Stories from the West

At High Desert Dry Goods, we’re committed to helping our Northern California neighbors impacted by the Camp Fire. Through the end of 2018, we’re donating 50% of every purchase to the North Valley Community Foundation, a local organization dedicated to helping fire victims find shelter and rebuild their lives.

Works by Midcentury Native American artist JD Roybal reflect Pueblo ceremonials with an illustrative and playful approach.  Born in 1922, José Desiderio Roybal (JD Roybal) was from San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico. Revered for its tradition of black on black pottery, San Ildefonso was home to potters like Maria Martinez and JD’s parents, Tonita and Juan Roybal. Following in the footsteps of his uncle, painter Awa Tsireh (Alfonso Roybal), JD Roybal, too, gravitated toward two dimensional works.  

Animated ceremonial dancers feature as prominent subjects in Roybal’s works, with a favorite being Koshare clowns. Mischievous and spirited, Roybal represents the dancers in single portraits and group processionals. Often posed in profile, these figures stand out on a white ground with graphic composition.  

As sponsors of the Ladies Ranch Rodeo, we gave away rugs from our new hand woven wool collection to top competitors.  It's not to late to get your hands on one too - we're giving away one more, no horse required.  Sign up for our mailing list to enter the July 1st drawing.

What is a Modern Trading Post?

At High Desert Dry Goods, we’re not your average ecommerce store. We are a digital trading post that pairs the convenience of online shopping with the spirit of the Old West. Our unique buy-sell-trade model hearkens back to a time when old pawn was simply pawn, and consumer goods were made with an emphasis on craftsmanship and quality.

Many of our vintage items were made in America, and have endured the test of time. We appreciate the lived in patina of these items, and rarely clean up tarnished silver jewelry or barn finds. Vintage objects are the physical embodiment of history, and we love items that tell a story.

Vintage Goods Are Green Goods

In addition to preserving the great style and workmanship of generations passed, buying used represents an age old ethos of resource responsibility that has not been entirely forgotten. With the rebirth of the homesteading movement, the ethics of our generation have come full circle, and many of us identify with the modest, make-do attitudes of our ancestors. Extending the life of a vintage garment is far more powerful (and timeless) than diving into the latest fast fashion trend. When we do buy new, we are more thoughtful in our consumption, and seek out durable, heirloom quality goods.

Don’t Be Shy

We have a small offering of new items and fine art prints at High Desert, and seek to foster relationships with likeminded artisans in the future. If you are an artist or craftsman in search of a collaboration, or simply a shopper with an interesting item for sale or trade, we want to hear from you.

Shoot us an email (howdy@shophighdesert.com) if you’re a collector with a specific, hard to find item in mind. We’re always rounding up fresh inventory, and will keep our eyes peeled for special requests.

There’s a world of awesome stuff out there, and discovery is half the fun. As a modern trading post, we are harnessing technology to make the hunt more accessible than ever.  Feel free to share tips on estate sales, auctions, and good old fashioned picks.

Thanks for stopping by the High Desert and sharing a piece of the American West.

 

 

 

The Cochiti are a Keresan tribe located near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Like many of the area's Pueblo tribes, Cochitis moved from functional wares to smaller, packable ceramics as Anglo tourism brought a demand for Native American art as souvenirs. Ceramic vessels from Cochiti are relatively rare, as the tribe is well known for effigies and storyteller figurines. The classic Cochiti motif includes an off white bentonite slip with boiled beeweed painted designs.

The finely painted pottery of Acoma differs in style from that of the Rio Grande pueblos, while closely resembling that of neighboring Laguna. Dazzling, bold patterns and fine line work are common on both black and white and polychrome pots.  A revival of the ancient Mimbres pottery designs began in the early 20th Century, when pottery sherds from the archaeological site were shared with local Acoma potters including the legendary Lucy Lewis.

“His watercolors show his intense love of that strange corner of the west where the Navajos live." While his world was not quite as idyllic as a fifties lifestyle magazine might suggest, Navajo artist Andy Tsinajinie filtered the Indian experience through the colorful lens of children’s illustrations and government supported murals.

In his signature contemporary style, Fritz Scholder took on romantic stereotypes to tackle tough issues like poverty, alcoholism and diabetes amongst Tribal communities. Incorporating a pop aesthetic and a wry sense of humor, Scholder’s figures embody the enigma of a culture caught up in legend and bound by mortality.

 

 

Amado Peña is a Southwestern painter and printmaker whose boldly colored landscapes and cloaked figures evoke a mysterious and unforgiving desert environment.