The 104th Santa Fe Indian Market over the weekend gave nearly 1,000 Native artists another chance to showcase their craft. Thousands of visitors flocked to the area to discover unique pieces, giving creators an opportunity to benefit from the crowds. However, two artists experienced a different story.
The two said thieves stole artwork and pieces that took considerable time to create. They said the stolen items held significant monetary and cultural value.
Garrett Etsitty traveled from Denver to Santa Fe for the market. He won a first-place ribbon over the weekend but said the recognition quickly turned into a loss.
“I went to an auction committee and donated the piece. When I came back around, like 11, my vehicle was broken into,” Etsitty said via KOB 4. “I had a lot of merchandise stolen, like bandanas, original pretty much like two feet by three feet, along with some art cards that were unreleased.”
Etsitty said thieves stole some originals worth thousands. He said creating some of the pieces can take more than 30 hours.
“Took all the hard work and time frame, like, effort to really put into these pieces. To have that out of my possession, it kind of broke my heart as an artist just to know our time and what we do to create these pieces,” Etsitty said. He added his art supports him and his son.
Another Artist Reports Stolen Work
Tracy Tohannie said someone also stole his artwork during the weekend. He said he left the pieces inside his booth overnight after he was told security would monitor the area.
“I went to look for my small paintings and I couldn’t find them. I was like, hey, they took my small pieces, too. So all together, there’s like eight or nine pieces,” Tohannie said. “I was told there’s security throughout the night that check the booth, go through around all night. So I kind of put my faith in that.”
Tohannie reported the theft to police and estimated his losses between $800 to $900.
“I kind of feel violated,” he said. “They’re kind of personal to me. As artists, we spend a lot of time creating and we spend a lot of time traveling after shows and we spend a lot of money on lodging, food, gas, all that.”
Both artists hope their experiences will raise awareness about protecting artists and their work at the Santa Fe Indian Market. Santa Fe police said they continue to investigate both cases.
What Is The Santa Fe Indian Market?
The Santa Fe Indian Market, now in its 104th year. This year, the market ran from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the Santa Fe Plaza. Visitors shopped for jewelry, pottery, textiles, paintings, sculptures, and other original artwork directly from the artists.
The market also offered live performances, food vendors, cultural demonstrations, and family programming. The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts organized the event.
