The Virtual Coe Being together while being apart....
June 26, 2020
Let's celebrate!

We are excited to announce that the Coe is the recipient of a $20,000 National Endowment for Arts Art Works grant to support the first solo exhibition of the Inupiaq artist James Kivetoruk Moses (1903-1981). This is one of 1015 grants nationwide, and one of twelve in the state of New Mexico.

James Kivetoruk Moses: Master Artist exhibition, opening summer 2021, includes paintings and drawing by Kivetoruk Moses (Inupiaq)—a self-taught artist whose works vibrantly portray the lives of Indigenous people in early 20th-century Alaska.

Kivetoruk Moses created incredibly evocative and detailed images of Alaskan landscapes, wildlife, and the daily life of his Inupiaq community.

The works in the exhibition will be enriched by the inclusion interviews from community members and current Inupiaq artists regarding Kivetoruk Moses’ imagery and influence

To learn more about Kivetoruk Moses and our exhibition plans please click here

James Kivetoruck Moses (Inupiaq), Untitled , n.d., Colored pencil, water color, and ink, 11.5 x 8 in. Private Collection
A little 'play' with function...

These two examples of Northeastern Pack Baskets reflect both function and play. These packs have been made with black ash by many Northeastern tribes for centuries for hunting, fishing, and harvesting.

The design of these baskets, with the wide-mouth opening; supportive, weight-bearing straps; and form that molds to the wearer's back has become widely appropriated—so much so that they are now widely marketed as Adirondack Pack Baskets by non-Native companies small and large, yet the original power of these Indigenous baskets remains strong as Native basket-makers continue to maintain production and use.



Leslie Nicholas (Wabanaki Confederacy Maliseet attrib.), Pack Basket, c.1895. Oak splint, 25 x 18 x 18 in.  NA0016
Artist Unknown (Mohawk), Miniature Pack Basket , early 20th C. Brown ash, fabric, commercial buckle and brads, 5.75 x 4.75 x 4 in. NA0088

Collections Spotlight , a program developed in partnership with  First American Art Magazine , is a free interactive, online discussion that brings together the public, scholars, and Native artists who select artworks from the Coe’s collection to interpret and discuss.

The next Collections Spotlight event is Tuesday, June 30, 2020, at 3 pm MDT with Tahnee Ahtoneharjo-Growingthunder.


Tahnee Ahtoneharjo-Growingthunder (Kiowa/Mvskoki/Seminole) is the director of the Kiowa Tribal Museum and a beadwork and textile artist based in Oklahoma. Previously she served as a curator for the Oklahoma History Center. She is an alumna of Harvard Extension School and the Institute of American Indian Arts.

This event is free.
To register, click here .

Photo by Jason S. Ordaz

Please support the Coe and donate today.
Your gift today will be matched dollar for dollar up to $25,000!

The Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts is a private operating 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent of the Internal Revenue Code. Please donate online or mail checks to the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, 1590 B Pacheco Street, Santa Fe, NM 87505. Your support creates connection. Thank you.

Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts | 1590 B Pacheco Street, Santa Fe, NM 87505

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