IAIA Together Apart
Keeping the IAIA community connected
#IAIATogetherApart on Instagram
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The pandemic has brought me much sadness, but also blessings. A couple months ago, my family had lost my aunt to Covid-19. When I first heard the news, I cried so many tears for my aunt. I always hoped she was doing well. It had been many years since I've last seen her. The memories of what she looked like, her voice, and smile echoed in my mind and crumbled my heart. I still really miss her as I am writing this. I deeply wish I can see her and hug her. Just seeing my family has brought me so much comfort, and so is living with my boyfriend. Family has never mattered so much more to me during times like this. All I can believe right now is everything will be okay. #iaiatogetherapart
The following letter is a submission from #IAIATogetherApart, set 50 years from now. To see more submissions or submit your own, visit togetherapart.iaia.edu.
Pandemic Letter—April 9, 2020, 1:42 pm, Anonymous
Dear Reader,
I am writing from a world in which there is no shortage of grotesque heaps of hurt. Assuming that hasn’t gone away, maybe you’re sick of being pat on the head. Maybe you’re sick of being at the receiving end of that hurt. Maybe you’re sick of having to explain why it hurts, or maybe you’re just sick. I take it you’ve heard of COVID-19. Perhaps you’ve been a witness to your grandparent or great-grandparent ranting and reeling about the effect it had on their lives, or maybe told the same stories by your parents. They were stories about how hard they had to work to keep their jobs, or how hard they had to work to educate their children by themselves with countless additional responsibilities. Maybe your elders would say things about how they needed to feel privileged that they had a job at all—from home or at risk. They needed to be grateful that they were slaves to capitalism at the desires of the rich. Maybe your grandparents were children when coronavirus initially began. Maybe your grandparents couldn’t graduate college or high school that initial year. They remember watching their parents struggle to provide, struggle to ration food, some not knowing where their money was coming from after being “guaranteed” their position, but laid off nonetheless. The other side of the coin could be stories of how they remember their parents going out, living as-is, shopping constantly, not wearing masks, or gloves, or caring. Maybe they remember losing someone—a parent, a friend, a child? Maybe they were isolated alone, or without resources. You didn’t live through it, but this is not the depression, 9/11, or the recession of yore. This is different. So much about this disease was unforeseen. It was merciless, fast, suffocating, and unpredictable.
(Continued in the comments)
Working from home has been a major test of patience for me. My son’s attitude reminds me of me more and more every day. Likewise, I am reminding myself of my mother more and more every day. What is going on? This feels like the Twilight Zone.
This kid keeps taking his diaper off and flinging it across the room. Have you ever had to clean human feces from the carpet at 9 am, and then have a zoom meeting at 9:15? If so, I’m right there with you. There is crayon scribbled on every surface of this house. You know, at first I told him to stop, but towards the end of the first week I just looked at him and said “don’t you want to go color on the walls some more?” just to buy myself a few minutes of silence. Don’t most two-year-olds nap? Not this guy! And he’s become obsessed with TikTok. Every five minutes it’s “Make a TikTok, Mama!? Make a TikTok!?” We’ve watched so many TikToks now that every now and then he opens the front door and screams “CORONAVIRUS!” à la Cardi B. He’s running through the living room screaming it as we speak. Somehow we’ve watched Cars two-million times in two weeks. Ka-chow! And I caught him eating an ant the other day—he squished it under his finger, stuck his finger in his mouth, then went in for more—and I didn’t stop him. I just sat there in my exhaustion and let it happen. But, hey, it’s protein, right? I guess we’re both coping by stress-eating—I’m already three string cheeses, a row of Oreos, and several fruit snacks deep today. I seriously can’t stop snacking! But I need to be better at practicing self control, because I already had to venture out to the store once this week to replenish our snack stock and while I’ve definitely feared for my life at a Wal Mart before, it just hit different this time, ya know?
