NATIVE AESTHETICS
Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder hosts celebration of pueblo art
Celebrating arts — that’s what organizers are aiming to do at Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder.
Through September, the public is invited to events — most of them free — at the resort.
According to Andra Dan, public relations manager for Arizona & New Mexico Hilton Resorts, the programming has been increasing over the past couple of months.
“This is something to promote our art collection as well as have our guests learn more about the amazing culture,” Dan says. “It’s a time to get creative and enjoy Santa Fe’s Native artists and deep-rooted culture.”
At 6 p.m. each Thursday through September, the Red Sage patio invites art enthusiasts to celebrate American artistry with a twohour painting class hosted by internationally renowned artist Robbi Firestone.
Firestone continues to bring worldwide attention to Santa Fe’s contemporary art scene.
“We love painting on the patio, and we are thrilled to continue our third annual partnership with Robbi Firestone by sharing our love for the arts with our guests,” said Christi Windle, director of sales and marketing at Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder.
The cost for this event is $45 per person, which includes the lesson and art supplies.
In addition to the art event, Pueblo of Pojoaque youth hoop dance performances take place at 6 p.m. each Friday in the resort lobby.
“To see these dancers is really a moodaltering experience,” she says. “There’s so much history to the dances, and you get an opportunity to learn about them.”
The Poeh Native Art Showcases will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. each Thursday and Friday through September.
One-of-a-kind art pieces, including pottery, jewelry and stone sculptures, will be available for purchase.
“It’s a very neat and personalized experience,” she says. “You get the chance of hearing the backstory to each handcrafted piece. It celebrates our rich pueblo traditions.”
The resort is also giving tours of the curated art collection, which is valued at more than $2.5 million.
Day says by downloading the Geotourist app and following the easy directions, users can access a comprehensive auto-play guided audio tour and learn all about the remarkable displays of pottery, painting, sculpture, mosaics and weavings.
The collection represents every Native tribe in New Mexico.
“Being able to learn about all of the remarkable details behind each piece is amazing,” he says. “It’s available to the public. We want to be able to get the public out and learn about the many traditions we have in New Mexico. It’s a perfect opportunity to learn in a fun environment.”