Whitehawk Show | August 6-9, 2026 | Santa Fe, NM

Cultural Crossroads

Western and Native American art come together during the annual Whitehawk Antique Indian & Ethnographic Art Show.

By Alyssa M. Tidwell

This year’s Whitehawk Antique Indian & Ethnographic Art Show will take place once again at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center this August, providing collectors another opportunity to explore top-tier Native American artwork during the city’s busiest and most exciting time of year. With more than 130 exhibitors coming together for the annual event, visitors can delve into textiles, pottery, jewelry, beadwork, paintings, woodcarving and more, as well as two special exhibitions: The First Moderns: Navajo/Diné Textiles 1870–1900, the First Modern Art in the United States and Heritage: A Legacy of Tradition—Australian Indigenous Art.The show will also feature a number of prominent Western artists, including contemporary painters such as Billy Schenck, as well as historic masters Nicolai Fechin, Sheldon Parsons and Till Goodan.

Fritz Scholder (Luiseño, 1937-2005), Indian with Flag, 1973, color lithograph, 30 x 39 in. Courtesy Stevens Fine Art.

“Navajo weavings and textiles should be considered some of the most important artworks within American art,” Whitehawk show owner Kim Martindale says of The First Moderns exhibit. “These weavers, primarily women, were creating bold patterns, contrasting and vibrant colors, with flawless designs and skill—and they were doing it outside of the art world decades before others did anything even remotely similar in paintings. I believe these Navajo artists deserve the credit for being the first modern artists in America.”

Billy Schenck, Old Warrior, 2010, acrylic. Courtesy Blue Heron Gallery.

Heritage: A Legacy of Tradition—Australian Indigenous Art will present various paintings by acclaimed Australian Indigenous artists “who depict stories of the Dreamtime, an ancient spiritual belief of the Aboriginal people that continues to be an active force today,” show organizers note.

Till Goodan (1896-1958), Bronc Rider, 1940s, oil on canvas, 36 x 28 in.

The 2026 Whitehawk Antique Indian & Ethnographic Art Show is set for August 6 to 9. “While August in Santa Fe is ground zero for major collectors of ethnographic art, Whitehawk really has something for everyone,” Martindale adds. “It’s a museum, a gallery, a cultural crossroads and a great shopping opportunity for connoisseurs and newcomers alike.” —