It’s not all bad of course. We’re having fun and goofing around a lot, and most importantly I can tell he’s happy having me home. It’s just hard not really getting a break now and then and a bit isolating.
So check on your friends with kids, guys! We’re not ok!
#IAIATogetherApart
The #IAIATogetherApart website is now live! It was created to give voice to the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Community—a voice to help cope with the 2020 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its effects on a community who largely relies on day-to-day physical interaction for learning, mentoring, and communicating. All IAIA Community members are eligible to submit their stories to the #IAIATogetherApart website, which includes staff, faculty, students, alumni, board members, parents and family members, other Tribal Colleges and Universities, AIHEC, and AICF. See togetherapart.iaia.edu/submit for criteria and guidelines.
Stories can be just that, a story, or perhaps a poem, a letter—from one word to 512 words. During this pandemic, the IAIA campus is absent of your voice in its classrooms, hallways, walking paths, dorms, office spaces, buildings, and Café, but don’t let that stop you from vocalizing—share your voice, submit a story to #IAIATogetherApart.
After you submit a story, post a photo or video using your story and the #IAIATogetherApart hashtag here on Instagram for a chance to be featured on IAIA’s social media.
#IAIATogetherApart was conceived and created by IAIA’s offices of Institutional Research (Dr. Bill Sayre, Anita Gavin, Jesse Morris) and Marketing and Communications (Jason S. Ordaz, Nicole Lawe). The website launched on Monday, March 30, 2020. For inquires, please contact [email protected]
“This is a unique story, and a specific story, that I feel can only be told from an Indigenous person’s perspective and a curatorial perspective that is very much involved with the artists and designers that are included in this show. There are all these histories, nuances, and stories that have not been written about—that have not come to the surface.”—Amber-Dawn Bear Robe (Siksika Nation)
Join IAIAMoCNA for the “Art of Indigenous Fashion” exhibition opening on Friday, August 19, from 5–7 pm (MDT), which offers insights into the approaches and perspectives of Indigenous designers beyond the visual and material qualities of their work.
“Art of Indigenous Fashion” guest curator, InstituteofAmericanIndianArts Art History instructor, and SWAIA SantaFeIndianMarket Fashion Show director Amber-Dawn Bear Robe (Siksika Nation) invites guests to celebrate the creativity and excitement of style by showing up and showing out. “I’m encouraging people to come in their finest, to come in their bling, to get outrageous with their style and fashion, and to have fun with this show,” says Bear Robe. Guests at the reception will include designers featured in the exhibition and presenting their work at SWAIA, actors from the Showtime television series Dark Winds, and in-demand fashion models, including actress, model, and activist AshleyCallingbull (Enoch Cree Nation), who, in 2015, became the first Indigenous person to win the Mrs. Universe pageant.
Learn more and watch the full video at www.iaia.edu/show-up-and-show-out-at-the-art-of-indigenous-fashion-opening-reception-at-mocna/, link in bio.
Bidding is now open for the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Making History online auction. IAIA’s online auction features 60 works of contemporary Indigenous artworks created by IAIA’s talented alumni and artist community, including this Hero and Legends Cape by IAIA alum Wendy Ponca (Osage) ’78. The online auction closes Wednesday, August 17 at 11:30 pm (MDT), shortly after the live event concludes.
Declared a Hero and Legend of Osage County by the Osage County Historical Society (OCHS) in 2020, Ponca is an Oklahoma-based artist, educator, fashion designer, and community leader. Ponca is also considered a hero among the students and faculty who studied and worked with her during her nearly two-decade career as an instructor at IAIA.
When asked to contribute artwork to IAIA’s 60-year anniversary scholarship fundraiser art auction, Ponca drew inspiration from her OCHS award in creating the Hero and Legends Cape. “I chose this title because I think everyone who graduates from IAIA is a hero and a legend,” says Ponca, who believes that today’s Indigenous students face challenges that render scholarship support essential to their academic success.
