ART Santa Fe – International Art Fair

We went to the ART Santa Fe International Art Fair at the Santa Fe Convention Center on Sunday afternoon. This show began in 1995 as a way to enhance Santa Fe’s contemporary art market. There were about 30 exhibitors this year. Some were local and others came from as far away as Afghanistan, Japan, and Nepal.

The show featured a number of artists in a variety of disciplines from painting and photography to textiles and paper. For those with an interest in handmade paper, there was a class earlier in paper making taught by a Japanese artist.

I was particularly taken by the photography of one particular artist, Robert Turner from California. His large scale photos of groves of aspens at various seasons were particularly striking. The artist’s website is www.robertturnerphoto.com if you’re interested in seeing more.

The other booth that grabbed me was Wounaan Rainforest Baskets – an exhibit of basket weaving by the members of a Columbian village. It was the finest basketry I have ever seen with intricate designs, many in multiple colors (one large basket was decorated in a variety of parrots in lifelike colors). The baskets are woven from shredded palm fronds with designs dyed using native natural dyes. You can learn more about these weavers at http://www.RainforestBaskets.com  .