destination art
Left: Larry Vasquez, necklace, pink coral and opal.
SUNWEST ON THE PLAZA Albuquerque’s Sunwest Silver Co., Inc., owned by Ernie Montoya, has a new Santa Fe location. The spaces formerly occupied by Dressman’s
Gifts and Santa Fe Indian Trading Company are now home to Sunwest on the Plaza. As the owner of the Carico Lake, New Lander, Falcon, and Badger turquoise mines, Sunwest Silver keeps hundreds of artisans from Albuquerque to Tibet supplied with stone. Since 1970, Sunwest Silver has been selling silver and stone, buying back the jewelry made from the materials, then supplying stores across the land with Nativemade jewelry. Sunwest on the Plaza sells the work of about 120 jewelers, all but a few Native. They also carry pottery, a few weavings, and Ojibwe totems. The other section of the store preserves Dressman’s tradition of selling T-shirts, sodas, and souvenirs of all sorts. Sunwest will celebrate their grand opening August 17 at 5 pm with a ribbon cutting. Native artists will be in the store throughout Indian Market weekend. Grand opening, August 17, 5 pm, Sunwest on the Plaza, sunwesthandmade.com
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