The
original collections of the Indian Arts Fund (IAF) have grown over the years through the
acquisition and donation of historic and contemporary items of superior artistry and
craftsmanship. Some 11,000 pieces of pottery, textiles, clothing, jewelry, silverwork,
paintings, baskets, kachinas, and other ethnographic items are now housed in the Indian
Arts Research Center. The expansion of the collection is guided by a desire to preserve a
definitive assortment of Southwest Indian art that represents the development of various
cultural traditions by style and tribal origin. In pursuit of this goal, the IARC welcomes
gifts of Southwest Native American art as well as donations to its collections fund.
Documentation, Conservation, and Exhibition
The IARC maintains comprehensive archives on the history of its collections, along with
the records of the original Indian Arts Fund and the papers of notable patrons such as
Kenneth Chapman and Amelia Elizabeth White. As part of the IARC's mission to preserve its
collections for future generations, objects are inspected and treated regularly by
professional conservators. The School makes the collections accessible to a broad public
by lending objects to museums throughout the world for exhibition and research.
The IARC is pleased to announce the publication of
All That Glitters:
The Emergence of Native American Micaceous Art Pottery in Northern New Mexico
(edited by Duane Anderson with a forward by Lonnie Vigil).
Luminous golden and sparkling black pottery fashioned from mica-rich clays has been
made by Pueblo and Jicarilla Apache Indians of the northern Rio Grande region for at least
five hundred years. In this generously illustrated volume, Duane Anderson presents the
first comprehensive study of micaceous pottery in New Mexico and explores its current
transition from a traditional culinary ware to an exciting contemporary art form.
Anderson traces the history and prehistory of micaceous pottery making
in the Southwest, describes pottery-making techniques, and explores the development of
micaceous ware as a fine art. The volume includes a complete, illustrated catalog of the
micaceous pottery collections of SAR's Indian Arts Research
Center, a comprehensive survey of Southwestern micaceous ceramics in museums
worldwide, and a roster of micaceous potters practicing in northern New Mexico today.
Read more about All That Glitters:
The Emergence of Native American Micaceous Art Pottery in Northern New Mexico.
For more information about the IARC collection, please call or write to us.
Individuals interested in studying the collection should request an access form.
INDIAN ARTS RESEARCH CENTER
School of American Research
P.O. Box 2188, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2188
Phone: (505) 954-7205
Fax: (505) 989-9809
E-mail: iarc@sarsf.org
