On Sunday, June 1, the heart of Niwot pulsed with color, culture, and creativity as the second annual Niwot Native Art Market took over Niwot Hall from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Organized by artist Tom Myer and the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, the market offered a welcoming space for Indigenous artists to share and sell their work directly to the public, free of the usual vendor fees that often deter participation by emerging artists.
With booths filling the hall, this year’s market brought together a dynamic group of artists representing a wide range of tribes, mediums, and traditions:
• Starr Vipi (Hawaiian) – pins, stickers, patches, washi, and charms
• Rod Velarde (Jicarilla Apache) – contemporary fine art
• Maxx Lake / Apashee Art (San Carlos Apache, Navajo) – fine art, digital illustrations, prints, and stickers
• Marie YellowHawk (Navajo) – intricate beadwork
• Salix Dezrea Renan (Muscogee/Cherokee) – basket weaving
• Tom Myer (Haudenosaunee) – digital prints rooted in heritage and identity
• Jensen Travis (Diné) – jewelry, 2D work, and pottery
• Nico Strange Owl (Northern Cheyenne) – beadwork, jewelry, stickers, and prints
• Bill Mendoza (Oglala and Sicangu Lakota) – porcupine quillwork and beadwork
• Kristina and Rafael Bad Hand (Lakota and Nahua) – comic books and illustrations
• Olivia Muniz (Southwestern heritage) – beadwork jewelry
• Keelie Mijares (Lakota-Sioux) – expressive, colorful paintings
The event wasn’t just about art sales. The Market was also about community, storytelling, and creating space for Native artists on their own terms in a local setting.
Myer is excited about plans for future events. He said, “Right now, I would love to do another one. We’re actually going to be up in Lyons on September 6, and we’ve been invited to the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder for Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 13. We’re also working on an event at Niwot Hall in November and December, where a group of Native portrait and landscape artists will present their original works.”
Myer added, “Ideally, we’ll have another market right after Thanksgiving in December, something that gives people a chance to buy Native-made gifts for the holidays. So that’s the target. We loved seeing everyone and we’re looking forward to seeing you this fall.”
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