Have a question about the authenticity of Native American crafts? A panel of experts on the subject will answer questions at a Santa Fe gallery Friday afternoon.

What's billed as a "town-hall meeting" at the Silver Sun Gallery, 656 Canyon Road, begins with a reception at 4 p.m., followed by the panel discussion at 6 p.m.

The meeting comes as groups concerned about misrepresentations of Indian-style crafts seek more stringent penalties. Attorney General Gary King recently settled two lawsuits against downtown Santa Fe jewelry shops accused of selling jewelry falsely labeled as handmade by Navajo jeweler Calvin Begay and of offering discounts on Indian crafts that have not been offered previously at full price.

According to a flier, Friday's panel will include Bill Keller, director of the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General's Office; John Dressman of the Santa Fe Downtown Merchants Association; Nina Alexander of the Indian Arts & Crafts Board of the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C., and Gail Chehak of the Indian Arts & Crafts Association in Albuquerque.

Cheryl Ingram, Silver Sun Gallery co-owner and a member of the Indian Arts & Crafts Association, said Elizabeth Pettus, president of the Downtown Merchants Association, might be added to the panel. Award-winning Indian artists Jennifer Medina from Santo Domingo Pueblo, Jennifer Curtis, a Navajo, and Cody Sanderson, Hopi/Navajo, also are expected to be on hand with examples of their work.

"There'll probably be a short statement or introduction by each and every one of them," Ingram said. "Then we're fielding questions."

Examples of dyed, reconstituted and synthetic stones will be on display. "When you lay them out together with the natural stuff, even the clear, stabilized stuff, people usually just sit in horrified silence," Ingram said. "If anyone wants to come back and speak to me about it, I'd be more than happy to take them off in the corner and answer their questions, but the main event will be those speakers."

The Silver Sun, across from The Compound Restaurant, in the pre-1970 site of Canyon Road's legendary Claude's Bar, has seating available for 70 people.

Contact Tom Sharpe at 986-3080 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.

IF YOU GO

What: Panel discussion on authenticity of Native American crafts
Where: Silver Sun Gallery, 656 Canyon Road
When: 6 p.m. Friday (reception begins at 4 p.m.)
Admission: Free