As a novice - hobbyist silversmith I am enjoying reading my Orchid
email - thanks to the forum and all its participants!
I will be traveling to Santa Fe, NM in mid-October for a 20th
Anniversary trip. What are the “can’t miss” jewelry, art, or
cultural (we’re also architects) sites? We love out-of-the way local
places off the beaten path of usual tourists. I have heard about
flea markets that might have some great “finds,” but need specific
I’m especially looking for interesting stones for my
jewelry work, but any advice for a great trip is appreciated.
Ellen, there is a shop in Santa Fe called Natural Stone. I dont
remember the owners name but he carries a large number of cut stones
as well as rough material.
Given that you are architects, you owe it to yourself to visit Las
Vegas, New Mexico, about 60 miles up I-25 from Santa Fe.
We have more historic dwellings on the national registry than any
other city in the US. You can see every type of architecture found in
the southwest in our little town. I live on what was once the old
Santa Fe Trail, and just walking from the Plaza to my home it is like
a virtual architectural primer on the development of southwest
architecture, from the fortified hacienda, to the territorial, to odd
things which probably have no name.
We have lots of good restaurants and plenty to see, also.
Please visit my father’s stoer at 119 E. Palace Ave., just a block
east of the plaza. He has lots of tribal art form New Guinea but the
mainstay of the family business is the jewelry. It’s called the
Frank Patania Shop, enjoy.
There is much to see in Santa Fe that is art related. All around the
square are all sorts of shops, which I don’t remember the names of.
In the La Fonda hotel there are several interesting shops. There is a
Georgia O’Keefe museum that is great, if you’re a fan. About 5 blocks
away from the square is Canyon Road, which is the Rodeo Drive of
Santa Fe - 3 or 4 blocks of high end art of all kinds - we’re talking
1/2 million dollar paintings and such. If you walk, there’s a cool
little store on the way - I do not remember the name - that carries a
wide variety of ancient artifacts, almost at Canyon, but across the
main street (San Francisco St.?). Like Europe, you will find art at
every turn in Santa Fe - I would also suggest a trip to the Jemez
wilderness, south of Los Alamos, and the Anasazie ruins near Los
Alamos…
Not out of the way, but a local treasure… Patina Gallery, a high
end craft and art gallery that is worth the visit to Santa Fe alone.
Think Bellagio in Biltmore Village, but up a few notches.
Not out of the way, but a local treasure... Patina Gallery, a high
end craft and art gallery that is worth the visit to Santa Fe
alone. Think Bellagio in Biltmore Village, but up a few notches.
Jett Gallery, just off the plaza, is another nice one, the kind of
place where metalsmiths take other metalsmiths to gawk.
You must see the “Miraculous Staircase” at the Chapel of Loretto-just
off the “square” downtown. It’s a tourist thing but amazing even for
non- architechs.
Patina Gallery has great jewelry. Packards is a “fixture” on the
"square". They have a great collection of old pawn jewelry. Just off
the square (can’t remember the name of the store) is a wonderful
antique jewelry store
The Tesuque (just north of town) Flea market is fun and I have found
great things there from rough turquiose to African beads and gold
measures. I’ve even found great tools there!
There are many amazing goldsmiths in town too-you can look them up in
your hotel guide.
Check out some of the surrounding towns too as many of them have
become artist colonies because Santa Fe has become too expensive for
many artists.
Santa Fe has more art galleries per capita that any where in the US.
It is Full of art. You could spend months there.
The best flea market is on the road to Taos from Santa Fe. Great
stones and beads. Not so expensive as the places in the city. There
used to be a kiosk vendor outside the store named Jackalope that had
great prices on beads and things. The store is huge and full of things
from around the world.
There are three small towns you should go to, Galisteo, Lamy and
Madrid these places are charming and have some really interesting
people in them. Galisteo has a shop where the guy mines his own
turquoise cuts the stones and makes his own jewelry also has a wife,
8 kids, wild west museum and a petting zoo. He sells loose stones
also. It’s GREAT! The roads leading to them are dotted with the most
interesting abodes you have ever laid eyes on. Be sure to take a
camera with PLENTY of memory or of lots of film.
There are many books about places off the beatten track. I suggest
checking out some of the rock drawings, they are everywhere and so
wonderful.
I could go on and on. I live in TN now, but someday Northern NM is
going to be my home. There is no place like it. Can you tell how much
I love it?
Lucky you–SF is fantastic and the whole downtown is a jewelry
attraction. The vendors who are located outside in the main square
are all “certified” Native Americans and their work is their own.
There is a great similarity in the work–but it’s cool. There are a
huge number of jewelry stores–so have fun walking all the streets
in the downtown area. There are also some terrific sources for great
stones–I can’t remember the name–but it is right in the middle of
town. The great flea market is out near where the opera house is–
and it’s amazing. I’m envious–have a great time.
Galisteo has a shop where the guy mines his own turquoise cuts the
stones and makes his own jewelry also has a wife, 8 kids, wild west
museum and a petting zoo. He sells loose stones also. It's GREAT!
One small correction; I think you mean Cerrillos not Galisteo for the
turquoise guy.
No one’s mentioned Fairchild & Co yet so I’ll add it to your list.
Valerie Fairchild is herself a jewelry design and the shop exhibits
her work along with that of other art/studio jewelers. In fact, you
can say hello to my jewelry while you’re there :-).
Be sure to visit The Golden Eye, on Don Gaspar (where you well find
me!), Fairchild’s, Luna Felix, Romancing the Stone, and Charlotte,
on San Francisco. Patina is on Palace Ave. Nancy Brown’s store is on
Old Santa Fe Trail. Things Finer in the La Fonda has a lot of estate
stuff. Packards, across from the La Fonda is wonderful only getting
kinda commercial. There is a great stone and everything else store
on Galesteo called something but the name is escaping me right now.
I have worked around the corner from it for 10 years, ugh, it’s too
late too think!
Be sure and take a car ride up the mountain to Aspen Vista, you will
probably be just in time to see the aspens change. October is my
favorite month in SF. It is when we usually get our first snowfall,
so bring a warm jacket! Be sure and eat breakfast at Tia Sophia’s
and Pasqual’s. Eat a frito pie at the Five and Dime on the Plaza
(never call it the square!). Have some drinks and maybe see some
flamenco at El Farol on Canyon Road. Don’t forget to visit the Folk
Art museum. Drink a lot of water to help with altitude acclimation,
there is also an oxygen bar in DeVargas center that can come in
handy if you are feeling tired or get a headache. There is a
jewelers supply you should visit if you like tools. Look it up in
the phonebook because they just moved and I have no idea as to
where!
Have a wonderful time. Feel free to e-mail me personally with
questions and come see me at The Golden Eye.