Visit www.iaia.edu/bid (link in bio) now to register and bid on items, and together we can help IAIA students by providing much-needed scholarship support.
With so many Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) alumni giving back during this landmark year, Monte Yellow Bird Sr. (Arikara and Hidatsa) ’78, also known as Black Pinto Horse, is one of many going above and beyond. An active IAIA Foundation Board member, Yellow Bird Sr. is contributing collaborative and solo art pieces to both the live and online auctions.
“IAIA Family,” Yellow Bird’s collaborative piece, is the result of an ambitious undertaking. Yellow Bird, an accomplished ledger artist, is collaborating with ledger artist and illustrator Don Montileaux (Oglala Sioux) ’66 and current IAIA student James Black (Cheyenne) on a cross-generational piece by artists from three different decades of IAIA’s history.
“Don is a prominent and diverse artist and a ledger artist as well. He’s a Lakota from South Dakota who went to school at IAIA in the 1960s, and James is an up-and-coming artist,” says Yellow Bird. “Together, we’re sharing three pieces of our experiences of what IAIA has to offer to the world.”
Yellow Bird believes donating to IAIA scholarships is a wise investment in a life-changing educational opportunity for Indigenous students. “We talk about Ivy League schools as the best. In my mind, IAIA is an Ivy League school. It’s the most prestigious institute of its kind in the world,” he says.
The live auction of this and other collaborative pieces by prominent IAIA artists will take place on Wednesday, August 17, beginning at 7:45 pm (MDT). Bidders can participate live in Santa Fe, NM, at La Fonda on the Plaza or through online, phone, or absentee bidding. Our Making History online auction (which includes Yellow Bird’s solo piece) begins on August 8 at 10 am (MDT) and closes at 11:30 pm (MDT) on August 17. You can view the auction artworks and place your bids online or select from the “Buy it Now!” options.
Register to bid, sign up for free online access to the auction, or purchase one of the few seats left to attend in person at La Fonda on the Plaza at www.iaia.edu/support/2022-iaia-making-history-scholarship-event/, link in bio.
Image: Monte Yellow Bird Sr., Don Montileaux, and James Black, “IAIA Family,” 2022, image courtesy of the artists
Two outstanding students in the Institute of American Indian Arts’ Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing (MFACW) program have been awarded scholarships of $10,000 each from Warner Bros. Discovery Access wbdaccess. The Warner Bros. Discovery Access Scholarship is annually awarded to second-year Indigenous MFACW students with a concentration in Screenwriting. The scholarship committee recognized Cressandra Thibodeaux (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians) and Sabrina Saleha (Diné) for their promising TV pilot screenplays and commitment to advancing visibility, opportunities, and intellectual property rights for Indigenous people in the television and film industries. As Warner Bros. Discovery Access Scholarship winners, these talented women will use their award funds to reach their educational and professional goals as screenwriters.
Read the full story at www.iaia.edu/two-iaia-master-of-fine-arts-in-creative-writing-students-awarded-warner-bros-discovery-scholarship/, link in bio.
Photographs courtesy of the artists
Collaboration. Excellence. Creativity. Respect. Integrity.
These are the core values of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), and we are looking for driven individuals who share this passion. Available openings include Provost, Accounts Payable and Payroll Specialist, Recruiter, and more.
Learn more about careers at IAIA and apply at www.iaia.edu/about/employment/, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason. S Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) alums and rising contemporary art stars Cannupa Hanska Luger (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, and Lakota) ’11 cannupahanska and Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo) ’18 rosebsimpson were recently profiled in The New York Times Magazine. Both are multidisciplinary artists whose work across sculpture, installation, and performance breaks far free of stereotypical nineteenth-century definitions of “Native American Art” and demonstrates the fierce criticality, fearless experimentation, and thoughtful reflectiveness that former IAIA President Lloyd Kiva New encouraged in founding the school. Their NYT Magazine profiles include interviews with the artists, and Luger’s features photographs by fellow IAIA alum Cara Romero (Chemehuevi Indian Tribe) ’05 cararomerophotography.
