Artwork & Materials
Only two (2) original artworks, objects or items produced by the applicant Native American / Alaskan Native may be submitted.
- In order to fully comply with the Cherokee Nation’s “Truth in Advertising for Native Art” Act – any artist participating must be a citizen of a federally recognized Native American / Alaskan Tribes. State-recognized groups do not meet the definition of “Indian” as defined in the Cherokee Nation legislation and will not be permitted to enter. In order for us to act consistently with this legislation, we are requiring proof of citizenship with every entry form.
- Pieces of art submitted to the show must have been made in the last twelve months.
- No objects made from commercial kits, molds or mass-produced products, including machine-made T-shirts, will be accepted. Simple display stands and dress forms are permitted. The Art Show will not provide them, nor will we be responsible for them. We reserve the right to reject any stand or dress form that is deemed too invasive.
- Possession and sale of migratory bird feathers or parts is prohibited by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
- Eagle Feathers may be possessed, used, & displayed by Native Americans with a permit issued by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, but may not be sold, traded, or bartered.
- Authentic items containing material from polar bear, porpoise, sea otter, seal, sea-lion, walrus, whale and other species protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act, are allowed to be possessed, purchased, or sold only if created by Native Artists and only if the restricted material has been significantly altered in a manner consistent with traditional
Native American Indian arts.
- No dealers, traders or agents may submit art to the Cherokee National Holiday Art Show.
- All participating artists must sign the Cherokee National Holiday Art Show Waiver/Release Statement.
- Artists must provide a complete application.
The artist’s checks will be created by Cherokee Nation’s accounting department. The accounting department requires that a W-9 be completed in order to receive your check if your artwork sells.
- Your artwork MUST HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AFTER SEPT 2, 2024, to enter this show.
Do not send a check for the return of artwork. You must provide a pre-paid package slip from FedEx or UPS so we can return your artwork if it needs to be mailed.
- Proper identification must be attached firmly to the back of each entry with the following: Artist’s name, title, price and medium. Identification on the artwork must be done in addition to the entry form. Pieces will not be accepted where there is uncertainty about the price, title, medium, and identity of artist.
- Display requirements:
- Handing Artwork – All hanging artwork must be ready to hang with a frame or wrapped canvas and must be suspended with wire on the back, approximately a third of the way down the picture, to hang properly. This is the only way we have of hanging the artwork. They must have wire on the back; otherwise, they will not be judged and displayed.
- Jewelry & Textiles – Artists must provide a showcase/stand to display their jewelry.
- Clothing & Textiles – Artists must provide a hanger or a “mannequin” stand to display artwork.
Percentage of Sale
Please remember when pricing an item, the show will retain 20% of the sales price of each item. All sales checks will be made payable to the artist and mailed approximately 45 days after the artwork is sold. The show reserves the right to sell any artwork submitted to the show, provided it remains in our possession. The show has the right to collect commission on any artwork submitted to us and sold while in our possession. Price artwork accordingly.
Denial of Participation
Cherokee Nation Holiday staff reserves the right to deny participation in its events if the participant fails to comply with the Native Artist Policy and Standards as outlined above or fails to complete any of the information asked for above or if the piece is denied for any other reason. Cherokee Nation Holiday staff reserves the right to reassign an art piece to a different category.
Please mail any requests for appeal to the Cherokee Nation Department of Commerce. All appeals must be made in writing.
Appeal Address:
Cherokee Nation Department of Commerce
ATTN: Cherokee National Holiday Staff
P.O. Box 948
Tahlequah, OK 74465
Category Rules & Standards
Category 1 – Pottery
Wheel-thrown or hand-built pieces using traditional or contemporary methods such as clay preparation, construction, commercial clay, glazes and temper; including kiln-fired and/or double-fired pottery.
- Slip mold, green ware, and commercial pottery pieces are not allowed
- Kiln-fired and/or double-fired pottery is allowed with disclosure
Category 2 – Paintings
Original works in oils, watercolors, acrylics, gouache, tempera etc., and related mixed media, such as ink and acrylic.
- All paintings must be framed and ready to hang. A stretched canvas must have finished sides
Entries must be painted on a standard surface, such as canvas, paper, masonite, hardboard, leather hide, or plywood
- Entries can not be painted on leaves, feathers, or saw blades
Category 3 – Drawings and Graphics
Original works in ink, pencil, charcoal, pastels, scrimshaw, etc.
- All works must be signed and numbered in an edition of no more than 50
- No photomechanical reproduction, including note cards, posters, and t-shirts, will be accepted
Category 4 – Photography
Original (unaltered – not enhanced by the computer) works in film or digital photography. No image manipulation.
- Cropping is allowable
- Images can be black and white or color
- The size limit is 18″ x 24″ for the print, not including the matting and frame
- All works must be signed and numbered in an edition of no more than 50
- No offset photography, iris or other digital photographic reproduction/ prints will be accepted
Category 5 – Sculpture
Original works in stone, wood, clay, metal, bone and other natural materials.
- The artist is responsible for moving their sculpture
- The size limit is 6 feet tall
- Hand-wrought materials are allowable: stone, wood, metal, ceramic, paper, etc.
