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PARK HILL, OKLAHOMA – The 34th Annual Trail of Tears Art Show and Sale opens with an awards ceremony on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon. Guests and artists are encouraged to attend this prestigious show to view more than 250 entries from across the United States.

Sponsored by the Oklahoma Arts Council and Bank of Oklahoma, artists from across America will compete for the $1,500 Grand Prize award and more than $10,000 in total prize money. Categories for this year’s show include Painting, Graphics, Sculpture, Miniatures, Basketry, Pottery, and the Trail of Tears Theme.

A panel of three distinguished judges will determine the winners. However, patrons will be allowed to submit their vote for the "People’s Choice" award. This award is based solely on the votes of those attending the show and is highly prized among the artists.

"We always have a strong showing in our painting category," said Cherokee Heritage Center Curator, Mickel Yantz, "but recently, the Trail of Tears Theme category has had a wonderful response of creative artist expression that has received attention from our visitors."

Another popular category is the miniature category, where artwork is not allowed to exceed four inches high by four inches wide. This category allows visitors the opportunity to purchase works by well-known artists they may otherwise be unable to afford.

"Our miniature category also receives a lot of viewers," said Yantz. "Artists have a wonderful way of expressing so much within a 4 inch cube of space."

The Trail of Tears Art Show can be viewed from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The exhibit will be shown through May 29.

For more information on this show please call the Cherokee Heritage Center, phone: 918-456-6007, or call toll free 888-999-6007, or visit the CHC web site.

Related Cherokee Nation contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org