Speaking of Romero and Simpson, both are contributing works to IAIA’s upcoming Making History Scholarship Auction. Cara Romero has donated a print of her panoramic Making History photograph, which features instructors, artists, and staff representing IAIA’s six decades of existence, including Luger, Simpson, and Romero herself. Rose B. Simpson is working with fellow alums Marty Two Bulls Jr. (Oglala Lakota) ’11 mtwobullsjr and April Holder (Sac and Fox Nation) ’08 aeon_fluxus to produce what is sure to be a stunning mixed-media collaboration.
Follow the links in our bio to learn more about the IAIA Making History Scholarship Event and Auction and to read the articles on these IAIA alumni who are “Making History.”
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
IAIA Continuing Education (CE) seeks beginner and experienced instructors to propose and offer online and in-person classes for Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) students, alumni, and community members. IAIA Continuing Education is committed to providing comprehensive training and adult education for the advancement and growth in workforce skills, lifelong learning, and empowerment through community-based learning opportunities. Continuing Education programming can include courses, workshops, training sessions, conferences, and symposia formats. Learn more about Continuing Education and its mission “to offer IAIA students and community members a wide variety of workshops and seminars, from an Indigenous perspective, that supplement and enhance creative, cultural, and historical learning” at www.iaia.edu/outreach/continuing-education, link in bio.
For more information or to request a course proposal form, contact IAIA Continuing Education Manager Patty Armstrong at [email protected]
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
Co-founder and longtime President of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), Lloyd Kiva New, once predicted, “Indian art of the future will be in new forms, produced in new media and with new technological methods. The end result will be as Indian as the Indian.” Daveishena Redhouse (Diné) is among the current IAIA students fulfilling this prediction today. She has become the first Indigenous student to learn how to use Vicon’s motion capture technology for animation.
Redhouse can see the way towards a future where Indigenous stories are told by Indigenous artists “the right way,” with respect and proper representation—and where Indigenous creators get credit for their work. “Our voices will be heard, and we can correct those wrongs and stereotypes that Hollywood has perpetuated.”
Read more about Vicon Motion Systems, Ltd. viconmocap and how Redhouse plans to use this new technology on the IAIA campus at www.iaia.edu/iaias-new-motion-capture-studio-skyrockets-creative-possibilities, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
Construction and renovations have been completed on a portion of the IAIA Research Center for Contemporary Native Arts (RCCNA) in the Academic Building on the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) campus. The project, managed by Larry Mirabal, IAIA’s Vice President of Operations, added 9,400 square feet to the Academic Building. The addition added eight new office spaces, a fabrication lab, a conservation lab, a science lab, and a film studio. Additionally, the printmaking and photography studios were expanded. This initiative parallels IAIA’s commitment to students and higher education, making room for future educational and research activities.
To learn more about the IAIA Research Center for Contemporary Native Arts, visit www.iaia.edu/research-center, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
Tomorrow is the deadline to apply for two significant scholarships for Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) students seeking degrees in Cinematic Arts & Technology or certificates in Broadcast Journalism—the George R.R. Martin Literary Foundation Scholarships and NBCUAcademy Scholarship. These valuable scholarships offer incoming, transfer, and continuing IAIA students opportunities to advance their career goals while making a college education more affordable.
Friends and current students Adensunset Gerart Levy and Erik S. Sanchez (Shoalwater Bay Tribe) are both past recipients of George R.R. Martin scholarships whose educational and creative experiences have benefited significantly from the aid they received. Levy received a Newcomer scholarship in 2019 for a three-act play he revised into a screenplay. He says that receiving the scholarship helped him decide to attend IAIA and focus on film. After studying performing arts in high school, Levy says choosing to major in Cinematic Arts & Technology “was a paradigm shift” he was encouraged to make by receiving the scholarship. The award helped him pay tuition and confirmed that he was on the right path.
