When we first introduced readers to Chris and Debbie Jones, owners of Great Southwest gallery, the couple had recently relocated their home and business from Colorado Springs. That was back in 2013. At the time, Great Southwest was located at Hillside Sedona. You could say everything and nothing has changed in the five years since. Though Great Southwest still focuses on artists based in the Southwest (the gallery currently represents about 100 artists), it relocated to Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village in the summer of 2015. The space was formerly an artist’s apartment complete with a kiva-style fireplace, so it has a cozy, homey quality that Chris appreciates.
“When we first saw this space, it was an oh-my-gosh moment,” says Chris. “Here was this place that was a perfect fit for what we represented. It has the Saltillo-tile floors, wood beams, walls that look adobe to me and that corner fireplace. It’s the epitome of a Southwest room in a home.”
Chris can frequently be found in the gallery. Up until a few months ago, Debbie was the principal at Big Park School. Since the school shuttered, she, too, can occasionally be found behind the counter. Great Southwest showcases Native American kachinas and pottery, Hispanic folk art (don’t miss the wood carving of St. Francis on the gallery’s balcony and the hand-carved saints by artist Peter Ortega), Zuni fetishes and fine-art paintings and sculpture.
The centerpiece of it all is the jewelry. Not only does Great Southwest offer jewelry from contemporary artists, it specializes in a curated selection of vintage Native American jewelry purchased from family collections. Chris says he’s watched as vintage jewelry has grown in popularity over the years. “We’re more focused on the classics at Great Southwest, and I think that has served us well because there’s been this resurgence in traditional pieces,” he says. “People come into the gallery, and they are thrilled to see that collection.”
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