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Santa Fe has been a trading post for eons. Nearly a thousand years ago the great pueblos of the Chacoan civilizations were strategically located between the buffalo-hunting tribes of the Great Plains and the Indians of Mexico. Native Americans in New Mexico traded turquoise and other valuables with Indians from Mexico for metals, shells, parrots, and other exotic items. After the arrival of the Spanish and the West's subsequent development, Santa Fe became the place to exchange silver from Mexico and natural resources from New Mexico for manufactured goods, whiskey, and greenbacks from the United States. The construction of the railroad in 1880 brought Santa Fe access to all kinds of manufactured goods.
The trading legacy remains, but now Downtown Santa Fe caters increasingly to those looking for handmade furniture and crafts, and bespoke apparel and accessories. Sure, a few chains have moved in and a handful of fairly tatty souvenir shops still proliferate, but shopping in Santa Fe consists mostly of high-quality, one-of-a-kind independent stores. Canyon Road, packed with internationally acclaimed galleries, is the perfect place to browse for art and collectibles. The Downtown blocks around the Plaza have unusual gift and curio shops, as well as clothiers and shoe stores that range from theatrical to conventional. You’ll find quite a few art galleries here, too. The hip, revitalized Railyard District (sometimes referred to as the Guadalupe District), less touristy than the Plaza, is on Downtown's southwest perimeter and includes a wide-ranging mix of trendy boutiques, gift shops, and avant-garde contemporary art galleries—it’s arguably the most eclectic of Santa Fe’s shopping areas.
You can browse, and buy, some of the nation's finest examples of both historic and contemporary Native American pottery at this gallery a couple of blocks east of the Plaza. It is especially renowned for its collection of pieces from San Ildefonso Pueblo legend Maria Martinez and her illustrious family.
This family-run lifestyle gallery specializes in goods produced by local artists and craftspeople including pottery, clothing, art, furniture, and home goods. Of particular interest is the stunning jewelry created by local artist Gloria Olazabal as well as the beautiful wood cutting boards and serving trays featuring inlaid turquoise by Wild Edge Woodworks.
Focusing on handmade items from both local craftspeople and artists in Oaxaca, this lifestyle gallery offers beautiful prints, ceramics, jewelry, and more, at all price points. Owner and "Creative Conductor" Frank Rose also sells an impressive collection of prints by Mexican artists including Diego Rivera and Rufino Tamayo.
Since the early '80s, this gallery specializing in beautiful animal fetishes carved out of turquoise, marble, onyx, and countless other materials has served as a co-op art gallery for western New Mexico's Zuni Pueblo. You'll find fetishes representing an astounding variety of animals, from eagles to mountain lions to turtles, plus fine jewelry and pottery.
Owned by the prestigious Nedra Matteucci Galleries, this is a veritable museum of Native American art. An adobe shaded by a huge cottonwood tree houses antique basketry, pre-1940 Navajo silver jewelry, Northwest Coast Native American carvings, Navajo weavings, and art of the Plains Indians. Prices and quality span the spectrum, making this a great stop for both new and experienced collectors.
Established in 1945, this colorful, if touristy, shop does business in an old, rambling adobe complex, part of which dates from before the 1680 Pueblo Revolt and also served as offices for the Manhattan Project. The shop carries early Navajo, Mexican, and Chimayó textiles, along with photographs, a breathtaking collection of vintage pawn and Mexican jewelry, Day of the Dead figures, Oaxacan folk animals, New Mexican folk art, kachinas, and contemporary jewelry from local artists. The friendly staff possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of the art here.
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