Erik S. Sanchez is entering his final semester at IAIA this fall. He was awarded a Proven Storyteller scholarship last year. Sanchez has used his funds for research materials—including several movie streaming service subscriptions—and to cover household bills which has lessened his stress levels. Sanchez says that his time spent watching movies has helped him identify the genres and styles he prefers and develop a vision for his future projects. The “comfortable financial space” the scholarship created allowed him to focus exclusively on his studies and maintain a 4.0 GPA.
These scholarships are intended for individuals whose dedication to story-telling—especially Indigenous people telling Indigenous stories—is manifested through film, video, and other broadcast media. The deadline is Friday, July 22, 2022, at 8 am (MDT)—follow the link in bio to learn more and apply today.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
Join the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) on Friday, July 22, 2022 from 5–7 pm (MDT) for “Finding the Center: Selected Works From the MFASA Class of 2023.” Presented by the IAIA Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts (MFASA) program, this is an exhibition of work as part of the MFASA 2022 summer residency, which will be made public for one day in the Balzer Contemporary Edge Gallery on the IAIA campus at 83 Avan Nu Po Road, Santa Fe, NM 87508.
Participating MFASA Artists:
• Amanda Beardsley (Choctaw, Chickasaw, Laguna, Seneca, Mescalero Apache, Hopi, and German)
• Madelynn Boyiddle-Schoel (Kiowa, Western Delaware, and Scotch-Irish)
• Nika Feldman
• Angélica M. García
• Shane Hendren (Navajo)
• Susanna Mireles-Mankus
• Margarita Paz-Pedro (Mexican-American, Laguna Pueblo, and Santa Clara Pueblo)
• Dominick Porras
• Carmen Selam (Yakama and Comanche)
• Joseph Seymour, Jr. (Squaxin Island and Pueblo of Acoma)
For more information about the MFASA summer residency, visit www.iaia.edu/event/finding-the-center-selected-works-from-the-mfasa-class-of-2023/, link in bio.
Image: still from “Simulation: Voladores,” 2021, 3D animation by Dominick Porras
Join the InstituteofAmericanIndianArts (IAIA) and the SantaFeBotanicalGarden on August 31 from 6:30–8 pm (MDT) as we welcome Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer (Citizen Potawatomi Nation), acclaimed author of “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants.” Dr. Kimmerer will give a public presentation from the IAIA campus, and while the in-person event is sold out, guests can tune into the event via livestream on the IAIA website and the official IAIA Facebook page.
Dr. Kimmerer, a botanist, embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers, a sentiment reflected in traditional Indigenous farming practices. IAIA President Dr. Robert Martin (Cherokee Nation) says that “Dr. Kimmerer’s approach to Indigenous land practices and ethics aligns with IAIA’s philosophy of incorporating ancestral knowledge with Western techniques to help sustain our communities’ livelihoods for future generations.”
Dr. Kimmerer’s visit to Santa Fe is generously underwritten by the Institute of American Indian Arts, the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, Paul Eitner and Denise Roy (in association with the Santa Fe Botanical Garden), and other supporters in the community.
Learn more and tune into the livestream at www.iaia.edu/event/talk-with-author-dr-robin-wall-kimmerer/, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
The IAIA Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts (MFASA) program presents “Finding the Center,” a series of public talks by prominent Indigenous scholars and artists, as part of its 2022 summer residency.
The hour-long talks will be livestreamed July 18–22 on the IAIA website and the official IAIA Facebook page, with the exception of Sky Hopinka’s presentation, which will be in person at the CCASantaFe at 1050 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87505.
