead for organizations like SWAIA, and the Board is committed to ensure that its legacy and influence will not only withstand those challenges, but emerge stronger.”

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MEDIA CONTACT: Amanda Crocker