Author: FAAM Staff

By Joel Southall (Chippewas of Rama First Nation) The scent of sage and frybread lingers in the light-filled atmosphere of Eugene’s Farmers Market Pavilion, where sunlight filters through tall glass walls and open roll-up doors onto tables of beadwork, paintings, and cornhusk dolls. Amid discreet speakers, the gentle notes of Indigenous flute music drift through the room, mingling with laughter that echoes softly against the pavilion’s timber beams. For board member and volunteer coordinator Doug Ford, who also teaches welding at Lane Community College (LCC), the Native American Arts and Crafts Makers Market is less a marketplace than a homecoming.…

April 27, 1937–November 18, 2025 Always gracious, elegant, and kind, Mary Jo Watson loved Native art and wanted to share her passion with others. Through her teaching at the University of Oklahoma and out in communities, her curation, and her advocacy, she made lasting impacts in a region where support for Native artists has often been missing. “Mary Jo was the reason I returned to Oklahoma for graduate school,” writes Amber Shaples, executive director of the Oklahoma Arts Council. “Her creation of the first PhD program in Native American art history fundamentally reshaped the academic and scholarly landscape, positioning Oklahoma…

The 5th Annual Mvskoke Art Market takes place April 18 and 19 at the River Spirit Casino and Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma. More information. Best of Show: Kenneth Johnson (Seminole/Mvskoke) Mvskoke Heritage Award: Jimmie Carole Stewart (Mvskoke) Mary Smith Traditional Award: Talisha Lewallen (Cherokee Nation) Basketry 1st place: Vivian Cottrell (Cherokee Nation) 2nd place: Vivian Cottrell (Cherokee Nation) 3rd place: Ronda Moss (Cherokee Nation) Beadwork/Quillwork 1st place: Yonavea Hawkins (Caddo/Delaware/Kickapoo) 2nd place: Beth Bush (Pokagon Potawatomi) 3rd place: Emil Her Many Horses (Oglala Lakota) Digital Art 1st place: Destiny Green (Chickasaw) 2nd place: Raven Kemp (Mvskoke/Euchee/Choctaw/Diné) 3rd place:…

Issue No. 49, Winter 2026 (January–March) Click here to purchase a digital copy for $7.00 from Issuu. To purchase a print copy, click below: Features Dancing Until Dawn: The Origin, Song, and Dance of the Oklahoma Forty-Nine By Dennis Zotigh (Kiowa/Ohkay Owingeh/Isanti Dakota) and Maxwell Yamane, PhD, Artwork by Brent Greenwood (Chickasaw/Ponca), 26–31 Acorn Aesthetics: Basketry, Stone, and Ceremony in Oak Country By Joseph Shaw, PhD, 32–40 Walls That Breathe: The Living Frescoes of Jesús González Gutiérrez By Mark Viales, 42–49 The Sudden Disappearance of Mia: The Woman of Land O’Lakes Butter By Tammi J. Hanawalt, PhD, 50–57 Artist…

Phoenix, AZ – Jacqueline Rickard (Walker River Paiute) did not expect to win Best of Show at the 68th annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market. This was her first time ever entering the market. But her creation, It is Pure Joy, Basket Creation did just that, receiving the Best of Classification for baskets as well as Best of Show. Her painstakingly detailed pictorial beaded basket portrays her grandmother, “because she’s my inspiration for the design of this basket,” Rickard shared at the award reception. “And it’s also a nod to weavers of the past because I feel them…

Issue No. 48, Fall 2025 (October–December) Click here to purchase a digital copy for $7.00 from Issuu. To purchase a print copy, click below: Features Rising to the Surface with Storywork: Edgar Heap of Birds, Erin Shaw, Arthur Amiotte, and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Performers in Venice by Emily C. Burns, PhD, 22–31 Olmec Colossal Heads: The Surviving Faces of Mesoamerica’s First Civilization by Florence Wanjiru, 32–37 The Art of Resistance: How Nasa Murals Reclaim Colombia’s Wounded Lands by Clara Jaeger, 40–45 Carrying Culture: Bandolier Bags Today by Sheila Regan, 46–52 Artist Profiles Keanu Jones: Navajo Filmmaker, Photographer, and…

Operations Manager, Jessica Ma’ilo, with son, Tavi, late daughter, Jewels, and daughter, Jada First American Art Magazine welcomes Jessica Ma’ilo (Delaware Nation/ Kiowa/ Samoan) as its new operations manager. With a background in education, journalism, and community-based work, she brings a practical, behind-the-scenes focus to the magazine. Having grown up around Native artists and exhibitions, and with professional experience building systems in under-resourced and fast-moving environments, she approaches the role with attention to continuity and improvement. Her work at FAAM centers on strengthening internal processes, expanding connections to educational spaces, and supporting the magazine’s efforts to bring Indigenous art and…

Reflecting on all of the amazing Indigenous art happenings and exhibitions in 2025 has been a balm to the soul in a year filled with challenges. Despite efforts to crush free expression, Native artists, curators, tribes, and art advocates have pushed forward with inspiring projects. Here is a selection of incredible events that the FAAM team selected through anonymous voting. We’d love to hear your favorites for the year. Please share in the comments. 1. Encoded, unsanctioned virtual reality intervention at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York On Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2025, Amplifier, a nonprofit design lab, launched ENCODED:…

A discussion about ledger art with artists Gordon Yellowman (Southern Cheyenne) of Oklahoma and John Isaiah Pepion (Blackfeet) of Montana. Each will discuss their own art within the larger field of historical ledger art from the mid-19th century to today. Introductions by Alicia Harris, PhD (Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes). Moderated by Jeremy Goldsmith, OU doctoral candidate Dinner by Junebug Catering. When: Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 5:00–7:00 pm Where: Charles M. Russell Center for the Study of Art of the American West (Old Faculty Club), 409 W. Boyd Street, Norman, OK | map ** Registration is full! If you…

Wadulisi Recordings Signs Imprint Agreement with Melodic Revolution Records Topeka, Kansas – Wadulisi Recordings, a music label amplifying Native American and Indigenous musicians, have just signed an imprint agreement with Melodic Revolution Records (MRR), based in Florida. Wadulisi’s debut roster includes acclaimed musician and composer Lisa LaRue (Cherokee Nation) with her visionary project band RematriNation, alongside progressive/experimental artist Juan R. Leõn (Tarahumara/Yaqui descent). LaRue has long been a promoter for Indigenous creativity, blending cultural stewardship with sonic innovation and visual art. She was the first female artist signed to SOAR Records’ Natural Visions label, whose debut album featured 14 tracks…