FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 26, 2009

CONTACT: Gabe Gomez
Director of Public Relations and Marketing
(505) 983-5220 x229
ggomez@swaia.org
www.swaia.org

A New Era for the Santa Fe Indian Art Market to be Unveiled

SANTA FE, NM: The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) is proud to present Taos jeweler, Maria Samora, as its 2009 Santa Fe Indian Market Poster Artist. SWAIA will have a press conference at Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino to unveil the 2009 poster followed by a special sit-down luncheon at Red Sage restaurant. The selection of Maria Samora as the 2009 Santa Fe Indian Market poster artist represents a dramatic departure from past poster artist selections and is literally and figuratively indicative of the new face of Indian Market.

Samora has shown her work at Indian Market for the last four years. Since her precocious and highly successful debut at Market, which allowed her to focus on her jewelry full-time, Samora has been making a considerable impact on Native art and Southwestern jewelry design.

"I feel extremely honored to be the person to represent market. I feel really blessed that my career was basically jump-started from my first year at Indian Market. When I first did Indian Market it was hugely successful and it allowed me to do the jewelry full-time," Samora says.

Her expressive jewelry designs inhabit two worlds, where tradition and innovation intermingle. They balance non-traditional materials such as gold and diamonds with delicately hammered silver and other metals created with an intuitive hand.

"We are delighted that the Santa Fe Indian Market will have such a young and vibrant spirit to present Native people and cultures to the world in 2009. Maria represents the continuing vitality of Native art; it continual reformulation and transformation to sustain and nurture centuries old traditions of art production. Her work embodies the depth and richness of cultures and continuity that one again presents the singularly of Native culture to New Mexico's identity past, present and future," Executive Director of SWAIA Bruce Bernstein says.

Samora describes her as work as "natural and interplaying geometric forms transformed into contemporary designs. Subtle textures, overlay, various patinas and the tonal play of mixed metals blend richly and create contrast and dimension." The result is a cosmopolitan tone, rich and intricate, but unquestionably modern.

"I was born and raised in Taos and grew up around Native American Jewelry. I wanted to take the classic designs that inspired me to a new innovative level. It came naturally for me to create contemporary designs incorporating traditional elements." Samora says of her technique.

The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, a non-profit organization, is an advocate for Native American arts and cultures (particularly those in the Southwest). SWAIA creates economic and cultural opportunities for Native American artists by: producing and promoting the Santa Fe Indian Market as the finest Indian art event in the world, cultivating excellence and innovation across traditional and non-traditional art forms, and developing programs and events that support, promote, and honor Native artists year-round. SWAIA is located at 141 East Palace Avenue in Santa Fe, NM; telephone number 505-983-5220; www.swaia.org.

SOUTHWESTERN ASSOCIATION FOR INDIAN ARTS
P.O. Box 969 - Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504 - 505.983.5220 - www.swaia.org
SWAIA is a non-profit organization supporting Native arts and cultures