The Flute Player continues his song..
September 17, 2007 | 
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When John Edwards took a notion to take a class in marketing, little did he know that this decision would change his life and that of his community. John was transitioning from military life to civilian life then, taking a major step from military foreign language specialist to private entrepreneur. It seemed so simple and yet such a drastic change of lifestyle.
John took another significant step, following his marketing studies with a life-changing apprenticeship with a colleague who introduced him to the world of Native American culture and life.
“I discovered that Native American art is a way of representing life, a way of viewing the world,” he said during our interview. “True Southwestern Art can only be created here. Everything else is pure imitation.”
John’s apprenticeship took him across the Southwest for long buying trips that never failed to surprise him. Trading posts, Native American Pow Wows, new friends, and trusted families provided him with what would become staples of his business. “Business was learning about art, and the artists who create this art,” John said. “My customers want to know about the people who made this wonderful art. I make it my business to tell them so they can share it with others as well.
When John and his wife Linda took the next significant step in their personal vision quest and purchased The Flute Player Gallery in Old Colorado City, there was no going back. John continued on his buying trips while Linda tended the shop, creating an invitational atmosphere to house the prize-winning art pieces that John had collected in his travels. Among the artists featured at The Flute Player are masters whose works are featured at the Smithsonian in Washington, D. C. and beyond. Others are up and coming artists who are “making a name for themselves right now.”
“We have a great variety of things here, and they are not all expensive,” John added. “That’s because fine art does not have to be extremely costly.” Linda seconded John’s comment with one of her own. “John enjoys finding a good bargain, and he passes it on to his customers. That’s why our customers have become our extended family, you might say.”
Both John and Linda pride themselves on sharing what they know with others. Many customers have begun as novice collectors and go on to become fine collectors in their own right. John and Linda go on buying trips together now, but they leave the shop in the hands of trusted colleagues who share their love for the art and a know-how to present it to the public. They have created a twenty-plus year success story because they invite others to explore the Native American view of the world.
“This is what I truly enjoy,” John commented. “Sharing the beauty of this special world with people who respect it and believe it must be treasured.”
The Flute Player Gallery is a delight for people of all ages, artistic sophistication, and taste. One can find vintage pieces that were all the rage decades ago as well as the “hits” of this year’s Indian Market. John will tell you all you want to know about each piece, make no mistake about that.
“Indian Art can be read the way you read a history book,” John said. “It keeps evolving, changing, and delighting those who take the time to look.” Baskets, rugs, pottery, fetishes, jewelry, sculptures, and the list goes on, have found a special niche at John and Linda’s shop. “Customers come in, but they leave as friends,” Linda said.
You will find The Flute Player gallery at 2511 West Colorado Avenue. Telephone 719-632-7702. John and Linda will ensure that you are among new friends, and always, the best company in town.
By Margaret Mistry. Photos by the author
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