Spanish Market

I left home early this morning and made my way to the Plaza. Today is the start of Spanish Market and I wanted to be able to find a parking spot before it got crazy busy. I decided to park at the PERA Building and walk to the Plaza - that way I could avoid any traffic when I was ready to leave. I got there pretty early and most of the artist were still setting up their booths. So I walked around a little and then decided to get a cup of coffee and sit for a while until all the booths were ready. So I found a bench near the middle of the Plaza and did a little people watching and took a couple of pictures. Then I decided to walk the perimeter of the Plaza first and look at all those booths, then I walked through the middle and saw the artwork there, I then walked along the front of the Palace of the Governors and then down Palace Ave to see what was on display there. My last walk was down Lincoln to view the Contemporary Hispanic Market. There were lots of different types of artwork from santos, straw applique, tinwork, textiles, pottery, basketry, furniture and more. The colors were unbelievable and beautiful. I took a break from walking for a little while and enjoyed some music. The woman singing had a very beautiful voice and even thought I didn't understand the words to the songs the music was wonderful. I guess I spent about three hours on the Plaza this morning and I had a great time.

Santa Fe International Folk Art Market

Today I visited the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market held at Museum Hill. It cost $15 to get in but it was worth it. With admission to the market you could also visit the museums - Museum of International Folk Art, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Museum of Spanish Colonial Art and the Wheelwright Musuem. I had a great time visiting all the booths and looking at all the arts and crafts. There was so much to see and there were so many people. Sometimes it was hard to get to the booths and actually see the artwork. But I saw some incredible things. Weavings, drums, jewelry, block prints, tinwork, baskets and a lot more. I ended up purchasing a hammered copper vase - it is made from recycled copper that is melted down and formed into disks and then hammered into shape. The piece I bought came from Santa Clara del Cobre in Michoacán, Mexico and was produced by the Roberto Castro Hernandez workshop.

I also took a little break from the heat and crowds and visited the Folk Art Museum and the Museum of Indian Arts. I hadn't been in these museums for a long time - it was good to take this opportunity to see them again. After a walk through of the museums I went to the stage area and watched the Kalakriti Dance Company - they performed Bharata Natyam (a traditional dance from India). It was really enjoyable - I watched them for about 30 minutes and then I made the rounds of the booths again. I decided it was time to go so I made my way to the payment booth to pay for the vase and then went back to the booth to pick it up.