Tribal Art - Molly Murphy, Oglala artist wins Best of Heard Show

"Absolutely magnificent", was the rave given by Barbara Korn, Heard Museum Show official, to the Best of Show winning work of Oglala Sioux bead work artist, Molly Murphy.

Murphy's entry, titled "Past is Prologue", was a Salish-style cradle board, beaded in light blue turquoise.

Lovers of Native American tribal art recognize the Heard Museum Fair and Market as one of the pre-eminent competitions in the world of Native art. Murphy's work was in competition with seven other first place winners in other categories, representing an even more significant win.

The show attracted entries from more than 700 Indian artists. Crowds visiting the weekend festival were estimated at 20,000, a 14% increase over last year's attendance. This speaks well for the vitality and popularity of Native American Indian art

Murphy also won a Second Place award in the beading category with a sewing box covered in red wool and ornate beading.

Murphy reported that the cradle board was purchased by collectors from New Jersey, who have several grandchildren, including a very recent one.

More information about Murphy's win is available at the Missoulian, a Missoula, MT newspaper.

As fans of beautiful Native American bead work and all Native Tribal Art, Susanne & William Ernest Waites, providers of tribal art at TribalWorks.com, Native-JewelryLink.com, Native-PotteryLink.com and ZuniLink.com, salute Molly Murphy for her extraordinary work and her impressive win.

Best of Show Announcement and the bead work that won

You already know that Dallin Maybee, Seneca/Arapaho, won Best of Show in the 86th annual SWIAI Santa Fe Indian Market art awards.

But have you seen the announcement? Click on this video to see it.



Have you had a close look at the work itself. Click on this video to see a pan across the beautiful bead work that won.


These video "snapshots" from Santa Fe Indian Market 2007 are presented by William Ernest Waites, co-owner with Susanne Waites of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person and the galleries associated web sites at ZuniLink, for outstanding Native American "fetish" carvings, Native-JewelryLink, for beautiful Native American Indian jewelry, Native-PotteryLink, for the finest in hand-made Native American and Pueblo Indian pottery, and TribalWorks, for Navajo folk art, arctic art, and Australian Aboriginal art and African Tribal Art.

Iroquois Whimseys newly released

by William Waites
We have a number authentic Iroquois (Mohawk) beaded whimseys of museum quality that we are offering as a collection. These extraordinary works of beading and craftwork were created by Iroquois women, most usually Mohawk, for sale as souvenirs to visitors to the tribal areas. The finest of these were made sometime between 1880 and 1920 (estimated).

We have offered less excellent examples on our eBay store at Art of the First Person for lower prices. But this new collection is almost flawless and any beadwork collector should live to have it. We hate to let it go. But space is a cruel master.

If you enjoy beautiful beadwork enjoy these pictures.