ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Juanita Peters sits on a sidewalk beneath the historic portal in Albuquerque’s Old Town, hoping the few tourists wandering the plaza will stop to look at her handmade turquoise earrings and necklaces.
A proposal under consideration by the New Mexico Legislature could make things easier for the Santo Domingo Pueblo resident and other American Indian artists who rely on their crafts to make a living.
Rep. Patricia Lundstrom’s bill would set aside funding for the state Licensing and Regulation Department to study and propose rules to establish a certification stamp for arts and crafts made by Indians in New Mexico. The aim is to boost sales and ensure that the market isn’t tainted by fakes.
One other state, Alaska, sponsors a similar program guaranteeing buyers that items bearing the “Silver Hand” seal were crafted by an Alaskan Eskimo, Aleut or Indian artist.
The New Mexico legislation stems from complaints about imitation art sold in Santa Fe and Gallup, which is known as a hub for collectible jewelry.
State and federal laws already prohibit misrepresenting fake Indian art or jewelry as authentic, but Lundstrom, a Democrat from Gallup, said they aren’t enough. “It’s a big problem. There’s no way to regulate it.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.