- So today we did the awards at 10, we have the market space that opened up at 11.

We also have demonstrators starting at 11.

So we have basketry, we have log pounding, we have lacrosse stick netting, we have food sovereignty.

We also have the juried show artists under the lacrosse box with those 67 pieces.

And along with the artists that entered the jury show back here in the field was our largest count.

We had 71 market vendors in this field.

15 of those vendors were food vendors.

So we tripled in all our numbers that we had from 2023.

So the show just keeps growing and growing.

- So it's the oh Honda Soliqua.

And I've always wanted, I've always dreamt of having as much natural material in the piece as I can as possible.

And so we incorporated roadside porcupine quills, moose hair dyed moose hair.

Also, we made our own sinew from a deer tendent from my husband's last Deer hunt.

I'm very overwhelmed.

I didn't expect to be best overall because there's so many amazing artisans here in Akwesasne.

So to get this award is very overwhelming, very, I'm very honored and very happy.

- So I was, I was one of the jurors this year for the Juried Art Market.

It's a really incredible process.

There are five of us, so, you know, we all have curatorial biases and different opinions on things, but we're all really looking at things really closely.

So looking at ideas in the work, looking at technical aspects of the work, really just looking at all different things to, you know, framing and presentation as long as well as the piece.

And then also really read what the artists are exploring in their work, what they're thinking about, and reading the stories and narratives behind that.

So it's a very long day, but it's definitely worth it and I'm just honored to be a part of that.

- So we just expect this show Akwesasne Art Market to grow every year.

So keep following us on social, Facebook, Instagram, Akwesasne Travel website.

We plan to keep growing this event every year.

The numbers just keep growing.

If you feel comfortable being a market field vendor this year, and then you wanna enter the show next year, we encourage you to enter the show.

We just encourage all Akwesasro:non to look out for us for next year and to enter the show.

Yeah, - This year the Akwesasne Art Market and Juried Show takes place on Saturday, July 26th at Generations Park in Akwesasne.

Visit Akwesasne.Travel to learn more.