Over 150 Indigenous artists will take part in the 18th annual Cherokee Art Market, Oct. 14-15, inside Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa. Among them is Cherokee Nation artist Kindra Swafford, of Tahlequah, who is participating for the fourth year.
“My favorite thing about CAM is that from the moment you walk in, to the moment you break down your booth, there is an incredible environment,” Swafford says. “We are all helping each other, checking in with others to see if they need anything. We cheer each other on in sales and with awards. You feel like a big family and you can hear the laughter echoing down the halls of the ballroom area.”
Swafford took part in a Q&A to discuss their work and more.
Quantum Yona by Kindra Swafford
How do you describe your art?
My work consists of a variety of mediums, but I lean toward watercolor as my primary medium. I try to keep learning and pushing my art to new heights. I want to continuously change and grow — who doesn’t? I love creating fun compositions from my personal experiences or adventures in nature. My art is described as saturated subjects over-imposed to create a glitch. A glitch is made by duplicating the same image with overly saturated hues. It’s unique and jarring at first and I love it. You can find some of my watercolors to be 3-inches across and others that are almost 8-foot-tall. I am known for creating large watercolors. I also love doing pop art from shows, games and comics.
What is the price range of your work?
My artwork ranges from $60 to $10,000. I want to be sure anyone that walks into the market has a choice between my large-framed watercolors or limited prints of those works. I hear a lot, “Not everyone can afford an original, but people can afford limited prints.” I offer unframed originals priced as low as $60. As artists, we put so much time and care into what we create for the show and we want people to enjoy our work. You will find quality work from booth to booth at CAM and a lot of us have worked hard to ensure there is something for every buyer.
Who are some artists that inspire you through their work?
It’s the people that are utilizing their native language in their art, that have picked up traditional pottery or weaving and have taught others in the community. Those are the super stars. I’m inspired by the playful color compositions of Jerry Sutton’s pieces, the positive impressions Roy Boney’s daily sketches bring to social media, the emboldening images of women in Keli Gonzales’ work, the intricate but delicate line work of Kristin Gentry’s ink/watercolors, and the beautiful abstracts of Dean Wyatt.
