"Northern Plains artist Molly Murphy recently swept into the Southwest to claim the top prize in one of the most prestigious art shows in the country.
Murphy returned to Missoula after winning the coveted Best of Show award at the Heard Museum Fair and Market in Phoenix. It is one of the largest national juried art shows, attracting more than 700 artists with some 20,000 people visiting the festival last weekend, a 14.5 percent increase over last year.
The Oglala artist arguably was the most celebrated person at the market for top-notch beadwork. At times, Murphy said she had people 15 deep backed up at her booth who wanted to talk with her.
“It was a very heady, very crazy weekend,” said Murphy, who said she appreciated notification of the award before it was announced at a banquet. “I probably would have been a little bit of a wreck if I would have found out that night at dinner.”
Murphy's winning creation was a Salish-style beaded turquoise sky-blue cradleboard detailed with three flowers, a work titled “Past is Prologue.” She also won second place for an additional beaded item, an ornately beaded red wool-covered sewing box, “She Sews a Flight of Fancy.”"
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