Sundance Gallery comes to Downtown Naperville

The+Sudance+Gallery+sells+authentic+Native+American+art+and+jewlery.

Jake Pfeiffer

The Sudance Gallery sells authentic Native American art and jewlery.

Jake Pfeiffer, News Editor & Copy Editor

The Sundance Gallery opened a pop-up gallery in Downtown Naperville in October. The gallery sells authentic and hand made Native American art and jewelry and will remain in Naperville until Dec. 28.

For over 20 years prior to coming to Naperville, Sundance had a permanent store front in Geneva, Ill. 

“I closed my full-time gallery in April,” Sundance Gallery owner Janet Smith-Peterson said. “My new brand is about flash retail, short term pop-ups in different locations, because my mission is to introduce native culture and native art to different audiences.”

Sundance’s first full time gallery was opened in Naperville in 1984, and was open for 15 years until the gallery was moved to Geneva. 

“When I closed my [Naperville] store, I kept a lot of my Naperville following,” Smith-Peterson said. “People really wanted me to succeed and they support my store, so I was really excited to be able to come back [to Naperville].”

Smith-Peterson makes annual trips to Santa Fe to attend and judge at the Santa Fe Indian Market, where she purchases much of the art in her gallery. 

“I go booth to booth, introduce myself and meet people,” Smith-Peterson said. “Then I like to go back out to the reservations after and go to artist’s homes to learn more about the art.”

After closing the Naperville pop up, Smith-Peterson plans to find another temporary location and open a showroom in her home to permanently display some of Sundance’s art.

“In the Native American culture, they don’t make art for art’s sake,” Smith-Peterson said. “The pieces have some sort of function, some sort of importance. Everything has a story.”

The Sundance Gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and  Sunday from 11 a.m.  to 4 p.m. at 103 S Washington St. in Naperville.

The Sundance Gallery’s storefront on Washington St. in Downtown Naperville. (Jake Pfeiffer)