Blackfeet Artist Takes Top Prize at the 98th Santa Fe Indian Market

Blackfeet Artist Takes Top Prize at the 98th Santa Fe Indian Market

By Tom Surface

Jackie Bread (Blackfeet), 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market Best of Show Winner. (Courtesy SWAIA)

Jackie Bread (Blackfeet Tribe), for the second time in her career, walked away with the prestigious “Best of Show” award at the 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market. Her creation entitled: “Amskapipikuni Culture Keeper,” is an intricately beaded 22” x 19.5” portrait of a woman on cotton cloth, made with beads and freshwater pearls. Her winning entry also fetched her the $10,000 prize underwritten by The Dobkin Family Foundation.

According to Ms. Bread, it is a portrait of Cecile Shildt, who was her family’s heart and soul keeper of the resilient Blackfeet culture and wisdom. “When I heard that the theme for this year’s Indian Market was the strength of Indian Women, I was so happy. My piece is of my great, great aunt. She was a strong woman, and a very, very kind one. It made me extra proud to present this work,” Ms. Bread explained.

The portrait she created was a very tedious undertaking. It is made up of thousands of tiny glass beads about the size of pinheads. “I worked on it all summer. I didn’t work on anything else,” Ms. Bread admitted.

This is her second “Best of Show” win. Ms. Bread also took top honors at the 2013 Santa Fe Indian Market.

Since 1922, the annual event is held during the third weekend of August. This year, more than 1,100 Native artists representing some 200 tribes from across the U.S. and Canada gathered in Santa Fe to sell their artwork and unique creations. The 2019 Indian Market attracted somewhere around 150,000 visitors to Santa Fe from all over the world and the week long event generated an estimated $165 million into local economies. Buyers, collectors and gallery owners come to Indian Market to take advantage of the opportunity to buy directly from the artists. The Market is supported and produced by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA).

This year’s Market was the 98th edition of what is known as the world’s largest and most prestigious juried Native arts show in the world and the largest cultural event in the southwest. Throughout its long history, the Santa Fe Indian Market has awarded Best of Show winners to the nation’s most exceptional artists in a variety of juried categories.

This year, more than 40 judges, all experts in various mediums, spent all day August 15 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 at the Best of Show Luncheon on Friday August 16.

Here is a listing of the 2019 Santa Fe Indian Market Best of Class winners:

Class I: Jewelry – Sarah Aragon (Diné)

Class II: Pottery – Russell Sanchez (San Ildefonso Pueblo)

Class III: Painting, Drawing, Graphics & Photography – Marwin Begaye (Diné)

Class IV: Wooden Pueblo Figurative Carving & Sculpture –Aaron Honyumptewa (Hopi)

Class V: Sculpture – Troy Sice (Zuni)

Class VI: Textiles – Venancio Aragon (Diné)

Class VII: Diverse Arts – Dana Warrington (Menominee/Potawatomi)

Class VIII: Beadwork & Quillwork – Jackie Bread (Blackfeet)

Class IX: Youth (artists aged 17 and under) – Robert Begay (Diné)

Class XI: Basketry – Jeremy Frey (Passamaquoddy)

2019 Special Award Winners:

Bernard Ewell Innovation Award: Thomas Farris

Editor’s Choice Native American Art Magazine: Marla Allison

Western Art Collector Magazine Editor’s Choice Award: Randall Brokeshoulder

Peter Dechert Award: Mavasta Honyouti

Helen Naha Memorial Award for Hopi Pottery: Deborah Clashin

IAIA Distinguished Alumni Award: Monty Little