21st Century Native hosts Art Market

Joseph Morales

GRIN Intern

21st Century Native, an organization that strives to increase awareness and recognition while supporting Indigenous artists, held an arts and crafts market on May 4 at the Matthew B. Juan—Ira Hayes Veterans Memorial Park in District 3, Sacaton.

“We tried to align our markets with holidays for more exposure,” said Amanda Lyons, District 3, founder of 21st Century Native. She said they began hosting the art markets in the Fall of last year and have continued. The event was a great success, with over 30 vendors sharing their crafts.

Paul Burciaga, a District 3 artist, was one of the many talented individuals who seized the opportunity to showcase his artwork. Burciaga, the owner of “Gila Boy Creations”, uses his paintings to express his unique perspective. He shared, “I was invited three times but only able to attend twice. I’m excited to just share my work.” Like many others, his art was a testament to the diversity and creativity of Indigenous artists.

“Being able to see all these beautiful works of art is so important. To see many artists come from all over the state and share their work is amazing,” said an attendee, visiting from outside the Community. She expressed how exciting the event was to see.

This event was the last art and crafts market until next Fall. Due to the hot weather in the community, 21st Century Native will continue where they left off when things cool down. Until then, they will have various events throughout the community. To stay informed and support their organization, you can find all their information on the website www.21stcenturynative.co