2009: SWAIA Honoring Reception
June 4, 2009 - Buffalo Thunder Resort and CasinoFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2009
CONTACT: Gabe Gomez
(505) 983-5220 x229
ggomez@swaia.org
Time Honored Reception
What: 2009 SWAIA Honoring Reception
When: June 4, 2009 5:30 pm to 9:00pm
Where: Buffalo Thunder Resort and Casino: Hwy 284/85 at Buffalo Thunder Trail,
505.455.5555
How Much: $50 per person. For tickets call 505.983-5220
(SANTA FE) The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) will begin the Indian
Market summer season with a celebration. The annual Honoring Reception is an opportunity
for SWAIA to recognize the contributions of a select group of Native artists. It also awards
those individuals and organizations that support and advance the understanding of Native arts
and culture. SWAIA presents three types of awards at the reception: Lifetime Achievement
Awards, Povi'ka Awards and SWAIA Artist Fellowships.
Through a newly established partnership with the Allan Houser Foundation, the "SWAIA
Lifetime Achievement Allan Houser Legacy Awards" will be presented to three extraordinary
Native artists. The award recognizes the contributions by a distinguished Native American
artist to Native arts and Native culture. The recipients have consistently demonstrated integrity and excellence in their work as well as in their lives, so as to influence the growth of Indian Art and inspire younger generations. It is through this that SWAIA and the Allan Houser
Foundation have established a cooperative mission in advancing Allan Houser's legacy and
influence as a lifelong artist and educator.
"The legacy that Allan imprinted had such impact; we felt that it was appropriate to recognize
other artists who were doing similar things. As a lifetime achievement award, we hope that this
award recognizes a phenomenal and innovative artist; someone like Allan, who created
opportunities for other artists through his inspiration and medium," Kim Bourne, Executive
Director of the Allan Houser Foundation says. Previous Lifetime Achievement Award
recipients include: Maria Martinez, Allan Houser, Lucy Lewis, Lee Marmon, Grace Medicine
Flower and RC Gorman.
The Povi'ka Award, named after San Ildefonso Pueblo potter Maria Povika Martinez, recognizes service, leadership and support that Native and non-Native people provide to the annual Santa Fe Indian Market and to Native artists and their communities.
The SWAIA Artist Fellowship Program was established in 1980 to provide financial support to emerging and talented Indian artists from across the nation. The program provides each
Fellowship winner with a $5,000 cash award and a booth at the Santa Fe Indian Market.
Fellowship funds enable artists to build new studios, travel, develop marketing plans, purchase supplies or equipment, expand their knowledge or explore new artistic directions.
2009 Lifetime Achievement Allan Houser Legacy Awards
Sam English (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) is a painter and activist. He paintings tell his
own and his peoples' stories -of hardships and triumphs, of the continuing vitality of Native
people everywhere. As an activist he has enlisted his artwork and gallery to confront issues of substance abuse.
Sofia Medina (Zia) is a pottery matriarch of her village and family, learning to make pottery
from her aunt who encouraged her to continue the long family tradition of hand coiling
pottery. Sofia in turn has taught all her children to make pottery so that the legacy can
continue.
Oscar Howe (Yanktonai Dakota) (1915 -1983) was born in Joe Creek, South Dakota, a descendant of Sioux Chiefs. He attended the Santa Fe Indian School Art Studio and learned to paint under the tutelage Dorothy Dunn. Following military service he secured a series of teaching posts as well as developed his own painting style. Widely criticized as not traditional painting, Howe persevered through his teaching and artwork to forge the individuality that is today a hallmark of art produced by Native people.
2009 Povi'ka Awards
Charles Daily is professor of museum studies emeritus at the Institute of American Indian
Arts where he began teaching in 1971. He organized and maintained the original IAIA
museum on Cerrillos Road and although retired continues to teach and volunteer at the
museum. Chuck was instrumental in many artist careers who helped bring change to Indian
Market and the art world through introduction of new materials and innovation.
Barbara Reber is a long time Indian Market volunteer who has for two decades worked
tirelessly behind the scenes during the hectic days that precede Indian Market. She has been a
stalwart ensuring that each priceless piece is cared for during judging and returned to the
artist. Her life long interest in Native American culture inspires her to return to Santa Fe each year.
Museum of New Mexico is celebrating its 100th year. It was the site and organization that
hosted the first Indian Fair on Washington Ave. Since its founding the museum has served as
repository for Native art and educator about the role of Native people and cultures in history
and today's New Mexico. The influence of Native people is to be found in all of the museums.
Kenneth Chapman (1875-1968) is the founder of the Indian Fair in 1922, the direct ancestor
of today's Indian Market as well as the first scholar of Southwest Indian art. Though his
efforts and working with Maria Martinez he created the Native Fine Arts movement. For
decades, Chapman served as organizer and judge, traveled to the pueblos to collect pottery to
be sold at the Market and keep the books too. He was an original employee of the Museum
of New Mexico and a founder of the Laboratory of Anthropology and the Indian Arts Fund.
The 2009 SWAIA Artist Fellowship Winners
Phillip Charette (Yup'ik) Diverse arts
Daniel Moya (Tewa/Pojoaque) Diverse arts
Jared Chavez (San Felipe Pueblo) Jewelry
Shelden Nunez-Velarde (Jicarilla Apache)Pottery
Liz Wallace, (Dine) Jewelry
2009 Youth Fellowship
Josiah Brown
Tol-pi-yine Simbola
For more information or Interview Requests please Contact:Gabe Gomez, Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) 505-983-5220 x229, ggomez@swaia.org
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The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, a non-profit organization, is an advocate for
Native American arts and cultures (particularly those in the Southwest). SWAIA creates
economic and cultural opportunities for Native American artists by: producing and promoting
the Santa Fe Indian Market as the finest Indian art event in the world, cultivating excellence
and innovation across traditional and non-traditional art forms, and developing programs and events that support, promote, and honor Native artists year-round. SWAIA is located at 141 East Palace Avenue in Santa Fe, N.M.; telephone number 505-983-5220; www.swaia.org.