4 Best Places to Shop in Albuquerque, New Mexico

This shop carries a very special selection of fetishes, along with kachina dolls, baskets, and a small grouping of vintage and contemporary Native American jewelry and pottery, for the beginning and seasoned collector. The shop's owner, Yvonne Stokes, is well respected in this field, and presents work from all 19 pueblos as well as Hopi and Navajo pieces. Changing exhibits focus on one tradition—stone carvers, for example—and hone in on the work of one artist and perhaps that of the artist's family as well. Gorgeous hand-carved Ye’i figures by contemporary Navajo artist Sheldon Harvey are here, as are his wonderful abstraction paintings. Enter the Zuni Fetish Museum from within the gallery; an unusually fine range of historic Zuni-crafted fetishes awaits, along with those by other Native artisans. Transitions in style and theme are well-documented here, as are trends in materials and form. Visits to both the store and the museum are by advance appointment only.

The Sandia Pueblo-run Bien Mur Indian Market Center showcases regional Native American rugs, jewelry, and crafts of all kinds. It is a good place to get familiar with the distinct styles found at each of the 19 pueblos here (as well as that by Diné, or Navajo, artists), and you can be certain about the authenticity of purchases made here as well.

Exploring the farther reaches of the rural North Valley takes you past small adobe antique shops and mom-and-pop-type finds, but then there is the unexpected two-story stack of 1800s-vintage terrone block that forms the colorfully inviting La Parada. Inside, its longtime owner shows a keen eye for crafts from across the Americas (fantastic Haitian tin work made from recycled oil drums, charming blue-and-white painted D’Casa pottery from Guadalajara) and around the globe. All show the artists’ hands, as does the outstanding selection of vintage ties, handkerchiefs, and linens for sale.

Contemporary fine crafts, including jewelry, sculptural glass, ceramics, and fiber arts can be found at this longtime Albuquerque gallery. In town since 1974, a smart and changing selection of high-quality wares by local artisans has been a constant. Special exhibits focus on established artists (such as extraordinary mixed-media metalwork by Cynthia Cook and provocative pieces by collagist Suzanne Sbarge) and worthy newcomers.