Tony Chavarria
Branigar Fellow 1995-1996
For Tony Chavarria of Santa Clara Pueblo, the School's first Harvey W Branigar, Jr.,
Native American intern, the training and hands-on experience provided at IARC confirmed
his intention to pursue a career in museum collections management. During the nine-month
internship, Chavarria worked with Collections Manager Christy Sturm on the new
computerized collections data system, cataloged Acoma and Laguna pottery from the Rick
Dillingham bequest, helped Daryl Candelaria with the Native American Arts Education
program, toured other museums, and attended professional meetings. "It's been a very
rewarding, productive year," he said. "I worked with so many wonderful,
supportive people at the School. I've made some good contacts, and even more important,
some good friends."
Chavarria feels he was lucky to have been involved with the collections
automation project. "One is not always fortunate enough to be in on the genesis of an
undertaking of such scope and lasting impact," he wrote in a letter to SAR Board of
Managers chair John Catron. Of his work with the visiting Native American groups,
Chavarria wrote, "To hear them speak of their art and the collections was an
education beyond any art history class I could take." Chavarria expressed gratitude
also to David and Kathy Chase, whose family foundation supports the Branigar internship to
train Native Americans for the museum profession.
After completing his internship, Chavarria accepted a position as
assistant curator of collections at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe.
"The Branigar internship played a large role in my getting this position," he
said. "The museum staff were very impressed by the work I had done at IARC." He
has recently moved from that position to the division of Education and Public Programs. A
University of Denver alumnus, Chavarria plans to enter the graduate anthropology program
at UNM.
Previous Fellows:
Edsel Brown
2000-2001
Miles Miller 1999-2000
Cindy Burnett
1998-1999
Ron Martinez Looking Elk
1997-1998
Kawenniiosta Boots
1996-1997
Tony Chavarria
1995-1996
