Santa Fe Indian Market will celebrate their 103rd annual art market this weekend with over 1,000 artists from around the world gathered downtown to showcase their work. Laguna Pueblo artist Marla Allison, who lives in Northern California, will travel back to the Land of Enchantment to debut her newest paintings. KUNM spoke with Allison on her passion and her family's history with painting.
MARLA ALLISON: My grandfather had paintings on his wall that his his father had made. And I always thought like, ‘Wow, those are are beautiful.’ There was a painting, a portrait of Geronimo that he found the amazing talent to make where he was kind of kneeling, holding a rifle in this beautiful Grand Canyon kind of scene. I don't know where the image actually came from, maybe from his memory, maybe from a photo that he had seen before, and that always kind of stuck with me growing up. I think it was just, you know, a part of my upbringing, I couldn't help but become what I am. I know being an artist is a luxury job. It's not like, you know, a mechanic, but you know, artists are still needed. So thankfully, my family kind of realized, like, ‘Wow, you can do it. Keep going.’
KUNM: As an artist, in any given day, is it more of a muse? Is it more of a feeling? How often do you paint and what's the process like?
ALLISON: Oh, that's so intimate, that's something that is so different for every person in their practice and way of life. I feel it's a calling. It feels almost like a habit, and it's a form of life that I can't deny. If I don't paint, I get so antsy and jittery and I think I'm not fulfilling my calling. I wake up and I'm just like, What are you laying in bed for? You need to get your butt up and start making something, because life is unfulfilled without painting.
It’s something that is needed in every moment, whether I'm sitting there staring and watching a bird fly, I realize, like, ‘wow, look at that movement.’ I can capture that on a piece of paper. I can put that onto a canvas. And, you know, with that form and shape, maybe that'll give somebody else that same feeling. I feel sometimes like a superhero whenever I finish a painting.
KUNM: You mentioned that you’ve been a part of Santa Fe Indian Market for numerous years, I wonder if you got it down to a key now or if it’s still new every time? What’s the process like?
ALLISON: The feeling of the Santa Fe Indian Market, in the beginning it was very intimidating because, you know, there's so many greatly talented artists that you're trying to show your artwork alongside, and it's it's scary, the self doubt comes in of, is it good enough? Is it strong enough? Does it compare? Did I put enough man hours into it? Did I put enough strength into it? Did I mix those colors, right? Did I fix every single little spot that I meant to? I mean, it can be really scary, but now that I've kind of done it for a while, I kind of know all right, this is, this is how I need to paint.
KUNM: For those that have never been to Santa Fe Indian Market, what is that like? What’s that feeling of being there?
ALLISON: It's exciting. It's happy. I mean, an art show is very happy and encouraging, and the people showing their artwork are finally there and they finish the work, and now you just get to have this social day. There are dancers that come through and perform in the streets. There are people that protest, which is kind of fun. There's people that dress in their Indian Market best, I mean turquoise galore, or coral necklaces with really amazing ordained cowboy hats, or top hats, or, you know, weird rain hats that they just want to keep out of the sun, and they're coated with sunscreen. And there are people that are like, sweaty as ever, just still trudging through the day with their lemonade and, you know, just wanting to see everybody. It's a family reunion. It's a social club where everybody gets to know each other. And, you know, like artists get to see, really, who they've been competing with behind the scenes. And it's, it's, it's fun. It has this great vibration. So I highly encourage people to go and see this show. I think it's a fun time. And even if you don't buy anything, it's just an experience that's worth the time.
Santa Fe Indian Market will be on Saturday August 16, 2025. and Sunday August 17, 2025 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Find more information on the event here.
Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation and listeners like you.
