Palms Trading Company

December 2007

Guy Berger: Owner
Palms Trading Company

Message from Guy: The Magic of Southwestern Indian Art

I was recently reading a book called Legacy published by Southwest Indian Art at the School of American Research. As I read the forward by N.
Scott Momaday, A Kiowa Indian, I was enchanted with the words he wrote. I will share this wonderful prose with you in a moment, but I couldn’t help but think that this careful thought is what we profess here at Palms as “The Magic of Southwest Art”.

Each day at the Palms, whether we see new pottery or old, new jewelry or pawn, there is a sense we are witnessing the continuation of a myriad of Native American family legacies. I am honored to be a part of such an enduring tradition of creativity, handed down over many hundreds, if not thousands of years. I hope you enjoy these special words as much as I do.

Mr. Momaday writes…” A legacy is a gift from an ancestor, something handed down across time and space, and through the generations. It draws its significance from how and by whom it was created and acquired, and why it was preserved and passed on. Any legacy changes over time, taking on new meanings with each new context and each succeeding generation… Those who behold this legacy will regard it variously. And each beholder will regard it rightly. It is homage to ancestors. It is heritage. It is a tribute to human creativity. It is inspiration, fulfillment and promise.”

Thank you for being a part of this special journey into the world of Southwest Indian Art and its Magic.

Palms Trading Scholarship Fund News

Every year, Palms Trading donates to certain Pueblo educational programs in the form of scholarship money. This year, we donated to Jemez High and Jemez Pueblo Charter High School. I tagged along to take photographs of the students that received these gifts. While I am only an amateur photographer, I was glad to have the opportunity to attend one of their ceremonies, and to listen to Palm’s owner Guy Berger’s speech regarding Palms involvement in the Pueblo communities.

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The Finest American Turquoise at Palms

The Pilot Mountain and Royston turquoise mines, located in the central, southwestern portion of Nevada near Tonopah, are still producing beautiful and unusual stones. There is a scarcity of domestically mined and cut turquoise, and today’s market is flooded with turquoise mined and cut in China. Palms Trading Company proudly features natural, high grade Pilot Mountain and Royston turquoise.

Varying in colorations of blue and green, from the lightest of hues to the deepest of each, and with their rich golden brown matrix, both Pilot Mountain and Royston are difficult to distinguish from each other to the untrained eye. These mines are in such close proximity to each other that the stones they produce are almost identical. Both stones have rich tones that darken and lighten, or can be a single coloration. In addition, they both have similar matrix ranging from beige to tan to dark brown. Royston tends to emit a more classic and consistent look with blue and green in the same stone. Mineral composition of the soil determines coloration. Water leaches through soil, picking up minerals along the way and settles in cracks and crevices in the rocks. Their distinctive colors and matrix make these intriguing stones greatly sought after.

Welcome Back, Enso!By Diana Berger

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a man who has recently rejoined the Palms family, and who I have been proud to call family for my 23 years. Enso Medici, my uncle and coworker, returned to Palms in May 2007 after taking a few years to pursue other interests. I think I speak for everyone here when I say that we are very happy to have him, and his sense of humor, back with us.

Entering into his 15th year in the Indian art business, Enso contributes a vast array of knowledge and hard work to the Palms environment. Always willing to lend a helping hand, Enso can be found in every corner of the store, from helping customers in Pottery, to boxing shipments in the packing room, to fixing lights outside. Enso’s kind, benevolent, and talkative personality makes him a pleasure to work with, and he is appreciated by customers and coworkers alike.

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Kind words and thoughts from our valued customersWe always appreciate notes, calls and emails from new and old customers alike. Here are a few that we would like to share:

Wanted to thank you for our copy of New Mexico magazine. It was great to see Palms on the cover and a wonderful article. Whenever some of our customers vacation in the Southwest and one of their destinations is Albuquerque, we always encourage them to, of course, go to Acoma and to stop at Palms. The feedback is “a truly wonderful experience”. Thanks for being there for us and the rest of the world!
Rebecca & Dennis Bear Creek Gallery

Vince!! Thank you so, so much!! I received the necklace yesterday and I am just thrilled at how beautiful the replacement stone is and the wonderful workmanship to repair this much loved necklace. You are absolutely THE BEST!! I am wearing – Proudly wearing – the necklace and earrings today – along with several other wonderful pieces I’ve purchased from the Palms Trading Company over the years. I’ve already received numerous compliments – and I tell everyone about your store and your wonderful customer service.

I very much appreciate your willingness to help me and the fabulous job done on the piece. Again, my sincere thanks for helping me have this wonderful necklace to wear again!
Marsha Denver, CO

I loved working from your website. It is so well done and easy to work. I also loved the info on each piece and the artist’s information. Excellent!
Debbie Cincinnati Art Museum Gift Shop

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The Holiday Season in New Mexico By Thena Garoufes

Last winter was my third winter here in New Mexico and it was just as our state nickname describes, enchanting. Originally from the Nevada desert, I find the desert here unique and different from the area in which I grew up, and “The Land of Enchantment” is an accurate portrait of this beautiful state. I particularly like the colder months in Albuquerque, as Christmas time in southern Nevada normally consisted of short sleeve weather and holiday feasts without chile, red or green. Last winter left me with a joyful anticipation of this coming winter. Our snowfall was significantly above normal and although tiresome to say the least, shoveling paths through the backyard for my dog was enjoyable.

In addition to the weather, I look forward to the holiday season in New Mexico. The culture and traditions are unlike any other place in the world. Luminarias (paper bags with candles surrounded by dirt inside) line walkways and tops of buildings, seasonal goodies such as empanadas and biscochitos fill bakery shelves, adorable Santa storytellers and clay snowmen pop up in shop windows, and our Native artists hold their own traditional dances and feast days. Many of these ceremonies are private, but most are public as well. My hope is to attend one of these Pueblo festivals this Christmas.

Native American Events and Dances in Central New Mexico
December 1 – 2 1st weekend – Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair at Jemez Pueblo December 11 Night Dances at Pojoaque Pueblo December 12 Annual Feast Day at Pojoaque Pueblo Matachiness Dance at Jemez Pueblo December 24 – Christmas Eve Sundown Torchlit Procession of the Virgin Vespers with Mass procession followed by Matachiness Dance at Picuris Pueblo	December 24 – Christmas Eve (continued) Pine Torch Procession and Matachiness Dance at Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Night Luminaria Tour at Old Acoma Pueblo Sky City Sundown Procession with bonfires and Children’s Dances at Taos Pueblo Harvest, Deer, Arrow and other dances at Laguna Pueblo Dances after midnight mass at Santa Ana, San Felipe and Tesuque Pueblos Buffalo Dances after mass at Nambe Pueblo
See the full calendar »