Santa Fe Indian Market Announces Best of Show Winners

Over 60 judges, experts in various mediums, spent most of the day Thursday, August 17, reviewing and critiquing this year’s entries and determining the winners. The announcement of the Best of Show, Best of Class and Special Award winners was made public at the Best of Show Ceremony on Friday afternoon. 

All the Best of Show winners’ extraordinary artwork is available this weekend during Santa Fe Indian Market on the Plaza in downtown Santa Fe.

The 2023 Best of Classification winners are:
Class I: Jewelry
Lyndon Tsosie (Navajo)
“Untitled” Silver Sea turtle pendant with movable flippers
4 ½ x 3 in.

Sterling stamped silver, inlay: coral, turquoise, lapis, Boulder opal, hand-fabricated

Class II: Pottery {BEST OF SHOW}
Jennifer Tafoya (Santa Clara Pueblo)
“Caught by Surprise” etched black pot with dinosaurs.
4 ¼ x 4 ¼ in.

Hand-dug Santa Clara Clay, coil method, stone polished, etched and then painted with hand-dug natural clay paint

Class III: Painting, Drawing, Graphics & Photography 
Dan HorseChief (Pawnee/ Cherokee)
 “Judgement Day Manifest, The Greasy Grass 1976 Keough’s Stand.”Painting.
24 x 36 in.

Water-based oil on canvas

Class IV: Wooden Pueblo Figurative Carving & Sculpture
Arthur Holmes Jr. (Hopi)
Talavi Morning Katsina
18 ½ x 9 ½ in.

Root of cottonwood tree, fine wood burner, knives and oil paint

Class V: Sculpture
Ryan Benally (Navajo)
“Dreamscapes of Love” 3-dimensional sculpture. 
 Dimensions: 5 ft 8 x 22 x 12 in.

Calcite Onyx, black Indian granite, hand-carved stone, electric and hand tools

Class VI: Textiles
TahNibaa Naataanii (Navajo)
“Autumn Rose Carnival” Navajo weaving created using 2 sheds. Shawl and purse.
Dimensions: 16 ½ x 62 in.

Sheep wool with 26 aniline acid dyes in different colors

Class VII: Diverse Arts
Victoria G. Adams (Southern Cheyenne/ Arapaho)
“Sundance on Muddy Creek” Tripod with glass containers, diverse artwork/sculpture.
64 x 36 x 32 in.

Copper, Deerskin, American Indian-head pennies, dating from 1878 to 1910; glass, steel chain, wrought-iron, wood, acrylic paint, cotton fabric, sweet grass, snake root, Big Medicine, bee balm, sweet pine, sage, yellow ochre pigment, red ochre pigment, Ammonite fossils, sterling silver, mother-of-pearl beads, photographs, Edward Sheriff Curtis photo gravures

Class VIII: Beadwork & Quillwork
Jackie Larson Bread (Blackfeet)
“We Are Fierce” Blackfeet horse mask.
18 x 15 x 23 in.

Wool, seed beads, brass beads and bells, wood, plexiglass, satin, lane stitch, applique stitch and edge stitch

Class IX: Youth (Artists aged 17 and under)
Aydrian Day (HoChunk/Anishinaabe/Lakota)
Father’s Love (Ate Iyocicila) Lakota style cradle board.
24 x 9 in.

Size 11 true-cut sterling silver beads, 24-karat beads, smoked hide, brass sequins, pine and cotton

Class XI: Basketry
Carol Emarthle Douglas (Northern Arapaho- Seminole)
“Skywoman Watches” Coiled waxed linen basket.
7 x 9 ½ x 9 ½ in.

Waxed linen, thread, hemp, beads

2023 Special Award Winners
Excellence in traditional Hopi carvings: Shawn Deel
Excellence in lapidary: Benson Manygoats
Excellence in contemporary Hopi carvings: Arthur Holmes Jr.
Raw materials: Dominque Toya
Traditional Pottery Award: Delores Juanico
Mark Tahbo Memorial Award: Garrett Maho
Tony Da’ Memorial Award: Virgil Ortiz
Make Me Smile Youth Award: Aydrian Day
Margaret Tafoya Memorial Award: Chris Youngblood
Sarafina Tafoya Memorial Award: Sharon Naranjo-Garcia
Mela Youngblood Memorial Award: Chris Youngblood
Oqwa Pi Memorial Award for Excellence in Traditional Pueblo Painting: Rosie Yellowhair
Anita Da’ Memorial Award to Encourage the Work of a Young Potter: Xavian Suazo
IAIA Alumni Award: Terran Last Gun
The Native American Art Magazine Award of Excellence: Jason Garcia

Santa Fe Indian Market’s Best of Show Ceremony was sponsored by JoAnn and Bob Balzer and the Best of Show Luncheon was sponsored by the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). SWAIA is grateful for these generous contributions. A complete list of winners in all classifications will be posted on the SWAIA website this week. Congratulations to all the winners!

About SWAIA:
The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) is a non-profit organization supporting Native American arts and culture. It creates economic and cultural opportunities for Native North American artists by producing and promoting the Santa Fe Indian Market —the biggest and most prestigious Indian art event in the world since 1922. SWAIA cultivates excellence and innovation across traditional and non-traditional art forms and develops programs and events that support, promote and honor Native American artists year-round. swaia.org 

IG: santafeindianmarket

SOURCE SWAIA/Santa Fe Indian Market