Kiva Trading Company founder, with her mother and daughter, the first three generations involved in trading, travel (locating and selecting inventory) and operating Kiva's main gallery. Mrs. Sutton's husband Richard has also been actively involved with the company's markerting and presentation since 1990.

Kiva was founded in 1983 by Vivian Sutton, Professor of Marketing at a suburban New York area college. Kiva Corporation, a New York State commercial corporation, was incorporated in 1989 to serve as an entity under which all of Kiva Trading Company's gallery and communications operations could co-exist.

"I founded Kiva after my own collection seemed to be getting too big!
My mother had always loved American Indian art and crafts. She must have given me the initial interest at least. I remember my Grandmother's friend, Mrs. Osceola, a Seminole lady. The two of them used to talk for hours, and Mrs. Osceola would often bring small gifts from Florida which we both loved. My first piece of Navajo jewelry was an inexpensive cuff bracelet of the "Fred Harvey" souvenir variety which my Grandmother gave me as a small child after a trip to the Southwest! I still have it to this day, and have over the years replaced almost all the turquoise stones it was set with. Someday my daughter will inherit it, and her daughter after her, I hope ... Vivian Sutton, Kiva Founder

Inside Kiva Trading Company's Gallery

"One of the many blessings that Kiva has brought to our family has been our contact with our many American Indian friends. We have been very fortunate to become associated with many families from the Pueblo Nations of the Rio Grande Valley, the Zuni Nation, the Navajo Nation, Apache, Cherokee and Hopi artists from throughout the Southwestern states. In each of these cultures, the arts play an important role in supporting family life. We hope that in some small way, Kiva has helped to encourage these arts, traditional as well as contemporary."

"The most important thing that Kiva has done for our family is to enable us to build a home base in the foothills of New Mexico's Sandia Mountains. Our home in New Mexico, constructed in the traditional way, of adobe, is a short 45 minute drive from Santa Fe's famous plaza. It gives us a centrally located starting point for our frequent buying trips throughout both New Mexico and Arizona. Our trips, on six-to-eight-week intervals, often involve traveling as much as 1200 miles in a few days, so the convenience of a Western office and warehouse is much appreciated!

Early Easter in Sunny New Mexico: Kiva's Adobe N.M. Headquarters.

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"Kiva's first goal was to give people in the New York Metropolitan area a feeling of the diversity and quality available in American Indian arts. At the time, most of what we saw was either manufactured copies or of inferior, souvenir quality. We felt that it would be possible to offer a great selection of authentic, quality items at affordable prices. We knew we would be able to do this if we contacted the makers directly, on the reservations in New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma. From a very uncertain beginning we have been able to get to know and appreciate not only the many art forms, but also the many people who create them and the land they are part of."

Kiva Trading Company's Bricks and Mortar gallery served our NY Metro customers for 18 years, until the end of August, 2007. At that time, it was closed to give us the opportunity to concentrate full-time upon our web-based commerce, and allow us more travel time to secure a wider selection of inventory.  To those who visited during those years, we can't express our thanks enough! We learned much more than we ever expected, and will cherish our memories of that time.

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Kiva adds new items to its extensive inventory of one-of-a-kind, authentic handmade crafts regularly. Obtain your favorite artist's work or discover new interests. We are always available for consultation on specific collector needs, repairs, or availability questions. We fully guarantee the authenticity of every item we sell, and provide authenticity certificates to all of our buyers. Kiva is committed to the sales of American Indian arts, both traditional and contemporary, exclusively. We do not offer any "Southwest Style"manufactured decor items, manufactured jewelry or imports. If it is handmade by an American Indian artist, we either have it or we can get it.