Miles To Go Before He Sleeps

Douglas Miles plays by his own set of rules

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an Carlos Apache–Akimel O'odham artist Douglas Miles has so many moving parts, it's sometimes difficult to keep track of how they all fit together. A prolific painter, graphic designer and founder of Apache Skateboards—the first Native American-owned and -operated skateboard company—Miles is a welcome tempest in an art world that too often tends to place more value on the financial calm before the creative storm. And for that, he makes no apologies.

A longtime participant in Santa Fe Indian Market, Miles has, for the past three years, foregone the coveted booths on the Plaza each August to bring a different sort of art and programming to town. Whether it's his simultaneously balletic and frenetic live painting, a skateboard demonstration or a punk- and house-infused live-music lineup at the TimeShip Racing Skate School (825 Early St., 474-0074), his intentions have been clear since Apache Skateboards first shot off the ramp a little more than a decade ago: Shake things up, and don't be sorry.

This year, Miles sets up shop at booth #135 as part of the inaugural Indigenous Fine Art Market, bringing with him a selection of his iconographic multimedia works that blend traditional and pop sensibilities of life on the rez. While still an ardent supporter of Indian Market and its contributions to the visibility of both emerging and established Native artists, Miles stresses that for every artwork there is a place—and for every artist, a golden opportunity break new ground.

"I think [IFAM] is more revolutionary than people give it credit for," Miles says, "because people are afraid of revolution. And here we're not even talking about revolution, as much as we are about evolution. The world has gotten a lot bigger, more connected; and art is everywhere now. There's now a cadre of Native American artists who understand that art can be anything. It doesn't have to manifest itself on the sacred white walls of a gallery or museum. This new cadre, and an even younger generation of artists, really doesn't care about the overall market. These artists want to make the kind of work that they want to make, despite who buys it or doesn't. Simple as that."

For Miles, that mindset translates into more interesting work and opens up the door to endless possibilities for collaboration among both Native and non-Native artists. And that, he emphasizes, has been the heart of Apache Skateboards' mission since day one.

"I call it the difference between the market and the field," Miles says. "The field is where we live and where we eat and where we create, and from there it can take us years to make it to the market. It's the same in any genre of art: The work in the field is way more important to your culture and your self than anything the market may bear."

With a solid 10 years in their vapor trail, the aim of former social worker Douglas Miles and his Apache Skateboards collective hasn't changed so much as it has blossomed. "The mission was to have fun and be as creative as possible," Miles says. "Than hasn't gone anywhere, and maybe, being around so long, we're attached to a certain aesthetic in the skate/art world that really heightens awareness about Native youth and culture. But now, we also do mural projects, film production, public art, brand management, youth mentoring, skateboards, product design, art curation…it's not a gallery game for us," he says. "We refuse to just hang on a wall."

Thursday, Aug. 21
Douglas Miles and the Apache Skateboards crew converge on the City of Santa Fe parking lot behind Warehouse 21 (1614 Paseo de Peralta, 989-4423) for IFAMily Affair, an all-ages skateboarding competition. 2–10 pm, $5 to enter, entry fee includes a free Apache Skateboards T-shirt.

Friday, Aug. 22
Douglas Miles: The Art of Apache Resistance, mixed-media solo exhibition. Plus, charcoal drawings and sculpture by Allan Houser. Reception: 5–7 pm Allan Houser Gallery, 125 Lincoln Ave., 982-4705. Through Sept. 3.

Saturday, Aug. 23
Them Savages in a live-music and live-art event. Live artists (not only not dead but also creating live art): Douglas Miles, Rose B Simpson, Thomas “Brez” Marcus,” Micah “The Werewolf” Wesley, Yatika Starr Fields, and Randy “Boogie” Barton. Live music by: Lo Cash Ninjas and the inimitable Discotays. TimeShip Racing Skate School (825 Early St., 474-0074).



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