Dalton Walker
ICT
SANTA FE, New Mexico — The Best of Show belongs to the dinosaurs. A small one at that.
Jennifer Tafoya’s etched black pot with dinosaur designs titled, “Caught by Surprise,” was named 2023 Best of Show at the Santa Fe Indian Market on Friday. The awards luncheon starts a busy art weekend in New Mexico’s capital with all eyes on the market Saturday and Sunday, plus all the other events and activities coinciding.
More than 60 judges spent most of Thursday reviewing and critiquing this year’s entries. The market has awarded top winners since it started in 1922. Tafoya’s black pot stood out amongst some of the best Native art in Indian Country. The pot won the best pottery category before being named Best of Show. .
Like her pot’s name, Tafoya said she was “caught by surprise” by being named Best of Show. “I’m just blown away right now,” she told ICT.
“I don’t have many pieces this year, “ she added. “I really loved the design on it. I thought it was fun.”
When posing with her pot and plaque after the ceremony, she said to people taking photos that winning Best of Show was “almost like winning the lottery” and that she almost didn’t enter the pot.
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Her black pot was hand-dug Santa Clara clay with a coil method, and stone polished. She etched the pot then painted with hand-dug clay paint. It took her about a month to complete, she said. The finished look shows smaller dinosaurs “minding their own business,” she said, being surprised by two hunting Carnotaurus dinosaurs.
This is Tafoya’s 25th market and she said she enters her work every year. Twice before she won a best category, one solo and one collaboration.
When asked if her black pot was for sale, she said yes, but she’s not sure how much.
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Nine other artists won best classification awards during Friday’s ceremony. The categories included jewelry, sculpture, beadwork and painting, among others. Each winner was called up to the stage to share a few words about their art.
Jackie Larson Bread, Blackfeet, won the beadwork and quillwork category for her “We Are Fierce” Blackfeet horse mask, an updated version her ancestors used during battle.
“Can you imagine a horse coming at you at full speed with this full head dress on?” she told the crowd.
Last year at the Santa Fe Art Market, she found dark materials that she doesn’t normally use in her art but she put them away. When thinking about her art for this year’s market, she pulled them out for her horse mask.
“My heart knew, or my mind knew, what I was doing. And I’m so thankful that the jurors appreciated my journey in this.”
The 2023 Best of Classification winners are:
Class I: Jewelry
Lyndon Tsosie, Navajo
“Untitled,” Silver Sea turtle pendant with movable flippersClass II: Pottery (and Best of Show)
Jennifer Tafoya, Santa Clara Pueblo
“Caught by Surprise,” etched black pot with dinosaurs.Class III: Painting, Drawing, Graphics & Photography
Dan HorseChief, Pawnee and Cherokee
“Judgement Day Manifest, The Greasy Grass 1976 Keough’s Stand,” painting.Class IV: Wooden Pueblo Figurative Carving & Sculpture
Arthur Holmes Jr., Hopi
“Talavi Morning Katsina”Class V: Sculpture
Ryan Benally, Navajo
“Dreamscapes of Love,” 3-dimensional sculpture.Class VI: Textiles
TahNibaa Naataanii, Navajo
“Autumn Rose Carnival,” Navajo weaving created using two sheds. Shawl and purse.Class VII: Diverse Arts
Victoria G. Adams, Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho
“Sundance on Muddy Creek,” tripod with glass containers, diverse artwork/sculpture.Class VIII: Beadwork & Quillwork
Jackie Larson Bread, Blackfeet
“We Are Fierce,” Blackfeet horse mask.Class IX: Youth 17 and under
Aydrian Day, HoChunk, Anishinaabe, Lakota
“Father’s Love (Ate Iyocicila),” Lakota style cradleboard.Class XI: Basketry
Carol Emarthle Douglas, Northern Arapaho and Seminole
“Skywoman Watches,” Coiled, waxed linen basket.
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
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