Jenny's View
Celebrating Indigenous Art
Dear Friends,
What better way to kick off the 101st Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) Santa Fe Indian Market than by joining forces with Native American Art Magazine for the launch of La Fonda’s art history book? If you plan to be in town for the market, consider arriving early and join us on Thursday, August 17th from 3-5pm in La Plazuela as we reveal the second edition of our art history book, In Every Room a Story of the Art. The book highlights the hotel’s 100-year history of innovative art and the artists that comprise our rich and varied, museum quality collection.
Now more than a century old, the Santa Fe Indian Market continues the important work of honoring Native American Art and the communities that inspire its creation. With artists from over 220 U.S. federally recognized tribes and First Nations' tribes of Canada, there’s no shortage of creative forces in town for this iconic event. Free and open to the public, the market is a gathering place for both innovation and cultural preservation. Our city honors the local and visiting artists as our streets convert into a network of micro galleries highlighting their creativity at the hundreds of curated booths lining the streets just outside the hotel.
La Fonda welcomes back Sovereign Santa Fe for the fifth year in a row. Sovereign Santa Fe features creative Native American artists whose work highlights NewSchool Native American Arts and its relationship between traditional and contemporary art. Organized by Gregory Farah of FaraHNHeight Fine Art, the exhibit will take place in the Lumpkins Ballroom August 18-20, 2023.
Sovereign Santa Fe donates a portion of sales to various philanthropic fundraisers supporting and promoting Native American rights and cultures. Last year, proceeds benefitted The Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (CSVANW). Learn more about the organization here. This year, Sovereign Santa Fe joins Collective Wisdom, a traveling exhibit curated by Chickasaw Nation citizen and artist Billy Hensley in supporting intertribal emerging artists.
There's no shortage of interesting stories from the Mother Road, and La Fonda is lucky to be located right alongside the historic Route 66. Join us August 11 at 3pm in La Fonda's Lumpkins Ballroom for a film screening and panel discussion of the film Route 66 :The Untold Story of Women on the Mother Road. I'll be joining filmmaker Katrina Parks and panelists including author Sharon Niederman, retired director of the Center for Southwest Research, Tomas Jaehn, and award-winning architect, Barbara Felix. I hope you can make it for this amazing documentary film about America's iconic road and the impact it has had on so many women.
La Fonda is committed to the art of community transformation. We strive to make a lasting impact on the community we serve and enhance the lives of our staff members and their families. To further our community impact, I am thrilled to announce La Fonda is launching a foundation focused on the advancement of hourly wage workers and their families. The foundation's goal is to increase upward economic mobility and living standards, and create positive systemic change for workers in our community. Join me in welcoming La Fonda Foundation director, Leticia Bernal! As former director of the United Way of Northern New Mexico, Leticia brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team. Stay tuned for updates as we roll out this exciting initiative that is so very near and dear to my heart.
La Fonda's success is tied to folks that rally to support us year after year, making our hotel home away from home during so many New Mexico adventures. Thanks to all of our dedicated supporters we landed the #1 spot in the Santa Fe Reporter Readers' Choice Awards for Best Lodging for twelve years running! We also took home the #2 spot for Best Hotel Bar, La Fiesta Lounge and #3 for Best Business in downtown Santa Fe. Please join me in celebrating our amazing team for this recognition!
See you at Indian Market!
Jenny
Jennifer Lea Kimball
Ambassador & Board Chairman Emerita
La Fonda on the Plaza