- Items in this category must be carved, molded, constructed, or shaped by the artist, not formed by nature
- Cast bronze is allowable in numbered editions of no more than 20. All must be signed, numbered and marked by the foundry. Please provide a certificate of authenticity. May not be greater than 6 feet high. The artist is responsible for shipping
- Hand-blown and fabricated glass is allowable
- The type of wood must be disclosed, and any termite-bored or aged wood must be non-infectious and disclosed. Staff reserves the right to examine and refuse
- Decorative stands that are hand-wrought and are an integral element of the original sculpture are allowable. The stand must not dominate the work
- No cast resins or cast miniature sculptures will be allowed
- Unfired clay will not be accepted because of its fragile nature
- Images submitted in one medium may not be resubmitted in another medium (example: a woodcarving may not be entered as a bronze in the same year or later years)
Category 6 – Basketry
Three-dimensional objects such as baskets, mats, etc. are produced through hand weaving or sewing of pliable materials.
- Traditional materials are acceptable
- Items may be of commercial material and commercial dyes are permitted
- No Plastic beads or other plastic parts are permitted
Category 7 – Textiles & Weaving
Hand woven, loom woven, and sewn objects.
- Textiles
- Handmade items such as ribbon shirts and traditional clothing, ceremonial wear, shawls, etc. is acceptable (sewing machine work is acceptable)
- No plastic beads, buttons, iron-on or liquid embellishments are allowable
- Weaving
- Traditional tribal techniques must be employed in weaving; all types of dyes and natural yarns are acceptable. Rugs and blankets must be handmade on native looms. Includes hand-woven clothing of natural yarns
- All attached materials, including buttons, collar tabs, beads, feathers, leather and tin-tinklers must be properly identified and may not comprise more than 20% of the piece
Category 8 – Diverse Art Forms
This category includes but is not limited to works such as: toys, masks, cooking utensils, accessories, stickball sticks, knives with carved handles, musical instruments, etc.
- Commercially produced objects that are transformed into a work of art by the hand application of beadwork or quillwork are allowable with disclosure
- The category includes non-jewelry beadwork. Purchased glass beads, nickel and brass beads that are not made by the artist are allowable
- Commercially manufactured hides and rawhide are allowable with disclosure
- Nothing from a “kit” or anything produced from a plan or drafting NOT of your own design will be allowable
- Plastic anything is not allowed
Category 9 – Jewelry
Handmade, personal ornamentation to be affixed to the body or clothing.
- Allowable items include organic and stone materials (such as bone, wood, horn, shell, clay), natural stones (turquoise, coral, lapis, etc.), natural pearls, and finished stones and gemstones in cabochon and faceted shapes set in metal settings
- All non-plated metals such as silver, copper, & gold (10K or higher) are allowed and must be clearly identified
- Findings may not comprise more than 10% of the artwork (example: Jump rings, earring backs, clasps, hooks and eyes, etc.)
- Jewelry may incorporate the use of native materials such as flint, agate, petrified wood, jasper, horn, bone, shell and bird or animal parts. Materials protected under federal law will not be allowed
Disclosures
Allowable
- Turquoise, natural or stabilized from North or South America, with disclosure.
Color enhanced by wax treatment or heat-treated natural stones must be disclosed.
- Commercially available coral from temporary strands must be natural, with no dyes.
- Commercially available beads can only be used in combination with a handmade piece and may not comprise more than 10% (in addition to the 10% finding allowance of the piece. Otherwise, see the diverse arts category for beadwork and design. The exception to this is seed bead items.
- Cast Jewelry: The mold must be handmade and/or hand-carved by the artist. The cast piece must be hand-poured by the artist. Traditional materials allowable are tufa, cuttlefish, sandstone, sand and clay. Allowable with disclosure are rubber, wax and lost wax casting, provided the casting was carved, molded, and poured by the artist.
- Cast pieces must bear the artist’s hallmark and be numbered. We will only take pieces that are limited to 25 reproductions. Please note: A company employing native americans to cast jewelry IS NON-ALLOWABLE. The work MUST be ALL the artists.
- Fabricated laminated pattern sheet metals may be used, but must be disclosed to the customer and may not comprise more than 10% of the piece.
- Precious metal clay is allowable with disclosure.
Non-Allowable
- Imported non-American Indian stones, shell beads and fetishes.
- Imported and/or color-treated nuggets or tumbled chips of any material.
- Laboratory-grown, plastic or synthetic block reconstituted or compressed materials, such as lapis, coral, turquoise, etc.
- Any and all color-treated, dyed stones/materials such as blue onyx, blue topaz, coral, etc.
- Items assembled from or using manufactured components, such as:
- Machine-made or die-struck components or purchased cast blanks, such as rings, bracelets, bezel cups, leaves, bolo tips, etc.
- Pre-made silver beads will be considered with findings and may comprise no more than 10% of the piece, including ALL findings.
- Machine-made “liquid” silver or gold, or plated materials: gold under 10Kt.
- Safety pin beadwork is prohibited.
- Materials protected under federal law will not be allowed.
