Now in its 19th year, the Cherokee Art Market is again returning to Tulsa, Oklahoma, this time with more than 140 artists from around the country.
Navajo painter Jerry Brown paints from his booth at a previous Cherokee Art Market. Courtesy Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism.
“It’s going to be one of our better ones. We’ve made a few improvements for our artists, added some booths and moved around some things around. It’s going to be exciting,” says Talisha Lewallen, manager of cultural programs and events for Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism. “We will have more than 140 artists, all of them from federally recognized tribes. We have artists who come from all over and collectors who come from all over. It’s always a great opportunity for the artists to make new relationships and share their artwork.” Lewallen adds that the market and its artists “have a lot of character.”
Dallin Maybee (Seneca/Northern Arapaho), Bison Medallion, cut seed bead medallion, 8 x 6½”
The show will include a diverse array of materials and mediums, including pottery, weavings, beadwork, basketry, sculpture, carvings and much more. Artists will also be competing for $75,000 in prize money that will be handed out with top awards in each category as well as Best of Show, the Innovator Award, Culture Keeper and others. The prize money is for the artists, but that high amount being given out also benefits the collectors by guaranteeing top artists will be on hand to offer their best works of art.
The event will take place at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa on October 12 and 13, with an opening reception on October 11 at 6:30 p.m. The market is $10 at the door, and the opening reception is $35. The market runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sequoyah Convention Center within the Hard Rock Hotel.
Visitors browse artwork at the 2023 Cherokee Art Market. Courtesy Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism.
In addition to the market, this year’s show will also include aspects of the Cherokee Artist Recovery Act, which aims to help Cherokee artists recover economically from the Covid-19 pandemic. The act’s key initiatives include cultural classes, market access and marketing assistance for Cherokee artists, enhancements at Cherokee Nation facilities and the Cherokee Artist Resource Collection, a comprehensive database to promote Cherokee artists with links to individual portfolios and sales platforms.
One of the 140 artists attending the market is Seneca and Northern Arapaho artist Dallin Maybee, who has participated in the show eight times. “I love this show. There is an intimacy here that I really like. There’s always a great community of artists, and Tulsa is a thriving art collector community,” Maybee says. “This year I hope to bring some very interesting pieces, including some work that references pop culture, some ledger art and beadwork. It’s always a challenge at these markets to have the best inventory. After each market we start over again. I like to bring a variety, but beadwork is where my passion is. It’s my zen. I can sit there and crank it out. It’s fun watching it unfold.”
Dallin Maybee (Seneca/Northern Arapaho), Bison Drum, elk rawhide with maple frame, painted with acrylic, 24 x 6”
For more information about the market schedule, participating artists and other details, refer to the market’s website, cherokeeartmarket.com.
October 12-13, 2024
Cherokee Art Market
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa 777 W. Cherokee Street, Catoosa, OK 74015
(877) 779-6977, cherokeeartmarket.com
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