My Tree of Life as an Appraiser of American Indian Art

American Indian art has a long history and a vibrant and active modern-day community, something that has long interested collectors, historians, and anthropologists. In My Tree of Life as an Appraiser of American Indian Art--My Viewpoint, author Leona M. Zastrow offers an examination of the past and present of American Indian art from her viewpoint as an art appraiser. She presents facts and details about Southwest American Indian art, considering its history and transitions and offers "snapshot views" of American Indian art. She also describes how people can donate their work to nonprofit organizations, explains several federal laws concerning Indian artists, and profiles several American Indian artists who created many of the items featured in these pages, including potters, jewelers, weavers, carvers, printers, and painters. Presented from the unique perspective of an appraiser, this collection of articles, originally written for a Santa Fe area publication, shines a new light on American Indian Art. A perfect reflection of a life lived in harmony with her roles as friend, teacher, appraiser, and collector of American Indian Art. Throughout the pages, we are offered a unique insight into a many-faceted world of wondrous American Indian art. --Dr. Ginny Brouch, Phoenix, Arizona