"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - CN Offers Foreclosure Prevention Assistance

"Photo: "Ascension-Another Journey" by Cherokee artist Bill Glass, Jr., 2008 Cherokee National Holiday Art Show's Best in Show winner."

Tahlequah, Oklahoma - Cherokee Nation is seeking Native American artists to showcase their talents at the 2009 Cherokee National Holiday Art Show, which will award $10,000 dollars in prize money.

“The Cherokee National Holiday Art Show has been revamped this year,” said Marie Smith, art show coordinator. “We have added a new traditional category with higher prize money to entice artists to create traditional art.”

The traditional category, with $700 in prize money for the winner, is just one of nine categories that artists can enter; other categories this year will include traditional, contemporary pottery, paintings, drawings, graphics, and photography standards, sculpture standards, contemporary basketry, textiles and weaving, diverse arts, and youth. Artists can enter up to three pieces of work per category. To be eligible for the show, art must be based on traditional Native art forms and must have been created during the past twelve months. A Best in Show award will be selected out of all entries and carries a prize of $1,400.

“Many of the artists that will be on display are award winning artists from many genres,” said Smith. “We have a young artist’s category for those under the age of 17 so we would like to encourage artists of all ages to participate in this show.”

Completed application forms, including photos of art to be entered, are due by 5 p.m. on August 20. The 2009 Cherokee National Holiday Art Show will be held at the Tahlequah Municipal Armory Center located at 100 S. Water, on Friday, September 4, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, September 5, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sunday, September 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“The inspired practices of art are an important part of culture and growing up as a Native American,” said Smith.

To be eligible to participate, artists must be citizens of a federally recognized tribe and provide a copy of their Certificate Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) or tribal citizenship card with their application to enter the show. For more information or to request an application please contact Marie Smith, phone: 918-453-5524 or Cora Lathrop, phone: 918-207-3939.

The Cherokee National Holiday has been held since 1953 to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the 1839 Cherokee Constitution. With its exciting array of entertainment, cultural and athletic events, it has grown into one of the largest festivals in Oklahoma, attracting more than 90,000 visitors from across the world. This year’s theme is E-loh-i nu-s-di-da-nv de-ga-de-la-qua-s-ge-s-di (“I learn from all that I observe”), reflecting the Cherokee Nation’s long held belief in education as a means to uplift individuals and their communities. The 57th Annual Cherokee National Holiday is a smoke-free event.

57th Annual Cherokee National Holiday "Learn from all that I observe." - Labor Day Weekend - September 4-6, 2009