MFASA Public Talks:
• July 18, 4 pm (MDT): Raymond Boisjoly (Haida)—Livestream
• July 19, 5 pm (MDT): Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation and Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians)—In-Person at CCA
• July 20, 10 am (MDT): Nora Naranjo Morse (Santa Clara Pueblo)—Livestream
• July 20, 2 pm (MDT): Ashley Holland (Cherokee Nation)—Livestream
• July 22, 10 am (MDT): Will Wilson (Diné)—Livestream
Additionally, the opening reception for the exhibition by the first-year MFASA students, also titled “Finding the Center,” happens on Friday, July 22, 5–7 pm (MDT), in the Balzer Contemporary Edge Gallery on the IAIA campus at 83 Avan Nu Po Road, Santa Fe, NM 87508.
Learn more at www.iaia.edu/mfasa-public-talks-finding-the-center/, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
The deadline is fast approaching to apply for two significant scholarships for Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) students seeking degrees in Cinematic Arts & Technology or certificates in Broadcast Journalism. These valuable scholarships offer incoming, transfer, and continuing IAIA students opportunities to advance their career goals while making a college education more affordable. Both scholarships are intended for individuals whose dedication to story-telling—especially Indigenous people telling Indigenous stories—is manifested through film, video, and other broadcast media, and the deadline is Friday, July 22, 2022, at 8 am (MDT).
The George R.R. Martin Literary Foundation Newcomer and Proven Storyteller Scholarships were established by Santa Fe resident and novelist George R.R. Martin—widely known for Game of Thrones. Both scholarships are for students seeking a degree in Cinematic Arts & Technology.
NBCUniversal News Group offers IAIA students scholarships for its NBCUAcademy, an innovative, multi-platform journalism training and development program for four-year university and college students that provides education, on-campus training, and online programming. This incredible initiative includes a curated onsite curriculum for a hands-on learning experience with world-class NBCU News Group journalists, funding for accredited journalism programs, and scholarships to ensure a head-start for students moving into the Broadcast Journalism field.
Follow the link in our bio to learn more about the George R.R. Martin Literary Foundation and NBCU Academy Scholarships.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
The IAIA Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFACW) program is pleased to host a group of illustrious alumni as part of its 2022 summer residency. Next spring, MFACW will be graduating its tenth class of creative writers, and in the last nine years the program has seen many successes. IAIA welcomes the public to attend the opening reading events as we pay tribute to our growing legacy and feature some excellent storytellers—all of which are graduates of the MFACW program. These public talks will take place July 11–15, 2022 from 6:30–8 pm (MDT) in the Auditorium on the IAIA campus at 83 Avan Nu Po Road, Santa Fe, NM 87508.
Participating Writers:
• July 11: Deborah Taffa, Ramona Emerson, and Layli Long Soldier
• July 12: Sasha LaPointe, Dave Weiden, and Jake Skeets
• July 13: Toni Jensen, Chip Livingston, and Bojan Louis
• July 15: Sherwin Bitsui, Danielle Gellar, and Brooke Swaney
Learn more at www.iaia.edu/mfacw-summer-residency-public-talks/, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
Join the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, from 5:30–9 pm, at La Fonda on the Plaza for IAIA’s Making History Scholarship Event.
Our largest fundraiser of the year, this annual event provides essential scholarship support for our talented students across all disciplines from studio arts and creative writing to cinematography, performing arts, and museum studies. Celebrate with IAIA’s passionate family of supporters as we mark this year‘s historic milestone—IAIA celebrates its sixtieth anniversary and the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) celebrates its fiftieth year—and begin the next stage in our journey.
This year‘s event will feature Pueblo-inspired cuisine, Indigenous hoop dancing, and a reading by US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo (Mvskoke Nation) ’86. The live auction will feature one-of-a-kind artworks created by renowned IAIA alumni working in collaboration and inspired by IAIA’s historic six decades.
Tickets for the live event at La Fonda on the Plaza are available now. Limited seats are available and advanced reservations are encouraged. We look forward to celebrating with you and raising critical scholarship funds for our students, and if you can’t join us for the event, you can still bid on the live auction items online.
