International Folk Art Market | Where beauty, creativity, culture, and community collide
Sometimes in life, you follow the threads, and are not really sure where they are taking you, but trust in time the tapestry will weave itself together, and you will say, “Oh, that is what I was building, isn’t that interesting?!” Over the past year, following divinely woven threads of beauty and cultural curiosity led me to discover a perfect tapestry of these two themes in the annual International Folk Arts Festival in New Mexico.
The theme of “beauty” emerged as a guiding principle I committed to prioritizing in my life in November 2022. At the time, it felt like a continued shedding of my historical draw to function over form, and practicality over delight.
Prior to this moment, the area where I gave myself the most permission to pursue beauty had been in my choice of places to live: Charleston, South Carolina (vibrant colonial architecture and beautiful dune-filled beaches); Durango, Colorado (stunning mountain landscapes, and charming mountain-town streetscapes); Seattle, Washington (volcanoes, islands, rainforests, oh my!), and Rwanda (more volcanoes, lakefront resorts, and rolling hills galore!). While there is wisdom to the saying “bloom where you are planted,” I also think giving ourselves permission to identify the types of environments and settings that give us a sense of peace in our spirit. I also recognize this is a huge privilege to have the freedom to discover this for yourself and actively choose soil that feels good for your soul. When once visiting Belize, a tour operator shared that he had lived all over the world through his work, and that he returned home to Belize because it was a place where the beauty of the people matched the beauty of the landscape…and that perspective has stuck with me through the years.
These are some of the amazing tapestries that came from the country of Uzbekistan, which I knew very little about their prominent artisan traditions prior to attending the market.
Other areas where people tend to curate and share beauty, fashion and interior design, have been less of interest to me historically. With a natural orientation towards simplicity, beauty in the form of “stuff” has had little appeal. I admired those who curated their sense of style and found ways to use this as an outlet for self-expression, but I never had the patience for time spent shopping looking for the perfect top, shoe, or purse. When I discovered Steve Job’s philosophy of wearing the same turtleneck and jeans look everyday so that his mind could be liberated to consider higher order problems, I felt a sense of kindredness to this outlook…and I am fully aware that sounds like I am comparing my brain power to Steve Jobs, which is a little risky.
I started overcoming some of my resistance around enjoyment of aesthetics in the material world when I furnished my first apartment in Nashville. It was an empowering process of selecting items that brought me joy and offered me a reflection of my own tastes, which were ill-defined to that point. A dark blue textured rug from West Elm that served as the perfect foundation for my living room set. A forest green tv stand from Nadeau, which advertised itself as “furniture with soul.” A whimsical painting of golden birds from World Market. These signature pieces traveled with me when I moved to Seattle, and brought me great comfort in the midst of that shift in location. I started to wonder if perhaps there was something to the value of thoughtfully curating items that bring us comfort and/or joy, and help us feel connected to different parts of our story, no matter where we are based.
The thread of cultural curiosity started weaving itself into this pursuit of beauty during my travels to Morocco. This place took me to new heights of appreciation of beauty and craftsmanship with its deep artisan culture and tradition related to tilework, metalwork, weaving, ceramics, and more. You might not be surprised to hear that hitting the shops as a part of traveling has never been a priority, but my imagination wandered to owning a home that I could furnish with all these items which seemed filled with so much heart and history, and started researching boho interior design inspiration. Before I knew it I had invested in six Moroccan rugs, curious how I might start getting involved with supporting those who create and share beauty from different nooks and crannies across the globe.
The next thread emerged as I prepared to spend a couple of months in Northern New Mexico, and discovered that there was an annual International Folk Arts Festival (IFAM). As an extension of my experience in Morocco, I was delighted to learn about other artisan traditions from around the world in my “temporary backyard.” Such a unique opportunity to learn more about the intersections of art, beauty, cultures, and economic development.
The International Folk Art Market also includes a lecture series, where they dig into topics related to cultures and creativity. This conversation was focused on “Threading Cultures” with representatives who were discussing their work preserving and promoting textile traditions from across the globe, including Peru and India.
So, I signed up to volunteer at the IFAM with a great sense of eagerness to get a more behind the scenes view of how this event is orchestrated, and the human stories that surround it. A few things I discovered:
The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market originated in 2004 with about 60 artists from 26 different countries.
