A Passamaquoddy basketmaker who entered the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market for the first time ended up walking away with the Best of Show Award.

Jeremy Frey, 32, who lives in Indian Township, Maine, won the award for his brown ash basket Pointy Urchin. “I’m amazed,” Frey said in a press release.

“I didn’t expect to place that high, especially in my first year out here," Frey added. “It’s overwhelming. There are a lot of really talented artists here.”

Frey was presented with the award on Friday. The fair took place on Saturday and Sunday.

Recipients of the Best of Classification award in the eight categories were:
I – Jewelry/Lapidary Work – Maria Samora (Taos Pueblo), “The Lauren Clutch”
II – Pottery – Harlan Reano (Santo Domingo Pueblo) and Lisa Holt (Cochiti Pueblo), “Round Lines”
III – Paintings/Drawings/Graphics – Thomas Tapia (Tesuque Pueblo/Tewa), “Traditional Buffalo Dance”
IV – Wooden Carvings – Stetson Honyumptewa (Hopi), “First Outing”
V – Sculpture – Marcus Amerman (Oklahoma Choctaw), “Frog Vessel”
VI – Textiles/Weavings – Charlene Laughing (Navajo), Territorial Floor Rug
VII – Diverse Artforms – Kenneth Williams, Jr. (Arapaho/Seneca), “Re-tro-spec-ting Traditional Values”
VIII – Baskets – Jeremy Frey (Passamaquoddy), “Pointy Urchin”

The Conrad House Award went to Orlando Dugi (Navajo), “Regal Dignity”