The New Year is well under way, as the first full moon of 2019 anchored the end of the month. As we travelled through the Great Basin region, we witnessed this Wolf Moon in total eclipse. This Super Moon’s bright reddish hues and closer proximity to Earth were a rare sight of Sky World phenomena, enjoyed all the more in the remote mountainous desert of Northern Nevada. February’s supermoon is the second of the three supermoons to occur in 2019, and as snow blankets the mountains as far south as the Mexican Border, it seems an appropriate reminder that this time of year should be one of snow and ice.

In the Pueblo villages of the Southwest, night dances in kivas commence. Katsinam, intermediaries balancing the powerful connections of the physical and spirit world, return as the season shifts towards fertility, moisture and new green seedlings. The Powamu or bean-planting ceremony of the Hopi celebrates the return of the kachinas, establishes purification and rejuvenation for the Earth and future plant growth.

In the Arctic Polar regions of dayless days (or Kaamos in Finland,) the light lifts from the glittering night skies into dawns of deepest magentas, royal blues and ethereal greens. Direct rays of full sun are a full month away.

Indigenous artists continue to nurture a deeply personal relationship to thousands of years of environmental and natural connections to their materials, be they cedar, animal or bird parts, stones, shells, roots, or clay. Old patterns and designs may be reshaped and modified to incorporate what the world offers today. Some of the most beautiful and powerful aesthetics in American Indian art and jewelry are reminiscent and reflective of a time when we paid closer attention to the earthly materials that are the basis for our adornment of body and living spaces. American Indian, Native American, and Indigenous art of today preserves a heritage and connects to a larger narrative concerning history, both that of humans, and of the Earth itself.

We are deep into our personal experiences with visits to ancient sites, explorations of red rock wilderness areas, and reconnecting with friends and family. Most importantly for our gallery and collectors, we continue to search for and acquire pieces that conceptualize our Indigenous artists’ voices and creativity. We hope that as we add new pieces in the contemporary framework of a curated gallery setting, we will create an appreciation and connection to the rich vistas and forward thinking people behind Indigenous art.