Cherokee artists and artisans are among some of
the most diverse and talented in all of Indian Country, and you’ll find the
best of the best all in one place this weekend. The Cherokee Art Market is
returning to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa for its 10th year Oct. 10 and
11.
What started as a modest show in the parking
lot of the resort 10 years ago has grown into one of the most celebrated shows
in the nation. There will be sculptures, woodworking, jewelry, ceramics and
glass, photography, mixed media, paintings and drawings, basketry, gourd art
and every other type of artwork you can imagine.
When this show began 10 years ago, it was to
fill a void in the Native art community. Too many Southeastern artists like
Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks and Seminoles were being overlooked for
what was then the more popular Southwestern artwork. Prestigious art shows like
Santa Fe Indian Market were competitive, and many Southeastern artists were not
given a second look.
We knew our artists deserved a place to
showcase our rich and colorful culture, so we decided to create our own market
for Cherokee and other Southeastern artists. Now, 10 years later, the show has
grown into one of the most popular and respected juried art shows in the
nation. The Cherokee Art Market is now held in the 15,000-square-foot Sequoyah
Ballroom at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, and Native artists from around
the country clamor to enter the show.
The Cherokee Art Market is a place for artists
to sell their art, of course, but also it’s a competitive venue with talented
artists and artisans from around the country hoping to win the title of Best of
Show. In all, there are 22 categories and $75,000 in prize money up for grabs.
Many of our artists still compete in
prestigious shows like Santa Fe Indian Market and others, which have been
around for decades. We’re grateful they are able to share their art with the
world in those venues, but our own Cherokee Art Market is now competitive with
those shows, now even drawing in Southwestern and Plains artists. We feel
there’s something special about that — being able to provide another prominent
venue, right here in our own backyard.
So I encourage all of you to visit the Cherokee
Art Market Oct. 10 and 11 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa and take in
the fine artwork of our talented Cherokees and other artists from around the
country. I hope to see you there.
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