Indian Market first-timer Regina Free takes Best of Show for 2025
The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts Santa Fe Indian Market announced its 2025 Best of Show, Best of Classification, and Special Award winners on Friday, August 15. Claiming the top prize was first time Market artist Regina Free (Chickasaw) with her monumental (24” x 48” x 8 feet) mixed media 3D sculpture, Windswept (Bison), claimed top prize for the relative unknown.
Since 1922, Santa Fe Indian Market, the world’s largest and most prestigious Native North American art market, has awarded Best of Show winners to exceptional Native North American artists in a variety of juried classifications. Best of Classification, and Special Award winners are also announced at a Friday ceremony held at the Santa Fe Convention Center prior to the weekend Indian Market.
Over 60 judges and 120 volunteers, experts in various media, convened Thursday, August 14, to review, assist and critique this year’s entries and determine the award winners.
2025 SWAIA Best of Classification Winners
Class I: Jewelry
Winner: Janalee Valencia (San Felipe Pueblo)
Title: Untitled
Description: Reversible Mosaic Inlay Necklace
Dimensions: 16”
Materials: Black lip mother of pearl, Serpentine, Kingman turquoise, orange spiny oyster, mother of pearl, white clam, shell lapis, stones cut individually, sanded and polished
Class II: Pottery
Winner(s): Chris Youngblood and Jennifer Tafoya (Santa Clara Pueblo)
Title: Clash of the Titans
Dimensions: 9” x 10”
Materials: Hand dug Santa Clara Pueblo clay, hand-coiled and built, hand carved, stone polished, traditional firing, hand-etched, natural pigment paints.
Class III: Painting, Drawing, Graphics & Photography
Winner: Santiago Romero (Cochiti & Taos Pueblo)
Title: Pastel Arches
Dimensions: 48″ x 60”
Materials: oil on canvas
Description: The painting represents the morning sunlight at dawn when approaching the summit. The time of morning prayer inspired by the color palette of Maynard Dixon.
Class IV: Wooden Pueblo Figurative Carving & Sculpture
Winner: Robert Albert (Hopi)
Title: White Cloud Clowns Jumping off Clouds
Dimensions: 48” x 15” —12” diameter base
Materials: cottonwood root and acrylic paint.
NOTE: This piece took the artist two years to complete
Class V: Sculpture
Winner: Regina Free (Chickasaw)
Title: Windswept (Bison)- Mixed media 3D sculpture
Dimensions: Body- 24” x 48” x 8 feet
Materials: foam, felt, paper towels, plaster, acrylic, air dry clay, watercolor, fabric dye, (natural and commercial dyes) reclaimed driftwood, weathered metal sheeting. Wood frame.
Class VI: Textiles
Winner: Lola Cody (Navajo)
Untitled—Two Grey Hills Navajo Rug
Dimensions: 8” x 15”
Materials: All-natural churro wool and colors undyed.
Class VII: Diverse Arts
Winner: Virgil Ortiz (Cochiti Pueblo)
Title: Aeronaut Pilot— Revolt 1680-2180
Dimensions: 23 inches x 22 x 17”
Materials: High fire ceramic and glass – 3 glass pieces: two shoulder armor and one helmet. 1 ceramic main character.
Class VIII: Beadwork & Quillwork
Winner: Jackie Bread (Blackfeet Nation)
Title: His Stories Became Legend— Kanai Warrior (Weasel Tail)
Dimensions: 27” x 10 1/2″
Materials: Fabric, Wool trade cloth, Size 15,13 and 11 cut and seed beads, crystals, pearl discs, freshwater pearls, ribbon, Flat style beadwork, lane and edge stitch.
Class IX: Youth (Artists aged 17 and under)
Winner: Naats Tla’a (Tlingit)
Title: Just a Kid Learning to Weave with My Ancestors in My Heart
Dimensions: 5” x 3” x 3”
Materials: Red and yellow cedar bark, black cod leather, salmon vertebrae, brain tanned smoked caribou leather, mother of pearl, river stone, ermine tail, tanned Alaskan black cod skin using egg yolk. Artist harvested Sockeye Salmon and processed vertebrae used as beads. Traditional Tlingit weaving.
Class XI: Basketry
Winner: Theresa Secord (Penobscot Nation)
Title: Wabanaki Summer”
Dimensions: 8” x 6 ½”
Materials: Hand pounded and split ash wood, braided sweetgrass, Jere a traditional Penobscot barrel form woven on my great grandmother’s form from the 1800s.