To purchase tickets, register for the online auction, sponsor the event, or simply learn more about this vital annual fundraiser, visit www.iaia.edu/support/2022-iaia-making-history-scholarship-event/, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
Dear Graduates,
I praise you for your commitment, passion, sacrifice, and persistence in completing your education during the COVID-19 pandemic. You are warriors who will take your knowledge, wisdom, and skills forward as you go to graduate school, go to work as artists, filmmakers, writers, scholars, or professors, or return home to be of service to your families and communities.
You are the manifestation of IAIA’s mission to empower creativity and leadership in Indigenous arts and cultures, and I wish you continued success in your future endeavors.
Thank you, and have an enjoyable summer,
Dr. Robert Martin (Cherokee)
IAIA President
The 2022 IAIA Commencement Ceremony is available to watch at www.iaia.edu/event/2022-iaia-commencement-ceremony/, link in bio.
Photograph by Tira Howard tirahowardphotography
The IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) is collaborating with ArtWalk Santa Fe, hosting an outdoor art market in MoCNA’s Allan Houser Art Park. This event on Saturday, June 25, 12–4 pm (MDT), will feature artists from the InstituteOfAmericanIndianArts community, Santa Fe, and surrounding communities, new work by Athena_LaTocha (Hunkpapa Lakota/Ojibwe), and music by DJGarronteed. IAIAMoCNA will also offer free admission all day to the Museum.
Organized by a group of local artists, ArtWalkSantaFe is a recurring outdoor arts and crafts market providing local and emerging artists with an open space to sell their products and get exposure to the Santa Fe community.
For more information, visit www.iaia.edu/event/artwalk-santa-fe-at-mocna/, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz
Students—IAIA Associated Student Government (ASG) is seeking IAIA student candidates for ASG Council elections. Open positions include President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Public Relations. Candidacy nominations run June 7–21, and elections will be held June 22–29, 2022.
The ASG was chartered to give students representation in the college community and offers a variety of services and opportunities for expression, leadership, and involvement. It represents the student in decision making and is an important link between the student, faculty, and administration. This is a vital student resource, and each officer is compensated financially for the time that they put in. The ASG officers will also attend the National ASG Conference in Orlando, Florida July 14–17, 2022 and will visit Disney World.
Follow the link in our bio to sign up today for the IAIA Associated Student Government election.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
“Burn to Emerge,” the latest edition of Anthology, the Institute of American Indian Arts’ (IAIA) online student journal of multidisciplinary art and writing, is live. This year’s Anthology was envisioned, planned, and designed by IAIA students in the wake of the pandemic. Through poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and mixed-media art, “Burn to Emerge” tells a story of reconnection and resilience.
You can read the latest edition of Anthology online at www.creativewritinganthology.iaia.edu, link in bio.
Image design by Shantel Chee and Nami Okuzono
The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) InstituteofAmericanIndianArts and IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) IAIAMoCNA are the focus of a wide-ranging article by local cultural worker Sarah Sao Mai Habib for online magazine Hyperallergic, “Six Decades of Contemporary Native Art at Santa Fe’s Institute of American Indian Arts.” The article explores IAIA’s history since its inception in 1962, tells the story behind CaraRomeroPhotography’s notable “Making History” photograph, and investigates the school’s near-term plans and partnerships. Interviews with President Dr. Robert Martin (Cherokee), alum Cara Romero (Chemehuevi) ’05, and archivist Ryan Flahive elucidate IAIA’s 60 years of influence and prominence in Indigenous American art and culture.
“Wherever you go and there’s Indigenous art being exhibited, there’s probably going to be some connection to IAIA. We’ve had a major impact, especially in contemporary Native arts,” Dr. Martin told Habib.
