Connie Buffalo 
The Art of Possibility
I write about Santa Fe because it is where my heart lives. The skies are so vast that they remind me that we are sojourners in a cosmos larger than our understanding. The artists capture fragments of our relationship to this larger dance through ancestral story telling, traditional and non traditional works of art and ceremony.
Yes, I have a deep respect for Native American artists because I am an Anishinaabe, more commonly known as Ojibway or Chippewa. I try to communicate through my articles not only how native art is alive and growing, but the context from which it emerges.
At the root of tradition all traditions intertwine, be they Russian or Middle Eastern, African or European. We all have our histories that consciously or not, we carry within us and express through us. By telling Native traditional stories through art, I hope to stimulate a common thread of remembering that weaves everyone into the story of our humanity, its visions and challenges.
Beyond the native language of art, Santa Fe is the home to contemporary artists who attract experienced collectors to appreciative observers. This is the place where the land intersects with imagination, history and beauty.
Although I speak often of the historical context, right now, my longing brings me to the hem of the future. It’s not only our Anishinaabe prophecies that say that this is a critical time; the intensity of transformation is etched in our daily experiences. I am so aware that what we are doing, thinking and creating, not only through our art but through the art of living, will define the future that we leave for the next generation.
Right now, I’m travelling extensively and meeting with people who understand that what we do, no matter how insignificant it seems, makes a difference. I want to go beyond the rhetoric of shifting consciousness and see what is actually being created. For anyone who would like to participate, I’ll chronicle my journeys and learning and invite your comments.
My next trip is to Brazil where the President has committed to making Brazil the first zero carbon emissions country. We’ll see what happens and how the artists of Brazil are interpreting this momentous step. Later, I’ll travel to Bali and learn from the artists there how their art is reflective of world changes from their perspective and then speak with artists across America.
Let me know what’s happening in your area of the country in response to the social, political and environmental upheavals and we’ll grow together.
Enjoy and cherish our precious world and each other.
Connie Buffalo
