Vanessa M Elmore, ISA AM, Fine Art, Specialty Studies: Native American Art Specialist

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Vanessa M Elmore
ISA member since Feb 07, 2014

(505) 231-9367 (Mobile)

Unpublished
Santa Fe, NM 87501 map

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About

For over 25 years, Vanessa Elmore has been steeped in the most active market for First American Art in the world—Santa Fe, New Mexico, which also happens to be in the top five art markets in the United States. Elmore built her foundational experience serving as a professional art gallerist and consultant at two top galleries, during which time she handled innumerable antique to contemporary works of art, connecting them to novice and seasoned collectors alike, working with individuals, museums, and corporations. In 2014, she struck out on her own with Elmore Art Appraisals, offering professional art appraisals and collection consulting services. Elmore maintains a wide knowledge base regarding indigenous material cultures of North America, and holds the utmost respect as she conducts her business around these artworks. She employs specific processes for the identification and, in some cases the authentication of these artworks, and pays close attention to provenance and ownership history. Elmore is especially adept at performing in-depth research and writing for individual artworks and large collections. Her Master of Arts degree should also suggest that Elmore uses scholarly rigor when creating documentation and approaches artworks armed with the most up-to-date information regarding elements of discovery. She is particularly experienced at making art market analyses that are specific to the nuances of Native American Art history, and to bolster her opinions, experience, and knowledge base, she maintains expert contacts across a wide spectrum of the art industry. 

Elmore Art Appraisals provides appraisal and consulting services for First American Arts of North America. Services include appraisal reports for insurance coverage and damage claims, charitable contributions and voluntary returns (repatriations), estate tax reporting and equitable divisions, acquisition and deaccession considerations, collateral loans and personal wealth portfolios. Elmore also offers collection management services and collector advisory services, available as single-assignments or on a yearly retainer basis. 

*All time periods covered: Prehistoric, Historic, Modern, and Contemporary.

 *All cultural regions of North America covered: Northeast/Woodlands, Southeast, Great Lakes, Prairie, Plains, Plateau/Great Basin, Southwest, California, Northwest Coast, Interior Canada, and Alaska.

*Artworks and types of material culture covered: Baskets, Beadwork, Clothing & Accessories, Dolls & Toys, Glass, Jewelry (shell, stone, metals), Katsinam (Kachinas), Plains Ledger Drawings, Mixed Media, Paintings, Pottery, Sculpture (stone, wood, metal, ceramics), Textiles, and Works on Paper. 

*I DO NOT APPRAISE: Lithics including arrowheads, flint points, axe heads, birdstones, rock or geological specimens, or "found" artifacts that are newly excavated without proper documentary evidence.
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Education

2006 - Master of Arts, Art History
            (Specialization: Art of the Americas)    
            University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico

1998 - Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology & Art
             (both Art History & Studio Art tracts) 
             Colby College, Waterville, Maine     
  
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Professional Background

2014 - Present  Elmore Art Appraisals, Appraiser
                            -Providing art appraisal & consultation
                             services focused on Native American Art.

2011 - 2015   Blue Rain Gallery, Art Consultant
                         -Contemporary Native American & Regional American 
                           Fine Arts

2000 - 2011   Morning Star Gallery, Assistant Director
                         -Native American, American, & New Mexican
                          Spanish Colonial Fine Arts

1998 - 2000   Morning Star Gallery, Sales/Research
                                                                 Associate                          
                        -Native American, American, & New Mexican
                          Spanish Colonial Fine Arts           

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Advisory Roles

2016 - Present   Authentic Tribal Arts Dealers Association   
                             (ATADA), Legal Committee Member

2010 - Present   Southwestern Association of American 
                            Indian Arts (SWAIA): Indian Market
                              -Various appointments of Juror and Judge, 
                                prior service on the Standards Committee 
                               -SWAIA is the nonprofit organization
                               responsible for the annual Indian Market
                               (established in 1922).

2019 - Present   Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, NM
                            -Board Member (Secretary), Executive Committee,
                             & Collections Committee (Chair)
                            -2013-2014 Advisory Committee, founding member  
                                              
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*Fluent, Native Spanish speaker
*Available for Lectures & Speaking Engagements
*Extensive Writing and Editing Experience; Published Writer
*Expertise has been featured in print, tv, and film media