Taos Pueblo artists

holidays and all

TAOS PUEBLO ARTS ALIVE AND WELL – SHARING JOY, LIVING IN GRACE

BY DENA MILLER

Visitors may be disappointed by the continued closure of Taos Pueblo but there are still plenty of opportunities this holiday season to shop for items featuring local Native American talents.

Sitting in the heart of the historic Taos downtown district, Atcitty’s on Taos Plaza is a welcome addition to the many galleries and boutiques that make Taos a shopper’s and collector’s dream. The proprietor, Cherylin Atcitty, has made her year-old namesake shop a destination for an impressive array of Native American crafts from which to choose. You’ll be even more impressed by this sweeping collection when she tells you that nearly all of the items are created by members of her extended family.

In addition to beautifully crafted artisanal jewelry, you will find Navajo cradle boards and wedding baskets, flutes, dreamcatchers, kachinas and other selections. You might choose to pick up a bag of Native fry bread flour or blue cornmeal and ask Atcitty for some tips on how to make authentic recipes at home.

Dedicated to providing a venue supporting local Native artisans, Atcitty’s will make your holiday shopping a breeze.

Atcitty’s on Taos Plaza is located at 103 Kit Carson Road, at the intersection with Paseo del Pueblo Norte y Sur. For further information call (575) 779-7172.

COURTESY PHOTOS

For those whose gift lists include works of fine art, the R.C. Gorman Navajo Gallery on Taos Plaza should be your first stop.

Gorman — son of one of the World War II Navajo code talkers — made Taos his home and his paintings, wood-cuts, bronze sculptures and ceramics have become synonymous with one of its most significant art movements in recent times.

The New York Times once referred to Gorman as the “Picasso of Native American artists,” and to anyone familiar with his hyper-real female figures the accolade is well-deserved: brilliant colors and stylized backdrops play with the delicate, almost angelic countenances for which he is known (see painting above).

Though original oil pastel or acrylic paintings may be outside your budget, the late artist’s immediately recognizable works are also available as giclees and prints. Books, calendars, note cards and posters are great options for bringing his iconic imagery into your home, or that of your loved ones.

The R.C. Gorman Navajo Gallery is located at 104 South Plaza. Call (575) 758-3250 for more information, or visit rcgormannavajogallery.com.

If you equate Native American jewelry with silver and turquoise, you’re right on, but a visit to Maria Samora Jewelry studio and gallery may just blow up your preconceptions in the best possible way.

After studying for 15 years with famed goldsmith and gem cutter G. Phil Poirer, Samora exploded onto the scene with her 2005 entry in Santa Fe Indian Market. By 2009 she was selected the coveted poster artist for the international show and in 2018, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture named the Native Taoseña its “Living Treasure.”

Sterling silver, 18K gold, diamonds and precious gems are exquisitely wrought by the Samora into contemporary designs that evoke Native American culture in a timeless manner. The pieces are sophisticated while also supremely wearable, and sure to achieve keepsake status for generations to come (see photos opposite page.)

Samora’s new “Lace” collection was unveiled at Indian Market this year and is a technically challenging marriage of hand-fabricated 18K gold beads with matte-finished silver. Her Guilloche pendants are hand-engraved with a Victorianera rose engine, creating a mesmerizing geometric pattern made famous by Fabergé, and which magically blends with her architecturally-inspired motifs such as the Moorish quatrefoil.

Visit Samora’s sleek studio/gallery and be prepared for the unexpected. The lovingly handcrafted pieces for fingers, wrists, ears and necks are each a spectacular work of innovative and structural art, designed to bring you years of enjoyment with their chic yet classic beauty.

Find Maria Samora Jewelry studio and gallery at 824 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, a couple miles north of Taos Plaza. Call (575) 751-7103, or visit mariasamora.com for more information.

When your holiday shopping is done it is time to relax and unwind with a self-care ritual that soothes the mind as much as the body. Why not do so with an assortment of pampering products from Bison Star Naturals, a homegrown Native company that prides itself on clean formulations and locally sourced, wildcrafted ingredients.

Taos Pueblo’s Angelo McHorse and his wife, Jacquelene, offer luxurious soaps etched with their signature logo, lotions, bath salts and lip balms to take care of every inch of you. Each product incorporates pure essential oils and features fragrances, such as sage, cedar and lavender, that will transport your imagination to our forests or expansive mesas.

The couple is looking forward to the day a storefront will be open to the public but the events of the last year have taught them the importance of flexibility and determination. Their products are available via online purchase, by arranging a pickup; and, they noted, many retail venues both here and throughout the state carry Bison Star Naturals.

There’s been an added bonus in their eyes with regard to where their business model rests at the moment.

“Pivoting to the online marketplace has allowed us to support our community by collaborating with other Taos Pueblo businesses and artists to reach all over the country,” press materials state.

The couple recently introduced a collaboration with Tiwa Kitchen and Bakery, offering Ben and Debbie Sandoval’s famed chokecherry jelly on their website. The iconic Pueblo eatery may soon introduce take-out service of their own but, in the interim, clients have the chance to bring home a jar of pure Taos magic thanks to the McHorse’s.

Visit bisonstarnaturals.com, or call 575776-7007.

Although Tiwa Kitchen is closed they’re available for catering. Make your holidays easier by ordering half or fulltrays of traditional Native American fare including blue corn fry bread, enchiladas or famous Tiwa Tacos. Contact them at tiwakitchen.com.

Preserving traditions; lifting community members; sharing joy; living in grace. Your support of these and other members of Taos Pueblo is a holiday gift in and of itself.