Accomplishments

As a result of its educational outreach, many beneficial collaborations with major art, cultural and educational institutions have become a hallmark of Poeh Arts and include: Art of the Americas Institute of the University of New Mexico, Northern New Mexico College, Pueblo of Santa Clara Day School, Pueblo of Taos Oo-oonah Art Center, Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe Community College, New Mexico State University, Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian Institution), Indian Arts and Crafts Association, Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, Pueblo of Pojoaque Family Learning Center, Pueblo of Pojoaque Boys and Girls Club, School for Advanced Research, Bandelier National Monument, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail, National Park Service, and many others.

RADICAL JEWELRY MAKEOVER PROJECT
Poeh Arts Jewelry students were recently invited by Diane Tintor, Associate Professor of Jewelry, Metal Arts and Art History in the School of Arts and Design, Santa Fe Community College to participate in the Radical Jewelry Makeover Project, which is an international community jewelry mining and recycling project that draws attention to the creativity and skills of local jewelry designers, reveals the stories behind our personal collections and encourages re-consideration of our habits of consumption. The event was a week-long (10/21-28/2011) celebration of jewelry making using recycled materials that were donated. It was also an opportunity for collaboration and building community including the Institute of American Indian Arts, New Mexico State University, University of Texas – El Paso, and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. The newly created student art was exhibited at the Wheelwright Museum and featured a gala opening reception!

Since 2007, there have been five makeovers, Brisbane, Australia; Penland, North Carolina, San Francisco, California, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Richmond, Virginia. 370 artists have participated, 500 pounds of jewelry have been donated, 980 pieces of jewelry have been made and hundreds of people are wearing RJM jewelry today!

ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES
Poeh Arts students are actively engaged in experiencing and learning how to market and promote their art by participating in the various regional art shows and exhibitions. The students have participated in the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts Annual Indian Market and Winter Market 2011. They have also participated in the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture Native Treasure’s Show as “Emerging Artists,” many being invited back as recognized artists.

Poeh Arts is now sponsoring an annual Summer Student Market on the second week in July, which began as a substitute market for the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council, Inc., Arts and Crafts Show. We have had our 2nd Annual Market and will continue this new tradition and provide students and alumni with entrepreneurial opportunities.

WHEELWRIGHT MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN FELLOWSHIP
Ehren Natay (Dine/Santo Domingo) was recently awarded the Malcolm and Connie Goodman Fellowship to continue his personal journey of creativity and exploration in various media. The three fellowships are designed to help promising artists at an early stage of their career and have opened doors for many emerging artists. The Case Trading Post Museum Store was opened in August 1975 to reflect the atmosphere of an early 20th century trading post from the Navajo Reservation. The Case Trading Post provides a wide-ranging selection of hand-made Native American art.

INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN INDIAN ARTS 5TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY ART MARKET
Poeh Arts students also participated in the 5th Annual Holiday Art Market sponsored by the Institute of American Indian Arts at the Library and Technology Center on their campus in Santa Fe, NM. The market features one of a kind, hand made gifts for holiday gift-giving.