The market was a fabulous time! Meeting up with and spending time with @Ziacat made it extra special. She looked stunning with her stacked cuffs and layered necklaces, and her newly acquired pieces made for awesome additions!
Milford had prime real estate for vacuuming up interested parties, as his booth was directly inside the museum’s entrance! He’s such a pleasure to talk to. He shared with me that his family is heavily involved in his processes, and that, at times when he’s casting, focusing on keeping the heat on the molten silver and creeping up to the sprue on his mold, his wife scares the 
out him by sneaking up over his shoulder with the video camera. 
He’s very talented and humble, and @Ziacat’s new ring is a lovely example of his work.
I don’t feel @Ziacat needed much persuading. 
Although I’ll admit, I am guilty of what @TAH refers to as being “A friend of questionable influence”. 
The patina’d texture on @Ziacat’s new cuff is something else, very beautiful and exceptionally well done. As is the unique, “floating” setting, I thought that was a neat touch and that Pete did a marvelous job. 
It’s not very often that I say someone’s name and two heads turn! 
It certainly was enjoyable company, even as we stood in a spurt of rain while watching the multi-Nation group Indigenous Enterprise perform their last showing of their famed, collaborative dance Indigenous Liberation.
We spent a fair amount of time with Navajo/Picuris Pueblo artist Jerry Gaussoin Jr. He’s a talented silversmith, storyteller and very inviting. He shared that he learned the art of casting from his mother. He was wearing a cuff that she had cast at a show in the late eighties for a client, and twenty years later it was returned to her at the Santa Fe market by the same person who commissioned it. The customer said as he had no heirs to leave it to, he wanted it back in her hands. It was later passed on to Jerry, and it fit him perfectly! A truly stunning piece that inspired the piece that follows. Jerry’s cuff didn’t bear any turquoise, but it was of classic design and had awesome patina and wear. It was no mystery that it was well loved. I’m awaiting him to share a photo of it and if he does, I’ll be sure to post it here.
My sister bought an incredible tufa cast bolo from him (inspired by his mother’s cuff)…
I’m waiting on her to let me know the mine that the turquoise came from. I think it’s natural #8 but am verifying that.
My close friend that joined my sister and I went to the market looking for a multi strand, a naja pendant, and silver beads. She found these lovely strands by Lita Atencio…
As @Ziacat eluded to in @here4turquoise’s thread, she also scooped up this awesome pendant and necklace of handmade beads from Robert Johnson and his lovely wife Lenore…
I can assure you, @here4turquoise, this pendant is in very caring, loving, and deeply appreciative hands. 
I spent quite a bit of time in the booth of Navajos Ryan Smith and his sister. They had on display some incredible weavings, of which their whole family had a part in. Pictorials, Corn Maidens, Eye Dazzlers, Storm Patterns and Two Grey Hills, as well as some early patterns that were crafted by their grandmother. Due to a discrepancy with their application, Ryan was unable to display his jewelry. After engaging eachother in lengthy conversation concerning belts, conchos, and ketohs, Ryan shared with me his huge collection of stamps, and concho punches and dies. He had his stump anvil and all of his tools with him, as he planned on making jewelry in his booth. Which I thought would have been incredibly cool. Honoring his wishes, I didn’t take photos of him or his sister, the weavings, or his jewelry that was stored away, but he did allow me this one…
Best of show in the pottery division was duly awarded to Amanda Lucario (Pueblo of Acoma) for her entry, Olla Jar.
Upon making our rounds on the museum’s grounds, we came upon Amanda’s booth and met her mother and daughter. Among Amanda’s showstopping pottery, a small bowl with ladybugs and two little figurines were displayed. Amanda’s mother proceeded to tell me that her granddaughter, Mila, had made them. I couldn’t help myself…
I knelt down to Mila and told her that I look forward to seeing her in her own booth with her mother many moons from now. There’s nothing quite like seeing smiles so big on artists so young.
I may be most passionate about earlier works, but the conversations, connections and shared history that comes from meeting contemporary artists are things I deeply cherish. For me, Saturday was about soulful connection, spending time with friends, and enjoying the assemblage of master artists that were present. I may not have purchased any jewelry, but I was gifted with memories that I feel are just as beautiful.
For those that have yet to visit the Eiteljorg Museum, here are a few shots of some of my favorite paintings that reside in the museum’s permanent gallery.
I told @Ziacat that I was looking forward to meeting @chicfarmer, and was sorry to hear that she couldn’t make the trek. Perhaps next year we can have a Turquoise People gathering after we kidnap @chicfarmer, @Stracci, @here4turquoise, @TAH, @OrbitOrange and anyone else that would like to go. 
