My Nonprofit Reviews

After moving to Santa Fe and experiencing my first Folk Art Market, I was hooked forever. For the past few years I have taken on the responsibility of finding interpreters to work with the artists. The generosity of spirit of the interpreters is so heartwarming. Many travel in from all over the country to be interpreters during the training sessions, the panel discussions at the Folk Art Museum, and during the Market itself. They help the artists connect with the public. My favorite story from this year's Market is Kitty, an 81 year old French interpreter from North Carolina who is herself a potter. She spent all three days working with Habibou from Burkina Faso, becoming fast friends. As she wrote, "Serving as an interpreter was a wonderful experience and having lived in Habibou's country made it really special. Turns out that he would have been 6 years old when I was there. Actually the same age of our son when we lived there. Habibou called me "Maman" which was very sweet. The whole time I was running on adrenaline and was full of energy, happy, and not tired although I hadn't had much sleep. Being surrounded with beautiful art and artists from around the world was amazing. I felt like a kid in a candy shop! (Being 81, that's a great feeling to have again!).