Thanks to writer Sarah Habib, editor Nancy Zastudil, and Hyperallergic for this feature and for helping us pursue our mission “to empower creativity and leadership in Native Arts and cultures through higher education, lifelong learning, and outreach.”
Read the article at www.hyperallergic.com/732648/50-years-of-contemporary-native-art-at-iaia-santa-fe/, link in bio.
Photograph by Kay V. Wiest, courtesy IAIA Archives, featuring Lloyd Kiva New (Cherokee) with a student in the IAIA textile printing studio, c. 1967
Happy #PrideMonth!
In recognition of our diverse community, we proudly launch our new IAIA Pride Collection this June. Featuring our rainbow thunderbird logo, this new collection celebrates our community members’ individuality, self-expression, self-determination, and pride every day of the year! The IAIA Pride Collection is available online and at our physical locations, the Campus Bookstore and the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts Store. We’ll be adding new products in the future, so check in regularly.
Purchase the IAIA Pride T-Shirt and other official IAIA merch at www.iaia.edu/store, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), the birthplace of contemporary Native American art, has been the educational home of esteemed, innovative artists, writers, filmmakers, performers, and leaders since 1962. In this speaker series, IAIA Alumni Voices, we hear first-hand stories about former students’ experiences through the decades. Please join us for these engaging and provocative discussions to learn how, since its inception, IAIA has been Making History.
On June 1, artist, educator, and fashion designer Kimberly “Wendy” Ponca (Osage) ‘78 will join IAIA Archivist Ryan Flahive for the latest installment of IAIA Alumni Voices. She will discuss her time as a student and instructor at IAIA, her career as a creative professional, and how her experiences at IAIA influenced her life path.
Originally from Oklahoma, Ponca attended IAIA in the 1970s when it still had a boarding high school program on the Santa Fe Indian School campus. She earned a BFA from Kansas City Arts Institute, studied weaving in Greece, pursued graduate studies at Parsons School of Art and Design in the 1980s, and earned an MA in Art Therapy from Southwestern College Santa Fe in 1996. From 1982 to 2000, Ponca returned to IAIA to teach fiber arts and fashion design.
Ponca’s art—which spans traditional and contemporary styles—can be found in the permanent collections of multiple museums, including the LA County Museum of Art (LACMA) in Los Angeles, CA; the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, OK; the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.; and MoCNA. Among her many accomplishments, Ponca has designed blankets for Pendelton, received grants from the Kellogg Foundation and the Osage Nation Foundation, and was named a “Hero and Legend of Osage County” by the Osage County Historical Society of Oklahoma.
The IAIA Alumni Voices speaker series takes place one afternoon each month, April through September, from 12:15–1 pm (MDT). The series will be livestreamed on IAIA’s website and Facebook page. Each session will include a Q&A period.
Learn more and stream the talk at www.iaia.edu/event/iaia-alumni-voices-wendy-ponca/, link in bio.
Photograph from the IAIA Archives
IAIAMoCNA has been nominated as the Best Museum in Santa Fe in the Santa Fe Reporter’s annual Best of Santa Fe reader poll, and voting ends today. If you appreciate MoCNA’s continued commitment to showcasing the best of contemporary Indigenous art, film, literature, and more through exhibits and educational programming, we would appreciate your vote.
Check out the poll on the SFReporter’s website, and vote for the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) and all your Santa Fe favorites at www.vote.sfreporter.com/arts-and-entertainment/museum, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)
The American Indian College Fund (AICF) Full Circle Scholarship application deadline is fast approaching—all application materials must be submitted by this upcoming Tuesday, May 31, 2022.
InstaCollegeFund provides scholarships to Native American and Alaska Native college students seeking undergraduate and graduate degrees at tribal colleges, nonprofit, and accredited schools. To learn more about the application process and apply, visit www.collegefund.org/students/scholarships/, link in bio.
Photograph by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts
VISIT THE COVID-19 PAGE
View the COVID-19 resource page on the IAIA website.