The mission of the organization is to envision a world that “values the humanity of the handmade, honors timeless cultural traditions, and embraces the vision of dignified livelihoods for artists.”
Artist earnings since the event was established have exceeded $31 million and impacted more than one million lives in the communities they represent.
The selection criteria for accepting artists is greatly focused on social impact, including looking for those who are focused on issues such as women’s empowerment (these artists are leveraging their artistic prowess and technique to improve women’s well-being in their communities. This oftentimes looks like improving their family’s financial stability, providing educational opportunities, and either upholding matrilineal cultural and artistic traditions or forging new paths in male-dominated artisan sectors.) and sustainability (whether this means utilizing recycled materials like PVC pipe, developing non-toxic natural dyes, implementing zero-waste production systems, or creating materials from waste, these artisans are working in reverence for the Earth.)
Traditionally the number one country represented is India, and number two is Mexico. Surprisingly Uzbekistan is number three, which has all kinds of textiles, crafts, rugs, carpets, silverwork, etc.
Passports to Folk Arts Trips is a travel program that offers the opportunity to travel off the beaten path to meet master folk artists in their home countries. These small-group trips enable you to see a country through the eyes and hearts of the artists and their cultural surroundings.
There is a whole section of the folk arts market dedicated to innovation, where there is a recognition that folk art is deeply rooted in cultural practices and generational knowledge, but also a living discipline that changes and adapts. These artists are experimenting with materials and methods that honor folk art traditions while creating work that envisions folk art in the future.
In meeting some of the artists during my volunteer role, as I delivered replenishments in the form of carrots, cookies, chips, and juice on an arid sun-filled summer day, the beauty of the vibrant handcrafts and market atmosphere was on full display. The radiant smile of Kwame Baah, as he enthusiastically showcased his shoes made of kente cloth, inspired by his Ghanaian roots. Knowing the family history behind Rustam Muzafarov’s fiery ceramic designs. The spiritual significance of the mask-making tradition in Bali, which also is tied to connecting to the divine through dance. It is amazing when we feel the human soul behind our purchases, how it can significantly raise the meaning these item’s add to our lives.
Volunteering proved to be the perfect way to get a behind the scenes view of the community spirit of both the artisans and volunteers who make this event a reality. And who doesn’t like spreading joy through snacks!?
The magnetism of the stories behind the artists was one thing and the sense of community was quite another. Apparently over 23% of Santa Fe’s residents are age 65 and older, so the spirit of volunteer-ism runs deep. This year more than 1200 volunteers turned out to support during the Market totaling over 7,600 hours of volunteer time contributed. The community mindset extends beyond the volunteers to the market participants themselves. First-time artists are sponsored by the organization through charitable giving, including contributions from established artisans who are return guests. Each year the organization undergoes what they call the Artist Sponsorship campaign which generates over $100,000 that is used to cover the cost of the new artists' full freight. Additionally, there is an Artist Conference which happens in the days prior to Market as a peer-led conference for visiting exhibitors.
The connections between the market vendors and the volunteers was also something to behold. At certain booths I noticed there was an American man or woman providing coverage, and as I talked to them, they indicated that they had developed relationships with the artists over the years, and when they were not issued a visa to participate in person, they offered to help them host their booth. It was beautiful to witness the deep level of commitment to this effort to share culture, beauty, and traditions from around the world with the Santa Fe community and beyond.
This is certainly an annual event that I hope to add to my own travel traditions, and encourage you to consider making the trek to follow your own threads of beauty and cultural curiosity. Next year the International Folk Arts Market will take place from July 11-14 in 2024. While you are visiting Santa Fe, you can enjoy the third-largest art market in the U.S., and follow your own bliss through the 200 art galleries spread out through the city limits. Or if you are planning to travel to a new culture or country soon, consider these 10 tips on finding Authentic & Meaningful Souvenirs on Your Travels.
As Roger Scruton says, “beauty is an ultimate value—something that we pursue for its own sake, and for the pursuit of which no further reason need be given. Beauty should therefore be compared to truth and goodness, one member of a trio of ultimate values which justify our rational inclinations.”
Stay tuned for future features from my travels where I will continue to highlight brands and experiences that are related to creativity, culture, community, and conservation.
