The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian announces the artists for this year’s Native American Fine Arts Holiday Market. The annual market features paintings, drawings, jewelry, beadwork, pottery, dreamcatchers, clothing and blankets, fetishes and more, all made by Indigenous artists from throughout the U.S. demonstrating and selling their artwork.
The Holiday Market opens Friday, December 6th with a ticketed Preview Party from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. The market continues on Saturday at 10 am – 5 pm and Sunday noon- 4 pm with sales at 3009 Central Street in Evanston, Illinois and artist demonstrations in the main museum at 3001 Central Street. The market is free and open to the public. The artist demonstrations are free with regular museum admission.
The market offers a chance to learn about artistic techniques directly from the artist. Learn the insights and stories that go into each handcrafted piece. Artist demonstrations will be happening both Saturday and Sunday.
New to the market this year is Harvey Abeyta, Santo Domingo featuring stone and shell jewelry; potter Bob Lansing, Dine; Kim Sigatus McIver, White Earth Ojibwa with dream catchers, talking feathers; painter Le’Ane Asher from Keweenaw Bay Indian Community; jewelry makers Jimmy Yawakia and Duran Gasper, Zuni; and jewelry by Mitchell Zephier Sr., Lower Brule Lakota.
Returning artists include silversmith Nelson Garcia, Santo Domingo Pueblo; beadworker Norma Robertson, Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota; drawings by Robert Wapahi, Santee; Mary Holat, Saulte Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa, selling charismatic pottery figures, clothing and textiles by Angel Fox-Starr, Three Affiliated Tribes and Cyndee Fox-Starr, Omaha Odawa; and beadwork by Darlene Ortiz, Dine. Other returning vendors include Native Visions and Berre Enterprises.
Attend the Preview Party for an exclusive first look and exclusive time to buy the artist’s work before the market opens to the public. Patrons will enjoy live flute music, heavy hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, and other drinks while meeting the artists. The Preview Party admission is $25 per person and $20 for members.
The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian is one of only a handful of museums in the country that focuses exclusively on the art, history, and culture of American Indian and First Nation peoples throughout the United States and Canada. In 2017, the Mitchell Museum won the Illinois Association of Museums’ Superior Award for Exhibits. The museum’s latest exhibit “Stunning Stories in Native American Jewelry” features over 150 exquisite objects conveying facets of tribal culture.
Other Native American Heritage Month programs include two Thanksgiving programs “Re-Indigenizing Native Palettes” led by Ernest Whiteman III (Northern Arapaho) held Friday, November 29, 2:30- 3:15 pm and Sunday, December 1, 2:30- 3:15 pm ($5 admission). November’s Weekend Crafts & Stories features Native American Housing and is held every Saturday from 11:00 am to noon and Sunday 12:30 – 1:30 pm. December’s Weekend Crafts & Stories features Gifts including Antler necklaces, beaded turtle bracelets, and felt beaver bag and is held every Saturday 11:00 am to noon and Sunday 12:30 – 1:30 pm.
For more information about these programs and the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, visit www.mitchellmuseum.org or call 847-475-1030. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, students and children, and Free for Mitchell Museum members and Tribal members.
