Pablita Velarde Making a Living as a Native Artist with Marilyn Norcini

Marilyn Norcini presents her economic study on how a professional Native artist created a sustainable career -- Santa Clara Pueblo artist, Pablita Velarde (1916-2006).

“When you attend the Santa Fe Indian Market, do you ever walk past the booths thinking of the artists as self-employed business men and women? Probably not. And are you aware that the price you paid for the Native basket or pottery is a revenue stream for the artist family’s yearly income – providing a household with money for food, clothing, housing and gas?” - Marilyn Norcini

Velarde was a New Deal public artist who transitioned into a professional artist during the second half of the twentieth century. For fifty years, Velarde owned and operated a successful home business in Albuquerque by making and selling her visual and literary works. After a divorce in the late 1950s, Velarde solely supported herself and her two children from her artworks, books and crafts.

Dr. Norcini presents a unique approach to writing an artist biography – by focusing on the practical economic aspects of making a living as a Native artist. Although Pablita modestly dismissed the idea that she was a competent businesswoman, quantitative financial data prove otherwise. Research from diverse primary and secondary sources builds a financial picture of a Native artist’s business practices – a pattern of wholesale and retail sales, marketing strategies, pricing, several product lines, and a signature line of “earth paintings.” With hard work, talent and business savvy, Velarde created a personal “brand” as a full-time, professional Native artist and businesswoman.

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About the School for Advanced Research (SAR): Founded in 1907, the School for Advanced Research (SAR) is one of North America’s preeminent independent institutes for the study of anthropology, related social sciences and humanities. SAR is home to the Indian Arts Research Center, one of the nation’s most important Southwest Native American art research collections. Through prestigious scholar residency and artist fellowship programs, public programs and SAR Press, SAR advances intellectual inquiry in order to better understand humankind in an increasingly global and interconnected world. Additional information on the work of our resident scholars and Native American artists is available on the SAR website: https://sarweb.org/, on Facebook:   / schoolforadv  , and on Twitter: @schadvresearch.